Beauty Information

Handmade Soap Facts


How many people know what soap really is?  Several of the cleansing bars that you buy at the store, for example, are detergents-and not soaps at all. They are called syndet bars, or synthetic detergent bars. They are made from synthesized chemicals and are usually much harsher than soap. Detergents contain petroleum distillates rather than oil. On the other hand, true soap is made from natural oils (such as olive, coconut and palm) and is a gentle cleansing product more appropriate for use on skin than is detergent.  Soaps, unlike detergents, are made by combining sodium hydroxide or lye, oils and water in a process known as "Saponification". Some people may question the use of lye in handcrafted soap. The fact is that all soap is made with lye. What needs to be made clear is that once the process of saponification is complete, the lye and oil molecules have combined and chemically changed into soap and glycerin. There is no lye present in the finished bars of soap.  The oils in our soaps are put there for a specific purpose. The coconut oil creates a wonderful lather. The olive oil is used for a high quality, long lasting bar. Canola and Palm oil carry nutrients to the skin, and the safflower oil make a creamy bar.  Glycerin is a skin soothing emollient that adds to the goodness of handmade soap. In commercial soaps the glycerin is removed for sale to the cosmetic industry to sell separately, sometimes at a higher price than the soap itself! Glycerin is important to skin care because it is a humectant. Humectants draw moisture from the air, which in turn moisturize your skin. A whole 1/5 of a bar of our soap is glycerin.  Most soaps have artificial ingredients to scent or color. Some handcrafted soap is scented with fragrance oils. These are synthetic chemicals that are mixed together to imitate a particular scent. They have contributed in many cases to chemical sensitivity in some people. They also have no aromatherapy benefits. The scents in our soaps should come only from essential oils, which are steamed or pressed from plants. Essential oils are the fragrance emitting components of plants and are at the heart of aromatherapy. Not only do they smell good; they have many beneficial effects on the body, mind and spirit.  The coloring in our soap should come from nature as well. The petals of Lavender and Rose can be used. Earth Pigments can also be used, which are simply finely ground rocks. This makes the colors rich and earthy, rather than artificial looking.

The Eyes Have It


Did you know Leonardo da Vinci sketched and described several forms of contact lenses in 1508, and in 1632 Rene Descartes suggested the possibility of a corneal contact lens? Civilization has come a long way from these early ideas to the high-tech advancements we have to care for our eyes today. We even have choices for improved vision other than through a contact lens or eyeglasses. LASIK surgical procedures are done on the eye and intended to reduce dependency on eyeglasses. It doesn?t promise perfect vision, but it offers convenient benefits to people that don?t want to put on glasses.

Eye Spy - In Search of a Greater Lash


In search of a greater lash I secretly spied into the makeup bags of my most well painted friends, casually slipped in "so what mascara do you use" to unsuspecting co-workers, and polled long lashed strangers to uncover their mascara of choice. To my surprise, friends and strangers alike were wide eyed and bushy tailed to share the secrets of their lash life. So if you're interested in peaking into what's keeping these women's eyes wide open? read 'em and wink:

Living Water


A wellness of beauty for mind, body & spiritby Cathy Gatson

No Flab With That Blouse is So Necessary


by Cathy GatsonWith Spring in the air and Summer just around the corner?it will soon be time to "change clothes and go"?sleeveless. If you've been shopping lately, you may have noticed many of the blouses, tops and dresses for Spring/Summer are haltered, strapless, or sleeveless, exposing lots of skin. The styles are sexy but flabby arms are not. If the backs of your arms are waving in the wind, then here are the most recommended and easiest exercises that I've found to improve muscle tone to your arms, shoulders and chest just in time for Spring.

Deep Vein Thrombosis...an In Flight Risk


DVT?an in flight riskby Cathy Gatson

What Are Pigtails?


There really isn't a huge debate on this subject, but there are some differences of opinion. This article looks at some of the differing opinions related to pigtails hairstyle definition, attempts to find some middle ground (perhaps unsuccessfully), and closes with this author's own definition and description of the ideal pigtails.

Beauty Sleep - Is It A Dream?


As women we know that a lack of sleep leaves us irritable; however most of us are unaware of the damage it may be doing to our skin? Besides being an essential component of a healthy lifestyle, getting 8 hours of sleep per night helps improve the texture and the luminosity of our skin. During the night the skin is restored from the harmful effects of daily stress. When we do not get the required sleep our skin suffers. This is especially noticeable in the fragile skin under the eyes. The under eye area is almost fifty percent thinner than the skin on the face. Sleepless nights leaves behind fine lines, dark circles or puffy bags. Cosmetic treatments can soften the effects of sleep deprivation but preventive medicine is the best cure. Eye treatments are limited in their ability and cannot reverse the stress that a lack of sleep will do to the skin.

7 Steps to Great Makeup


1. Avoid wearing too much

Plastic Surgey: The New Beauty Norm?


This is a good topic to discuss especially now since the popularity of all the make-over shows. I have always been curious as to why people, mostly women, have this idea that they are expected to look a certain way in order to "fit in" with society.

How To Apply Your Makeup


How To Apply Your Makeup

Look Better, Feel Better


>Yikes! It?s that me, I though after seeing my reflection. What happened? I feel like a different person and I am right. I went from being a single, ambitious young woman to a loving wife, mother and entrepreneur. All this new roles that I have acquire through life, leave me with more responsibilities and less time on my hands.

How To Give A Manicure


This guide will give you the basic directions for nail care, however, it cannot provide the same direction and hands-on experience offered by a Professional School of Cosmetology.

Perfect Lips


Nothing impresses your friends more than a perfect lip line, because it is the hardest makeup application to do.To get it, avoid applying the lip pencil too heavily, which will be difficult to blend and soften into the lipstick. Keeping your mouth closed lightly trace the lip line with the lip pencil so it can barely be seen, but can be used as a guide line.

Beauty Sleep


Beauty SleepThe health and beauty of a good night's sleep

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Chorale, orchestra find beauty in songs of lament
Minneapolis Star Tribune, MN - 43 minutes ago
The women of the Chorale sang with a crystalline beauty and a clear diction that occasionally was lacking in the other selections. ...


A player of beauty, Justine Henin just lost the fire
The Australian, Australia - 11 hours ago
"It was the beauty of that shot plus her whole repertoire. "She'd go from the ripping top-spin pass to executing the most exquisite sliced drop-shot. ...
Editorial Notebook Saying Goodbye to Justine Henin New York Times
Henin's sudden retirement confounding, devastating - Tennis ESPN
Henin brings career to an early close Times Online
SI.com - Sportingo
all 1,670 news articles


Esaulenko, you beauty!
The Age, Australia - 12 hours ago
"JESAULENKO, you beauty" and the nickname "Jezza" are already etched in football folklore and are absolute certainties to stay there now that the man ...


"Sleeping Beauty" awakes on Blu-ray
Reuters - 19 hours ago
In October, Disney will release its first animated classic on Blu-ray Disc, "Sleeping Beauty," offering viewers a full palate of high-tech viewing options. ...


Indy's first post-merger Pole Day a thing of beauty
San Diego Union Tribune, United States - 16 hours ago
By Bill Center Pole Day at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, was, for decades, the year's second-biggest event in American motorsports. ...


Ageless beauty? Don't count on cosmetics to live forever
Salt Lake Tribune, United States - 20 hours ago
This hoarding habit has a catch because beauty products go bad. At best, they stop performing as well as they used to, and at worst, they can cause ...


Beauty Contest Heats Up
GhanaBase Music News, Ghana - 2 hours ago
Initially she wanted to take after her dad who formally worked with GBC but upon second thought, she went into Beauty Therapy. In the GMB house, ...


Beauty Spot: Kiehl's Starter Sets
Globe and Mail, Canada - 22 hours ago
If you simply can't bear the thought of some meaty-pawed customs agent snatching your high-end décolleté cream from your carry-on this summer travelling ...


Ms. Santa Barbara Corporate America Mixes Business with Beauty
PR.com (press release), NY - 4 hours ago
“You’re not getting older, you’re getting better,” may be the best description for the newest Beauty Pageant, Ms./Mrs. Corporate America—with its inaugural ...


E! Online

Plus-sized beauty takes Top Model crown
Ninemsn, Australia - 2 hours ago
Whitney Thompson last night became the first full-figured beauty to take out the prestigious title in the reality television show. The 20-year-old, ...
Role Model? PW-Philadelphia Weekly
America’s Next Top Model Cycle 10 Finale: And The Winner Is Playfeed
America's Next Top Model: And the Winner Is... TV Squad
MTV.com - Salon
all 69 news articles

Beauty - Google News




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