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Advice for what a wedding guest should wear to every type of wedding.

You’ve gotten the invitation for your friends’ wedding, happily circled the date on your calendar and started shopping for their gift, when all of a sudden it hits you – what are you supposed to wear??? The etiquette for proper wedding guest attire can vary greatly depending on the style of the wedding. You’ll have to become a little bit of a detective, but fear not. There are clues everywhere.
Start off with the invitation. Is it in flowing engraved black script on a heavy cream paper with formal language? Odds are the wedding will be similarly formal. Does it cheekily ask you to come see them get hitched? Wedding guests should look for a nice casual outfit. And of course, it may tell you directly on the invitation – black tie, casual attire etc.
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Wanna choose lingerie?…

August 29, 2008 by Olgita

You want to choose lingerie, but doubt if it’s going to suit you? I suggest a great tool that will solve this issue :) The tool is convenient and very illustrative. Besides, it’s simply a lot of fun :) Enjoy!



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What is an Interview Suit?

August 28, 2008 by Mimi

THE INTERVIEW WARDROBE-TOOLS TO SUCCESS

When you meet your interviewer for the time, what impression do you want to give? If you want to say, I’m pretty, wear your favorite frilly blouse. If you want to say, I’m laid-back wear the V-neck sweater you loved in college. If you want to say, I’m more competent, reliable, and professional than any candidate you will interview for this position-in other words, if you want the job-step one is: Invest in suit.
Sharp lines and authoritative stance-a suit says power, reliability, independence. And it can make you feel as confident as you look. Your interview suit-and everything that goes with-is the first tool on your prepare you to buy an interview suit and the business gear to go with it.
Whether you are just starting out or a CEO looking to switch companies, your interview suit must convey a confident, competent “I’ve got it together” sense of authority. This is best a accomplished with a dark, monochromatic tone (avoid patterns) and a classic cut. That means clean, simple lines around which you will build your entire business wardrobe. Looking sharp doesn’t stop once the interview is over-there is always someone for whom you need to look smart.
http://www.mysuitshop.com



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Trouble has been brewing at Milan’s 2008 Autumn/Winter Collection Fashion Week.

Milan Fashion Week has been branded a “circus without sense” by Dolce & Gabbana amid fears that it rapidly falling behind Paris and London as a vital destination on the haute couture circuit.

Long delays, chaotic organisation and unseemly catfights led to this year’s edition of Italy’s most prestigious fashion showcase, which finishes today, being roundly attacked.

Due to fears that important fashion editors would leave Milan before the end of Fashion Week, an exorbitant number of shows were crammed into the first few days of the fashion event. In all, there were 103 catwalk shows — supposed to run over the course of a week plus some — featuring 95 different designers and labels.

Anna Wintour, the editor of American Vogue, said she had requested Armani, Versace and Dolce & Gabbana to shift their shows so that she could return to America before Paris Fashion Week begins next Tuesday. As a result, a logjam of catwalk shows at the beginning of the week caused havoc.

The resulting scheduling created near-chaos and a very awkward calendar of events and shows. Furthermore, the rescheduling request evoked criticism from designers such as Dolce & Gabbana, claiming that the presige of Milan Fashion Week was being put into jeopardy and that the event may be “neglected in [the] future.”

Giorgio Armani vocalized his concerns, claiming that Wintour’s request showed her preference for French (and American) designers to the detriment of Italian talent.

Daily Telegraph



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Staying in Shape While Travelling

August 27, 2008 by Mimi

Today as economic conditions are improving and the availability of better transport facilities has inspired human beings to reach out to different places of the world and expand the business. The world is shrinking in the sense of living beings easily reaching out to distinct lands without much wastage of time. In this endeavor men faced a difficulty of staying fit while traveling which has become the most important aspect of life today. This problem is generally faced by frequent travelers as they keep on traveling frequently due to which their eating habits suffer a lot and due to lack of time they don’t get enough time to exercise for staying in shape.

Here are some tips for staying in shape while traveling which if worked out will surely work wonders on the fitness of a person.

www.womanjunction.com



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Fruit Juice Affects Drug Absorption

August 26, 2008 by Olgita

Scientists have revealed findings that urge caution when taking drugs and fruit juice together. At a chemists’ conference in the US, evidence was shown that indicated that drinking fruit juice, particularly grapefruit juice had an adverse effect on medicated drug absorption levels.

The group particularly tested the effect on anti allergy drugs such as antihistamine, although it is already recognised that grapefruit juice interferes in the absorption rate of blood pressure drugs.

Dr David Bailey, the author of the study is concerned about apple and orange juice too, as they contain the agent ‘naringin’ which interferes with the body’s mechanism of moving drug molecules into the blood stream from the small intestine.

Bailey said “Recently we discovered that grapefruit and these other fruit juices substantially decrease the oral absorption of certain drugs undergoing intestinal uptake transport,” and so we are particularly concerned about the “Loss of benefit of medications essential for the treatment of serious medical conditions.”

From the National Pharmacy Association, Colette McCready said: “The effect of grapefruit juice on some medicines is well established and where this applies it is clearly detailed in Patient Information Leaflets.” To ease patients concerns about the research, McCready said “Pharmacists will usually draw this matter to patients’ attention when dispensing their medicines. This new research showing that apple and orange juice may enhance or reduce the effects of some medicines is interesting but it is only one study.”

To put the study results into perspective, clinical pharmacologist Professor James Ritter from King’s College London, said: “The observation is very interesting. It will need more work to establish how important such interactions are in clinical practice and for what drugs and juices.”

http://www.healthypages.co.uk



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Tea is an ancient herbal drink known for its stimulant qualities largely attributed to caffeine. In modern times, it also became touted as a health food allegedly helpful in preventing or ameliorating a variety of conditions, from heart disease and cancer, to gum disease, skin aging and weight loss. The major types of tea include black, green and white (oolong), differing by the method of harvesting and processing.

Active principles in tea

The medicinal properties of tea are attributed to flavonoid phytochemicals called polyphenols. The polyphenols found in tea mainly belong to the subtype called catechins. Green tea has more catechins than black tea (about 25% vs 4%). White tea is almost as rich in catechins as green tea but is different in composition and less well studied. The main catechins in green tea include gallocatechin (GC), epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC), and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).

Tea and general heath

Numerous studies have shown tea polyphenols to have protective effects against free radicals, cardiovascular damage, some cancers, infections, toxins and so forth. But there is a catch. Most of the direct studies of the green tea effects have been done in tissue culture (test tubes) and animal models. The majority of human studies have been based on statistical correlations, i.e. the researchers used statistics to link tea consumption and the incidence of various diseases. Such correlational (a.k.a. epidemiological) data is by no means proof or even strong evidence of cause and effect – although it is a useful starting point for designing clinical trials.

As of the time of this writing, the overall impression from the limited human clinical trials is that tea (especially green and white) increases antioxidant capacity of tissues, particularly the blood, and that it improves some aspects of the lipid profile, such as the level and stickiness of LDL (bad cholesterol).

The full heath benefits of tea consumption in humans, if any, may take decades to investigate beyond reasonable doubt. However, considering tea’s high safety and a large amount of indirect evidence suggestive of many potential health benefits, switching to tea (especially green or white) from other beverages makes good sense. Due to lack of direct long-tern studies, opinions vary as to how much tea should be consumed for optimal health. Most experts suggest drinking from three to ten cups per day. Those who wish to avoid caffeine or do not wish to bother with tea brewing, can take a supplement of green tea extract. A typical dosage is 100 to 150 mg three times a day of a green tea extract standardized to contain 80% total polyphenols and 50% epigallocatechin gallate. Whether the extract offers the same benefits as freshly brewed tea remains unknown.

Skin benefits of green tea

There have been a number of encouraging studies of skin benefits of green tea. Animal studies showed protection from skin cancer. Both animal and human studies have credibly demonstrated that topical green tea formulations reduce sun damage. Green tea appears to exert sun damage protection by quenching free radicals and reducing inflammation rather than by blocking UV rays. Therefore, green tea may synergistically enhance sun protection when used in addition to a sunscreen.

A small study showed benefits of 2% polyphenone (via a particular type of green tea extract) in papulopustular rosacea. In particular, a significant reduction in inflammatory lesion was reported compared to placebo.

What about wrinkles, skin sag and other signs of aging? Can green tea help? Considering their well-documented antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, topical green tea polyphenols are likely to slow down the development of some signs of aging. Whether green tea can actually diminish wrinkles and skin sag is far more uncertain. In a 2005 study, forty women with moderate photoaging were randomized to either a combination regimen of 10% green tea cream and 300 mg twice-daily green tea oral supplementation or a placebo regimen for 8 weeks. No significant differences in clinical grading were found between the green tea-treated and placebo groups. On the other hand, histologic grading of skin biopsies did show significant improvement in the elastic tissue content of treated specimens. More human studies are needed to not only determine the scope of anti-aging skin benefits of green tea but also to work out the optimal usage.

How to use green tea in your skin care

Some uncertainty regarding the extent of green tea benefits and its optimal usage is likely to remain for years to come. Yet, if you wish to include green tea in your skin care today, there are sensible ways to go about it.

In particular, since sun protection benefits of green tea are particularly well documented, it could make sense to apply a green tea formula under your sunscreen when venturing into the sun. It is best to combine green tea with zinc oxide-based sunscreens because zinc oxide is chemically inert and should not react with green tea (which some chemical sunscreens might do, especially in sunlight).

It may also be useful to incorporate green tea into your skin maintenance routine to possibly slow down skin aging. However, simply buying a green tea cream may not necessarily be the best way to go. Like most other antioxidants, green tea polyphenols are oxidized and lose their activity when exposed to air. Whether commercial green tea creams retain the activity is unclear and may vary widely from product to product.

If you are willing to put in a bit of extra effort, here is some alternatives. Freeze freshly brewed green tea as ice cubes and use them as a toner. (Just don’t apply ice cubes to your skin right out of the freezer, let them start thawing first or you may get a freeze burn.) Or you can make your own fresh green tea cream using standardized extract as an active ingredient (see our article Do-It-Yourself Anti-Aging Skin Care). You can also drink lots of green tea or take green tea extract in capsules as discussed above – the polyphenols might reach your skin via the bloodstream in sufficient amounts to make a difference.
http://www.smartskincare.com



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The Function of Beauty

August 19, 2008 by Olgita

According to Kant, beauty has no function beyond the pleasure it generates. As much as this view influenced philosophical discourse, it did not satisfy natural scientists and social and cultural researchers.

Beauty and sexual selection.

Charles Darwin (1809–1882) sought to answer the question: how has natural beauty been acquired and what is its purpose? He rejects the idea that beauty in nature is a merely arbitrary outcome of physical forces. Darwin believed that the beautiful colors and diversified patterns we see in butterflies, moths, fish, birds, and other creatures must be beneficial in some way. In The Descent of Man and Selection in Relation to Sex (1871), he presents the theory that beauty is a result of accumulative sexual selection. Studying mating rituals among various species, Darwin concludes that the animals’ splendid decorations, their pomp and display, could not be inconsequential, and that it is impossible to doubt that the female admires the beauty of her male partner. This contrasts with the traditional view expressed by Burke (1767) that beauty is feminine, while the sublime is masculine.

Kant states that only humans are capable of appreciating beauty. Darwin insists that the origin of the ability to notice beauty (and appreciate it as such) is the same for animals and humans. Yet he agrees that humans’ perception of beauty is far more complex than that of animals and involves cultural values and traditions. He examined courting customs in different cultures and confirmed that beauty plays an equally central role in choosing mates, in spite of cultural differences.

Sigmund Freud (1856–1939) concurs with Darwin as to the origin and role of beauty in human life. In Civilization and Its Discontents (1930), Freud asserts that there is no doubt that beauty originates in sexual feelings, and that all forms of pleasure are related to sexual love. According to Darwin and Freud, the function of beauty is universal, but the variety of its manifestations coheres with cultural relativism. Tattoos serve as a beautifying means in one culture and are condemned in another. The Makalalo women used to pierce their upper lips and place a ring in it. Piercing, until recently regarded as esoteric in Western culture, is now commonplace in Western society. Facial hair (beard or mustache) is thought to enhance masculine beauty in Western culture. While the American Indians considered facial hair vulgar, they appreciated long hair for men. However, the passion for beauty and the readiness to suffer to achieve it are similar in all cultures.

Naomi Wolf, an active feminist, denies that this is true. She rejects the idea that beauty answers genuine, universal needs. Beauty, according to Wolf, is a myth created during the industrial revolution and used ever since by men to manipulate women for their own interest. Beauty, she holds, is not universal and is not a function of evolution. The readiness of women to suffer in order to achieve the false ideal of beauty indicates the dominance of men and confirms male manipulation. Thus, according to Wolf, the female suffering for beauty is not a genuine product of evolutionary forces (1991). Camille Paglia criticizes this kind of feminist approach for concentrating on images of beauty of the last century and for failing to encompass a broad historical view. Paglia places the origin of beauty in ancient Egypt (1991).

In contrast to Wolf’s position, Nancy Etcoff argues that beauty is a powerful and genuine element in everyday life. She agrees with Darwin that beauty influences sexual choice, but she goes on to argue that it influences all aspects of life from early childhood on. Beauty is not the result of political or economical manipulation, but rather the other way around: due to its strong impact, beauty is used as a means of achieving political and economic ends. Beauty, according to Etcoff, is not a product of a certain period in history; its origin, rather, lies in human nature itself (1999).

Beauty and art.

Art was traditionally considered a source of beauty; some even argued that natural beauty is subordinated to artistic beauty. Plato, however, separated art and beauty into two independent concepts: real beauty reflects truth, while art is a deceiving imitation of nature. Aristotle, by contrast, held that good art is beautiful and that, therefore, the two are inseparable: a good work of art is a beautiful work. The Aristotelian aesthetic tradition prevailed for centuries, but it was the eighteenth century that gave rise to the idea that creating beauty is the essential purpose of art.

Kant holds that good art is beautiful, although it differs significantly from natural beauty: a good work of art is a beautiful representation. A representation can be beautiful even if its subject matter is not beautiful. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831) argues that beauty is the essential feature of art, and natural beauty is a reflection of artistic beauty (Aesthetics, 1835). In this view, beauty reflects intentional creation, not incidental results of blind, natural forces. The poet Friedrich von Schiller (1759–1805) associates art with freedom and beauty: we arrive at freedom through artistic beauty, since it is a product of intentional, free choice (Letters on the Aesthetic Education of Man, 1795). The comparison between artistic and natural beauty led Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) to the observation that life and nature imitate art far more than art imitates life or nature. Art is the creation of beauty; life and nature constitute its raw materials (The Decay of Lying, 1894). Benedetto Croce (1866–1952) similarly states that the sense of natural beauty is a derivative of artistic beauty. Beauty of nature cannot be explained unless one regards it as the work of a divine creator. Beauty, according to Croce, is a synonym of intuition and expression, and these refer to the artistic form. The content of the work is beautiful only when wrought into form.

Robin G. Collingwood (1889–1943) defines art as an attempt to achieve beauty (Outlines of a Philosophy of Art, 1925). However, his viewpoint did not gain influence in the twentieth century. The prevailing analytical trend preferred, it would seem, clear-cut, definable notions and has not been conducive to the study of the paradoxical nature of beauty, its ambiguous logical status, and the endless disputes over matters of taste. Thus, beauty has been dismissed as a vague and insignificant concept and considered irrelevant to art. Ludwig Wittgenstein (1889–1951) remarks in this analytical vein that beauty is an odd word that is hardly ever used (Lectures and Conversations on Aesthetics, 1938). John A. Passmore states that there is something suspicious about the notion of beauty, and that artists seem to get along quite well without it. He associates beauty with kitsch and bourgeois art (1954).

The association of beauty with superficiality and tranquil bourgeois life stood in contrast to the revolutionary spirit of modern art and the general atmosphere between the two world wars and after. Detaching beauty from art became common practice. According to Curt J. Ducasse (1881–1969), there is no essential connection between art and beauty. Art is an attempt to express feelings, and artists may intend to create or express ugliness in their work (The Philosophy of Art, 1966). Nelson Goodman (1906–1998) argued that many of the best paintings are, in the most obvious sense, ugly. Beauty, according to Goodman, is a vague and deceptive concept, while art is a kind of language that has no essential bond with beauty (Languages of Art, 1968). The influential and much-discussed institutional definition of art presented by George Dickie (1974) similarly bypasses the notion of beauty.

Mary Mothersill strongly criticizes the wide neglect of beauty and its detachment from art. She argues that the idea of beauty is indispensable and taken for granted in art criticism, because although critics do not explicitly refer to beauty, the idea is implicit in their criticism (1984). Mothersill’s analysis of beauty reflects a change in approach. By the turn of the century we witness the growth of a renewed interest in various aspects of beauty. Wilfried Van Damme examines the anthropological perspective of beauty (1996). Eddy M. Zemach defends the objectivity of aesthetic properties and their empirical testability (1997). James Kirwan studies the history of the concept in order to illuminate the experience of beauty (1999). Peg Zeglin Brand examines the role and significance of beauty in social life and in relation to gender (2000). Lorand offers a theory of aesthetic order that revives the connection between beauty and art (2000), and Nick Zangwill rethinks the metaphysics of beauty (2001). These and other contemporary studies confirm that beauty is central to human experience in spite of its neglect in the discourse of the last century. The genuine vitality of beauty is bound to intrigue the reflective mind and inspire further investigations of its nature.

Ruth Lorand

Beauty and Ugliness – The Function Of Beauty



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We are bombarded everyday with beauty contests like Miss Universe and shows like Extreme Makeover, as well as People Magazine featuring the most beautiful people in the world, all trying to answer the question “What is beauty?”. Furthermore, advertisements abound that offer the definition of beauty, selling products by selling hope of either making oneself more beautiful or maintaining one’s beauty. We have taken for granted what the definition of beauty is according to society, but have you really stopped to ponder what is beauty, really? It might surprise you.

Anyone in the streets can tell you their personal definition of beauty: who they think is beautiful and who isn’t. And the surprising thing is that despite the common saying that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, people will come to roughly the same conclusions of what is beauty. Suffice to say, there are common definitions to what the definition of beauty is, which is much determined by society as a form of survival of the fittest.

In a recent paper entitled “What is beauty anyway?” came to the following conclusions: when asked what is beauty, men would say that a beautiful woman boils down to two characteristics: 1. Happy. 2. Healthy. Notice in the characteristics’ description, there is no specific mention about bums and boobs; perhaps they fall somewhere in the healthy category! Is this answer to “What is beauty” too simplistic? Let’s take a close look. There is more to the definition of beauty than meets the eye.

Happy

Babies are naturally attracted to happy faces. This is why when you smile they would smile too. They are natural reflectors of how you feel, and they help define what is beauty. When we are happy, our brain let off adrenalin, there is light in our eyes, we walk with vigor, and we have hope for living. When we are down, our eyes are naturally downcast, our face tense up, we slouch and our mind is elsewhere. We tend to wear darker colors too, so as not to bring attention to ourselves. Happy people attract others, while sad people tend to pull people away.

Healthy

Being healthy doesn’t mean that we have to have the figure of Tomb Raider to meet the definition of beauty. Looking healthy means having good skin, being energetic and having no obvious disability or disfigurement. We all know the ways to achieve healthiness to various degrees–Eating right, sleeping well, exercising regularly and learning to manage stress in a appropriate manner.

Multiple studies done by researchers independent of one another show that an overwhelming amount of what is considered beautiful also correlates to how symmetric the face and body are. Humans seem to have a natural averaging selection when determining the definition of beauty.

Most of us are born more symmetric than we are right now. As we grow older, we pick up bad habits unknowingly, like tilting our head to our side, holding tension on one side of the shoulder, which causes imbalances with our bodies. However, the good news is that we can change our bodies by being more aware and through stretching and strengthening exercises.

What is important is that for these characteristics of beauty, we can make positive changes to them. True, all of us might wish that we have the eyes Milla Jovovich and the body of Madonna; however, there are a lot of things that we can do to be happy and healthy and to offer the answer to what is beauty for ourselves. The major deterrent to becoming beautiful is the poor self images that we have of ourselves and the fact that we look outward for the definition of beauty. When we think ourselves poorly, we wish to be somebody else and looking for a quick fix when really we have the capability within ourselves for better change. You are beautiful, you just need to get it out.

Lynette Lim

http://www.americanchronicle.com



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Super Hair for Sunny Days

August 15, 2008 by Olgita

Whether your summer is spent at the beach or in the city, we’ve got expert haircare advice and style inspiration from the people who know.

Q I have highlights. How do I stop my colour from bleaching out on holiday when I’m in the sun?

A Top colourist Carolyn Newman, colour and art team director at Charles Worthington, advises that you book a consultation with your colourist before you go away. You should tell them about your holiday destination – if you’re going somewhere hot and sunny, blonde highlights will get even lighter and bright colours will fade under the strong UV rays. Your colourist may recommend that you wait until you return for your full colour treatment, or may adapt the colour so that it still looks great by the end of your holiday.

When you’re away, use a range of products containing UV-protection ingredients. For example, before you hit the beach, it pays to spray hair with a heat protector to help screen out the damaging effects of the sun and to keep it strong and shiny. Make sure you re-apply each time you go for a swim.

Products to try

We love the L’Or?al Professionnel S?rie Expert Solar Sublime range, from ?8.25, which contains high-tech sunscreens for good protection. Boost your hair’s condition with a once-weekly intensive treatment too. Try Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Deep Treatment, ?4.99, which gives a replenishing boost to coloured hair, hydrating and brightening it.

Q I’m considering going blonde for the summer. Is this a good idea or will it dry out my hair?

A“I always recommend going lighter when the weather is brighter – so yes, it is a good idea!” says Schwarzkopf Professional global colour ambassador Lisa Shepherd. “The new generation of lighteners are kinder to hair, so dryness shouldn’t be an issue.”

Ask your colourist for warmer golden blonde tones so it looks as if the sun has naturally lifted your hair. Steer clear of cool ash-blonde shades. Lisa Shepherd recommends the Schwarzkopf Blondme colouring system, available in salons.

If you want to go lighter but not all over, try Charles Worthington’s new dip dye colour technique, from ?110, which gives a natural sun-lightened and sun-kissed look. The idea comes from the dip dye fashion trends and surfer’s hair, where pieces of hair are deeper at the roots and go lighter towards the ends.

Once hair is beautifully blonded, it’s essential to protect your colour directly from intense sunshine. Products with UV filters will help, but the ultimate protection is a scarf or hat, according to Carolyn Newman. She says oval faces can carry off most hats; round faces should go for styles with a high crown and a decent brim, while a hat with a wide brim will balance out a long face. Either way you’ll look chic!

Q I want to look sun-kissed, but I’m a brunette. How can I make sure that I get the look I’m after?

A Choose warm highlights, like caramel and honey tones. These flattering shades suit all hair colours, as long as your natural colour is not too dark. For this, Lisa Shepherd advises going for lighter chocolate highlights.

Q I’m worried about how my hair will fare while I’m away – should I trim it pre- or post-holiday?

A Hair grows faster in the summer months – so to keep it looking great, you’ll probably need pre- and post-holiday cuts. “If you want to look groomed and A-list all the time, you should schedule trims every four to six weeks,” celebrity hairdresser Michael Van Clarke advises. “Shorter, more layered hair will change shape quicker as it grows, while longer, less layered hair will change shape more slowly. However, it will dry out more quickly at the ends, so it will also need regular trimming to keep the ends healthy.”

By Eve Cameron

http://www.allaboutyou.com



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