Underarm Tips

Summer has hit and the temperatures are soaring in some parts of this world! One thing young ladies detest is underarm moisture and odor! We did some research and found a few products that are all natural and claim to be safe for their customers. Finding a good natural product isn't always easy so we wanted to share our findings with you.

In May we attended a Science fair and one of the projects was about those popular deodorants that claim to leave no mark or residue on your black dress. The student experimented with four different brands and found that not one of them actually performed as their advertisers claimed they would.

When you choose an underarm product, be sure to have your parents help you to research and be sure it's the best for your skin. There are a few things you'll want to keep in mind when caring for that sensitive skin.

1. When you shave be sure to use a safe product to help reduce the risk of cutting yourself. Aveeno has a sensitive skin formula in their shaving cream line.

2. When you shave, the blade will exfoliate the skin for you so there is no need to scrub that delicate area with an abrasive sponge.

3. Replace your razor regularly and be sure to clean the blade thoroughly with hot water after each use.

4. When you're done showering, pat underarm slightly dry. You want to have the skin slightly moist when you apply the deodorant to help activate your product.

5. Deodorant/Antiperspirant applied to the inside of the thigh will help reduce irritation from walking in skirts.

Here are a few sites to check out with your parents for safer underarm care.

Toms of Maine

Mother Nature

Jason Natural

Do you know of another product that you'd like to share with us? Be sure to reply below!

Caring For Your Beauty Brushes

How to take proper care of your makeup brushes

With proper care, your brushes will remain luxurious for years and years.
Follow these 10 guidelines from Bobbi Brown for long-lasting use:

-Wipe off excess makeup after each use.
-Wash brushes periodically with mild cleanser. You can use your own facial cleanser or baby shampoo.
-Dampen brush head and gently work cleanser through the bristles, always
stroking in the direction of the hair.
-Never submerge entire brush into water.
-Rinse and pat dry with a towel.
-Reshape and pat dry with a towel.
-Reshape brushes and lie flat to dry on a towel on edge of table, with brush
bristle extending beyond counter edge.
-Never stand up to dry; excess water will weaken your brushes.
-Never harshly rub brushes.
-Protect brushes when traveling in a case or pouch so hairs do not get bent
and tangled.

The recommended time to clean your brushes is every month.
Always keep them in a pouch or wrapped in a cloth to keep them protected.
Once you have added your color to the brush turn it upside down and tap the handle of the brush on the counter to sift the makeup down into the bristles.


When choosing beauty brushes be sure they are double crimped with Aluminum, Copper or Brass.
The highest quality hair for bristles is goat, squirrel, or mink. There's no need to worry about the little animals, their hair is harvested, but the animals are not harmed.
The handles should be made of hard wood, not plastic.

Avoid trying to save a few bucks by purchasing inexpensive beauty brushes. When compiling your beauty set, your purchase in beauty brushes is one of the most important 'investments' you'll make. With proper care of high quality brushes, you may not ever have to buy another set again.

A weak set of brushes will have wobbly handles, bristles that fall out, and that is not what you want in a beauty brush.

Recommended Beauty Brushes:
BareEscentuals
BeautiControl (Available with Sisterlisa)
Physicians Formula (available at most Wal-marts)

Physical Fitness for the Homekeeper in You

Even though some of us may not be outside in the sun this summer, everyone wants a well built body. To do so, you do not have to conform to the methods of this world, you only need to keep a healthy diet and exercise. Exercise does not have to consist of going to a gym every day and lifting weights. You can get the same amount of exercise right at home. For example:

Yard work- You will build the muscles in your legs, arms, chest, stomach, back, neck, and your seat.
Sweeping/mopping- Arms, and chest.
Scrubbing baseboards- Arms, chest and legs.
Dishes-Arms, chest and stomach(minor).
Dusting-Arms, and chest.
Laundry-Arms, chest, neck, and stomach(minor).
Cooking-Arms, and chest. Mixing batter will build your arm muscles, as will kneading bread.

Also, a few ways to get the most out of your home workout are to:

Every time you are bending over or on your knees, squat instead to emphasize stress on your legs.
Every time you lift something, tighten your entire upper body. This will help build your upper body muscles.
If you are playing a board game, watching television, or reading, you can lift a soup can with your arm to build your arm muscles.
Also, when you are doing those things, you can periodically lift your legs off of the ground using your stomach muscles.
No matter what you do, tighten your muscles to get the most out of whatever you are doing.

You can also take the time to do sit-ups, push-ups, and the like to get extra exercise at your house.

You can read about healthy diet tips in my 'Healthy Steps' articles.

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The Sun Will Come Out

Summer is coming and I see so many girls obsessing over being tan. Some girls may think that you will be unpopular or ugly if you are not tan. This is not so. Not only is tanning or laying out unhealthy for your skin, but in the 1800's it was considered unladylike. Back then, if you were tan, the first impression of you would most likely be, "She is a slave." Slaves were the ones with tans, because they worked in the fields. The paler you were, the more feminine you were considered to be. Therefore, this summer, strive to use sunblock as much as possible. It will be better for your skin.

This sunblock is by BeautiControl. It is called Cell Block C. -->
It is not even very sunny here, and I am already starting to wear this sunblock. You can order it at www.beauticontrol.com

Girls, we may believe that being tan is the 'IT' thing and that we are more beautiful with a tan, but it will turn into premature freckles, wrinkles and skin cancer. You can learn more about skin cancer here: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/skin-cancer/DS00190

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Farmers Pluck Chickens, but Ladies Tweeze

I have seen so many girls who do not or do not know how to or are not allowed to tweeze their eyebrows. This article is for those of you that are allowed to do your eyebrows. If you are not allowed to do your own eyebrows, then I encourage you not to try to do it on your own. Just as I warned about your legs, I am warning about your eyebrows. My little sisters have attempted to do their own eyebrows and, I will just say this, it did not turn out well. For those of you who can do their own brows, this is for you.

Before you begin tweezing your eyebrows, be sure that you know how far in and out or up and down to go. Here is a scale of what you brows should look like.

*Never, never, ever shave any part of your eyebrows. Your eyebrows may never grow back the same.

If you hold an eye pencil to the side of your nose, this is where your brown should begin. Tilt is to the end of the corner of your eye and you'll see where you brow should end.

Another method that some girls use is waxing. You would probably be better off going to a professional for this. It is a faster and easier method. Your eyebrow area may be red and irritated for a while afterwards, but it lasts a little longer that tweezing.

Here are some different ways that you groom your eyebrows.

You can use a nice styling tool to groom your eyebrows, or you can use a clean toothbrush. They both have the same effect. To keep your brows in one place, your can apply clear mascara.


If you have gaps in your brows from previous overtweezing, you can use brow pencil or brow powder. Although, if you do not have gaps in your brows, do not use these fillers

because your brows will appear much darker that they should. If you do have a gap, use a color that is exact or VERY close to the natural color of your brow hair.

To decide which shape for your brows is the right shape you can get your parent's permission to visit the EyeBrowz.

No More Scratchy Legs

Legs

Summer is coming, and those of us whose parents allow us to shave our legs, here are some tips.

-Shaving cream. Never shave on dry legs or legs that are just wet, although your legs should be wet before you shave. If you do not want to buy the expensive shaving cream that is on the market today, you can buy dollar tree hair conditioner, it works just as well, on your legs anyway. Although, if you would like to buy some nice shaving cream, I recommend the Aveeno therapeutic shave gel. It helps prevent razor bumps; soothes dry, sensitive skin; it is infused with natural colloidal oatmeal. It has no added fragrance and is dermatologist recommended.

-Razor. Dollar tree razors work just as well as the expensive ones if you know how to use it. Start just above your ankle and use a gentle, fluid motion up to where your knee begins. You can shave above that, but be cautioned. You will be more likely to knick yourself. Be sure to be in a comfortable position before you start shaving. I recommend that you sit down so that you are steady and not inclined to fall over and cut yourself.

Lotion- For extra smooth skin after you are finished shaving, use an unscented lotion for if you do knick your self so it won’t sting. If you do knick yourself, put a little Tea tree oil on it to help heal it.

As a caution to those who are not permitted to shave yet, do not attempt to try it. Here is the story of what happened to my little sister, who was not allowed to shave.

As my family, less my little sister, was sitting in the family room, we heard a scream from the bathroom. I ran in there to see what the problem was, and my little sister was standing with a bleeding finger and a guilty conscious. My first thought was “She used the razor.” Therefore, I proceeded to ask her “Did you use my razor?” “NO!” was the reply that I received. I knew she was lying so I just looked at her and she told me that she had tried to use it. So please ,older sisters and family members, keep your razors in a private place, preventing owies and boo boos.

I hope that this article has helped you in some way.

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Lip Protection

The sun is beginning to come out here in California, therefore, that means more sun and more chapped lips. At least for me, my lips always fight against being chapped. Here are some steps for taking care of your lips.

Step 1: Exfoliate your lips; this gets rid of the dead skin cells. Using a soft bristle toothbrush, gently massage your lips. Alternatively, take a dry washcloth and do the same. You can make a baking soda an olive oil mixture for this.

Step 2: Always apply lip balm that has sunscreen in it.

Step 3: Use Vaseline to help dry, cracked lips. You can also use it as a top coat for lipstick, it helps it stay on longer, or if you run out of lip gloss and want some shine.

Step 4: Put on lip balm prior to applying your lipstick, which is protection for your lips. This will help the lipstick go on smoother.

Here is a recipe for homemade lip balm

This recipe for lip balm is made with fresh cranberries that will leave your lips soft and give them a hint of color.

Ingredients
10 fresh cranberries
1 tbsp sweet almond oil
1 tsp honey
1 drop of Vitamin E oil

Directions

Mix all the ingredients together in a micro safe bowl.

Microwave for a couple of minutes or until the mixture just begins to boil. (The bowl may also be heated in a pan of water on a stove top).

Stir well and gently crush the berries. Let the mixture cool for five minutes and then strain through a fine strainer to remove all of the fruit pieces. Stir again and set aside to cool completely.

Once the mixture has finished cooling, transfer it into a small, plastic container or tin for you to keep. I sure hope that these tips and this recipe have helped you.

Fancy Feet

Feet, feet, feet. I am beginning to see more and more of them. Since the warmer season is on its' way, sandals and open toed shoes are appearing on the shelves, on the streets, and on the feet of many girls. When wearing sandals, it is best to have your feet looking their best. So, here are some tips to be-a-u-ti-ful feet.

Your feet need to relax just as much as the rest of your body. Sit and roll the balls of your feet over a glass bottle for 20 minutes, then limber up by picking up a few marbles or a towel with your toes.

To get rid of odor, run your feet under cold water for a few minutes and then massage them with rubbing alcohol. To evade infection, add three tablespoons of bleach to a pan of water and soak your feet. You may also choose a safer less evasive recipe of baking soda and orange rind.( finely grated) Be sure to use proper nail tools when cleaning under the nail and around the cuticle.

Exfoliation: As long as you don't have any open wounds you may also use sea salt as a exfoliant to remove dead skin. Simply soak your feet in warm water to soften skin, then gently massage sea salt over your feet. Rinse and tenderly buff away heels and callouses with a loofah sponge. Rinse well and pat dry. Gently massage with your favorite oil.

To prevent athlete's foot, wash well between your toes with your regular soap, then dry carefully. At night, apply a perfume-free moisturizer.

If you have cold feet, rotate your ankles clockwise and counterclockwise. Don't subject them to hot baths, hot-water bottles or heating pads, all of which slow circulation.

Here are the ingredients to a nice foot bath

1 cup lemon juice
Cinnamon for aromatherapy
2 tablespoons of olive oil
¼ cup of whole milk
Water (amount does not matter)

Mix all the ingredients in a tub and soak your feet in it for a while. Cinnamon can be replaced with any spice, perfume or flower petals. This soak will leave your skin refreshed and fragrant. After this, wash your feet with a mild soap. Follow this foot care regime for a few weeks and your skin on your feet will be silky and smooth. If you have open wounds, such as cuts or scrapes, you may want to avoid lemon juice and cinnamon.

Other recipes:
-chamomile, with lavender oil.
-epsom salts and coconut oil
-rosewood and geranium oil
-orange and tea tree oil

I hope that this information will keep your feet looking and feeling refreshed and beautiful!

Basics to Skin Care

Some Basic Skin Care Steps

Girls can begin to take proper care of their skin at a very young age with supervision and guidance from their mothers. It's very important that we do this.

Cleanse

Wash your face twice a day. Cleanse your skin in the morning and at night to help prevent unhealthy and unsightly build up. At night the natural oils on your skin, along with the dust in the room, settle on your face, so cleansing your face in the morning is a must!

Exfoliate

Cleansing your skin is not enough; you need to get rid of the dead skin that will build up over time if you do not exfoliate. Un-exfoliated skin will result with in-grown hairs. There are many brands to choose from. Try one that suits your skin. Once a week is good, twice a week is better! Exfoliate your face. How much to exfoliate, and what kind depends on what kind of skin you have. If your skin is oily, a more powerful scrub will most likely not irritate it. If you have sensitive skin, a mild exfoliate is necessary, although once a week use is probably sufficient. Combination or dry skin can handle a mild to medium textured scrub.

Possessing acneic skin, you should see a doctor before using any harsher products. Wash your hands thoroughly before exfoliating. Put a dime size amount on the skin, and use circular motions. Don't forget about the creases in your nose, forehead, and cheekbones. After a few minutes, rinse off with warm water.

Toner

Use a toner Washing your face does not always get all of the dirt and old makeup. Using a toner will help get rid of bacteria before it starts to form, and residue from your cleanser. (I would not recommend to do this step for very young girls, you should consult your physician when beginning this step)

Moisturize

Some girls may think that because they have oily skin, they do not need to moisturize. Think again! Your skin will naturally produce more oil after you have already washed it off, resulting in highly dry or acneic skin. After you wash your face and use a toner, be sure to use a moisturizer. You can get a special type of moisturizer for your specific skin type, whether it is dry, oily, or acneic.

Protect

You should always protect your skin from the harmful rays of the sun. If you do not protect your skin with sunscreen, then you may end up with sunspots and wrinkles prematurely. When looking for a sunscreen choose the highest SPF form that you can find. When applying it, use a generous layer over your skin, allow 30 minutes to dry before exposing your skin to the sun, re-apply every 2 hours no matter what the bottle says.

Research

Before spending your money on a product, research it. Advertising may be deceiving. You would not want to spend one-hundred dollars on products just to find out that you were one of the many people that were swindled into buy them.

Not only should we be wise with taking care of our skin, but also with our finances. Be careful not to get deceived into the latest advertising scams.

Esther 2:7b, "...and the maid was fair and beautiful."(KJV)

For Your Eyes Only

Many girls want to compliment their eye color and one thing to remember is that not all girls really 'need' to wear makeup. Once you begin wearing cosmetics you'll most likely wear it every time you go out of the house. My mom told me about a time when her mom wanted her to go into the front yard to help with the gardening. It took her 45 minutes to get out to the yard and her mom wanted to know what took so long. "I had to put on my makeup mom, you never know who would be walking by."

Keep in mind, my mom was not raised in a Christian home and her ideas about beauty were not lead by the Holy Spirit. It's also important to seek wise counsel from your parents before using makeup. My sister and aunt have very sensitive eyes and they cannot wear eye makeup without having an allergic reaction. Some girls get very red eyes and are allergic to cosmetics being around their eyes.

I cannot say at what age a girl should be able to wear makeup, that is entirely up to your parents. I have several friends who don't wear any makeup at all and they are beautiful just the way that God made them. Some girls have scars around their eyes and wish to conceal them, or dark circles as well. There is a lot that goes into applying makeup and doing so properly. You'll always want to talk to your parents about any decisions you make about your appearance.

If your parents do not wish for you to wear makeup yet, then this article may not be suited for you. This article has some tips for those who do wear makeup, with their parents consent.

How to compliment your eye color

Hazel
If your eyes are this color you are blessed, because it is a beautiful color and the natural color of nature. They will work with most colors, especially green, gold, and deep purple. You don't necessarily need to wear eye color in order to compliment your eyes, just wearing a certain colored sweater or shirt could bring out the natural hues of your eyes.

Green eyes
You should wear a variation of green colored clothes that reflect the light.
Gold will also reflect in green eyes and brown will contrast and bring out the hazel lights.
Brown, green and gold eye shadow will compliment this eye color.

Brown eyes
Brown or taupe eye shadow is the best color for brown eyes and dress colors such as beige and brown will compliment this warm eye color. Never think dull, brown is so beautiful with a huge variety of shades from light to dark.

Blue eyes
If you are blessed with this eye color you will not need to do much to emphasize them but think cool. Blue denim is one of the all time favorites and looks especially wonderful with blue eyes.

Gray eyes
Dress sense to go with this eye color should tend toward the lighter shades and try a light silvery blue shade of eye shadow to really compliment your look.

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Top Healthy Eye Tips
Healthy eyes are beautiful eyes. If your eyes are swollen, or red, no amount of makeup is going to disguise this fact.

If you wear contact lenses, make sure that you attend to all the care instructions for them. Also, protect your eyes by using cosmetics with sunscreen included.

When putting on eye makeup, make sure it goes with the rest of your look. Too many girls forget that even though the eyes are important, they must be in harmony with the rest of the face.

Choose eye makeup that goes with what you’re wearing, and with the look you choose on the rest of your face. Don’t let your features go to war with each other to be the most prominent. Overdoing it can just look inappropriate.

Lay a good base. A layer of foundation on your eyelids will help smooth out imperfections and help your eye shadow and liner look great. You can also get an eye shadow primer to help minimize oil creases midday.

Choose a color theme. This doesn’t meant that you have to use a monochrome scheme for your eye makeup, but it does mean that it’s a good idea to keep an idea of color harmony in mind as you apply your makeup. For ex; purple eye shadow would not coordinate well with bright red lipstick.

Pay attention to your eye shape. What works on one person won’t necessarily look good on another. Figuring out what shape and set your eyes are can go a long way to helping you get the right look.

Select quality cosmetics. It really matters whether or not your makeup is high quality. Don’t let your tools work against you just because you can get a cheaper brand. You’ll never achieve the same looks you can with a better brand. An inexpensive good quality cosmetic line we have tried is Rimmel, and yet you can invest in cosmetics from companies such as MaryKay or BeautiControl. Their cosmetic lines last a long time and they have a beautiful collection of subtle colors to achieve a natural look.

Use specialized cleansers to remove your makeup. Soap and water are harsh and can irritate the eyes. Specially formulated eye cleansers are gentle and made to remove cosmetics. Again, MaryKay and BeautiControl have gentle eye makeup removers that are oil free and safe for contact lens wearers.

Apply mascara on the tips of the lashes only. Harsh makeup in daylight can look silly.
Soften over-prominent eyes. Just because the eyes are the first thing we pay attention to doesn’t meant that they must be the focus of every look. If you feel that your eyes are too prominent, apply medium shadow and don’t use highlights.

There's no need to compete with another girl and her makeup style. Talk to your parents and form a look that’s your own and that gives the image of a godly young lady.

Proverbs 7:2, "Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye." (KJV)

The Beauty Planner: Healthy Hair

I found these steps to healthier hair, and thought that maybe you might want to know.

1. Cut down on tea and coffee, instead drink water (between six and eight glasses a day), herbal teas and unsweetened fruit juice.

2. Believe it or not, regular exercise can help your hair. It will supply healthy blood cells to help nourish, regenerate and repair your hair.

3. Eating 2-3 pieces of fruit a day provides your hair with vital vitamins and minerals.

4. Avoid rubbing, pulling or stretching wet hair.

Did you know that some women have a spiritual connection to their hair? During times if grieving some women allow their hair to grow for a period of time. When they feel that they have passed that grieving stage they get their hair cut.

I once had very long hair and I wanted it cut very short. I was so sad after I cut it. Ever since then I have allowed it to grow very long. The Bible talks about a woman's hair being her crown of glory.

1 Corinthians 11:14, "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. " (KJV)

Have you ever struggled with the idea of getting your hair cut?

'The Beauty Planner' will be a weekly tip article discussing various topics of beauty. If you have a tip you'd like to see featured, send in your Beauty Submissions to our Editor.