Whilst the girls are overly concerned with looking great, in general men have a more practical approach. Summer means the time to swap the heavy layers, jackets and wool of winter for breathable shirts and lightweight trousers or shorts. But that desire for comfort and practicality doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice the perfect summer style.

One of the hottest men’s fashion trends this summer, prompted by the leading lads of blockbuster movie The Hangover II, is the shirt as a jacket. That’s right – a light shirt that you can wear over a t-shirt or vest as a summer jacket. Floral mens shirts come in a variety of different styles and fabrics, but you want to keep things simple and cool, so try pairing a light cotton polo shirt with a plain white sports shirt on top. When it comes to the extremely hot weather, you will be grateful for a light cotton fabric, but if the weather happens to change quite suddenly or you are out on a cool summer’s evening, the second shirt will act as a jacket to add that extra layer to maintain the perfect body temperature.

You could pair a patterned t-shirt, perhaps with a graphic design, with a plain work shirt on top, or consider a plain vest top underneath with a patterned shirt overlay. The big print for men this summer, as always, comes in the form of floral men’s shirts – you know when you see one that summer is definitely in style.

Nobody likes dry, skimpy hair. But maintaining healthy, shiny hair is no easy task. Since people hardly ever have time to properly look after their hair, they rely on chemically made hair products or visit salons to get new hairstyle. These things appear great, but in the long run do more damage than good to your hair. Also they cost too much.

Using natural home remedies instead, is not only safer, it guarantees the results. With the new shampoo that you just bought, you will keep wondering if it really gives your hair the shine it promises, or will it cause your hair to start falling. But with home remedies, tried and experimented through ages, you have nothing to fear. Natural products have infact gone so popular, that many leading beauty items claim they contain extracts from these products in them.

Here is a list of natural, herbal products for you to make your hair healthier:

●       Oil: It is true what your grandmother used to say; oil your hair at least once a week. Your hair goes through constant wear and tear every day, especially if you use hair dryers or straighteners on a regular basis. The harsh rays of the sun also steal precious moisture from your hair leaving it dry. Apply natural oils like olive oil or coconut oil regularly to keep hair healthy.

●       Egg: An egg does not just look good on your plate. It looks great on your head too, that is after you wash it off. An egg is a well-known natural remedy to give extra shine to your hair. Sure it smells a little, but think of the aftereffects. Use a dying brush to generously apply the well beaten egg all over your hair. Cover and leave for an hour, then rinse well. You will see the results yourself.

●       Baking Soda: If you suffer from oily hair, you do not need a harsher shampoo formula. You just need baking soda. Just a pinch will work wonders. Mix it with your regular shampoo and apply it to your scalp. Your hair will come out softer.

●       Yogurt: Victim of dandruff? Use yogurt. Dandruff is the result of a dry and damage scalp. Yogurt helps to cool and nourish your scalp, effectively repairing the skin.

Use these natural remedies for shinier healthier hair.

manicure-supplies

Everyone loves having beautiful, well kept hands. And getting a manicure ensures the beauty of hands for long. But a good manicure often costs a lot; therefore it is not feasible to get manicures on a regular basis. However there is another option. Getting a manicure is now easier than ever. You can get a great manicure right at home without any cost. Try giving yourself a manicure.

There are two ways of giving you a manicure. You can either purchase a manicure kit, or just do it all on your own.

Manicure kits are widely available in the market, and they do not cost all that much too. They have an instruction manual giving step by step guides of what to do. But if you would rather prefer doing it yourself, here is what you should do.

What to do:

1. First clean your nails of any old nail polish that you might have on.
2. Fill a little tub with warm water and dip your hands in it for 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Dry hands thoroughly then use nail clippers to gently trim your nails. File them in one direction. Give them either a round or a square shape. Remember trim only a little, you should still be able to see the white part of the nail when you are done.
4. Apply a generous amount of cuticle cream and using a cuticle pusher and gently push your cuticle backwards. Never pull or peel them. They could bleed, leading to an infection.
5. Using a hand and nail cream, massage your hands for 5 minutes.
6. Now, choose a nail color of your liking. Wipe off any excess moisturizer from nails before applying color. Then gently apply the base coat and wait for 1 minute to dry.
7. When the base coat is dry, apply the second coat to give a much deeper hue. Wait 5 minutes or longer to dry.
8. Remove any excess color from fingers or side using a cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover.
9. When the nail polish is dry, apply the final layer of clear nail polish to give your nails a shine.

While the trend for low-carb weightloss ‘strategy’ appears to be past its prime, according to experts, trends that are on the way up include:

• Whole-health diets.
• Back-to-basics eating plans.
• Exotic dietary influences.

Just the Basics

“The biggest trend I see is a back-to-the-basics approach — getting away from highly processed foods and back to whole foods,” says nutritionist Cynthia Sass, MPH, RD, a national spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.

Similarly, trend forecaster Gerald Celente predicts a turn away from the “strictlyweight loss diet book” and a move toward what he calls “whole health” eating — diets that not only help us lose weight, but live a healthier lifestyle.

“We will focus our attention on those plans that provide us with ‘recipes‘ for staying healthy in mind, body and spirit,” says Celente, publisher of The Trends Journaland director of TrendsResearch.com.

“Functional foods” will be another trend, adds Sass, co-author of Your Diet Is Driving Me Crazy: When Food Conflicts Get In the Way of Your Love Life.

“Food as medicine or functional foods will continue to grow — foods that heal, foods for prevention, anti-aging foods, foods for specific health issues, foods as nutrition therapy,” she says. “Foods will be increasingly marketed this way to consumers.”

More Diet and Food Trends to Watch

Here are three other trends experts say they expect to grow.

1. Exotic Tastes

Some food experts say we’ll be looking to exotic spices and side dishes to perk up our diets.

“Americans have become more open-minded about different tastes and flavors from the world,” says Greg Drescher, senior director of strategic initiatives at The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, N.Y.

This will not only mean tastier meals at home, but healthier restaurant eating, too, Drescher predicts.

“When restaurants first rolled out health initiatives, sales collapsed for items marked ‘heart healthy,’” says Drescher, who coordinates the institute’s annual Worlds of Healthy Flavors conference held in conjunction with the Harvard School of Public Health.

“But thanks to the convergence of America’s growing immigrant population, interest in culinary adventure, changing palates, and the availability of diverse ingredients, the food industry can meet health challenges with full-flavored cuisines.”

Drescher says he expects to see both home and restaurant cooks using more ingredients like:

• Pomegranates, pistachios, and peaches.
• Exotic grains such as quinoa, millet, and bulgur.
• Bread alternatives like rice paper, tortillas, and pita bread.
• Spices with a Middle Eastern twist, like cardamom and zatar.

2. Location, Location, Location!

If a location is known for thin and glamorous people, then eating what they eat will make us thin and glamorous too, right? We’re not so sure, but some experts believe we can expect to see lots more books about diets based on places.

“Forward-thinking diet experts know that readers will have positive associations with places,” says Cathy Lewis, whose media firm has been tracking location diet trends for the past year.

“That’s why we connect The Miami Mediterranean Diet with buff, sun-kissed roller bladers and the Nantucket Diet with svelte, well-bred sailboarders.”

Lewis notes that the publishing industry has been through the diet gurus, and is now turning to authors who create brands not based on themselves, but their locations.

It started with The South Beach Diet and French Women Don’t Get Fat, and has continued with The Sonoma Diet and Japanese Women Don’t Get Fat or Old. Lewis said other locale-based diets are sure to follow as Americans continue to search for a thinner, healthier culture to copy.

Celente categorizes this concept as more fad than trend, and believes that it will run its course in time.

“I think it will peak, and we’ll all get excited and want to do it, and then it will fade — and some other fad will take its place,” says Celente.

3. Personal Responsibility

Celeste says the time is ripe for us to stop looking for an easy way out, and decide to take responsibility for our own health.

“Often, things have to hit a breaking point before they start to reverse,” he says, “and the breaking point is happening now — it is the age of self-responsibility.”

Anything that can help us take responsibility for our health more seriously, he says, is going to have staying power.

With fashion scene changing each day there is no guarantee that what you have bought today will be considered trendy and classy in a couple of days. But there are ways to capture people’s attention, without relying too much on the latest fashion. One simple way is the use of formal wear in a very casual and laid back style. Formal wears are never out of fashion, though with passage of time they might evolve but their essence remains same. A classy, gorgeous and glamorous dress never goes out of fashion and even if it does you can always tweak it according to the current fashion.

Here are some things to consider before you go out in formal wear.

• Remember that class and quality are never out fashion. Even if you feel that your dress is out of date, you can always add a new trendy, shawl, scarf or a hat that compliments your formal dress.
• Number one mistake that ladies do while wearing formal wear in a party is, they over do. Complementing formal dress with heavy jewelry, heavily embroided hand bag or other accessories is not recommended. Adding these items will take away attention from your dress. You should choose accessories that enhance the beauty of your dress, not snub it.
• Even in an informal party, formal dress can bring you compliments if you are wearing the right kind of makeup and your hair is tied the right way. Remember, your dress and you, make the whole picture. In a formal get together your casual makeup and hair style will ruin your look, so find the proper balance between the two.
• Finally, choosing the right type of formal dress for the party according to your body type will dictate what colors you can wear and what sort of formal dress will bring the best out of you. As a rule of thumb, if you have an apple shape body then go with darker colors, a pear shaped figure can use lighter shades to enhance curves and an hourglass shape figure will do fine with anything put on it. But for the record, ladies with hourglass figure should consider wearing dresses with combinations and cuts.

There you go, you are ready to rock the party, formally.

With the changing seasons, your beauty routine also needs to undergo serious changes. Summer is all about beating the heat and quite a challenge that can be. The key is remaining cool and fresh throughout the day, but that requires some hard work. Here is a list of beauty dos and don’ts for this summer.

Don’ts:

●       Put on layers of makeup: With the summer raging on, you need to keep your face as light and natural as possible. Under no circumstances should you apply layer after layer of makeup. It would only get messy once the heat bears on and you start sweating. Inside, apply a little foundation and some powder, to absorb the excess moisture and remain cool.

●       Forget Sunscreen: Battling the dangerous rays of the sun is very important. Not applying sunscreen is a serious risk. Not only are you exposing your skin to the very harmful rays of the sun, you are also increasing your chances of skin cancer.

●       Go crazy with hairstyles: The heat and humidity can very easily fry your hair, making it look like you just received an electric shock; let your flat and curling irons rest for a while. Give the hair gels and sprays a break. Allow your hair to breathe and stay natural. A braid or a high top bun, not only makes you look elegant, it also keeps the hair away from your face and neck, making you feel cooler.

●       Tan yourself: The sun does quite a good job of darkening your skin so go easy with the self tanners. It would make you look an inhumanly orange which is just wrong.

Dos:

●       Exfoliate: Summer is all about keeping the skin healthy, but using less of the moisturizer. However to avoid cracked, dry skin, try exfoliating your skin every now and then. Loofahs and pumice stones can help even out your skin giving it a smooth and even feel.

●       Wear a lip-gloss: Wearing a lip-gloss will not only make your face appear fresher and lighter, it will also give a hint of color with just the right amount of shine.

●       Go for lighter shades: This summer with rising temperatures, try to stay as cool as possible by wearing light shades which absorb less heat. Lighter shades of blue, green and yellow, all add a spot of color while making you feel less stuffy.

●       Drink plenty of water: Summer or not your body always needs to be hydrated. But with soaring temperatures, it is very crucial for you to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

The first step in getting a great hairstyle is to figure out what exactly is the shape of your face. Below is a list of all kinds of face shapes and hairstyles you should choose for them.

Oval shape:

If you have an oval shaped face you have quite a few options to choose a hairstyle since almost every style looks good on you. If your hair is thick and curly, ask your hairdresser to thin it out a bit so that the curls fall loosely. If your hair is straight and silky, go for layers. Layers add an extra bounce and zeal to your hair. However avoid bangs at all costs. To flatter your oval shape try slicking your hair backwards.

Heart Shape:

For a heart shape face a medium length hairstyle is perfect. Hair too long or too short can be a disaster. Your hair should be enough to cover your strong jawline.  If your hair is extra thick, tell your stylist to layer it up. If you prefer curls, go for loose curls which really bring out the shape. Bangs and fringes also look great with your shape. But do not keep hair slicked back from your face. Your cheekbones are the high point of your shape, so try to compliment them.

Round Shape:

To choose a hairstyle for a round face, you should remember that the perfect hairstyle is all about highlighting the shape. First never have a hairstyle that ends somewhere near your chin. Since your widest part is your cheeks avoid drawing attention to them. Go for delicate slightly longer hairstyles that make your cheeks look slimmer.

Long Shape:

If you have a long face the best option for you is to have short cropped hair. While having longer hair is not a complete disaster it does make your face look even longer. Therefore try to stick with shorter dos. Hairstyles which end at your chin are ideal. If your hair is curly, go for thick curls all over to give you a great texture.

My battle with pimples is never ending. I have tried every remedy in the book to fight pimples, but every time I succeed, the pimples manage to find a way back on my skin. What I hate the most about pimples is that they tend to break out especially when I am counting days to a special occasion, like my brother’s wedding.

Well as long as I have a face pimple will come and go, I have made my peace with that, but I have also figured out a way to make sure that when pimples go they go for long. After tons of research, I came up with a few strategies to make my skin clean and free of pimples. Here is my list of do’s and don’ts to fight pimples.

Don’ts:

1. Pop a pimple: It is an old saying, ‘never pop a pimple’ and it is very right. Pimples usually contain lots of bacteria and pus and if picked at can cause more pimples to break out. Also if you try to pop pimples, a nasty mark always remains.
2. Sleep with makeup: While trying to fight pimples always remember that a healthy skin is a pimple free skin. Your skin needs to breathe, but if heavy layers of makeup are not washed away, they clog the pores ‘suffocating’ the skin making it more prone to pimples.
3. Over Moisturize:  Even though moisturizing your skin can keep it healthy and fresh, over moisturizing can lead to skin being too oily. Oil traps the dirt inside the face which results in more outbreaks of pimples.

Do’s

1. Wash your face before sleeping: One of the cardinal rules of having a healthy skin is to wash it every night before going to bed. When you sleep, your body gets a chance to repair whatever damage it sustained during the day. The skin too tries to rejuvenate itself. If it is loaded with thick makeup or dust and smoke of the day, it cannot perform this function properly.
2. Drink lots of water: To maintain a healthy skin and fight pimples, you need to make sure your skin is properly hydrated. Throughout the day the skin is exposed to a lot of impurities which can drain moisture from your skin leaving it chapped and prone to bacteria causing pimples.
3. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables: To fight pimples, you need extra vitamin A and C in your body to keep your skin healthy and youthful.

Times are tighter for purses and it seems that they will get tighter and tighter. Everyone wants more but have only limited amount to spend and that limited amount is getting more limited with more taxation and new expenses arising each day. In such a scenario you have to be very careful on what you spend and what you get. I personally feel super depressed on seeing the same outfit on sale for which I have spent so much. That is why I am tempted to write about the best ways to shop.

A little self control will save you a lot

If you have some self control then that is good, as you will require it and have to rely on it for smart shopping. My first tip is rather absurd, never trust your instincts. I know it seems dumb but believe me your instincts are driven by marketing and marketing does only one thing that it compels you to buy there and then. This potentially means that you will pay extra for a new design or outfit and the possibility of same design available on sale is also very plausible, since brands launch promotional campaigns every now and then these days.

Hunt for discount coupons

If you have subscription of some style magazines or you found one on your visit to a dentist or at your workplace then don’t hesitate to remove any coupons from the inside. In penny stricken times, these coupons can be a very smart way of shopping. You can collect such coupons by merely subscribing to email alerts on fashion sites, like Elle.com, women’shealth.com and others.

Shopping at the last hour, best time for shopping

Save and wait for a while and go on a shopping frenzy late in the season. Not only you will find huge discounts on products but you will also have a greater number of collections, since you can buy more with same amount of money.

There you have it, keep in mind that to master these steps you need a little practice. You can start by applying these rules on smaller, less expensive products and move your way up the shopping mountain.

So you think that you are on the heavier side of weights and no matter what you try on you won’t look good. That is not true at all, any woman can look tall and attractive if she knows how to handle herself, what to wear and how to present whatever she has. Believe me, guys don’t want the best looking girl to sit by their side; instead they look for presentable, neat and smart girls. There is nothing more attractive in a girl than her comfort level for whatever she is and whatever she is wearing and if she is presentable then that’s just great.

1. You can shed weight quickly and easily by choosing the right kind of outfit. While choosing an outfit just keep in mind the color and the structure. My best advice is to use A style shirts since they take away attention from larger and heavier middle and lower parts of body.
2. The colors are very vital; dark colors don’t attract attention, so if you are trying to hide your tummy or hips, then try dark colored shirts and pants. If you are fair or brown in complexion then dark colors will automatically complement you.
3. Try using heels up to 3 inch long, you can skip this if your height is more than 5 7”. Women seem taller with even the short height.
4. If its summer and you feel like wearing skirts; pick longer ones, ones that cover at least your ankles. Too short skirts will highlight the heavier part of women’s legs. Since women have naturally heavier and fuller legs than men so short skirts are never recommended for even slightly heavier girls.
5. Straight hairs and flicks create a neat, stylish look while highlighting your face. Do go for them if you are fed up of your curls. Also the sharper the hairstyle is the sleeker your face will look. Even fuller faces seem sleek with this tip.

Finally, choose an accessory that complements your structure. For instance, small hand bags are sexier for medium framed girls, if you are a big curvy girl then go for medium sized bags they will suit you better. Remember never to go for too drastic measures like small bags with a heavy figure or large bags with a sleeker figure. Whatever doesn’t seem natural will never look pretty and sexy.