Concealers Basics: Tips And Tricks






   In this post I will explain the basics of concealing and correcting your undereye area, and throw in a couple of product recommendations and fancy tips! This post is meant for total beginners as well as for those of you who have already played around with concealing and correcting.
     For many women, camouflaging under-eye circles and discolourations is the one step that has the most impact on their looks. A smooth, bright skin around the eyes makes you look fresh and rested, and it also creates the perfect canvas for the eyes.
     My under eye shadows are usually light, still I love how a concealer instantly brightens up my face. And of course it's a lifesaver for days when I haven't slept well and it shows.

Do you need a concealer?

    Take a look at the area below your eyes, the area between your inner eye corner and your nose, as well as your eyelid. If those areas are darker, or have a weird colour (reddish, or blueish, or green), than a concealer will make you look healthier and more rested (for a lot of women, this is the one step that instantly freshens the face). If you are one of the lucky ones that don't have any of this, feel free to skip this post!

Concealer vs corrector

    Concealer is a skin-coloured product that gives more coverage than a foundation. It works great if all you need it to lighten darker skin around your eyes.
   However, if you have a weird colour around you eyes -- redness, yellow spots, green or purple hues in the shape of spots, patches or veins, a corrector is a great way to mask them (instead of using tons of concealer). Correctors come in different colours that neutralise the colours on your skin. For example reddishness gets cancelled by a yellow or green concealer. Correctors can be used for other parts of the face too -- for example many women have reddish veins around their nostrils. This lady explains how colour correctors work.
   Remember that often manufacturers interchange the names concealer and corrector. For the purposes of my posts, anything skin-tones is a concealer, and if it is yellow / blue / green / violet then it is a corrector.



How to choose a concealer

    The concealer for your eye area should be slightly lighter than your skin colour (because it has to lighten the dark areas). But only one tone lighter -- otherwise it usually looks terrible.
     You might notice that some correctors are a tad more yellowish (cancels reddish tones), some are more pinkish (for brownish discolorations . If you are not sure which tones will suit you best, buy a concealer wheel and experiment. If you have darker skin tones, try out the Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette.
     If your circles are light and your skin is smooth, chances are most concealers will work for you. If you need heavy duty coverage, try Kryolan Dermacolor or PanStick MF -- they cover almost everything. If you have lines or wrinkles under the eyes, it takes a bit of trial and error (or reading a lot of reviews) to find a product that doesn't settle into the lines. Right now I am using the Alverde Camouflage about which I wrote here, others which I heard are great are Clik'n Conceal from Gosh, Misslyn correctors and Flormar Perfect Coverage Liquid Concealer.
   Now, concealers come in many different forms: pots, tubes, pencils, and everything else. I can't really say that one is better than another -- it's a matter of personal preference. Each of these maybe harder / softer or creamier / drier, so it's impossible to make general statements about, say, concealers in tubes. I personally don't like pencils since I don't like to rub or press around that area; and prefer thick and creamier textures. The ones easiest to apply are that come in a thing that looks like a felt tip pen -- with a brush instead of a felt tip. The ones in tubes are usually thicker and harder to blend. The liquid ones are usually lighter and meant to be applied on top of foundation.
    I don't recommend antibacterial concealer for the undereye area, since they contain ingredients like tea tree oil or salicylic acid which can dry out or irritate the delicate skin. They are meant for blemishes on the rest of the face, not for the fragile eye area.

via

How to choose colour correctors

    Colour correctors usually come in little palettes with a  couple of shades -- that is great because you can experiment around and see which colours work best on your circles. Theoretically, green and yellow reduce red/pink, yellow also cancels blue/purple, pink corrects yellow, orange/apricot cancels blue/green, and lavender hides yellow and orange. However I really want to encourage you to buy a corrector palette and see what works best you. Obviously correctors can also be used on other parts of your face and not just under your eyes.
   Personally I prefer correctors in powder form -- they are much easier to apply and blend. I have some from Lumiere Cosmetics and from Sweetscents which I love.


   You can also buy palettes that have both concealers and correctors, for example the Coastal Scents Eclipse Concealer Palette.

How to apply concealers and correctors

  • If your under-eye skin is dry, it helps to apply a light moisturizer before doing your eye makeup. It can be any moisturiser, as long as it is not too sticky. Give it a few minutes to sink in before you use the concealer.
  • If your concealer gathers in the lines, start with applying a tiny amount of eye shadow primer -- it helps the concealer blend and stay in place.
  • You can apply under-eye correctors and concealers before or after foundation -- both methods work, though you may get better or worse results depending on which foundation and concealer you are using. Just try both ways out and see what works for you. If you are applying concealer before foundation, try not to use too much since you'll be covering everything with another layer (of foundation).
  • If you need a corrector, apply it now on spots that need it. Use small amounts (remember you'll be applying the concealer on top). Don't overdo it! You might want to apply it only on a pot or a vein with a fine brush. Also, corrector always goes below concealer / foundation.
  • Conceal not only below the eyes but also above the crease and around the inner eye corner if necessary.
  • Dab the concealer where you need it. This means: darker, discoloured places. This may mean not just below the eye but also above the eyelid crease or near the inner corner. Check the mirror, and don't apply it all over the place! If you have lines, use very little concealer and don't try to push the concealer into the lines (otherwise the lines will be even more visible).
  • For primers and concealer, apply with either the fingers or a small brush with soft bristles. If you have a liquid or cream in a tube, you can squeeze out some at the back of your hand and take up some from there with a brush. 
  • Blend by using tapping or dabbing motions, not rubbing motions. Concentrate on blending the edges of the patch of concealer. You can use a moist sponge, or your fingers (the ring and little fingers work best) or a brush.
  • It is better to apply several thin layers of the product than one thick one -- you have less chance of overdoing it, and the product will most likely stay in place.
  • Pressing a small bit of powder on the top will help to fix the concealer and keep it from wandering.
  • For brightening the eyes some more, dab on a highlighter just below the concealed area.

    That's it, folks! Now over to you: Any questions? Also, which is your favourite concealer? Got any tips on how to apply it?




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Reader Bra Metamorphosis 08: 80E(36DD) to 28J



 The Bra Metamorphosis is a series of posts that show photos of women before and after finding out their correct bra size. If you'd like to share your before and afters and inspire women to re-measure themselves, do contact me!
 Today's metamorphosis is locally sourced, as JC lives in Germany. Her measurements are: underbust 27.5"/70cm; and bust  101cm/39.76" in standing up and 106cm/41.73" bending over. JC writes:

"There is a store in my hometown that "specializes" on sizes up to a German I cup and stocked some 70 bands. I used to buy my bras there, thinking it was normal that I had to spend up to 80 Euros on a bra because my breasts were big. Only my straps were adjusted, nobody cared to check the fit of my band or cups or told me about scooping.

At the local Triumph store it was the same, at the local Hunkemoller store I purchased some 75Fs."
   This reminds me very much of a friend who also got painfully expensive bras from a "specialist" shop because she though she was extremely busty. That lady turned out to be a 65F when I measured her.


Her is JC in Triumph True Curves in 80E/36DD. Can you spot the problems? Answers below.




The breasts are spilling over at the top, and hanging lower than they should. Below you can admire the band which is riding up at the back. Also, you can see that JC has a small ribcage and waist, and there is no way she can be a 80 band.


   Now, the next two images are interesting. The first one shows how many women mask the bad fit of the bra by adjusting the breasts so that they stay in the cup. Things look ok at first glance (even though a slight quadraboob is still visible), but in the long run breast tissue will migrate towards the armpits and back, and the breasts will lose their shape and firmness:




And below the bra has been put on correctly, using the scoop and swoop method. You can clearly see that the cups are too small. JC notes that "The straps are not fully adjustable and not short enough for me. If I could adjust the straps correctly, I probably would end up with a lot more boob spillage."



   JC found her correct size via the busenfreundinnen forum as well as anglophone bra-fitting blogs. JC measures 27.5 inches underbust, so she makes do with snug 28 bands (often worn on the middle hook) until her custom-made Ewa Michalak bra arrives.


Here is JC in a correctly fitting bra, in this case Cleo Lucy in 28J:



   Not only are the breasts more lifted and there is no quadraboob, but the back is much more smooth. You'd have thought that a snug band would create more bulges, but actually the opposite is true. Compare the smooth back here with the photos on the top of the post.



The breasts don't point downwards anymore, and this gives an optical "lift" to the entire torso. Her waist looks even smaller.





   JC also shares about how correctly fitting bras changed her body as well as her self-image. What she wrote touched me a lot, because it once again proves that bra-fitting goes way deeper than finding pretty and flattering things to buy and wear.


   "I remember that when I was a child I was told to stop making a hollow back. As soon as my boobs kicked in, I reverted to the opposite: I hunched over, putting my shoulders forward in the vain attempt to hide my boobs, a habit that I'm struggling to get rid of today.I suffered from shoulder pain.I hated running and tried to avoid it mostly, when I had to I tried to support my bouncing boobs somehow with my arms.I hated it when I noticed that boys would make fun of me and obscene gestures behind my back and I didn't dare speak up for myself.I hated how my little sister was my sister was able to wear cute, frilly, flowery, regular bras, while I was stuck with bras that I didn't necessarily find ugly but felt much too young for.
I didn't know whom to talk to about my issues.My surroundings aren't exactly populated with fuller-breasted women that are knowledgeable of bra fitting. Most of my female friends are smaller breasted.That is probably one of the biggest problems: I live in an information wasteland. No one taught me how a bra should fit. No one taught my mom, my friends, relatives, store assistants or random women I see in changing rooms.
Today, I have been in better-fitting bras for about half a year. I've experienced a little growth bump, probably from remigrated tissue.I have an idea of what fits me and I started sharing my knowledge.Finally, I succeeded in convincing my mother that she is not the 75B she always thought she was. My flatmate recently asked me if I could take a look at the fit of her bras. My boyfriend knows what quadraboob is.Still, it hurts and angers me, when my best friend claims she doesn't need a sports bra because her boobs are smaller than mine.When my sister said she would rather stay in her old band size because she knows how hard it is for me to find a bra.When my friends joke how I'm obsessed and "oh, here she goes again".How could I not be? How could I not care?!
Being in a fitted bra didn't only help my shoulder pain, it resolved so many of my personal issues. Finally, I'm at peace with my body.
But I feel so sorry for the sad, insecure girl that was me."




    A huge thanks to JC for sharing her metamorphosis with us. If you'd like to share yours, I'd love to have you! The "contact" button is on the top of the page.




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Weekend Reads 22-02-2013



This window  is probably the most relaxing image I have seen. Via.

  Hi everyone, how did your week go? I have had a quiet one, with gentle yoga classes, buying nice stuff for my home, and enjoying the very mild but white winter. Also, I got my spring Hyacinth -- every year I buy myself a Hyacinth when I feel spring is coming. I love the scent! (Also the first time I did this some years back my kid ate it...)

   I am happy to report that my week's challenge of making a timetable and sticking to it turned out great. I got a lot done, and the days felt longer! When I create the timetable for the next day I  realise that there is a limited number of things that I can fit it, especially if I want to schedule fun / rest and add some buffer time. This helps me to keep things real as well as prioritise and spread stuff out over the week in a kinda sensible manner. I have also been doing chores much faster -- I now have motivation to hang up the washing at lightning speed instead of in slow-motion -- if I'm done early, I get more "fun" time! I didn't schedule the weekends though, because with the entire family at home things get much more spontaneous / chaotic. I am going to continue to schedule my days, and I'd like to encourage you to try it out as well.

   My next week's challenge will be taking time to chew my food. I have this terrible habit of gulping food down (which I got with my first baby who always got hungry or wanted attention during mealtimes), and I know this is making digestion more difficult for me, because half of the digestion happens in the mouth. Also, I often overeat and feel stuffed. So, I'm going to eat slower and more consciously this week.


Onward to the links:

* Style: This post explains the how and why of altering garments.

* More style: belts and semi-tucking

* Life: You are going to die. Best thing I have read online so far this year.

* Bras: Did you know that often unpadded bras give a better shape and lift than moulded bras?

* Body: I found this article about exercise really interesting. Not sure if it's really like that, however it is probably good news for lazy people like me.

* Book of the week: Mind Parasites is a science fiction thriller, part of which happens inside the minds of the characters. I enjoyed it a lot, it is nothing like any other science-fiction book I have read. I totally recommend it to anyone who is interested psychology, meditation and conspiracy theories.





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About AHA Toners + DIY Recipe





    Spring is around the corner, and I realised that this is my last chance to try AHAs before the sun gets too strong (except mandeleic acid, which you can use all year around). AHAs (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) can declog and tighten your pores, gently exfoliate dead skin cells, treat fine lines and scars (especially glycolic acid), repair sun damage, even out discolourations (especially mandeleic acid), as well as having anti-aging properties.  They can be pretty awesome!  Although the word "acid" sounds scary, it is not -- even super-natural brands like Dr. Hauschka use lactic acid in their products.

     Never having used AHAs before, I decided to start with a toner with a lower concentration of AHAs that I could use everyday. I picked Lactic Acid which is supposed to be good for beginners (as is mandaleic acid), and made a very basic toner which (recipe below). The effects are visible after already a few days: the pores on my nose have shrunk visibly and have never been cleaner; and the colour of my face looks more even. The lactic acid toner is also lightly moisturising. I am very pleased, and I have a feeling this is only the beginning of my experiments with AHAs.
  Obviously you can also buy a product containing AHAs instead of DIYing it (I have heard good things about Paula's Choice products). Also, you are more likely to find products with AHAs  among pharmacy brands.

How to make an AHA toner:

What you need:


  • Distilled water or demineralised water from petrol stations, or a hydrolate (flower-water), 
  • Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda -- not baking powder!) or sodium lactate, 
  • An Alpha Hydroxy Acid of your choice. This you can get in a DIY cosmetic ingredients store, some are also available in pharmacies, and I heard that you can get lactic acid in places that have wine-making supplies. 
  • pH strips, from a DIY cosmetic ingredients store or in a pet store that sells aquarium supplies. 
  • A small beaker with the volume marked in ml, and a dropper -- again preferably with the ml marks on it (from DIY cosmetic stores, pharmacies or lab equipment stores.)


How to make:

   The first toner for daily use that you make should contain a low concentration of AHAs. If you buy the acid online, the website should give you the concentrations that it should be used in. For example, glycolic acid and lactic acid can be used in concentrations 5% to 10% for a gentle toner. Please take this seriously -- you can burn your skin if you start out with high concentrations.
   The percentage is calculated in ml., so if you are making 100ml, 5% would be 5ml. However, most AHAs are already diluted with water: you will see that the bottle says "70%" or "80%". So you need to recalculate to compensate for this. For example my lactic acid said 80% on the bottle, so I had to re-calculate: for a 10% solution I would need 10 ml lactic acid + 87.5 ml water (and you thought you don't need maths to be pretty).

    Carefully measure out the water and the AHA, then mix. If the AHA doesn't wand to dissolve you can heat the water up a bit. Now, you need to bring the pH level to 4-5. Check the pH level of the mixture with your pH strip and gradually add the baking soda or sodium lactate. That's it! Now you can pour your toner into a nice container. Without a preservative the toner lasts around 2 weeks in the fridge.

   If you need more moisture, you can always replace some (10%-20%) of the water with hyaluronic acid.

How to use an AHA toner:

  • This kind of toner can be used as a treatment, or as a preparation to a "stronger" AHA peel.
  • After cleansing your face, simply wipe your face with the toner using a cotton pad. Avoid the eyes. 
  • It is normal if the skin pinches slightly and may redden. However if your skin gets irritated, wash of the acid with water and try diluting your toner with distilled water. Women with more sensitive skin sometimes report that the toner works like a peel for them.
  • You can always do a patch test behind your ear.
  • You can always dilute the toner if it is too strong. Simply add more water /hydrolate.
  • Some people get a breakout within the first few days of using AHAs, especially if the skin has a lot of impurities.
  • When using AHAs, always wear sunscreen because your skin is more sensitive to the sun. You can skip the sunscreen if you need more discolouration and fine lines. Don't tan, whether in a tanning salon or outdoors.
  • Also, use the toner in the evenings so that your skin doesn't get exposed to sunlight immediately.
  • Don't use AHAs in the summer, other than the very gentle mandeleic acid.
  • Although you can use the toner for a longer time, it is a good idea to make a 2-week break after around two weeks.


Have you ever tried a toner with AHAs? What effects did you see?




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Awesome Polish Bra Brands You Should Know


Avocado Nina


    Ewa Michalak is not the only bra brand from Poland worth noticing. There are many reasons why you should get acquainted with these brands: designs that are different from those of many UK brands, very affordable prices thanks to the exchange rate of the zloty, and simply a bigger choice in those hard-to-get sizes.
Here I present to you several brands that produce pretty and comfortable lingerie, and most importantly -- in a big range of sizes.
   
   Please note that the bra sizes are continental European. To find out your EU size, you can use the  UKandEU converter from HerRoom as well as this chart. Don't use your Ewa Michalak size, since they use UK cup sizes.
   Also, although I have tried to find a couple of places international customers can buy bras from these brands, obviously I have not exhausted the possibilities. Please do your own searches for online and offline stores for these brands (simply type "name_of_barand + buy" into Google, in your language). If you live in central or east Europe, chances are pretty high that the brand is easily available in your country.



Priscilla and Fabricia

Kris Line

   Their sizing goes up to a KK O cup, bands start at 65. Interestingly, their bands have 5 sets of hooks on them, which makes them last way longer. The styles range from elegant to opulent, the bands run tight, and the cups are slightly small and a tad pointy. They also have a nice selection of seriously good-looking lounge wear, swimwear and maternity bras. Also, on their website you can see the bras modeled by smaller as well as fuller-busted models. Here is an interesting article about Kris Line via Hourglassy, and a comparison of Kris Line and Ewa Michalak via The Lingerie Addict.
   For international customers: You can find their bras on Brastop as well as BiggerBras; and at LabellaIntimates for you U.S. ladies.





Orlando and Annick In Love

Avocado:

   All their bras are base on one of their seven different bra constructions that are marked by letters of the alphabet, making choosing a style less of a guesswork. The designs are very sophisticated an original, in my opinion the most beautiful on the Polish market. My favourite is the Nina. Bands start from 60, cups go up to K. The prices are a bit higher than your average Polish / British bra, but the designs and quality are worth it.
   International customers: They mention that shipping within the EU is 35PLN and 50PLN worldwide. Try dropping them an email if you'd like to order!


Jacqueline and Tropical Paradise

Comexim:

  Sizes start at 60C, and cups go up till N. The underwires tend to be narrow, and the cups run a tad small.
   International customers: the site is in polish, but they do have an English language terms and conditions page where they mention the shipping costs of 56 PLN (economy package) or 70 PLN (priority package) within the EU. So I'm guessing you can pop them an email in English in case you'd like to place an order, like Linda did.



Cafe Latte and Verona 

Milena:

    Lots of interesting (opulent and dressy) designs, with sizes starting at 60AA, and cups going up to R. Bands go up to 100. The bands are very snug,
Prices start at 15€ which is dirt cheap,
    For international customers: the site has an English language button, and international shipping is offered (the shipping costs are available on request). They accept Paypal.



Latte Plunge and Tiramisu shorts.

Only Her

The online lingerie shop of the same name has recently started producing their own bras. The the designs are very pretty (remind me a bit of Fauve) and the brand focuses overall comfort  -- especially comfortable underwires. Bands start at 60, cups go up to KK. They carry sizes like 60B and 65A, which normally hard to find. Update: Apparently you can try to order sizes that are not on the page by contacting owner - Agnieszka via mail. How awesome is that?
    For international customers: the German-language site offers shipping to DE and AT.



 
Emma and Michelle

Dalia

    Sizes start from band 60 till band 95, cups go up to M. The bands vary from snug to normal, and the cups and the cups also vary from smallish to largish depending on the model. are pretty good (comfortable, supportive, give a nice shape).
     For international customers: Available at BustnLace.



 Gina and gorset koktajlowy

Gorsenia

   This brand produces everyday bras of a good quality. The cups go up to M, bands start at 65. Unfortunately their corsets, bodies; as well as their solutions for very low-cut dresses: the cocktail bra and corset come in a much smaller size range (why?). Underwires are broad, but narrower than those of Panache.
     For international customers: Available in this ebay store, Intimania as well as Amazon is some countries.



 
Ava 983 and Ava 986

Ava

   The bands start at 65, (thanks to bractivist emails sent by Polish women), cups go up to K and tend to run a bit large. Colours and patterns are on the subtle and subdued side. The underwires tend to be wide. The semi-soft models seem to be especially worth recommending (the underwires are narrow) due to their great construction. Just watch out, they seem to mix up the names of the cups. They call plunges full-cups and half-cups are called soft or semi-soft, but even this is not done consistently. The sizing is also not very consistent.
     For international customers: They have a couple of brick-and-mortar stores in several European cities, online via  Intimania 




Also worth checking out:



Konrad: Available at BustnLace as well as Amazon and this Ebay store.

Ewa Bien: Lots of light, airy creations in pretty colours. Bands start at 60 (however only at G cup), and end in J cup (75J). There isn't any info for international customers.

Samanta: Bands start at 65 and go up to K in some models. Again very aesthetically pleasing. There are available in several brick-and-mortar stores around Europe as well as astratex.cz



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Weekend Reads 17-02-1013






      Hi everyone, how has your week been? The winter blues have hit me hard, so I opened my Winter Survival Kit and was pleasantly surprised with all the little goodies in it. I know, I'm like a squirrel who buries its nuts and then forgets about them. I also tried to follow my own advice, as well as make plans to join some kid of fitness activity (the gym? yoga? aikido? zumba?).
       My weekend challenge to meditate everyday went embarrassingly bad. I didn't meditate even once, I just completely and utterly forgot to, and only remembered when falling asleep each night. Apparently I have an inner block about it. I guess next time I should pre-decide exactly when and where I am going to do stuff like that. 
        Which brings me to next week's challenge: living according to a timetable. I have hated scheduling and timetables with vengeance, but as I grow older I realise that pre-deciding stuff makes me much more likely to actually do it. So, I will pre- plan each day this week. I hope that I will be more productive, and keep better track of time (which I am lousy at) and be happier (because of a more balance day). I have a list of all the appointments, as well as all the tasks that need to be done this week. I have already divided them up among the days, but I will make a detailed timetable only one day before. 
        I want to structure the days according to information that I have recently read about rhythm in the day: our "high energy" points are at 10:00 and at 17:00, and there is a major dip around 14:00. It is also important that the day have a rhythm of "inhaling": effort (performance) and "exhaling": release (unstructured free time, re-energising, relaxation) -- that way the day "breathes" and is balanced and you don't burn yourself out.
    Wish me luck! And now, on to the lovely links I have gathered:

* Style: This post about pant length is amazeballs.

* You: it’s better to feel normal about being abnormal: talks about how "normality" is nothing more than an empty, utopian concept.

* Home: As a bibliophile, I loved this little video about book plates, and have half a mind to make some for myself.

* Music: if you want to discover good, non-mainstream music, try http://reddit.tv/#/r/listentothis. The best part is that all kids of genres are represented, and you can let it run while you do other stuff. I have discovered tons of great music through it.

* Bras: This might make a lovely little gift to someone still wearing the wrong size.

* More bras: Pregnant, or know someone who is? Here is a great list of nursing and maternity bra bloggers and posts

* DIY: If you live in Germany, UK, Netherlands, France or Belgium, there may be a Repair Cafe near you.

* Home: Sew Many Ways is my latest blog crush. I especially love her DIY and recycled organising projects!

* Food: I loved Simple steps you can take to reduce food waste

* Movie of the week: Lars And The Real Girl is the best movie I have seen so far this year. The acting is superb and the movie is understated, funny, and yet heart-touching in the end.


Crystalised from the XX is one of my favourite songs:





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Detox For Health And Beauty







   Some of you have asked me to write about detox. I'm no expert on the subject, however I'll write about the couple of methods that I have experience with.
   Our food is often quite a burden for our bodies: highly processed ingredients, high amounts of sugar and salt, caffeine, alcohol, artificial additives -- our bodies were not made to cope with all of that. Many of us also have a hard time digesting lactose and gluten. Eating unhealthy stuff also reflects on our hair and skin -- for example every time I overdo on the sugar, I get breakouts on my forehead. Sugar has also been proven to age the skin. On the other hand, the most amazing skin I have seen was on raw vegans -- they had a very clean diet and their skin was almost translucent.

    A detox gives the body a break from crappy food, and a short holiday from the hard work of digesting stuff gives your system time to regenerate. The three kinds of detoxes I have tried are: fasting, giving up a certain food for a certain time, and the colon cleanse.

Fasting:

    I often fast for a day when my stomach feels queasy. In fact I am fasting today because my digestion has been giving me trouble yesterday. When the body has a break from food for a day, it can do "maintenance work" on your digestive system and move toxins and stuff that has been rotting away in the corners of your digestive tract. On a day of fasting I don't eat anything, and I only drink water or herbal teas. It's not so hard to do: once I have decided in advance that I'm not going to eat that day, it's easier to ignore the hunger pangs. Also, I think it's  a good opportunity to train my will-power.
    I've also done longer fasts a couple of times -- for a week, to be exact. After the first 2-3 days the hunger stops, and I felt very light and energetic.
    You can also do a version of fasting where you only drink fruit and vegetable juices; or only eat raw fruit and vegetables. Do read up about it, and obviously do consult a doctor if you have any health issues.

Cutting out unhealthy food:

       Giving up a food that you know is not good for you can work wonders for your health, your energy levels and for your skin. For example quitting or cutting down on soda and soft drinks, coffee, processed foods, sweets makes most people feel amazing.
    You probably know yourself well enough to estimate which method will work better: quitting cold turkey, or allowing yourself just the minimum, or simply taking a break these foods for a week or two. (I recommend cutting out a harmful food out of your diet for at least 10 days -- any less than that and you are barely out of the unpleasant detox phase)
     Last month I accidentally cut out coffee out of my diet. I had run out of it and couldn't buy more for a couple of days. I had headaches and a feeling of heaviness for several days, which scared me. I was reminded again that coffee was addictive and was also altering my mood: orchestrating highs and lows throughout the day, and keeping me awake longer at night. I haven't drunken any coffee since, and I feel good -- my energy levels are much more stable.
     Last Easter I had given up sweets (chocolate and cookies) for Lent (I'm not religious, but I thought that somehow it would be fitting). That time taught me a lot about how sugar influenced my behaviour; especially how it made me irritable! Unfortunately I went right back to my chocolate-munching self after that period. (I know I am sugar-addicted, which I partially blame on y mom rewarding me with sweets -- I know I still relate sweets with being rewarded.)
     I have also been gluten-free for nine months last year. It was pretty amazing -- never has my head felt so light and clear and my digestive tract so "happy". Gluten makes me feel as if someone has been hitting me on the head with a soft but very heavy pillow. I even convinced a friend of mine who had quite bad Neurodermitis on her hands to try going gluten-free. She loves it and her hands are almost completely healed now. (I went back to eating gluten while travelling with my family, but I plan to go back to that way of eating since I miss the clear-headed feeling).

Colon Cleansing:

   I did a colon-cleanse two years ago. Basically, mucus and toxins builds up on the walls of the intestine; older people often have a very thick intestine with barely any space inside. To get all this gunk off you drink a mixture of psyllium seed husks and bentonite clay (I used Heilerde which was what I found in stores here). In the end you pass out the mucus that had been collecting on the walls of your intestine, it looks like a hollow rubbery rope (google images for "colon cleansing" if you are not queasy).
   After doing the cleanse thoroughly once, I do a maintenance cleanse once a year. I found the bowel cleanse forum on the Cure Zone extremely helpful. I highly recommend the colon / bowel cleanse, however do check in with you doc first if you have any health issues.


    In the near future I will be doing a rather more rigorous fast along with my husband, who needs to do it to deal with his recently acquired fructose and glucose intolerance. I also plan a liver cleanse someday. I will definitely let you know about my experiences.


    Have you ever fasted or done a detox? How did it go for you? Is there any kind you'd recommend?




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Weekend Reads 04-09-2009





 


  • In the U.S., chickens killed by McDonald's suppliers are slaughtered using an outdated method that results in extreme suffering. Take a minute to send an e-petition.

    from xkcd




    This guy is incredibly talented, and I'd love to hoop to this...



    PS: You can hear or download the finished piece *here* !


    Stay crunchy, people !





    Weekend Reads 18-09-2009




     



    • Make the world a little better for our little brothers: Join PETA's Action Team. You can sign e-mail petitions, or participate in something more.
    • The Raw Model: before and after. These photos have been taken just one month apart. Wow !
    • How To Pack In Your Purse
      • , that's the lightest you could possibly pack ! My suggestion would be to take comfortable casual trousers that can be slept in instead of pyjamas.
    • I so agree with No Impact Man:
    • "When one group of scientists first said smoking was bad for you, the tobacco industry funded another group of researchers to say the science was inconclusive."





      from xkcd






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      Can You Dance In The Rain in Your Heels?






         To this whole flats vs heels debate I say: wear something in which you could dance in the rain.

         Imagine... you are on your way home, maybe from a party, maybe from work, maybe just from the baker's around the corner. It's starting to rain, the sky is deep purple, and the warm wind smells of the storm. You are debating whether you should take shelter under an awning, or dash home through the soft drops. And then you see him, he is standing right beside you. His laughing eyes make your heart beat faster, the way you knew they would. You hear music from some nearby cafe, that music is made for dancing. "Come on", he says, reaching out a hand towards you, "it will be fun."
         And you say "I wish I could, I really do, but I can't, not with these shoes..."
         These damned shoes.

            If a girl wants to do things and have adventures, she's got to remember that adventures, well, they tend to appear without warning, as a certain hobbit once found out. And apart from having a proper supply of clean pocket-handkerchiefs in her pocket and the right bra, a girl needs to have shoes on that she can have adventures in.
            There are girls that have impossible adventures in impossible heels and sky-high platforms, others prefer something closer to the ground. It totally depends on what you feel good in, what you can walk in. And what you can dance in, whether it is with your love, your child, or just with the wind.

           Once, someone asked me to walk with him on a warm, rainy, tropical night. I had been fancying him, and so in my mind I silently thanked myself for wearing my pretty low-heeled sandals.

            Yes, heels do elongate the legs, make you look taller and slimmer, and I love the way the right pair can turn whatever you've just thrown on into an outfit. And yes, they do put strain on the body, cause back pain and many other problems. I really admire the skills of the girls who probably could climb the Everest in their sky-high heels.
         Personally I have trouble walking in pretty low ones, unless they are very stable. And I have realised that tottering in heels isn't as sexy as gracefully walking in flats.  So I'll stick to my flats because I don't want to say no when I feel like dancing in the rain.


       >>




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      The Ultimate Guide To Fixing Uncomfortable Underwires



      >>


      Hiya ladies. Welcome to the ultimate underwire troubleshooter.

          First you need to make sure you are correctly fitted, and that you know which underwire width is best for you. Most underwires issues come from wearing the wrong size.

      * Find your correct bra size: most complaint about uncomfortable underwires come from wearing the wrong bra size. Here is how to break out of the bra matrix. 
      * Do you need wide or narrow underwires? How to find out and which brands carry which.
      * This is why I don't recommend ditching the underwires altogether, at least not before you have tries all the other hacks in this posts. Non-wired bras just don't offer the support that wired bras do.

         Now that you have that down, chances are most of your bras fit comfortably. If you are still having issues with your underwires, here are the solutions:

      * Underwires that are "embedded" into the band are much less likely to stretch and distort their shape than those that have a three-piece band.
      * Tops of underwires dig into your armpits? You're either petite or have high set breasts. Choose bras with shorter underwires, that don't go up high under the armpits. 
      * When the bra pinches on the sternum: You might find plunges are right for you, as the underwires go very low in the front. For non-plunges that you already own, try bending the ends away. Place the bra on a flat surface with the part you want to bend away hanging off. Press on the part that is hanging of just a very little bit, and try the bra on again.
      * If you feel that the underwires are too far apart, try sewing a little dart. If the problem is that the underwires go up too high in the front, try pushing them down the tunnel (the tunnel of the underwires is usually longer than the underwires). 
      * Do the underwires cut into your sides or the front of your ribs, because they refuse to follow the curve of your ribcage? Many underwires are two-dimensional and rigid, meaning they are as flat as a board. Our ribcages, on the contrary, are curved. The solution: how to shape your underwires like a person.
      *  Some underwires, like the Bravissimo Alana, have very inflexible underwires. While this is a big plus for such models in the bigger cup sizes, it may be uncomfortable in smaller cup sizes.
      * If  you have very sensitive skin, swelling or other medical issues, read this post. If you have pectus excavatus, here are some tips for you.

          If your bras chronically tend to have uncomfortable underwires, you'll be better off buying online than in offline stores, because when buying online you can test-wear a bra for a few hours as compared to the few minutes in a store.


        Have you tried any of these fixes? Do you know of any that I have not included? Do share in the comments!


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