Don’t forget to take your makeup off!

That habit of yours of not taking your makeup off can lead to numerous skin problems, such as dryness and dehydration, brittle lashes, and other more serious skin disorders. You can also experience such things when you try the “remove your makeup instantly” approach. So, if you care at least a lil’ bit about your health and skin, washing your face properly should be on your to do list every single day.

You see, by washing your face thoroughly you’re not only getting rid of your makeup, but you’re also getting rid of everything that has accumulated on your skin throughout the day. If you decide to ignore this, you might as well say hello to premature aging.
If, on the other hand, you’re curious to see what you can do to prevent this from happening, then by all means keep on readin’! Use products that suit your skin type. For combination skin, cleanse your face with a soft cleansing milk followed by lukewarm water. As for dry skin, you’re gonna need more patience here. Try a more thick cleansing milk. If you have oily skin, go for cleansing gels or lotions that will restore your skin’s natural balance. But if you’re not sure which skin type you have, the best thing would be to use micellar water because it gets rid of your makeup but at the same time doesn’t hurt your skin.
As for the areas around your eyes, use cotton pads with cleansing milk, and slowly and gently remove your mascara. Make sure you don’t rub too hard because you’ll end up irritating your skin.

By using the right makeup removal techniques, you won’t have to go through certain things some women do, and your skin will look beautiful and healthy. Bear in mind, this is just the first step. There’s still toning to do which should definitely be a part of your beauty routine as well.
In the end, your skin will have that special glow, and you’re feel more confident to go about your daily life.

Which temperament are you?

Are you one of those people who like to “strike while the iron is hot” or you prefer to go along with that “whatever happens happens”?

Relaxed or anger-prone? The answer lies in one of four temperaments that actually denote different types of personalities.

Temperament is, simply said, related to “temper”, not to upbringing, and it is not a result of some traumas or suppressed memories, instead, it is mostly conditioned by genetic factors and manifests itself in the intensity of the emotional experience, the speed of changing emotional states, the way we express emotions and the prevailing emotional mood of a person. Temperament inclines us to make certain choices but it also serves as the basis of moral and spiritual life.

There are four types of temperament, firstly described by the Greek physician Hippocrates. It is interesting to note that this classification has stood the test of time, although scientists provide evidence according to which a person’s personality type is usually the mixture of several types. These types are: sanguine, choleric, melancholic and phlegmatic. Each temperament is featured by emotional stability as a contrast to instability, optimism as a contrast to pessimism, extroversion as a contrast to introversion.

MELANCHOLIC

More than the other types, this one praises the concept of ideal, whether seen in truth, beauty or righteousness. Sensitive, idealistic, often deeply concerned over injustices and atrocities. Great composers, poets and writers usually belong to this type of temperament.

Melancholic personality is evident in persons whose initial reaction to a certain stimulus is weak, but over time the intensity of such reaction becomes greater and often lasts for a long time. Since the reactions of these people are mostly slow, they bring decisions guided by their ideals. They strive for perfection, and only a small number of people can live up to their expectations. Also, they are huge book lovers.

Since they strive for perfection, “mission impossible”, they can easily start to lose self-confidence and end up spiritless. Where others see challenge they see a problem, but interestingly, though they are often blocked and confused by trivial things, they are capable of overcoming serious crises and this in a very dignified manner, in a way showing off the dose of self-confidence.

Their pessimistic attitude can make them self-absorbed, which leaves them less time for other to whom they pay less attention which may indicate they constantly fight against their own self-pity-inclined personality.

Self-pity presents a trap into which a melancholic easily falls in and this can lead to impoverished life so they need to be encouraged, from an early start of their endeavors, to bring in more trust, optimism and enthusiasm in their life.

However, if they perform jobs that demand precision, consistency, organization, then the melancholic people precisely will have the best odds to excel at their job.

prednosti.

SANGUINE

In comparison to the melancholic, sanguine person embraces life-optimistic attitude and tends to live in the present moment not worrying that much about the past. The past is not something he ponders about but future events will not give him a headache either.

Sanguine person is usually adventure enthusiast, reliable and creative and can be inspiring to other people too. Moreover, he is cheerful and bold, but this may make him to bring superficial and snap decisions.

They like to be in the centre of attention and prefer quantity over quality when it comes to friendships. However, they like to please people or at least give them a good laugh.

Sanguine people easily show their emotions however, their emotions vary since they often act impulsively or recklessly. They are rarely arrogant on purpose or stubborn.

They are fast learners although they may have problems with concentration, not because they are not intelligent enough, but because they are always seem to be distracted by something new.

Weak sides of this personality type are superficiality and inconsistency and, what is more, he tends to forget what is right and acts in opposite way and this just to fit into society.

PHLEGMATIC

This type of personality is characterized by thoughtful, reasonable, civilized and trustworthy behavior. They are glad to offer support and also reliable and loyal, excellent diplomats who know how to behave in stressful situations when keeping calm and cool head is essential.

They are known for their casual nature and sharp mindedness so everything their rhetoric is clear and considerate.

They don’t like quarrels or any type of confrontations, but because of their calm nature they are often accused of lacking enthusiasm or spontaneity. For this reason they leave the impression of being disinterested, but when they are encouraged to achieve a certain goal, they become staunch and persistent.

CHOLERIC

Dynamic, direct and witty person characterized by keen mind. His reactions are instant, intense, vigorous and reveal his strong-will.

Saying no to a choleric person never poses a problem, more likely, it encourages him to take the matter into his own hands, and decisiveness is one of his most prominent features. His work makes him feel complete and sets himself high goals.

He feels empowered with the power and he is never questions his decisions.

The downside of the medal is, as expected, he is quick to judge others and stubborn. Moreover, he is often impatient and intolerant to those who are less tolerant than him.

He attempts to dominate other people and can be unrelenting and prone to haughtiness and anger. Father Conrad Hock has nicely put it: “The choleric prefers to die rather than to humble himself.”

Eat lycopene-rich foods

Have you ever heard of lycopene? If not, it is high time you learn something about it and give your our body all the wealth this powerful antioxidant is endowed with. It will reduce free radicals in your body and so prevent a range of diseases, but it will also slow down the aging process which is, as far as women are concerned at least, an important factor in life.

But what is lycopene?

Lycopene is a bright red pigment from the group of carotenoids, and the most famous food which contains this valuable phytonutrient is tomato. Other foods full of lycopene are pomegranate, watermelon, red grapefruit, papaya and asparagus. Lycopene is one of those elements which body cannot synthesize, so we need to take it from food. Although some types of fruit and vegetables contain significant amount of lycopene, many researches have suggested that absorption of the lycopene found in tomatoes is far greater in processed tomatoes, such as juice, pasta, even ketchup.

Why, you wonder? During processing, the fruit enlarges meaning it has already started to degrade. But more importantly, lycopene changes its chemical structure during heat processing and as such is easily absorbed by the body. Given it is fat-soluble, the absorption can be improved if you add some oil during processing lycopene-rich foods. And if you haven’t realized by now, this means that pizza too has certain benefits. Peeled tomatoes we put on pizza can therefore be a great source of lycopene, and considering these tomatoes are low-fat, our body will have no problems to absorb it. On the top of all, tomatoes prevent cardiovascular diseases.

Being so potent antioxidant, lycopene is often considered the king of antioxidants. It reduces the oxidation of lipides in blood and so reduces the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Besides, it helps eliminate deposits within blood vessels, and this certainly prevents blood clots which may clog the arteries. Therefore, next time you want to take a slice of delicious pizza, maybe lycopene will ease your conscience at eating so many calories.

The king of antioxidants

Along with the constant uprising in the field of technology, science and medicine, comes an increasing number of studies which confirm the healing potentials of certain elements in the foods we are surrounded with on a daily basis. But one element, in particular, has deserved a special attention and it is called alpha-linoleic acid, the name you, most probably, haven’t heard of by now.

Alpha-linoleic acid is concentrated in foods which should be a part of every family’s menu like spinach, meat, tomato, liver, potato and peas. During the last century, alpha-linoleic acid was discovered in beef liver, also a very nutritious food which contains numerous body essential minerals. Ever since then alpha-linoleic acid has often been referred to “as the universal antioxidant”, the king of antioxidants, with a main role to suppress the action of harmful free radicals of endogenous source (generated intracellularly).
Since sometimes it is hard to obtain that “therapeutic effect” only from food, it has lately become popular to take alpha-linoleic acid supplements. In fact, alpha-linoleic acid has shown a beneficial effect on all our body cells. Together with vitamin B it assists in breaking down fats, carbohydrates and proteins into energy. Other than being a strong antioxidant itself, alpha-linoleic acid also enhances the efficiency of other antioxidants such as vitamin C and E.

One of the main applications of this valuable antioxidant is in treating nerve damage. It is also very useful for the liver since it not only protects it from the free radical effects but helps eliminate toxins from the body as well. Thanks to all these notable features, ALA acid is also used in treating liver cirrhosis, hepatitis and some other diseases. It also plays a significant role in the regulation of diabetes. Furthermore, it protects our body from different age-related processes. It inhibits glycation which denotes the bonding of proteins (a lipid molecule) with the glucose molecule (sugar), or in simplified terms, it is the process through which sugar causes wrinkles and leads to cardiovascular diseases, eye problems and many other aging-associated diseases.

How to look fresh after a sleepless night

We’re no strangers to today’s fast-paced lifestyle filled with commitments and worries, in other words, yet another sleepless night which unfortunately leaves us looking tired.
Imagine this scenario. It’s morning. Time to go to work. You’re already not your usual self, and the last thing you want to hear is your co-workers pointing that out, am I right? Here’s what you can do to look fresh and rested even if you didn’t get a wink of sleep the night before.

Peels

This is a beauty treatment that simply has to be a part of your beautiful complexion to-do list. You see, by doing peels regularly you get rid of dead skin cells, and stimulate new cell turnover thus allowing your skin to regenerate itself. Go for a light peel twice a week (definitely not every day), one that’ll work best for your skin type.
You can choose between mechanical, chemical and enzymatic peels. The latter include enzymes such as alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that help your skin get rid of any impurities in a non-invasive way which makes them perfect for those of you with sensitive skin.

Hydration

If you’re sleep deprived, water is here to the rescue. Have a glass of water in the morning, and make sure you take optimum hydration into consideration. You can also add a few lemon drops because vitamin C protects your skin from premature aging caused by free radical damage.
Try washing your face with cold water. This will make your blood vessels constrict, and your face feel soft to the touch. Don’t forget to apply a moisturizing cream to get rid of any traces of fatigue. This will also prove useful in combating dry and flaky skin, as well as wrinkles.
All in all, water is the best and most affordable way to refresh your face both inside and out.

Cool off

An efficient way of rejuvenating your skin is to rub ice cubes all over it. You’ll end up feeling like you just had a facelift. A mild one, that is. Your skin will be tighter, and blood flow better.
If ‘go big or go home’ is your life motto, take a towel and dip it in cold milk, put it on your face, and let it sit for 5 minutes. Finish this beauty treatment with washing your face. Voilà! Your skin is already glowing.
Let’s go back to those ice cubes for a second. If you have an uneven skin tone, this is what you should do. Take an ice cube and suck on it. I know, it sounds funny, but it works. You see, your palate contains nerves that are connected to blood vessels on your face. By sucking on an ice cube, you’re sending them signals to constrict which in turn makes your skin tone more even.
Here’s another cool trick. Put your day cream or tonic in the fridge overnight and apply it to your face in the morning. This will stimulate blood flow and soothe your tired and puffy skin.

Don’t let your eyes give you away

As you’re well aware, your eyes are the telltale sign of yet another sleepless night. So, make sure you use products that feature peptides that will help keep any skin irritation to a minimum. Moreover, go for products that revive the area around your eyes, and make you look well rested and less swollen.
You’ve probably heard about the cold cucumber myth. The truth is, there’s nothing special about this vegetable. It’s their temperature that does the trick, and allows us to say goodbye to those pesky under eye bags.

Stay healthy no matter your age

They say age doesn’t matter and shouldn’t pose a problem when it comes to your free time activities and hobbies. At the same time, if you’ve been procrastinating all these years, your body will definitely be showing the signs.
One of the first things that happens is vitamin and mineral deficiency that often leads to excessive weight, something most people in this day and age have been battling for quite some time. You’re probably wondering how this is possible. Over the years vitamin D absorption reduces, as is the case with minerals like magnesium and iron. This in turn lowers your energy levels, weakens your immune system and slows down your metabolism. This is why many women feel too tired to work out and go about their daily routines. And when you’re feeling washed out, you often end up craving various stimuli like coffee and sugar which of course translates as weight gain.

So if you’re looking to do good by you, make sure you provide your body with enough vitamins and minerals through your diet, as well as supplements. Why? There’s only one reason. You see, the food we eat today isn’t what it once was, that is, the ingredients aren’t as nutritious as they were say, a hundred or two hundred years ago. We keep including more and more processed and canned foods on our menus, foods that are known to lose great quantities of vitamins and minerals in the handling process. It comes as no surprise that even the younger generations experience vitamin and/or mineral deficiency problems.

On the other hand, when you reach the middle age you start noticing your body doesn’t function as it once did. Taking into consideration everything we mentioned so far, poor food quality leading to low absorption, it’s no wonder this more often than not leads to vitamin and/or mineral deficiency, even health deterioration or disease. The first symptoms that tell you something is up are fatigue, poor immune system, memory loss and irritability. As for your physical appearance, your skin will start losing its glow, your hair will fall out, and your nails will split and become brittle. And although all micronutrients are equally important, for middle aged women calcium is key. I’ll explain why. With the decrease of estrogen in your body, the absorption of calcium reduces significantly which slowly but surely leads to lower bone mineral density, i.e. osteoporosis.

Other downsides include tooth decay and gum problems which occur as a result of iron, vitamin B12 and C deficiency. I take it you’re not a fan of periodontitis? In that case make sure you use dietary supplements. So, with the right diet, and by this I mean the vitamin B complex, and bringing processed food intake down to a minimum, you’ll realize your age really is just a number.

Egg – symbol of perfection

Eggs, as you’re probably well aware, are among the most nutritious foods out there. Eggs are simply perfect, so much so they can bring a new life into this world. Although in this article we won’t be talking about the “chicken or egg” dilemma, there’s an interesting link between eggs and Latin, that is, the “Ab ovo” phrase which means “from the beginning, the origin, the egg”.
Anyhow, as you know, this interesting creation consists of a shell, yolk and the white part. Egg white is the best source of protein because it contains all essential amino acids. We already know that foods rich in essential amino acids are extremely important for our diet because our bodies can’t create them on their own. In other words, we need to introduce them orally.
Moreover, eggs will provide you with a decent amount of lutein, biotin, choline, riboflavin, vitamins D and E, folic acid and vitamin B12. Biotin is essential to metabolic processes concerning carbohydrates and fats in our bodies, so by eating eggs you’re constantly creating more energy for yourself. It’ll also do wonders for your skin, hair and nails. Iron, which is abundant in egg yolk, is highly biodegradable which makes eggs perfect for people who lack this particular mineral.
The only downside of this story are large cholesterol levels. This means people who suffer from high cholesterol should keep clear of too many eggs. In their diet, that is.