Tag: Trial And Error

Self Tanning Lotions-We Are An Inventive Society

Hey, what can we say, we are an inventive society! If we like the way our skin looks with a tan but getting a tan is dangerous we will just develop and use self tanning lotions instead!

Of course, in life, few things are that easy. Self tanning lotions can work great but there is also usually a bit of a learning curve.

There can be a technique in applying them the right way and making them look good.

With so many different brands on the market, not to mention the various hues you can get, it may take a little trial and error until you have the practice down pat.

In this article I will provide you with some easy to follow tips that may make it a little easier for you to get that “sun kissed glow”… from a bottle.

Here we go:

1. First things first, like a painter you have to prepare your canvas which in this case is your skin.

Make sure you skin is clean and dry. Removing excess oils can help the tanner adhere to the skin better.

This is why you don’t want to use a moisturizer too soon before applying the tanner either, if you do it won’t soak into the skin as readily.

2. Exfoliate to remove as much excess dead skin as you possibly can. Again, this will make it easier for the tanner to absorb into the skin and provide a more even tone with less of a blotchy look.

3. Many people recommend you start at your feet and work your way up.

That way the tanner can dry completely without you bending over and possibly smearing it.

4. Either wear gloves or wash your hands frequently throughout the procedure. Otherwise you can end up with freakishly tanned looking hands.

5. Apply the tanner in several coats if you want a darker look as opposed to one thick coat.

This tends to look more natural and will usually prevent a “gloppy” look.

6. Tanners tend to dry pretty quickly so make sure you work fast. Don’t get distracted when applying your self tanner.

7. Wait a minimum of one half hour between layers or before sitting down on furniture or getting dressed or you might make a really big mess.

8. And last, but not least, to keep that sun kissed look for longer try to reapply the tanner every few days.

Do a light exfoliation before you reapply the tanner to maximize the absorption each time you reapply.

You can also minimize how much gets washed off in the shower by rubbing a little bit of baby oil on your skin right before your shower.

This may help eliminate some of the “run off” of your tanner while you are in the shower.

That’s pretty much it, not exactly rocket science is it? Still, there is a technique to it if you want it to look as natural as possible.

To make sure you get the result you want, take some time to experiment. The last thing you want to do is to try to apply a tanner for the first time right before a big event.

You sure don’t want to show up for your big day with an orange, blotchy looking tan.

Practice your technique first when using self tanning lotions for the best look possible.

Long Term Anxiety Characterized as Generalized Anxiety

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by long-term anxiety, excessive worry, and tension, even though there appears to be no reason to feel this way. This disorder affects about 6.8 million American adults (and twice as many women as men). The disorder usually develops gradually. It can start at any age but the highest-risk years are between childhood and middle age, a rather large time span. Evidence shows that genes play a modest role in GAD.
Those who suffer from GAD will go through the day feeling worried and aprehensive. They often anticipate disaster in even minor situations and are usually overly concerned about various issues such as health, money, family problems, or difficulties at work. It may even be hard getting started in the morning because of the thought of what lies ahead of them for the day.

If you find you have been over-worrying about many every-day problems for at least 6 months, you may be diagnosed with GAD. Although you may realize that your concerns are exaggerated, the problem still persists. Not being able to relaxe, startling easily, having difficulty concentrating are all symptoms of generalized anxiety disorder. Other problems include having trouble falling asleep or staying asleep. Physical symptoms that often accompany the anxiety include fatigue, headaches, muscle tension, muscle aches, difficulty swallowing, trembling, twitching, irritability, sweating, nausea, lightheadedness, having to go to the bathroom frequently, feeling out of breath, and hot flashes.

The level of severity of your GAD can vary greatly. If you are diagnozed with a mild case, you can function socially for the most part and hold down a job with little difficulty. If your GAD is severe, you can find it difficult even to complete what may seem like the simplest activities.

GAD is usually treated with medications and/or psychotherapy. You may benefit most from a combination of the two. It may take some trial and error to discover exactly what treatments work best for you.

Medications include antidepressants like fluoxetine (Prozac), paroxetine (Paxil), escitalopram (Lexapro), sertaline (Zoloft), venlafaxine (Effexor) and imipramine (Tofranil); Buspirone (BuSpar); and Benzodiazepines like clonazepam (Klonopin), lorazepam (Ativan), diazepam (Valium), chlordiazepoxide (Librium) and alprazolam (Xanax). Benzodiazepines are for the most part only used for relieving acute anxiety on a short-term basis (for example, when you are having an attack). However, they have a tendency to be addictive and some pretty serious side effects like drowsiness, reduced muscle coordination and impaired balance and memory.

Psychotherapy, often referred to as talk therapy and psychological counseling, deals with trying to work out the underlying life stresses and concerns that may cause your GAD. Once these have been identified, it is possible to and make behavior changes that can reduce your anxiety. One of the most recognized types of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Basically, short-term cognitive behavioral therapy aims to teach you specific skills that you can then use to identify negative thoughts and behaviors and substitute them with positive ones.

The above information about generalized anxiety disorder does not substitute medical advice given by a health professional.

Options to Fighting Acne

Although much is already known about how pimples and acne occur and develop, there are still a lot of people who find fighting the condition a life long trial.

There is actually little that people can do to stop its occurrence. There are people who are just blessed with great skin, meaning that their body hormones do not wreak havoc on their pores. Scientific studies have shown that acne is very closely linked to the amount of oil that the body produces.

Excess oils that are produced in the pores of the skin get trapped inside by either the dirt and the dust that the skin absorbs from the environment or by the abnormal structure of the pores. When these oils remain inside the pores for a long time and get to interact with the dirt, dead skin cells and the bacteria, propionibacterium acnes, found in the pore lining, skin eruptions occur in the form of acne.

With so many considerations to think of, it is not surprising that fighting acne does not only involve just one step but a multistep regimen that one must get right. Dermatologists agree that in order to fight acne, one must first reduce the oil production in the skin as this is the environment that the bacteria propionibacterium acnes oh so love. The second step is to exfoliate the skins surface so that the pore shape and the function improve. The third step is to disinfect the skin and kill of the bacteria causing the inflammations.

Within these three steps are a host of alternatives that can make anyone head spin. And the worst thing is, you can never really know what alternative is the right one for your skin as some people may be allergic to certain types of chemicals and may even exacerbate the condition rather than improve them. As much as it hurts the skin, one must do some trial and error experiments to find out the best combination of treatments for your skin.

Among the steps in fighting acne, the hardest to do is perhaps the elimination of unwanted oils in the skin. Oil production is already innate in the body and the amount that it produces is really dependent on our hormones. This is also the explanation why teeners are more prone to acne than adults. Still, there are products like clay masks that absorb oil a lot. Another good product is Philips Mils of Magnesia, a liquid magnesium hydroxide facial mask that absorbs the oil in the skin.

To exfoliate the skin, products that contain beta hydroxyl acid and alpha hydroxyl acid is used. There are a lot of these kinds of products available in the market. As a general rule, BHA is often preferred over AHA because the former is much better in penetrating through the oils on the pores. There are however some people who just cant use BHA, so AHA is the next best thing.

For fighting bacteria, there is nothing like benzoyl peroxide. Numerous studies have already shown how effective this can be in fighting acne by disinfecting the skin. One reason for the effectiveness of bezoyl peroxide is the fact that it can penetrate through the hair follicles and go deep into the pores and kill all the bacteria. Alcohol may sometimes be effective but it can also irritate the skin.

Natural Ways To Relieve A Headache-Sometimes The Old Ways Work

Natural Ways To Relieve A Headache-Sometimes The Old Ways Work Better

Having frequent headaches can range from being a nuisance to affecting your ability to function. Modern medicine’s typical response is to shove pills down your throat and see what happens. If the first pills don’t work then new pills are tried, and so on until you are able to find some relief. However, there are also some natural ways to relieve a headache so you won’t have to pop pills.

A warning is in order before we get to any of those methods: Nothing in this article is meant to be medical advice. You should always consult with your doctor before trying to treat any health condition, including headaches. If your doctor has prescribed medication, then you should always take it unless they instruct to stop taking it. Okay, and now onto the good stuff!

Cold or heat therapy is one of the oldest natural ways to relieve a headache. Placing a cold pack on the head, face or neck can lessen the severity of a headache, but don’t use anything that’s too cold as that can make the headache worse. Heat can be applied in the same way, and excessive heat should be avoided as well. Everybody is different, so you may need to see which temperature works best for you. How this works is still the topic of discussion, but what really matters is that it does indeed work, not how it works.

The body is covered with pressure points that affect other parts of the body. You can find pressure points that will help alleviate headaches. They can be found on the temples, the bridge of your nose, the hairline, the crook of your arm, your back and certain parts of your feet. Using a bit of trial and error, you should be able to zero in on the areas that bring you the most relief; however, if you want to be more precise then you can find information that shows you exactly where to apply pressure.

Aromatherapy can work wonders on your headaches, but you need to be careful. The reason is that some people are highly sensitive to certain scents, and they could end up making your headache worse. On the other hand, there are sure to be some aromas that soothe and clam you and lessen your headache pain. Some of the more popular scents for the treatment of headaches include lavender, eucalyptus and peppermint.

Staying in good health isn’t always the easiest thing to do, but it can definitely help control your headaches. After all, what could be better than preventing them in the first place? Make sure that you drink plenty of water throughout the day, eat right, exercise on a regular basis, practice stress reduction techniques and get a good night’s sleep.

The cool thing about all of these natural ways to relieve a headache is that they can be done by just about anyone, and you don’t have to worry about popping pills and adding chemicals to your system.