July 15, 2009 – 1:30 am

Before applying any mask ensure the skin is thoroughly cleansed, you may like to try deep cleansing with steam.

To do this, first ensure skin is free of any make up or dirt, then carefully fill a bowl with boiling water and hold your face 10 to 15 inches away from the boil in the direction of the steam. Covering your head with a towel will prevent the steam from escaping, after about 10 minutes blot skin dry with a tissue and apply one of the following masks.

Face Mask for Normal Skin
Mix together 3 tbsp of fine milled oatmeal with 2tbsp of runny honey.

Face Mask for Dry Skin
Mash together 1/2 a ripe banana and 1 tbsp of runny honey.

Face Mask for Oily Skin
Whisk 1 egg white until frothy and blend with 2 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice.

Face Mask for Combination Skin
Mash 6 ripe strawberries and mix with 2 tbsp of natural yogurt.

Face Mask for Mature Skin
Take 1/2 ripe avocado and 2 tbsp of full fat cream and blend together to a smooth paste.

Face Mask for Sensitive Skin
Using a food processor blend together 1/4 cup of full fat natural yogurt with 1/4 of a peeled cucumber until smooth.

Apply the appropriate mask to the entire face and neck, taking care around the eye area.

Leave the mask on the skin for 10 to 15 minutes and remove using a warm, damp face cloth, blot skin dry with a tissue.

Perfect!

Surgical gown ‘marked up for ops’

July 15, 2009 – 1:26 am

A Surgical Gown has been developed to help medical students get a closer understanding of what it is like to go under the knife.
The gown is covered in nine zips showing where incisions are made for operations such as open heart surgery and removal of the appendix.

Its silk material is also more like human tissue than the plastic of traditional models.

It has been designed by teams at Durham and Ulster Universities.

The creators hope the gown, which goes on international display in the US this week, will significantly improve understanding, not only of where operation incisions are made, but also what they mean to the patient.

The idea is that it should be worn by students in the classroom, and supplement traditional teaching aids in helping to explain surgical procedures.

Plastic models can be used to show areas of the body where incisions will roughly be made, say the creators, but give no sense of empathy for the patient.

Potentially, the gown could also help explain procedures to patients.

Professional distance

Developer Professor John McLachlan said: “Current anatomical teaching aids describe but they don’t evoke.

“They take no account of emotional involvement or the feel of the body.

“The way medical students distance themselves emotionally from the patient’s body has long been seen as a desirable outcome of current modes of medical training.

“But this ‘desensitation’ also brings with it the risk of objectifying the body. The patient becomes ‘the liver in bed four’ rather than Mrs Smith.

“We want to help students understand the significance of the body as well as its structure.”

The developers hope the gown will be used in medical schools across the UK and beyond.

DON’T EMBARK ON YOUR SUMMER VACATION WITHOUT AN EK SHOWER CAP

July 15, 2009 – 1:21 am

For_Immediate_Release:
Long Beach, CA – June 2003 – Gearing up for a much-needed summer vacation? Whether you’re traveling back home to visit the folks, heading out on an ocean voyage or taking a ten-day tour of Europe, you’ll want to pack an EK Shower Cap.

Let’s face it: hotel amenities leave a little something to be desired. Sure there are lots of no-name shampoos, conditioners and body lotions a plenty in the lavatory, but have you ever actually tried to use a hotel shower cap? Who hasn’t wondered aloud: Is this actually a Shower Cap or one of Saran Wrap’s new bowl covers?

Wonder no more.

Created by Elizabeth Kiely, EK Shower Caps offer stylish, designer shower caps for women of all ages that protect and keep hair completely dry while showering. Styles range from Retro to Animal Prints to Vintage, and each is made from the finest waterproof fabrics lined with soft terry cloth and lace trim. An EK Shower Cap fits conveniently in your carry-on and dries completely within a matter of hours after use.

Here’s a sampling of the collection:

• Unleash your animal instincts with sexy Leopard and Zebra – brand new to the collection – styles.

• Go gingham with a soft Lavender Gingham print – a brand new style to the line – or a Pink and White Check design.

• Feeling stripy? Try EK’s Mediterranean-inspired Blue & White Stripe cap.

• A Floral Plaid design will leave you feeling refreshed and at peace with nature.

• Break out the vinyl (not your old records, silly) with a Vinyl Black & White Pin Dots design

Eczema Sufferers Find Relief In Pure Silk Underwear

July 15, 2009 – 1:10 am

Patra Selections today announced an increase in the sale of next-to-the-skin silk products from their range. Underwear and base layer items made from pure silk are reported to be beneficial to eczema sufferers because of their calming properties on inflamed, itchy skin.

“There’s been a gradual rise in the sale of our silk tshirts, silk socks and silk gloves” says Rita Patra, Managing Director of Patra Selections. “Pure, undyed silk is very soothing next to skin, which makes it perfect for people with eczema. It’s temperature-regulating, completely natural and it allows the skin to breathe, so the wearer feels cool and less itchy. Silk gloves can be especially good for eczema, which often appears on the hands and between the fingers.”

Because silk thread is made of many very long filaments, unlike short cotton fibres, silk is less likely to shed and irritate open sores. According to GP, Dr Rupert Mason[1], “This produces a fabric that is perfectly smooth and does not cause friction on the skin.  [Silk] also has greater ability to absorb moisture than cotton, and helps to maintain the body temperature by reducing excessive sweating and moisture loss.“

How to gift wrap flowers?

June 18, 2009 – 9:18 pm

To gift wrap flowers in a unique and artistic manner not only makes the flowers visually more attractive it also lends style to the final creation. The fact that learning new ideas of wrapping flowers more creatively is as easy as tying a bow makes the idea all the more attractive. Most flower wrappings can be made from materials that are found in and around the house and different ideas can be tailored to suit different flowers. Here are some ideas to flag you off on this creative journey.

A few suggestions

  1. After getting the flowers home from the florist remove their wrapping and give the flowers a wrapping of your own making to make even ordinary flowers look sensational. You can wrap the flowers with lots and lots of tissue paper in hues that compliment the colors of the flowers and fasten them by using ribbon or raffia.
  2. You can also wrap flowers in vases – that you have made yourself. Use your creative power to fashion a vase out of unusual things. You could use wire and twist it to resemble a spring coil and put flowers in it. You could also take a paper towel tube, decorate it with a picture collage. Viola! You have a trendy vase.
  3. Visit the nearest craft store to get some trinkets and ideas to decorate your bouquet. They cost very little but are big on creativity and style.
  4. Wrap your flowers in wrapping that has been created in keeping with the occasion. For example you could secure a wedding day bouquet with a small figure that is generally found atop wedding cakes; a graduation day bouquet could be wrapped in an old book jacket and secured with a graduation tassel.

Do’s

  • Ordinary brown wrapping paper is neutral enough to suit most flowers.

Don’ts

  • Do not use a very gaudy paper to dress up a lavish bouquet, if the flowers are bold keep the wrapping simple and vice-versa.

Hello world!

June 15, 2009 – 12:17 am

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