How To Moisturize Your Body
Your skin is your body’s largest organ, so treat it as well as you would any other organ.
Step 1: Take short showers
Limit your showers or baths to between 5 and 10 minutes, and use water that’s just warm, not hot.
Staying in hot water, although it may feel luxurious, actually strips your skin’s natural oils.
Step 2: Use moisturizing cleanser
Use a moisturizing cleanser or one formulated for dry skin when you bathe. Regular soaps can be too
harsh and will dehydrate skin.
You Will Need
A gentle cleanser
A moisturizer
Humid air
Whole milk or oil
Soft cotton pajamas, socks, and gloves
When taking a bath, try adding two cups of whole milk to the water at the beginning of the bath to
provide a little extra moisture for dry skin.
Step 3: Pat dry
Don’t dry off completely after bathing. Blot yourself gently with a towel rather than rubbing so your skin
is still damp.
If you are using a topical prescription cream, always apply it between cleansing and moisturizing.
Step 4: Apply moisturizer
Apply a moisturizer to your whole body immediately after bathing and before your skin has completely
dried. This helps lock the water into your skin.
Step 5: Moisturize a second time
Moisturize again so you’ve slathered yourself twice each day—once in the morning and once before
bed.
For really dry skin, try moisturizing with Vaseline and wear soft cotton socks, pajamas, and even gloves
to bed. This will help retain the product so it softens your skin while you sleep.
Step 6: Raise the humidity
A humidifier or even a shallow pan of water near a heat source will help banish dry, dehydrating air,
especially during the winter.
The average person’s skin flakes off 30,000 to 40,000 dead cells every minute.
How To Tell If Someone Likes You By Monitoring Their Body Responses
Learn how to tell if you’re turning someone on — or off — by watching the way their body involuntarily
reacts to you.
Step 1: Look for mirroring
Chat them up so you can observe their movements. If they begin to mimic you without even realizing it,
they definitely like you. Now you just have to figure out if they like-like you.
You Will Need
Keen observation skills
A crash course in mating rituals
If their feet point toward you even when their attention is elsewhere, the answer is probably yes.
Step 2: Read their palms
Look at their palms. If they’re face up, their subconscious is telling you they’re “open” to a
relationship.
Step 3: Gaze into their eyes
Gaze into their eyes. When people are physically attracted to someone, their pupils dilate, or become
bigger.
Step 4: Look for the Shy Di smile
Be on the lookout for the smile that earned the late Princess Diana the nickname Shy Di — eyes peeking
up as the forehead is bowed. This is an unconscious gesture of flirting.
If they smile at you, check out the corners of their eyes. A genuine smile will cause crinkling; a
polite smile won’t.
Step 5: Watch their shoulders
Watch their shoulders. Lifting both shoulders up is an automatic muscular reaction when a person
meets someone they find attractive.
If a person you’re flirting with develops “pigeon feet” — that is, their toes start pointing inward
towards one another — that person is both attracted to you and intimidated by you.
How To Be Sexy
Want to know how to turn a guy on? It’s pretty easy, actually…..
Step 1: Strap on stilettos
Wear high heels. When 50,000 men were polled about what fashions added the most sex appeal to a
woman, sky-high heels topped the list, followed by slit skirts, stockings, and mini-skirts.
You Will Need
Sky-high heels
Lavender or pumpkin pie scent
Flattering clothing
Thongs
Long, brown hair
An aerobics class
Good news: the next sexiest thing men like is jeans and a t-shirt.
Step 2: Cross your legs
If you spy a guy you like, cross and uncross your legs; 70% of men find it sexy. Especially if you’re
wearing a skirt – half of men think a woman’s thigh is the sexiest part of her leg.
Step 3: Dab on lavender perfume
Wear lavender perfume. Studies found that the scent of lavender gets a guy going. The aroma of
pumpkin pie turns him on, too, so you could also try patting a little pumpkin pie spice behind your ears
before a big date.
Step 4: Strive for symmetry
Research on physical attraction shows that people are attracted to symmetry more than size, so wear
clothes that balance your body.
Work those childbearing hips! Men are most attracted to women with a waist to hip ratio of .7 — in
other words, an hourglass figure — because it subconsciously signals fertility.
Step 5: Wear teddies to bed
Wear a teddy to bed. When it comes to naughty nightwear, men rate teddies as tops, followed by
stockings and stilettos.
Step 6: Wear your hair long
Wear your hair long; the overwhelming majority of men prefer long hair to short on women. And be
stingy with the hairspray; getting his hand caught in your helmet head is not sexy.
If you’re a natural brunette, stick with it; three out of four men polled said they’d rather wake up
with a brunette than a blonde.
Step 7: Buy some thongs
Consider buying some thongs; men prefer them over bikini panties, two to one.
Step 8: Take up aerobics
Take up aerobics. Telling a guy you’re into aerobics adds instant sex appeal. It will keep your heart
healthy, and being physically fit is always sexy.
Research indicates that men find women sexiest when they’re ovulating, though it’s entirely
subconscious.
How To Make Your Boyfriend’s Buddies Like You
He’s just said the three words you’ve been longing to hear: “Meet my friends.” Now you just have
to win them over.
Step 1: Learn names
Ask your boyfriend if he has a picture of his best buds so you will be able to put faces with names.
Using a person’s name is a proven way to get on their good side.
Don’t try picturing them naked to settle your nerves—you’ll only be more nervous, and probably
never sleep peacefully again.
You Will Need
A boyfriend who wants you to meet
his friends
Your boyfriend’s friends
And a determination to be liked
Good news: the next sexiest thing men like is jeans and a t-shirt.
Step 2: Introduce yourself
Introduce yourself—shake their hand, make eye contact, smile, and repeat something about them that
your boyfriend told you, like “You play soccer, right?” or “Glad to hear that rash cleared up.” On
second thought, just smile.
Step 3: Be friendly not flirty
Come across as friendly but not so friendly that your behavior could be misconstrued as flirting. Their
first loyalty is to their bud, so if they think you’re coming on to them, you’re screwed.
Step 4: Be unassuming
Be unassuming. Your boyfriend may treat you like royalty, but that doesn’t mean his friends want to be
your faithful subjects. If something irritates you, bring it up with your boyfriend later—not by throwing a
public temper tantrum.
Step 5: Be positive
Don’t criticize your boyfriend in front of his friends or try to get them on your side of a disagreement. It
should go without saying that you shouldn’t criticize them, either.
Step 6: Be a sport
If forced to watch sports, be a good sport yourself. Don’t whine, don’t ask when the game will be
over,
and
most
important,
don’t
make
him
regret
bringing
you!
Keep your tongue out of your boyfriend’s mouth—it will make his pals uncomfortable, and they’ll
give him grief later.
Step 7: Win them over with tasty treats
Not sure you’ve conquered them? Then it’s time to bring in the heavy artillery. Goodwill comes
cheap when you’re armed with cookies, brownies, and pies.
According to one survey, 83% of men say excluding his friends is a relationship deal-breaker..
How To Find the Best Deals At the Dollar Store
Not everything at the dollar store is a bargain, or even safe to use. Learn to spot the difference between
an item that’s cheap, and a cheap item.
Step 1:
Make sure the item really is just $1. Some so-called dollar stores sell items for a lot more as well, which
you may not realize until you get home and look at your receipt. And don’t assume every item is a
bargain: Some dollar store merchandise costs less in a regular shop.
You Will Need
Attentiveness
Pricing knowledge
Safety guidelines
Step 2
Check out the groceries. The best deals include packaged snacks, pasta and rice, canned vegetables,
and other nonperishables you’d normally buy in a supermarket.
Check the expiration dates on food items. Though they likely are safe beyond that date, they might
not be as flavorful.
Step 3
Pick up household tools and gadgets, from spatulas to screwdrivers. A recent consumer study found
they’re mostly the same items you find in retail giants, but can cost up to 95 percent less.
Step 4
Pick up some shampoo. Studies have found the cheap brands work as well as the pricey ones.
Step 5
Stock up on party goods, including wrapping paper, ribbons and bows, gift bags, paper plates and cups,
and balloons.
Step 6
Buy your vitamins elsewhere. A test of a random sample of dollar-store brand vitamins found they often
either didn’t contain what they claimed or didn’t dissolve properly.
Step 7
Leave behind the batteries and extension cords. The ones at the dollar store are usually made of
carbon zinc, not alkaline, which means they’ll burn out faster. And one consumer group rated the
extension cords of such bad quality as to be downright dangerous.
Step 8
Don’t even think about buying plastic toys or toothpaste in a dollar store. The toys often break easily
and some may contain lead, and the Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning after finding
toxins in some off-brand toothpastes.
Dollar stores’ earnings soared in the final months of 2008 – some chain’s profits were up by 50
percent over 2007.
How To Get Great Skin Like a Celebrity
Not everyone in Hollywood owes their nice complexion to a dermatologist.
Here are some homespun beauty secrets you can steal.
Step 1
Exfoliate your skin with a mixture of sugar and extra virgin olive oil. That’s how Christie Brinkley stays
so youthful; it’s like giving yourself a mini microdermabrasion.
You Will Need
Sugar
Extra virgin olive oil
Liquid vitamin C
Washcloths
Bag Balm
Honey
Petroleum jelly
Un-petroleum jelly (optional)
Jessical Biel adds sugar to her regular cleanser when she wants to slough away dead skin.
Step 2
Nourish your skin the way Nicky Hilton does: Massage vitamin C into your face. You can buy it in liquid
form in health food stores.
Step 3
Keep your washcloths in the fridge so they’re nice and cold when you use them; supermodel Rachel
Hunter has said she learned this trick in Japan. It reduces redness and swelling, makes pores appear
smaller, gets rid of puffy eyes, and gives your complexion a healthy pink glow.
Step 4
Moisturize like Shania Twain: She finds there’s nothing like Bag Balm – an ointment made to soften a
cow’s udder for milking – to make her complexion silky.
Step 5
Smooth your skin with honey: TV host and former model Padma Lakshmi washes her face, then
slathers on the sticky stuff in the shower. She swears it acts as a smoothening agent. Catherine ZetaJones uses honey for the same reason.
Step 6
Remove your makeup with petroleum jelly; that’s how Jennifer Lopez cleans and moisturizes her face
at the same time. For an environmentally friendly option, look for plant-based un-petroleum jelly.
Sixty-one percent of women polled would most want to swap hair, makeup, and accessory tips with
Jennifer Aniston.
How To Have Perfect Timing in Life
If “timing is everything,” shouldn’t you learn how to perfect yours?
Step 1: Have sex at 7 a.m.
Have sex around 7 a.m., when testosterone levels are highest, making you friskier and more sensitive
to touch.
You Will Need
Flexibility
Step 2: Water the plants in the morning
Water your garden in the early morning, or else the daytime heat will evaporate it before your plants get
their fill. Plus, morning watering prevents fungus.
Step 3: Shave at 8 a.m.
Shave your legs or face around 8 a.m., when blood platelets are plentiful, meaning better clotting and
less bleeding should you nick yourself.
If you need to see a doctor, ask for the first appointment of the day. You won’t have to wait around,
and the doctor will be refreshed.
Step 4: Tackle big projects at 11 a.m.
Tackle big projects around 11 a.m., when you’re most alert.
Step 5: Take a cat nap at 1 p.m.
If at all possible, sleep for 20 minutes sometime between 1 and 2 p.m. Your body temperature dips
then, making it the ideal time to power nap.
Schedule dental appointments for your lunch hour. Research shows that your tolerance for tooth
pain is highest around 1 p.m., and that the dental painkiller lidocaine lasts longest when injected
between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
Step 6: Tackle housecleaning at 4 p.m.
Clean the house at 4 p.m., when your hand-eye coordination is greatest and mood is elevated.
Step 7: Enjoy a cocktail at 5:30 p.m.
Have a drink at 5:30—that’s when your liver metabolizes alcohol most efficiently. No wonder they call it
“happy hour.”
Step 8: Work out in the evening
Schedule gym sessions between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m.—that’s when body temperature warms up, making
muscles more supple and less prone to injury.
Weight training in particular is more effective in the evening. That’s when the body’s ratio of the
hormones cortisol and testosterone is best for muscle building.
Step 9: Buy shoes in the evening
The end of the day is the best time to buy shoes, because early morning purchases don’t take into
account the swelling that occurs during the day.
Step 10: Send final emails before 8 p.m.
Send your last important email of the day before 8 p.m. The top times to check email are 8 a.m.,
lunchtime, and 8 p.m., so if you miss the final cutoff, your email will likely wait until morning.
If you take a daily aspirin, pop it at night, when it does less damage to the stomach lining and is
better at reducing blood pressure.
Step 11: Eat 3 hours before bed
The best time for your bedtime snack is actually at least three hours before you go to sleep, so your
body has time to digest the food.
Relationship experts say that when men decide to marry, it’s 49% because it’s the right girl and
51% because it’s the right time.
How To Make Time For Yourself
Has it been ages since you were able to take a nap, read a book, or simply catch your breath? Finding
“me” time isn’t easy, but it can be done.
Step 1: Learn to say No
Let’s face it: We all have friends we’ve outgrown and favors we do for lack of backbone. Learn when
to put your needs before others.
You Will Need
Some backbone
A day planner
Self-discipline
Some time to organize yourself
Step 2: Make appointments with yourself
When you’re planning your week or month, block chunks of free time for yourself, then honor them as
you would a business meeting or a date with a loved one.
Step 3: Get organized
Get yourself organized both at home (clean your closets, take care of mail as it comes) and at work
(clean off your desk, create a filing system) so you don’t waste time looking for things.
Studies show we wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time, so getting rid of the excess
will make selecting an outfit much faster.
Step 4: Start delegating
See what tasks you can slough off on others – junior employees at work, your spouse, kids if you have
them. If you can afford a housekeeper a few times a month, do it.
Step 5: Buy in bulk
Cut down on trips to the store by buying as much as you can in bulk. Invest in a second fridge or a
stand-alone freezer if you have the room.
When you do shop, go at off-peak times, like the early morning, after the lunch hour rush, and
shortly before the store closes, and group your errands by location.
Step 6: Cut down on computer use
Checking your email compulsively and surfing the web can eat up enormous amounts of time. Check
your work email at a few set times during the day, and leave your home computer off except when you
have a specific task to accomplish.
Step 7: Streamline errands
Put an end to writing and mailing checks by paying all your bills online. If your health plan allows it, get
your prescriptions by mail.
Step 8: Relax
Relax and put your feet up – you’ve earned it!
American men do 2.7 hours of home-related work per day, versus 4.5 hours for women.
How To Appear Younger Than You Really Are
Sure, you could hit the gym, eat your veggies, and get plastic surgery—but what can you do that
doesn’t suck? Lots of things, actually.
Step 1: Have sex
Sex stimulates production of the human growth hormone, which reduces fatty tissue and increases lean
muscle, leading to a more youthful appearance. In fact, research shows that people who have sex at
least three times a week look ten years younger than those who don’t.
Step 2: Take care of your teeth
Take care of your teeth. Brush at least twice a day, floss at least once a day, get your teeth cleaned
every six months, and have an annual dental checkup.
You Will Need
A sex partner
Dental hygiene
Good posture
Massages
SPF
Grapefruit-scented perfume
Pigs’ feet
Gals, dab some grapefruit juice behind your ears. A study showed that the scent of pink grapefruit
made men underestimate a woman’s age by six years!.
Step 3: Stand up straight
Simply standing up straight can make you look 10 years younger and 10 pounds thinner. Good posture
also allows the nerve cells in your spine to fire more efficiently, boosting your energy by 70% (giving you
the get-up-and-go of a much younger person).
Step 4: Drink water
Drink lots of water. It allows all your organs to function at peak efficiency and it hydrates your skin cells,
plumping them up to keep your skin smooth.
Step 5: Tend your facial hair
Tend your facial hair. For women, that means filling in any overly-plucked eyebrows, because thin
eyebrows are aging. For men, it means shaving off that years-adding beard, especially if it’s coming in
salt and pepper. And, need it be said? No stray nose and ear hairs, please.
Step 6: Wear more color
Wear more color. Yes, we know—black is slimming. Unfortunately, it’s also aging.
Keeping up with jewelry trends is an easy way to make yourself look younger.
Step 7: Get massages
Treat yourself to massages. They stimulate the secretion of anabolic hormones, which help reverse
aging.
Learn to love pigs’ feet. The Japanese believe that this ugly food can lead to beautiful, youthful skin
because it’s loaded with collagen.
Step 8: Wear SPF
Wearing SPF on your face every day will help prevent wrinkles. Also, don’t forget your neck and
hands—nothing says “old” like a saggy neck and age-spotted hands.
Of 1,400 men and women polled, 68% think they look younger than they are.
How To Break Bad Habits That Secretly Are Making You Fat
Losing weight may be as simple as shaking up your routine.
Step 1: Don’t diet in the morning
Don’t skimp on breakfast. In one study, participants who ate a 600-calorie breakfast rich in
carbohydrates and protein lost more weight over eight months than those who had a much smaller, lowcarb meal.
You Will Need
Big breakfasts
Moderate drinking habits
Leisurely dining
Comfortable shoes
Step 2: Spread out your drinking
Don’t save up your boozing for the weekend: A study of 2,300 drinkers found that those who drank a
large amount in one night had higher levels of abdominal fat than those who consumed a similar
amount of alcohol but spread it out over several days.
Step 3: Eat more slowly
Start savoring your meals. Because it takes around 20 minutes for a full stomach to actually feel full,
gulping down food means you’ll usually accidentally eat more than you need.
Step 4: Wear comfy shoes
Ladies, save the sexy stilettos for special occasions. People who wear comfortable shoes burn more
calories per day because, duh, they walk more.
Step 5: Drink your coffee black
A plain cup of coffee has no fat and only a few calories, but a small latte likely has around 10 grams of
fat and a couple hundred calories.
Add skim milk to coffee instead of cream — it has less fat and calories.
Step 6: Give up the sleeping pills
Wean yourself off sleep medications. Their contribution to weight gain is threefold: You sleep longer,
meaning less activity; you may be sluggish during the day, leading to fewer calories burned; and you
may eat in your sleep without even knowing it.
According to one study, women whose husbands have more schooling than they do are thinner
than those with less educated spouses.
How To Lose Weight With the Amazing Japanese Morning Banana Diet
Shed pounds with the Morning Banana Diet, the weight loss program that’s so big in Japan, it’s
caused banana shortages!
The Morning Banana Diet hasn’t been tested by the scientific community. We cannot guarantee
you’ll lose weight with this regimen. We can guarantee you’ll enjoy this video.
Step 1: Begin the day with bananas
Eat up to 4 bananas in the morning. They contain resistant starch, which helps burn fat: Just 2 bananas
eaten in the morning can help your body burn fat all day. It also helps the body absorb calcium, a
nutrient that has been shown to help weight loss. They contain Vitamin C which helps the body flush
fatty acids & fiber, which helps you feel full.
You Will Need
Bananas
Willpower
Step 2: Eat lunch and dinner
Eat whatever you want for lunch and dinner with the exception of dessert.
Eat slowly, chewing food thoroughly. Stop eating the minute you feel full.
Step 3: Drink only water
Drink only water. Research shows that drinking two cups of water boosts metabolism by 30 percent,
and keeps it elevated for 30 to 40 minutes. Plus, cutting out all other beverages saves most people
hundreds of calories a day. The diet’s creator recommends sipping room temperature water
throughout the day.
Step 4: Enjoy a snack
Enjoy a sweet treat at around 3 p.m., like a small piece of chocolate or a cookie.
The creator of the diet advises staying away from ice cream, donuts, and potato chips, perhaps
because they are foods people tend to overeat.
Step 5: Stop eating at 6 p.m.
Try not to eat after 6 p.m., and definitely don’t eat anything after 8 p.m. Late-night snacking is the
downfall of many dieters.
Step 6: Be in bed by 12
Be in bed by midnight at the latest. If you can manage to go to sleep earlier, all the better. Research
shows that people who get six hours or less sleep per night are more likely to gain weight. Aim for eight
hours of shut-eye.
Many Japanese supermarkets sold out of bananas in September 2008, after a national celebrity
touted the Morning Banana Diet on a television show.
How To Get Your Body Bikini Ready
Try these proven methods to get an awesome bathing suit bod.
Step 1: Flatten your tummy
For washboard abs, start pedaling—in the air. Research suggests that the bicycle maneuver is the top
exercise for abdominals. To do it, lie on your back with your knees raised and bent, your hands locked
behind your head. Now alternate touching one elbow to the opposite bent knee, as you extend the other
leg.
Step 2: Become a tight ass
To firm your butt, do lunges every day. Begin by standing up straight with your feet shoulder-width apart.
With your right leg, take one long step forward, keeping your back straight as your body lowers itself
and your knees bend. Move back to the starting position in one smooth motion.
You Will Need
Self-discipline
A place to swim
A pedometer
A natural bristle body brush
A Zen attitude
Sneak in lunges while you’re brushing your teeth.
Step 3: Start swimming
Find a pool and start doing laps: Fittingly, the single best exercise for getting your body toned for the
beach is swimming.
Step 4: Cut out beverages
Stop drinking everything but water. For the average American, this simple move will save you a
whopping 450 calories a day.
Step 5: Step it up
Get a pedometer and set a daily step goal. Analysis from Stanford found that people who monitored
their walking with a pedometer increased their physical activity 27 percent.
Step 6: Brush your body
Each day before showering, take a natural bristle brush made especially for body brushing and, starting
at the feet, brush your skin with long upward strokes. This stimulates blood circulation, which can
reduce the appearance of cellulite.
Step 7: De-stress
Do whatever it takes —meditation, yoga, deep breathing—to de-stress. A study found that anxiety leads to
the body’s build-up of toxic wastes, which turns into cellulite!
The white bikini that Ursula Andress wore in the 1962 James Bond thriller Dr. No was auctioned off
for $61,500 in 2001.
How To Curb Your Appetite Naturally
It’s hard to lose weight if you’re always hungry. Reduce food cravings naturally with these tips.
Step 1: Sniff peppermint
Take a whiff of peppermint before mealtime. Study participants who did ate nearly 3,000 fewer total
calories from fat and sugar each week, reporting that their hunger level decreased dramatically after
inhaling the scent.
You Will Need
Peppermint oil
Eight hours sleep per night
A high-fiber diet
Aerobic exercise
Foods that fill you up
Chewing gum
15-minute walks
Crunchy foods
Peppermint essential oil is available at health food stores.
Step 2: Get more sleep
Aim for eight hours sleep nightly. People who get that many ZZZZs have higher levels of the hormone
leptin, an appetite suppressant. Conversely, people who are sleep-deprived have higher levels of the
hormone ghrelin, which tells the brain that you’re hungry.
Step 3: Think while you eat
Try “mindful eating,” which means that eating slowly and considering after every bite whether or not
you’re still hungry. According to the American Dietetic Association, it can take up to 20 minutes for
your brain to send a signal to your stomach that you’re full, so check in with your body as you eat to
avoid overeating.
Step 4: Eat more fiber
Eat more fiber; it keeps you full longer. In one study, participants who ate an extra 14 grams of fiber per
day consumed 10 percent fewer daily calories than those on the lower-fiber plan.
Step 5: Work out
Do some aerobic exercise. People who do develop higher levels of a blood protein called brain-derived
neurotrophic factor, which is believed to suppress appetite.
Taking a 15-minute walk helps reduce chocolate cravings, according to one study.
Step 6: Eat filling foods
Eat foods that fill you up faster and keep you full longer. According to research, they include boiled
white potatoes, oranges, apples, fish, whole-wheat pasta, nuts, steak, baked beans, grapes, wholewheat bread, pumpkin, nuts, and avocados.
Favor crunchy foods. Research indicates that the longer it takes you to chew your food, the fewer
overall calories you consume.
Step 7: Chew gum after lunch
Have a stick of gum after meals. In one study, people who chewed gum after lunch ate fewer afternoon
snacks and had fewer cravings for sweets than people who didn’t.
Food cravings and the craving for drugs that an addict feels come from the same part of the brain.
How To Look Like You’ve Lost Weight
There are easy ways to appear slimmer without starving yourself or breaking a sweat.
Step 1: Stop eating salt
You can drop a few pounds of water weight in a day or two simply by eliminating sodium.
Step 2: Drink dandelion tea
Drink dandelion leaf tea. Herbalists swear you can flush out four pounds of fluids in one day.
Step 3: Splurge on a body wrap
Splurge on a skin-firming body wrap. It can give you a slimmer silhouette in a single one-hour session
by compressing fat cells. And the effects can last up to a month.
You Will Need
A no-salt diet
Dandelion leaf tea
A body wrap
Self-tanner
A new bra
Body-hugging clothes
Skirts or pants of the right length
Shirts with side vents
A floral, spicy perfume
Gold body powder
Consult your doctor before having a body wrap if you have any allergies or medical conditions.
Step 4: Get a tan
Get a fake tan; a bronzed body always looks more slender than a pale one.
To look even slimmer, highlight your abdomen with a light dusting of gold powder.
Step 5: Buy a new bra
Go to a lingerie store for a proper bra fitting: Wearing the right one can make you look pounds lighter.
Experts say bras should be replaced every six months.
Step 6: Trade in your baggy clothes
Ditch any baggy duds in favor of clothes that lightly cling. It may sound strange, but oversize clothes
actually make you look bigger than ones that gently hug the body.
Step 7: Go to great lengths
Pick dresses and skirts that stop at the slimmest part of your leg; when other people see you, their brain
will automatically register that your entire leg is just as slim.
Step 8: Go ahead and vent
Choose shirts with side vents, and wear them over your pants to create the illusion of a tinier waist. To
camouflage a stomach paunch, wear a shirt that has ruching around the middle.
Tucking in your shirt can make you look heavier than you really are.
Step 9: Dab on floral perfume
Dab on a floral/spicy scent. A study found it makes men perceive a woman as four to twelve pounds
lighter than she really is!
. In some African societies, slim women who become engaged to well-off men are sent to “fattening
rooms” to plump up for their wedding!
How To Keep Lips Soft and Plump
Get luscious, pillowy, kissable lips—with or without injections.
Cosmetic lip surgery can lead to scarring and other side effects. Talk to your doctor at length before
undergoing any procedure.
Step 1: Avoid sun damage
Protect your lips from wrinkling by wearing SPF 30 lip balm—either alone or under your lipstick—yearround.
Step 2: Buff your kisser
Keep lips supple by exfoliating them. Buy products specifically made for this purpose, or get the same
results by mixing sugar and olive oil into a paste, gently rub it on your lips with an old toothbrush, &
rinse off. Apply this scrub once a week, & give your lips the once-over every morning with a plain, wet
toothbrush.
You Will Need
Lip balm with SPF 30
Sugar
Olive oil
A toothbrush
Lip plumper or cayenne pepper
Petroleum jelly
Lip injections
A lip implant
Vitamin E capsules
Plant-based oils
Avoid licking your lips. It can cause and worsen chapping.
Step 3: Apply petroleum jelly
Keep your lips moist by dabbing a little petroleum jelly on them at bedtime. Or open up a vitamin E
capsule and rub the contents on your lips. Plant-based oils—like olive, coconut, sunflower, and jojoba—
work, too.
Step 4: Make them swell
For temporary bee-stung lips, use an over-the-counter lip plumper, which contains irritants that swell
lips. There are also over-the-counter topical treatments that may slightly enlarge lips over time because
they contain peptides or hyaluronic acid.
To make your own plumping product, rub a small amount of cayenne pepper on your lips. It’s the
main active ingredient in many commercial plumpers.
If you have allergies to latex, bananas, kiwi, chestnuts, or avocado, you may have a cayenne
allergy.
Step 5: Create full lips with makeup
Create the illusion of fuller lips by lining them—except for the corners—with a pencil that matches your
natural lip color, then smudging it. Next, apply a thin line of liquid highlighter at the top center of your
upper lip and blend. Finally, apply a neutral lip color; then dab a tiny bit of shimmery gloss on the center
of your bottom lip.
Layering two complementary lip colors can create the illusion of depth.
Step 6: Seek an M.D.'s advice
If you’re interested in a longer-lasting plumping solution, collagen or hyaluronic acid injections or a lip
implant may be an option. Remember that these are medical procedures: Consult a doctor before
making any decisions.
Angelina Jolie’s lips are the most coveted by American women, according to a poll by the Beverly
Hills Institute of Aesthetic & Reconstructive Surgery.
How To Reduce Facial Redness
Tired of looking like you’re embarrassed—or worse, drunk—24/7? Here are some easy ways to make
your cheeks less rosy.
Step 1: See a dermatologist
See a dermatologist to make sure the redness isn’t a symptom of disease or a skin condition like
rosacea or telangiectasia. You could also simply have a naturally ruddy complexion.
Step 2: Clean with oats and tea
Wash your face with a cleanser that contains oat extract, which is an antihistamine, or green tea, which
can help reduce the capillary dilation that leads to blotchy skin.
Step 3: Use the right moisturizer
Use a moisturizer containing feverfew, an herb that helps lessen redness.
You Will Need
A dermatologist
Cleanser with oat extracts or green tea
Moisturizer with feverfew
A washcloth
Cold milk
A photofacial
Makeup primer
Green-tinted foundation
Antihistamines
Step 4: Use the right makeup
Women can downplay a ruddy complexion by applying a primer followed by green-tinted foundation.
The primer helps the makeup adhere to the skin, and the green tint camouflages redness.
Step 5: Milk it
Calm redness from wind or exertion by soaking a washcloth in ice-cold milk and laying it on your face
for 10 minutes. The milk’s proteins, fat, amino acids, and vitamin A all help reduce redness.
If your face becomes beet-red after exercising and stays that way for hours, take an antihistamine
after you finish your workout.
Step 6: Use this emergency fix
If you have a special event that a blotchy face is threatening to ruin, apply some one-half percent
hydrocortisone, which is available over the counter. It will temporarily reduce the redness. Just don’t
do it often or it will thin your skin.
Step 7: Try a trick
Try this trick: Put an ice cube in your mouth and press it against the roof of your mouth. Receptors that
respond to cold constrict blood vessels in your face, which is enough to reduce redness for some
people.
Hot foods—both temperature-wise and spice-wise—and alcohol exacerbate facial ruddiness by
dilating blood vessels.
Step 8: Have a photofacial
Ask a dermatologist about a “photofacial,” a procedure that reduces facial redness by zapping the
red pigment in blood vessels under the skin’s surface with a high-intensity light pulse.
Princess Diana suffered flare-ups of facial redness that some believe were the skin condition
rosacea.
How To Get Rid Of Bad Breath With Home Remedies
If your morning breath lasts all day, it might be time to take action.
Step 1
Eat citrus fruit and other foods high in vitamin C to prevent bad breath. Eat one piece of fruit after each
meal.
Step 2
Mix baking soda in one liter of water. Gargle this mixture once or twice a day.
Step 3
Boil two cups water and add parsley and cloves. Stir and let steep for five minutes. Use this as a
mouthwash twice a day. Chew on fresh parsley for a quick freshen-up.
You Will Need
Citrus fruit
2 tsp. baking soda
2 sprigs parsley
2-3 cloves
Black or green tea
Water or fruit juice (optional)
Drink water or fruit juice throughout the day. Keeping the mouth moist prevents bad breath.
Step 4
Avoid bad-breath-causing foods such as ginger, garlic, onions, fish, cheese, and alcohol, especially
whiskey.
Brush your teeth twice daily, floss, and use a tongue scraper.
Step 5
Drink green and black teas, which are filled with breath-freshening polyphenols.
Did you know? Onions and garlic cause bad breath because of their high sulfur content.
How To Cheer Someone Up
Have you ever had someone make you feel better with a simple act of kindness? Now it’s time to
bank some good karma and make someone else’s day.
Step 1
Call. Pick up the phone and engage the person in conversation – encourage and listen to them.
Step 2
Send a card. Whether through snail mail or e-mail, the right greeting can put a smile on the saddest
face.
Step 3
Ask the person out. Go for a walk, fly a kite, visit the zoo. A change of scenery makes a huge difference
in a person’s outlook.
You Will Need
Compassion
Good intentions
A sweet idea
Action
A selfless heart
Step 4
Jump in and help out. Surprise them by cooking dinner, cleaning the windows, or weeding the garden.
Step 5
Get out of your comfort zone. Compose a song and serenade them – even if you can’t carry a tune.
Put on a clown outfit and deliver some balloons.
Be careful if you’re trying to cheer up someone who’s just a friend. You don’t want your actions to
be misinterpreted.
Step 6
Leave a little gift – something that you know will lift their spirits.
In a recent study, laughter proved to lower cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.
How To Perform a Striptease
Drive the man in your life wild with a striptease he’ll never forget.
Step 1: Choose an outfit
Choose an outfit. It can be anything from a conservative business suit to a sexy French maid costume —
the important thing is that each article can be removed with a minimum of fuss.
Step 2: Snag stilettos
Pick shoes that will make the most of your legs, meaning something with a high, skinny heel — the
higher and skinnier the better.
You Will Need
A sexy, easy-to-remove outfit
Stilettos
Stockings with garters
Sexy music
Flattering lighting
A straight-backed chair
Liquor
Make sure that no item is tight enough to create bulges or leave marks on your skin.
Step 3: Put on stockings
Put on some silky stockings with garters. Go with classic fishnets, or get a pair with a racy seam up the
back.
Step 4: Set the music
Get your music ready so you don’t run out of tunes in the middle of your performance. Make a sultry
mix or playlist, so you know what’s coming up.
Step 5: Set the mood
Use a light dimmer and/or candles to create flattering lighting, and put a straight-backed chair in the
middle of the room.
If necessary, take a swig of something before you begin to calm your nerves and lower your
inhibitions, but don’t get drunk — no one likes a sloppy striptease.
Step 6: Walk the walk
Begin your striptease by striding into the room like a professional catwalker, one foot directly in front of
the other, shoulders back, head raised high.
Step 7: Begin to strip
Turn your back on your man and slide your jacket or top off your shoulders. Turn back around and toss
it aside.
Maintain eye contact throughout your act.
Step 8: Tease
Put your hands behind your head and gyrate a bit before moving on to the skirt. Turn your back to him,
grab the sides of your skirt, lean slightly forward, and slowly tug your skirt down as you wiggle your
hips. When the skirt reaches the floor, kick it aside.
Step 9: Lose the garters
Move around some more, running your hands along your body, before kicking off a shoe and throwing
that leg on top of the chair. Undo the garter and slowly begin to unfold the stocking until it’s off.
Repeat with the other stocking, then step back into stilettos.
Step 10: Take off the bra
Push your bra straps off your shoulder, unhook your bra, slip it off, and fling it at him. Then languidly
caress your breasts.
Step 11: Slip off panties
Time for the finale! Turn your back on him, slip your hands, palms down, into the sides of your panties,
bend forward, and slowly push them down, keeping your legs as straight as you can. When they reach
your ankles, step out of them.
Step 12: Prepare
Prepare to be ravaged by your very turned-on lover!
Prostitution is legal in Iceland, but strip shows are against the law.
How to Understand Food Expiration Dates at the Grocery
Don’t feel hemmed in by “use by” and “sell by” dates. Find out what you can still eat after the
stamped-on date, and how long you can wait before you toss it.
Step 1: Don’t be intimidated
Don’t let expiration dates intimidate you. They are often suggestions that have more to do with quality
than safety.
You Will Need
Sale-date knowledge
Common sense
A glass of water
Step 2: Decipher the labels
Decipher the labels: Foods marked “sell by” remain good for several days past that date. “Use by”
indicates the date the item will begin to lose freshness. Normally, food remains safe to eat a few days
past then; it just might not taste as good. “Best if used by” is exactly what it says.
Use your nose, and your brain. If food looks, smells, or tastes funny, throw it out.
Step 3: Milk it
You can generally drink milk for several days after the date on the carton, and eat yogurt for a couple of
weeks past the stamped date. Just be sure to keep dairy products refrigerated; if left at room
temperature for even a few hours, they’ll spoil faster.
Step 4: Enjoy eggs for a month
Enjoy eggs up to five weeks past the stamped date. To maintain their freshness, leave them in their
carton inside the fridge instead of placing them on the refrigerator door, where they will warm up every
time you open it.
Test an egg by putting it, whole, into a glass of water. A fresh egg will sink and lie flat on its side; a
bad egg will float and stay upright.
Step 5: Keep those cans
Theoretically, canned goods stay good forever, as long as the seal hasn’t been broken. And, contrary
to popular belief, the food in slightly dented cans is fine, as long as the can is not bulging, leaking, or
rusting.
Step 6: Consume in a timely manner
The USDA recommends that you cook or freeze meat, poultry, and fish within two days of purchase, no
matter what the date on the package says.
Step 7: Know a food’s freezer life
Know a food’s freezer life. Beef, lamb, veal, pork, and poultry are good for one year after freezing, but
ground meat should be eaten within four months. Lean fishes like cod and flounder last six months, but
fatty fishes like salmon should be cooked within three months. Lunch meats have a freezer life of two
months.
Because freezing allows food to keep almost indefinitely, the recommended storage times are for
quality only.
Step 8: Call the company
If you have questions about a food’s expiration date, call the manufacturer. The number usually can
be found on the product’s packaging.
Under federal law manufacturers are not required to stamp their foods with expiration dates.
How To Maintain a Long-Distance Relationship
Nurturing a long-distance romance takes patience, understanding… and a working knowledge of the
latest technology.
Step 1: Talk about the little stuff
Squeeze in daily chats about the mundane aspects of each other’s lives, like how your respective
days are going. Don’t underestimate the importance of the small stuff — that’s what relationships are
built on.
You Will Need
A camera phone
Thoughtfulness
Imagination
The ability to share live video
Dash off short text messages throughout the day, rather than sending one long-winded one at
night.
Step 2: Exchange pictures
Exchange pictures every day — not just of yourselves, but of interesting things you saw or did. Send
video of your office, dorm, or new hangout — it’s easier to handle being apart when you can picture
each other’s surroundings.
Step 3: Prove fidelity
Assure your partner that you ain’t misbehaving by sending proof of your whereabouts.
Step 4: Celebrate "together"
Celebrate occasions big and small by picking a time to have a simultaneous celebratory drink and send
each other photos or video of you toasting.
If your phones have live video share, you can toast each other live.
Step 5: Use ringtones
Download “your” song as your ringtone so you’re romantically reminded every time your phone
rings.
Step 6: Make decisions together
Before you buy something pricey or do anything drastic, check in with your partner so you can make
decisions as a team even though you’re miles apart.
Step 7: Make graphic amends
Distance can magnify hurt feelings, so if you screw up, go the extra mile to apologize.
Research shows that couples in long-distance relationships are no more likely to cheat than those
who are geographically close — but they fret more about their partner straying.
How To Make Someone Jealous
Freud once said that jealousy is both inevitable and universal. So why not work it to your advantage?
Step 1
Focus on yourself. Nothing is more attractive (and jealousy-inducing) than being busy, happy, and
interested in your own life.
You Will Need
An object of your affection
A healthy ego
And an air of innocence
Step 2
In the interest of “full disclosure,” tell your current love interest—in a slightly wistful way—about the
incredibly talented and well-toned professional soccer player you used to date.
Step 3
Develop some attitude. If you think you’re fabulous, everyone else will too—and your mate will go
crazy seeing the response you get.
Always have a smile on your face. No one is jealous of a sourpuss.
Step 4
Act unavailable. Don’t answer every phone call or respond to every text message; don’t accept
every invitation; be vague about your whereabouts.
Step 5
Flirt with someone you know will respond. Everyone likes to think their partner is desirable—even if it
makes them feel a little insecure.
Step 6
Don’t go too far with any of these steps, lest your innocent acts be taken for crass manipulation. Like
any strong spice, jealousy should be used sparingly.
The French word for jealousy is also a type of shutter—a “jalousie” —because it allows a person to
spy on a lover while remaining hidden!
How To Find the Perfect Roommate
Finding the perfect roommate requires a little effort, but these steps will help.
Step 1: Choose a gender
Determine whether you want a male or female roommate, and how either will affect your lifestyle.
Step 2: Decide on an age range
Decide the age group a roommate would belong to in order to be compatible with your current lifestyle and
life preferences.
Step 3: Consider personality
Decide on a personality type that will work for you, such as laid back and reserved or social and
independent. Know what you can tolerate, and don’t settle for candidates who don’t fit the profile.
You Will Need
An understanding of what you want
in a roommate
Knowledge of your own boundaries
A computer with internet access
Fliers
Magic markers
Step 4: Social habits
Establish drinking and smoking requirements. Decide whether you can accept a roommate who drinks or
smokes, and to what extent you can tolerate these habits.
Aim for tolerable – nobody is perfect.
Aim for tolerable – nobody is perfect.
Step 5: Ask around
Put out the word through friends and acquaintances that you are looking for a roommate.
Step 6: Advertise
Place classified ads in local papers, on community boards, and on the web. Use paper and markers to make
fliers and hang them in local establishments.
Having a roommate of a different race can reduce prejudice, diversify friendships, and boost academics .
How To Lead a Double Life
Whether you want to juggle two wives or keep you alter ego separate from your day job, here are the
precautions you must take.
Step 1: Assume a different name
Assume a different name for any risqué second life. This will help you immediately get into character
when you hear your name called in public.
Step 2: Buy a daily planner
Buy a daily planner and be maniacal about scheduling every hour of your day. If you’re going to be
successful in leading two different lives, you’ve got to keep them from colliding.
Step 3: Have separate phones
Have separate phones and numbers for each persona.
You Will Need
A second name
A daily planner
A second phone line
A P.O. box
A good memory
An escape plan
A checklist
Step 4: Get a P.O. box
Get a P.O. box for the life you consider the “secret” one.
Step 5: Don’t allow pictures
Don’t allow photos to be taken of you. You never know where they could land, bringing down your
whole house of cards.
Step 6: Be vigilant
Be vigilant about assuming the right identity. If you wear the wrong wedding band with the wrong
partner, that’s gonna be a hard one to explain.
Consider preparing a checklist that you can review when transitioning from one role to the other.
Step 7: Guard your privacy
Guard your privacy, even to the point of rudeness. You never know what a snoopy neighbor may pick
up on if you leave him in your den unattended.
Step 8: Feign incompetence
Adopt an absent-minded professor demeanor in both lives; it will make it easier to explain your
tendency to repeat and contradict yourself.
Step 9: Have an emergency plan
Have an emergency plan in place, lest your double life becomes exposed. Depending on the extent of
your duplicity, having a third identity ready and waiting may be in order!
Self-described “gray, bald, fat, old” British car salesman Melvyn Reed was successfully juggling
three wives when he awakened in a hospital room after heart surgery to find all three women ready to
kill him.