As astounding as it is to say, it really is nearly Christmas. That’s right: in just over a month, kids nationwide will be waking up early to see whether they’ve been good enough for a visit from Santa this year. Yet, what of mom (and dad)? For parents, the festive season starts somewhat earlier (not least in respect of gift buying and wrapping, and hiding). Indeed, winter and its accompanying holiday celebrations come even at the nearing of November’s close, what with Thanksgiving; a veritable whirl of a party cycle (whether it be at the office, with friends, or relatives). To this end, wives and mothers know how important it is to look their best, but don’t always have spare time enough to take extra care of themselves.

Your Nails

As shallow as it seems, appearances really do count. Everyone knows that; it’s an accepted fact. Therefore, if you’ve skipped the trips to your manicurist for the last few months, now is either the time to book an appointment or get to grips with shaping and painting your nails at home. If you have daughters, why not make it a bonding session? If you’re meeting new people at those functions filling up the calendar, there’s always that handshake that reveals you to be a polish perfectionist or a nude no-hoper in the self-care stakes. It’s worth the time and effort (plus, a mood-lifter to boot).

Your Smile

Meeting new people in full party swing also demands a smile or two, of course. To this end, you again have a choice of a professional dental session (though, quite pricey and there’s the fact of having to leave the kids in the waiting room unattended) or using an at home teeth whitening kit. Just remember to forgo the red wine until after you’ve revealed your magnificent, and friendly, pearly whites to strangers; offset with a nice dark (newly bought, of course) lipstick for even more effect.

Your Hair

Finally, is one’s hair. Though men will profess a concern with their own, it’s been accepted almost since time began that a woman and her hair are in a lifelong love-hate relationship. As with your nails, if you’ve neglected your do recently, and if there’s only one thing you treat yourself with this festive season, it must be a trip to the hairdresser. Not only is it a wonderful, spa-like indulgence to have one’s scalp massaged (piped chill-out music playing in the background) and products employed that you can never seem to find in stores (or, if you do, they never seem to work the same), but a hairstyle can lop years off your look as well (always a bonus when you’re operating on motherhood-induced sleep deprivation).

The Finished Package – Nicely Wrapped

Of course, to cap the effect of your mini makeover, how can you not vindicate the purchase of a new dress for the season logically? See, Christmas really does seem to come earlier and earlier every year.

 

White teeth look great. Yellow teeth? Not so much – well, at least according to the media and the magazines. As a result, many of us want brighter, whiter teeth.

The question, as with all these things, is; what causes tooth yellowing in the first place? Is it just a natural part of life? Or does it have something to do with our lifestyle choices?

According to one major toothpaste manufacturer, the primary cause of tooth yellowing is staining. Tooth enamel on the surface of our teeth is white. Underneath tooth enamel is another substance called dentin. Dentin is brown. If tooth enamel is thick, it blocks out the dentin and makes teeth appear white. If tooth enamel is thin, the brown underneath the enamel discolors the teeth. This has the effect of making teeth look more yellow from the outside.

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Given that our smile is one of our best assets, it’d be good if there was something we could do about this. Here are the reasons your teeth are going yellow and what you can do about it.

Reason 1: You’ve Got Yellow Teeth Genes

Not everybody’s DNA produces perfectly white enamel. Some people have genes that instruct their bodies to make enamel with a yellow tinge. This is a pain, but you can do something to fix it. First, of, you can try using whitening toothpaste. These toothpaste contain special ingredients. These ingredients artificially boost the whiteness of teeth, even if they’re yellow underneath. The second option is to use whitening strips. You can get these from the supermarket or use services like Dentist 24 Hourly to find a dentist to do it for you. Dentist treatments are often a lot more effective than whitening kits you buy at the store.

Reason 2: You’re Sick

If you suddenly notice your teeth are discolored, it could be because you’re sick. Some diseases can cause teeth to discolor. If you’ve got cancer, chemotherapy can also cause teeth to lose their whiteness. It’s worth noting, however, that sickness usually results in teeth going more brown than yellow. If your teeth are going brown, regular dental treatment won’t solve the problem. You’ll have to go to the doctors and get the underlying illness sorted out first.

Reason 3: You Take Medication

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There are a couple of medicines that can darken teeth, especially in children and younger adults. Two such medications are antibiotics doxycycline and tetracycline. Tetracycline is often used by people who suffer from acne.

Other drugs can also cause teeth to yellow, besides antibiotics. These include the antihistamine class of medicines. If you suffer from allergies, your medicine could be the reason for why your teeth are losing their whiteness. Drugs for high blood pressure can have an adverse impact on tooth whiteness too.

If you think that your medicine is making your teeth yellow, take a look at the list of side effects. If you’re worried about it, talk to your doctor. Often, they’ll be able to offer you a different combination of medicines that won’t damage your teeth.

Reason 4: You Don’t Bother Brushing Your Teeth

The number one reason why people’s teeth lose their color is because of a lack of oral hygiene. Oral health is essential to stop the buildup of plaque and tartar. Once plaque sets in, it can be tough to remove.

A lack of oral hygiene also means that stains have longer to be incorporated into the tooth enamel. If stains are left, they can work their way into the enamel itself, causing it to discolor. When this happens, it can be very difficult to remove it.

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The good news is that the solution is easy. Just brush your teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste. If you use a manual toothbrush, brush at a 45-degree angle to the teeth for maximum effect.

Reason 5: You Smoke

Everybody knows that smoking can be very damaging to your health. And everybody knows that it’s the best way to destroy your natural good looks. Smoking makes your hair wiry, skin sallow and teeth brown.

Reason 6: You’re Getting Old

Finally, it’s worth noting that aging itself can cause teeth to brown. The reason for this is that teeth get worn down over the course of a lifetime. The enamel on the surface starts to thin, and the dentin underneath becomes more exposed.

If you’re getting older, you can have your teeth cosmetically whitened with veneers. You can also use one of the many whitening products out there on the market at the moment. Visit your dentist if you’re worried.

It’s often hard for moms to feel confident about their appearance once they have a child. They feel like their body changes and never goes back to its original form. In fact, over 70% of moms worry about their appearance every day. It is much more than a woman who is currently childless. But there are some ways moms can look good even when they are busy with the perils of having kids. Here are some simple tips to look amazing when you are a mom.

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Dress to flaunt the best parts of your figure

It’s common for moms to start worrying about their body after they have had children. After all, it’s gone through a major event of carrying a baby for nine months. However, it’s time to start focusing on the best parts of your body that you still love. Dress to embrace your favorite parts of your figure and you will soon feel amazing. For example, if your legs are still fantastic, show them off in a shorter style dress. Or if your breasts have doubled in size since giving birth, it’s time to wear a top which will show off your new curves. You need to make sure you are buying clothes that fits you comfortably if you want to look great. Even though it might pain you to go for the next size, you will find the clothes will look better if they fit more comfortably.

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Make sure you are completing a daily beauty routine

Although it can be hard to find time to complete your beauty routine, it’s best to try and make 10 minutes to take care of your skin. After all, if you stop looking after it every day, your appearance will be affected, and you will lose confidence. Therefore, make sure you make time every morning to wash your skin and use a moisturizer. Finish off with a toner to help give yourself a glow, even though you may feel tired. Completing a daily beauty routine will also ensure you delay aging for as long as possible. If your skin is getting you down, you could look for a more permanent way to reduce the signs of ageing so that you feel good about how you look.

Cut out the bad food and drink from your life

You need to make sure you are being careful about what you eat if you want to look fantastic when you are a mom. If you start eating more junk food and fizzy drinks, you will put on weight and your skin will age prematurely. Therefore, make sure you are drinking plenty of water every day and eating a healthy balanced diet. That way, you can ensure you stay a healthy weight and will still have young looking skin so that you feel and look amazing.

Have a great haircut

It might surprise you how much a good haircut can make moms feel good about themselves. After all, when your hair is always dry and greasy, it will alter your appearance, and you will lose confidence. Therefore, it’s time to book in to get those dead ends cut off and get a new look. Talk to the stylist about a hair cut which is easy to maintain in your daily life, but will make you look fantastic. Once you have a good haircut, you will instantly feel a lot happier about how you look!

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Don’t be afraid to add some colorful makeup to help you look fantastic. A bright lipstick and eyeshadow will instantly brighten up your face and take years off your age!

 

Time really flies, doesn’t it? It can be a shock to look in the mirror and see your 40-year-old self when you were expecting to see someone who looks as if they’re in their mid-twenties. The chances are, over the past few years, you’ve started to notice a few changes to the appearance of your skin. At first, they were probably subtle changes, and then they may have become a little more obvious.

Of course, aging is a natural part of life – every second you are getting ever-so-slightly older. However, that doesn’t make the physical changes that happen to our faces as we age, any easier to stomach. That being said, you don’t have just to sit back and adjust to your aging skin. There are plenty of simple steps you can take to turn the clock back.

Research the best foods to eat

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What you eat doesn’t just impact your body size and shape, but also your skin’s health. Believe it or not, the foods that you’re putting into your mouth can affect how healthy your skin is. This, in turn, can determine how quickly your skin ages. Say, for example, your diet is high in refined sugar, this would mean that your skin would be more prone to aging. The reason for this is because sugar has an impact on collagen production, slowing it down and making the skin more prone to wrinkles and fine lines. So it really does pay to be careful about what you eat.

See a specialist

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If you’re worried about your skin, the best thing to do is see a specialist. This could be a dermatologist or a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in anti-aging treatments. By taking the time to speak to skin care experts, you can ensure that you understand what is happening to your skin. As well as the best methods of dealing with the changes that you’re experiencing. You can then make an informed decision about whether you want to have a cosmetic treatment to deal with it, or whether you want to try another option.

Give your skin the care it needs

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Despite the fact that your skin is getting older, that doesn’t mean you should stop looking after it. If anything, aging skin requires more care, not less. That’s why it’s so important to ensure that you have a daily skin care routine in place. This should consist of cleansing, toning, exfoliating, and applying face cream, to keep your skin hydrated. It’s important to give your skin the care it needs, as it can make all the difference to how healthy it stays. It’s also crucial that you invest in the right products for your skin type, to ensure that it’s getting everything that it needs. For instance, mature skin needs a face cream that’s richer than younger skin, as it can have a tendency to dry out more quickly.

There’s nothing more upsetting than being shocked by how much your skin has aged. However, by taking note of the suggestion above, it is possible to turn the clock back and give your skin a healthier and more youthful look.

 

These are some great skincare tips from an esthetician. I don’t do all of them. I’m guilty of not always doing #1 and #2 but I’m going to try hard to follow all 5 rules.