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This is what came in the mail yesterday as I was rushing to go to work. This was my first time ordering from e.l.f., so I’m pretty anxious to see how these brushes perform.

Filed under: Mail Call Tagged: e.l.f., haul

Life today is full of hassles, deadlines, frustrations, and demands which, for many people, are commonplace.  In small doses, stress is OK.  In large doses, stress has very harmful effects, i.e. heart disease, digestive problems, sleep problems, depression, obesity, autoimmune diseases, skin conditions, etc.

In reading a health article today I was surprised to find 4 symptoms that I would not have contributed to being a result of stress.

An Achy Mouth- A sore jaw may be a sign of teeth grinding, which can be worsened by stress.  If you find this to be a problem, talk to your dentist about a mouthguard – as much as 70% of people who use one reduce grinding or stop it altogether.

Painful Period Cramps- The most stressed women are more than twice as likely to get painful cramps as those who are less tense.  Researchers blame a stress-induced imbalance of hormones.  Exercise can soothe cramps and stress by decreasing sympathetic nervous system activity.

Weekend Headaches – A sudden drop in stress can prompt migraines, according to the Director of the Washington University Headache Center.  To help maintain your health and beauty, he says “stick closely to your weekday sleeping and eating schedule to minimize other triggers”.

Odd Dreams – Dreams usually get progressively more positive as you sleep, so you wake up happier than you were before bed.  When stressed, you wake up more often, disrupting this process and allowing unpleasant imagery all night.  Good sleep habits can help prevent this – try for 7-8 hours of sleep per night and avoid caffeine and alcohol close to bedtime.

Related Articles:
Read what the American Heart Association has to say about stress!
Check out our health articles for issues of concern to you!

Recently the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists changed their guidelines on breast health and mammograms, and they also had a few fine things to say about pap smears and other routine tests that are paramount to women’s health issues. This happened to catch my eye as I’ve had my own personal scare when it comes to cervical cancer. So I thought it would be a good time to share both their guidelines as well as some observation’s based on personal experience to help you decide how to manage your personal health issues.

First off, it is important to have your first Pap smear by the age of 21 with a follow up every other year until 30. Until recently, the next course of treatment stated that a yearly pap should be the norm. However, the new guidelines are suggesting that if a woman has had 3 consecutive clean pap smears after the age of 30, then it is within reason to wait another three years between tests. This assumes the woman is either not sexually active or has only one partner.

Now my own personal opinion on this women’s health issue is that risk factors should also play a significant part in this decision. If there is any reason to believe pre-cancerous or cancerous cells may appear, then theoretically this killer disease could grow undetected between such spaced out exams. In my instance, for example, since I’ve had an abnormal pap and a resulting procedure to eliminate pre-cancerous cells, I would demand a yearly pap regardless of any new guidelines set by either insurance or the government. I would also assume that if you have a family history or fall in any other high risk category, for example smoking or multiple partners, then having an annual pap should be your norm.

Other women’s health issues you should be aware of and tests you should be routinely participating in include;

• High cholesterol: Women over 20 should have an initial blood test to evaluate their cholesterol and risk of heart disease. If your LDL, or bad cholesterol is more than 130, you should be repeating this test annually. If your LDL is 130 or lower than it is acceptable to space subsequent testing at every 5 years.

• Thyroid: As we age our thyroid issues move up the list of women’s health issues. An underactive thyroid can cause weight gain while an overactive thyroid can signal the presence of an auto immune disease, therefore it is very important to routinely test your thyroid. Rule of thumb; every two years if you are over 35 and show symptoms. Did you know the dry skin can be caused by a low thyroid? http://www.hormones-beauty-health.com/dry-skin-low-thyroid.htm

• Blood pressure: An easy indicator of heart disease and kidney failure, your blood pressure should be checked at least once every two years if you have normal readings and at least once a year for consistently abnormal readings. For more information on diseases of the heart,  http://www.hormones-beauty-health.com/heart_diseases.html

Yearly trips to your obstetrician or gynecologist are very important for all types of women’s health issues, including breast health and cervical checkups. Whether you are going for your yearly, routine tests or for things such as yeast infections, make sure you talk to your doctor to determine what type of testing schedule, intervals and procedures that are right for you and your personal women’s health issues.

Containing Pitera® with N-acetyl Glucosamine (NAG), Niacinamide and Microglycan. SK-II Signs Wrinkle Serum works on the length and depth of wrinkles to help plump up wrinkles so they become less noticeable. It reduces the appearance of wrinkle growth by instant moisturization, then pushes up and plumps up wrinkles from the surface layers of the skin, [...]

SK II Signs Wrinkle Serum 30ml/1oz This essence contains Pitera & advanced ingredients Boosts formation of collagen to plump skin Fights & repairs wrinkles on surface & deep inside Improves skin firmness & elasticity Leaves skin velvety smooth & youthful

“…… skin is recharged from within, so whatever you age, you can always look younger. “
 
Skin power, according to SK-II global principal scientist, Misa Ito, is the skin’s natural ability to withstand internal and external stress and maintain its texture, radiance and firmness. It is clinically proven to look up to 4 years younger in [...]

Caudalie, pronounced as kô-da-lee, is a measurement of quality that quantifies the duration of a wine’s flavor on the palette. For each second the flavor remains this is a caudalie. The finer a wine the more caudalies it will have.
 

 
Caudalie Paris is a natural brand enriched with Polyphenols from grape seeds, Resveratrol from grapevine stalks, [...]

With its smooth, light texture, this face cream is suitable for all skin types, especially dull and tired skins. It illuminates the complexion, stimulates the blood micro-circulation, and protect against daily oxidizing skin aggressions (light, pollution, smoke…). Skin natural radiance and balance are restored. L’Occitane says.
 
I received few sample packs of this Olive cream many [...]

 
According to Lancôme, this gentle cleanser lathers quickly, gently washes off dead skin cells charged with melanin and cleanses the pores easily. The exclusive NeuroWhite System helps to enhance the skin’s transparency and radiance. Wash off with tepid water. Suitable for sensitive skin.
 

 
The milky consistency foams up easily with small amount required, leaving skin very

Lancome Blanc Expert Ultimate Whitening Travel Set: Cleanser + Lotion + Eye Serum + Mask + Spot Eraser + Emulsion + UV Expert 7pcs Blanc Expert Ultimate Whitening Travel Set: 1x Purifying Foam 30ml 1x Beauty Lotion – Very Moist 50ml 1x Eye Serum 5ml 1x Mask 1pc 1x GN-White Generating New Whiteness Spot Eraser 10ml 1x NeuroWhite X3 Ultimate Emulsion – Very Moist 15ml 1x UV Expert Neuroshield High Potency Active Protection SPF50 PA+++ 10ml Ideal both for personal use & as a gift

 
Christian Dior certainly takes the cosmetic division seriously. Capture Totale is transcendent anti-aging collection by Parfums Christian Dior, incorporating Dior’s exclusive science technology for more beautiful skin. I’m interested in their skin care, meanwhile I also concern they are way complicated for my sensitive skin, hence sample is really a good option here.
 

Christian Dior Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Concentrated Serum 30ml/1oz A unique essence enriched with Alpha-Longoza Complex Repairs all signs of aging like wrinkles slackening lackluster skin enlarged pores Extract of yellow iris refines skin texture & tightens pores Complex of Bi-skin & wheat proteins instantly smooth & firm skin Emollient texture gives soft & velvety sensation Leaves skin smoother luminous even-tined & younger-looking

Rojukiss is a pharmaceutical brand by D’Expertise Clinique Korea, specialist on pore and acne care. The naming of the brand is interesting, RO (Romeo) JU (Juliet) KISS (kissing). Talking about this amusing idea, the Korea founder is inspired by his favorite love story – Romeo & Juliet. It implies woman in love is most beautiful, thus love [...]

I’m an avid user of hand cream, but know very little about nail care until recently I received this SkinFood Vita Nail Essence. I learnt about nail treatment oil on the previous purchase of Kose nail colors, so when I eligible to redeem a free nail color from SkinFood, I must get one to try.
 
According [...]

Though DHC has different product ranges in different countries, but the make-up range here seemed to be quite complete. I tested some of them at their outlet but never bought one. Finally, I bought the DHC Nail Perfect Pro in DHC’09 autumn sales, a Top & Base Coat and an Iris color costed me THB340 in [...]

  
I haven’t purchased any nail polish for a long time. Since I played with my mom’s nail polish in the childhood, I always wear natural-looking pink tone, or just a base coat for glowing nail appearance.   
  
 
Drugstore nail polish disappointed me lots in the past, especially they don’t even lasting, within 1 week flaked off unsightly. That [...]

Tell me! What’s your favourite…

1. concealer
2. foundation
3. loose powder
4. nude lipstick
5. nail polish

Item Reviewed: Eumora Soap

Price/pack size: S for 1 bar (around 25g)

Available at: *there are many traders online. Unfortunately I forgot where I bought it from

Ingredients: Moor mud among others

Description:

EumorA facial bar is infused with HmA Factor  ,(Hydration MicroAlgae)  which is formulated and 100% imported from Europe.  It is further enhanced by Moor, a rare form of nutrient-rich peat created by the gradual transformation of herbs, plants & flowers which have been permanently submerged under water or underground.

Review:

First of all, I do know that this Eumora soap practices MLM, and quite frankly, I don’t really care about it. I am not interested to be a trader of this soap, so it doesn’t bother me that my money is being earned by someone else via MLM.

Ok, onto the actual review. The soap was sent out quite promptly from Malaysia, and the guy even called me to double check if I am in urgent need of the soap because he was mailing it out over the festive period last year end. Was impressed by the service. Not so because it was a Malaysian number and I had to pay roaming charges. =X

I have tried the soap for almost a month now and still have about 25% left. I reckon it can be used for another 2-3 weeks. Though the bar of soap is small, it lasts quite long because it lathers up easily. Just make sure to place the bar in a well ventilated area, without it sitting in a puddle of water (water causes soap to melt very quickly).

I don’t think the soap can fully replace your moisturizer though it says on the website that the bar of soap can replace your cleanser, toner and moisturizer and save you money in the long run (I don’t use toner anyway). It is important to moisturize your skin after using the soap because it dries your skin. I can feel my skin getting taut 3 minutes after rinsing. A few days without moisturizer, I saw my cheeks having some dehydration lines. Not attractive at all. However, if it peels due to excessive dryness, it only peels around the area with pimples, meaning healthy skin is not being shed off.

I think it dries my pimples and makes them come to a head faster, however, I am also on Diane-35 while using the soap. When my skin was a little sensitive and dry, I stopped using the soap for a while. When I was busy with work, I stopped using the soap as I didn’t have the time to let the lather sit on my skin for 5 minutes before rinsing off. I don’t really see a difference when I stopped using the soap, contrary to what some reviews have said – your skin becomes reliant on the soap and gets worse if you stop using it.

All in all, I think it’s a decent soap, and I like to use it as a mask (once or twice weekly) but I would think twice about using it as my daily facial cleanser. Not everyone can have the luxury of time and spend 5 minutes day and night, waiting for the lather to dry on the face before rinsing off. for a bar of soap is not that attractive too.

Rating: 3/5

Would I buy again: NO

Item Reviewed: Neutrogena Wave

Price/pack size:

Available at: Major retail outlets

Ingredients:

Description:

Clean up to* 10x deeper than traditional cleansers
Gentle vibrations open pores, so tingly foam can go 10x deeper to remove more dirt, oil and makeup than traditional cleansers.

Reveal softer skin in 1 use
Softly textured pads sweep away layers of dead skin cells, leaving you with softer, smoother-looking skin after just 1 use!

Gentle enough for daily use
That clean feeling you love will last even longer as your skin becomes less oily with continued daily use of the NEUTROGENA Wave™.

Review: I’m sorry for the late review, but er…. better than never right? I hesistated purchasing Wave for ages (first seeing it in Perth when I was over for a visit) but finally decided to take the plunge after I read Kimiko’s review.

Sad to say, I don’t share the same love. The Wave is yet another innovative product from Neutrogena but it was somehow yet another innovation just to use batteries (P&G also owns a battery brand). The Wave is only suitable if you use their refill pads which comes with cleanser, only activated when you wet the pad and switch on the device. That got me thinking: can the device still clean 10 times better than conventional cleansers if you did not use the refill pad? So what is the product that is working: the device itself or the cleanser pad?

I don’t like the cleanser pads because they’re scented and it gave me a filmy feeling after rinsing. You can’t use a cotton round on the device, hoping to use your own cleanser with it, because the cotton round will be a pain to remove after that. Trust me, because I’ve tried and failed.

I don’t know why I keep buying Neutrogena battery-operated devices because they always fail me. I’ve got the one that promises to do microdermabrasion on me (the name suddenly slipped my mind. Hints anyone?) and this Wave but they’re now just sitting in the bathroom doing nothing. Just taking up space.

Rating: 2/5

Would I buy again: NO

As I was contemplating my own home page, as I sometimes do, I realized that something has been missing from my standing poses sequence: reverse warrior (see above). So here’s your revamped sequence. Feel free to reverse your warrior at your leisure.

Standing Poses Revamped originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010 at 23:44:09.

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A very interesting story on NPR today explains why we gain weight as we age. The story references research showing that yoga can help older folks retain their muscle mass, therefore improving strength, flexibility, and overall health. A new study is now underway that hopes to make recommendations and modifications for specific poses that seniors can do for maximum effect.

Is Yoga the Fountain of Youth? originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Monday, February 22nd, 2010 at 23:45:02.

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Seems like hips have been on a lot of minds lately, judging from several emails I’ve gotten about how to make easy pose easier. Luckily, Aunt Yoga has got it covered: How to Get Comfortable Cross Legged.

Easy Pose – Sukhasana Is the Yoga Pose of the Week originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Sunday, February 21st, 2010 at 22:11:42.

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Yoga may not be in the Olympics yet, but there are definitely yoginis in the Olympics this year. Speed skater Katherine Reutter is in the thick of her four race events, while freestyle skier Emily Cook gets going in the women’s aerials this weekend. I’m getting extra excited rooting for these yoginis!

Catching Olympic Fever originally appeared on About.com Yoga on Thursday, February 18th, 2010 at 11:22:38.

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