The Beautiful Project: June 2012

Saturday, June 30, 2012

Beyonce Knowles' Fashion Style For The Curvy

For Beyonce Knowles, the choice of designer clothing is a painstaking process, unless her mom custom tailor to suit her body type, a curvy frame that she embraces and flaunts with very little bidding. Parading an approximate 0.7 waist to hip ratio, her dimensions sit anywhere between a pear and an hourglass shape.

The hair is usually worn long and straight, or as an updo, big hoop earrings and tall pumps appear to be her staple to achieve a slimming effect. And the body hugging clothes spell hourglass in bold and large font!

Here is a sample, a select few from her deep fashion closet...

Thanks for stopping by...

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Feather Hair Extensions, Fashion Trend Not Fit For Fly Fishing

Feather hair extensions have been trending for a while, more recently popularized by celebrities and the world of fashion, evoking even stronger criticism from animal right groups.

If for no reason at all to pay attention, Feather hair extensions are bold, beautiful and colourful. The methods for procuring these flashy avian plummage, if you should believe the claims of groups like PETA, are not so pretty however.

Special genetically engineered roosters are bred and feathers from the saddle (rear end of the rooster) are harvested and dyed to feed the hair fashion trend. Note that it is the same saddle feathers that are used in fly fishing as bait, that has drawn far less scrutiny from the animal right groups.

There are synthetic feather options thankfully, for the featherlock fashion trend lovers who are averse to animal cruelty, available in all shapes and colours here. The feathers can be woven into braids or your own hair, or could be attached by clips. In the case of this fashion accessory, less is more when you wear them. Just remember to steer clear of fish infested water bodies, lest you attract the fish the same way fly fishermen bait their prey...

Share your thoughts, and thanks for stopping by...

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Beads of Bold Colour, Very Fashionable African Glass Beads

The value of beads transcend fashion. The jewellery of choice that adds value, class and statement beyond the traditional setting, glass beads continue to be a beautiful accessory that can elevate your game a few modest notches.

Beads may be made from recycled paper or plastic, wood, glass or brass, stone or bone. The glass beads however are usually pressed glass made by placing ground glass into molds and heated till molten to achieve the desired shapes. There are three main types of glass beads, Translucent Beads, Powder Glass Beads and Painted Glass Beads.

The Krobo Beads known for their bold hues and chunky units have gained mainstream acceptance as elegant fashion accessories. These include the 6mm and 10mm round beads that veritably embody African Art. Here I have assembled some pictures of beads in their full glory. Share your comments below if you own any or will wear them.

Wearing Glass Beads...

The Hair Beads For Your Braids

Necklace Beads For Adorning The Neckline

Waist Beads, A Feminine Touch

Beaded Bracelets and Anklets

Beads, beads, beads till you are waisted in embellished grace.

Thanks for stopping by...

Friday, June 22, 2012

Ingrown Hair, Why You Are Not About To Outgrow It Any Time Soon, And Some Coping Strategies

There is a premium to be paid to have that smooth silky skin - the beauty premium. Not the least of which is ingrown hair. This whole situation of ingrown hair arose ever since we all joined the mammalian ranks earning the hairy badge. Every time you apply poor technique removing body hair, thanks to the laws of nature, you get a gentle reminder how far we have come.

But there is more to ingrown hair than poor hair removal technique. The hair shaft whenever it is cut below the skin surface will have to find its way back through this tiny pore on the skin surface during hair growth. When there is any structural obstruction in it's path the growing hair may coil back into the hair follicle, causing painful irritation. This may be itchy and the scratching and picking at it can break the skin resulting in an infection. The area of inflammation appears reddened, bumpy and unsightly enough to throw a wrench into your show-some-skin plans.

Top 5 Reasons Ingrown Hair Keeps Coming Back

Dry scaly skin that results from low humidity or not moisturizing your skin frequently enough.

Any of the skin conditions from the proliferative skin disease (Psoriasis) to hypersensitive skin types (Atopic dermatitis aka Eczema).

Curly hair that increases risk of the growing hair being trapped in the skin.

Poor hair removal technique or an overly aggressive approach. This include skimping out on shaving cream

Not removing hair along the same direction as the hair grows, shaving too closely to the skin, and use of those triple blade shaving sticks that cause razor burn.

Being a mammal surely is a lifetime risk factor!

Let's face it we are unable to prevent all instances of ingrown hair, but you can reduce your risk significantly by employing some of these sound habits...

Preventing Ingrown Hair

Regularly exfoliating your skin to remove dead cells and clear skin pores makes it easier for hair to grow out of the hair follicle. Use a loofah or exfoliating creams.

Frequently moisturizing the skin.

Employing sound hair removal technique. There are a few things to say here. Exfoliate and moisturize problem spots before removing hair. Replace your razor blade frequently. Shaving strokes should be in the same direction as hair grows. Use depilatory creams (hair dissolving chemicals) instead of shaving, the caveat mainly is to not leave the cream on skin a second longer than directed in the instruction manual. Also laser hair removal or electrolysis are options that can be used. Laser hair removal keeps the hair from growing back for a long time while electrolysis is a permanent hair removal solution.

Manage your skin conditions with the help of your dermatologist.

Avoid tight clothing over frequently shaved areas. The constant fabric-skin friction can be a source of irritation resulting in hair curling back in the hair follicle.

When your preventive measures fall short, some of these do-it-yourself methods may be enough to help manage stubborn ingrown hair.

Treating Ingrown Hair

Tweezers work well when a portion of the trapped hair is accessible from the surface. Bite the bullet and pull the hair out gently.

Use mild soap to moisten and help loosen dead skin cells clogging the hair follicle.

Use acne medication to control pus and reduce inflammation.

Use topical antiseptic cream daily if hair follicle is infected. If infection doesn't clear after a few days it is imperative to go see your dermatologist.