Celebrities glasses and fashion

Ashlee Simpson

(China Daily) It’s now easier to adapt and mimic the style of your favourite celebrity. The key is to never ever become a carbon copy of the personality you like - instead steal their style! Find out what they are wearing and how you can get the look.

Lindsay Lohan is jetting out of Los Angeles International Airport September 14. [Agencies]

Britney Spears was spotted on her way to work on her dance moves at a studio in Beverly Hills, California September 16. [Agencies]

Katie Holmes takes Suri Cruise to New York's Central Park to play on the swing and look at pigeons on August 17. [CFP]

Cast member Tom Cruise attends the premiere of 'Tropic Thunder' at the Mann's Village theatre in Westwood, California August 11, 2008. [Agencies]

Paris Hilton arrives at a hotel in Copenhagen, Denmark, Monday, Aug. 4, 2008. [Agencies]

Actress and fashion icon Paris Hilton and HairTech International team up with Sally Beauty Supply to launch 'The Bandit', the first interchangeable hair extension headband, at a press conference and launch party on August 23, 2008 in Malibu, California. [Agencies]

Paris Hilton

Lindsay Lohan

Jennifer Aniston doesn't seem to let her fresh breakup from John Mayer slow her down. Aniston was spotting shopping at Fred Leighton Rare Collectible Jewels (classy) on Madison Avenue, August 20, 2008. [CFP]

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Paracetamol use may raise asthma risk in children

By Tan Ee Lyn

HONG KONG (Reuters) - Infants who have been given the common pain reliever paracetamol may have a higher risk of developing asthma and eczema by the time they are 6 or 7, a large study covering children in 31 countries has found.

The findings were published in the journal Lancet together with two other studies, which found that runny noses and wheezing early on in life may be strong predictors of asthma.

In the first study, researchers pored through data provided by parents of more than 205,000 children and found paracetamol use in the first year of life was associated with a 46 percent higher risk of asthma by the time the children were 6 or 7 compared to those never exposed to the drug.

Known as acetaminophen in the United States, where it is widely sold under the brand Tylenol, it is used to relieve fever, minor aches and pain, and is used in a liquid suspension for children.

Medium use of paracetamol in the past 12 months increased asthma risk by 61 percent, while high dosages of once a month or more in the past year raised the risk by over three times.

Medium use was defined as once per year or more, but less than once a month.

Suspicions of a possible link between paracetamol and asthma emerged in recent years when experts observed an increased use of the drug to a simultaneous rise in asthma prevalence worldwide.

One theory is that paracetamol reduces antioxidants in the body. Some experts think antioxidants, which stop unstable molecules known as free radicals from doing too much damage, can lower the risk of cancer, heart disease and other ailments.

"Paracetamol can reduce antioxidant levels and ... that can give oxidative stress in the lungs and cause asthma," one of the researchers, Richard Beasley at the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

As with asthma, monthly use of paracetamol doubled the risk of eczema and trebled that of rhinoconjunctivitis -- repetitive sneezing, rhinorrhea, nasal congestion and hay fever -- by the time children were 6 or 7, the study found.

PARACETAMOL REMAINS DRUG OF CHOICE

However, the researchers stressed paracetamol should remain the preferred drug to relieve pain and fever in children because its alternative, aspirin, was linked to the risk of Reye's syndrome, a rare but serious complication in children.

"The findings do lend support to the current guidelines of the World Health Organization, which recommend that paracetamol should not be used routinely, but should be reserved for children with a high fever (38.5 Celsius or above)," they wrote.

Another study in The Lancet found that rhinitis, or hay fever and other allergic reactions causing a runny nose, was a strong predictor of asthma that develops in adulthood.

Researchers monitored 6,461 people in 14 countries who were free of asthma at the start of study for more than 8 years.

Those who suffered rhinitis and were allergic to an assortment of agents like house dust mites, cat, grass and birch were 3.5 times more likely to develop asthma later on compared to those who suffered no allergies nor rhinitis.

The third study in Arizona in the United States found wheezing early in life may be an ominous sign of asthma developing in adulthood.

Researchers pored through data on 849 people going back 22 years to the time they were babies. Of 181 cases of active asthma, 49 were newly diagnosed, of which 35 were women.

"In over 70 percent of people with current asthma and 63 percent of those with newly diagnosed asthma at age 22 years, episodes of wheezing had happened in the first three years of life or were reported by parents at age six years," wrote the researchers at the Arizona Respiratory Center.

In an accompanying comment, Suzanne Lau of Charite University Medicine in Germany, wrote: "These findings identify a population at risk of chronic obstructive airway disease in early adulthood, and they already showed a predisposition during preschool years." Lau was not involved in the study.

(Reporting by Tan Ee Lyn; Editing by Jerry Norton)

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Stressed plants release aspirin-like chemical

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Plants stressed by drought or unseasonable temperatures squirt out an aspirin-like chemical, researchers reported on Thursday in a finding that may some day help farmers watch for trouble.

The chemical, methyl salicylate, may help plants resist the damage and may help them signal danger to one another, the team at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado said.

"Unlike humans, who are advised to take aspirin as a fever suppressant, plants have the ability to produce their own mix of aspirin-like chemicals, triggering the formation of proteins that boost their biochemical defenses and reduce injury," Thomas Karl, who led the study, said in a statement.

"Our measurements show that significant amounts of the chemical can be detected in the atmosphere as plants respond to drought, unseasonable temperatures, or other stresses."

Acetylsalicylic acid, or aspirin, was originally derived from tree bark, so scientists knew it was a compound made by plants. But it was never seen to be emitted as a gas.

Writing in the journal Biogeosciences, the researchers said they accidentally found the chemical when they set up instruments last year in a California walnut grove to monitor plant emissions of volatile organic compounds.

Such compounds can combine with industrial emissions to affect pollution and they can influence local climate.

The trees were already stressed by drought, and levels of methyl salicylate rose with unseasonably cool night-time temperatures -- especially when it quickly warmed up the next day.

Plants are known to emit chemicals to signal one another when they are close together, for instance, when being chomped on by insects.

"These findings show tangible proof that plant-to-plant communication occurs on the ecosystem level," scientist Alex Guenther said. "It appears that plants have the ability to communicate through the atmosphere."

Farmers and forest managers may be able to monitor for methyl salicylate to watch for early signs of disease, insect infestation, or other types of stress long before leaves begin to wither and drop off.

"If you have a sensitive warning signal that you can measure in the air, you can take action much sooner, such as applying pesticides. The earlier you detect that something's going on, the more you can benefit in terms of using fewer pesticides and managing crops better," Karl said.

(Reporting by Maggie Fox, editing by Will Dunham)

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Researchers find "baby" fat cells

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Baby fat cells formed at or before birth live inside the blood vessels that nourish fat deposits and lay waiting to form new fat cells, U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.

They said their findings could help researchers trying to find better ways to control the obesity and diabetes epidemics, and perhaps help people grow new fat deposits after surgery.

Eating excess calories may activate the cells, which leave their hiding places inside the walls of the blood vessels, the team at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas reported.

These immature cells, called progenitor cells, appear to be formed at or before birth, said Dr. Jonathan Graff, who led the study published in the journal Science.

"These cells become fat cells. Being able to manipulate them or alter them offers an important potential for obesity and diabetes," Graff said in a telephone interview.

It may be possible to remove immature cells from a patient's own fat and use them to grow natural grafts, for example, for a woman after breast cancer surgery, Graff said. Cosmetic purposes might include plumping out lips or wrinkles.

"It's easily accessible," Graff said. "It's chock-a-block full of these stem cells. It's the ideal source for reconstruction."

Such cells may be useful for the field of regenerative medicine, Graff said.

Stem cell researchers hope someday to be able to remove a patient's own cells, manipulate them as needed and use them as tissue grafts or transplants to cure disease or repair injuries.

To find the cells, Graff's team genetically engineered mice so that cells that produced a large amount of a fat-regulating hormone called PPAR-gamma would glow green.

"We spent five years figuring out how to do it," Graff said.

GREEN GLOWING CELLS

They looked in fat deposits, inside the blood vessel walls, where some experts had guessed fat cells may originate. Some green-glowing cells were in there, and when taken out, they matured into fat cells.

"They're not just attached to the vessel wall, they're an integral part of it," Graff said.

The cells can react to compounds in the blood, including nutrients like glucose. Perhaps they drift out of the vessel walls when they sense enough glucose, which in turn signals that the body is taking in more calories than it needs and should store some as fat, Graff said.

Graff's team tested the cells' response to diabetes drugs known as thiazolidinediones.

Also called TZDs or glitazones, the drugs include GlaxoSmithKline Plc's Avandia, which has been linked to increased heart attack risk, and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co Ltd's pioglitazone, sold as Actos or Glustin.

The progenitor cells matured into fat cells when Graff treated them with glitazone drugs.

"One of the side-effects that people don't like is they gain 10 or 15 pounds on (these drugs)," Graff said.

But this could help explain how the drugs fight type-2 diabetes, which occurs when the body loses its ability to use insulin to convert food to fuel.

"Fat cells produce signals that control your blood sugar. We don't know what those signals are," Graff said.

"We know that skinnier fat cells send out good signals and fatter fat cells send out bad signals. TZDs alter them so that they are more insulin-sensitive."

(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Julie Steenhuysen)

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Varicose vein treatment eases hunger for pigs

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A treatment for varicose veins helped cut the appetites of healthy, growing pigs and might offer a less radical alternative to weight-loss surgery for obese people, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

They injected a chemical into blood vessels supplying a very specific part of the stomach to cut off production of the hunger hormone ghrelin.

It made the pigs eat less, and tests showed their bodies were producing as much as 60 percent less ghrelin, they reported in the journal Radiology.

"With gastric artery chemical embolization, called GACE, there's no major surgery," Dr. Aravind Arepally of the John Hopkins University School of Medicine, who led the study, said in a statement.

"In our study in pigs, this procedure produced an effect similar to bariatric surgery by suppressing ghrelin levels and subsequently lowering appetite."

Bariatric surgery involves cutting off part of the stomach and sometimes small intestine so that people eat less and so their bodies have less time to digest food. About 205,000 people in the United States had bariatric surgery last year.

Arepally said he used a chemical called sodium morrhuate to kill tissue in specific blood vessels leading to the fundus, at the top of the stomach.

"The chemical doesn't really destroy the blood vessels but it destroys the very specific area of tissue that produces the hormones," Arepally said in a telephone interview.

Tests in 10 pigs showed they ate less and their bodies produced less ghrelin.

Arepally said he was talking to pharmaceutical companies to design a better way to try this approach in people.

"Ghrelin is one of these primordial hormones," he said.

"It is a survival hormone. It is very powerful. It is pretty much universal in all animals."

Many studies have shown, however, that treating obese animals is far easier than treating obesity in humans. People eat even when they are not hungry and for other, complex reasons.

"Appetite is complicated because it involves both the mind and body. Ghrelin fluctuates throughout the day, responding to all kinds of emotional and physiological scenarios," Arepally said.

"Certain stresses can causes ghrelin to bump up. Some people, when they try to lose weight, the ghrelin starts to go up -- the ghrelin fights the diet."

Perhaps the minimally invasive surgery -- the chemical is delivered using a thin tube threaded through the arteries -- could complement or substitute for bariatric surgery, Arepally said.

The chemical and the procedure are already approved by the Food and Drug Administration, he said.

"One of the things I want to do -- I want to put this chemical in a better format," Arepally said. "We just injected this chemical into the blood vessels."

Arepally notes the irony of working with pigs. "We used pigs because the circulatory system and anatomy is very similar (to humans)," he said.

(Editing by Ross Colvin)



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Estrogen cream flunks sun damage test, study finds

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Estrogen creams do not help reduce wrinkles, especially those caused by the sun, researchers reported on Monday.

The creams do help skin that is protected from the sun to produce more collagen -- the substance that makes skin appear smooth. But this skin is usually far less wrinkled than skin that has seen the light of day, the team at the University of Michigan reported.

"Most of the time you want to get rid of wrinkles on your face, your hands, your neck," said Laure Rittie, who helped lead the study, paid for in part by Pfizer Inc.

She said she was surprised by the finding.

"Generally estrogen is thought to be beneficial for skin. A lot of companies offer products that tell you estrogen can help fight skin aging. This is only partially true," Rittie said in a telephone interview.

"It can only be beneficial for skin on areas that are not exposed to sunlight."

Her team worked with 70 men and women with an average age of 75, although some were in their early 50s.

They made various creams containing estradiol, the active form of estrogen, and had their volunteers apply them to forearms and hips three times every other day for two weeks.

On the hips, which are generally protected from sun, the estrogen-treated skin started producing more collagen, Rittie's team reported.

"Surprisingly, no significant changes in production were observed in women or men after two-week estradiol treatment of photo-aged forearm or face skin," they wrote in the Archives of Dermatology.

Aging alone can cause fine wrinkles, loose skin and sagging. Adding sun damage makes skin appear dry, with uneven pigmentation.

As skin is damaged by sun, the cells stop producing collagen. Dead collagen helps cause a wrinkled appearance.

Creams such as tretinoin and procedures such as carbon dioxide laser resurfacing can stimulate collagen production.

Rittie had hoped to simulate the effects with estrogen cream. "We are not going to consider estrogen any more," Rittie said.

(Editing by Bill Trott)



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Nanette Lepore - Spring 2009 Collection

We expect punchy colors, mixed patterns and sweet little details like ruffles and beading from Nanette Lepore, and that’s just what she delivered. Her playful lineup featured flouncy tops worn with of-the-now shorts and pants in floral and stripe combinations, along with an intricately beaded dress. Amidst the frills, a khaki silk blouse and pants combo gave the eyes a nice rest.
































Taken From : http://www.wwd.com


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Baby bottle chemical draws mixed messages from U.S.

By Will Dunham

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Food and Drug Administration this week reopens the debate over a chemical used in many plastic products -- including baby bottles -- amid mixed messages on its safety from the U.S. government.

An FDA panel of outside experts on Tuesday was set to review the agency's draft report issued last month saying that bisphenol A, or BPA, is safe. Critics argue the FDA has ignored strong evidence in animal studies that BPA is harmful.

Government toxicologists at the U.S. National Institutes of Health on September 3 reiterated their view that BPA presents "some concern" for harmful effects on development of the prostate and brain and for behavioral changes in fetuses, infants and children.

BPA is used to make polycarbonate plastic, a clear shatter-resistant material in products ranging from baby and water bottles to sports safety equipment and medical devices.

It also is used to make durable epoxy resins used as the coating in most food and beverage cans and in dental fillings.

People can consume BPA when it leaches out of plastic into liquid such as baby formula, water or food inside a container.

Environmental and consumer safety groups say studies show the chemical can interfere with how the body absorbs the hormone estrogen, which is key to the development of young bodies.

The NIH's National Toxicology Program, or NTP, became the first U.S. government agency to embrace health concerns regarding BPA. It followed up this draft report with a final report this month reiterating the concerns.

The FDA said the meeting would focus on these worries.

"FDA concludes that an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses, for infants and adults," the FDA said in its draft report.

The agency said its findings were based on "a full examination of data considered pivotal to the relevant exposure levels associated with food contact substances."

The European Union's top food safety body said in July the amount of BPA found in baby bottles cannot harm human health.

"Many common consumer products that contribute to healthier and safer lives are based on plastics and resins made from bisphenol A, which has a 50-year safety track record," the American Chemistry Council industry group said in a statement.

Critics have argued the FDA's views are based principally on industry-funded studies clearing the chemical even though many other studies have raised health concerns.

"We have serious concerns about FDA's risk assessment for bisphenol A," Sonya Lunder of the Environmental Working Group advocacy organization said in a telephone interview.

"I am hopeful the agency will begin to listen to the large amount of scientific evidence from independent scientists about the consequences of bisphenol A, particularly on children's health, and weigh that very heavily against industry-supported science that has been informing their decisions," said Elizabeth Hitchcock of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group.

Some leading retailers plan to stop selling products made with BPA and some manufacturers say they will phase it out.

Democratic U.S. senators in April introduced a bill to ban BPA in children's products. Canada's government in April decided BPA was harmful to infants and toddlers and announced plans to ban some products.

U.S. states including California, Maryland, Minnesota and Michigan are considering bills to ban or restrict BPA in children's products.

(Editing by Bill Trott)



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Broccoli May Help Against Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

FROM BLOG: Eating Fabulous - Eat, drink and be fabulous!

I’ve blogged about the health benefits of broccoli several times in the past, including its potential in treating skin cancer and bladder cancer among others. Well, here’s another one: broccoli could help patients with chronic lung disease.

According to recent research from Johns Hopkins Medical School, a decrease in lung concentrations of NRF2-dependent antioxidants, key components of the lung’s defense system against inflammatory injury, is linked to the severity of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in smokers. Broccoli is known to contain a compound that prevents the degradation of NFRP.

That compound is sulforapane, the same compound responsible for broccoli’s reported chemopreventive properties.

At this point, all of these are mere hypotheses. No clinical trials have been done to directly link broccoli consumption to COPD rates, for example.




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Vitamins & Minerals For Healthy Hair

From About.com
About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

Good nutrition is vital to healthy hair growth, just as it's essential to overall good health. Although your body needs a variety of vitamins and minerals to maintain proper body functions, there are several that are specific to hair growth and health.

When starting a new vitamin regime, it usually takes from 2 to 3 months to see results in your hair's condition. That means that patience and consistency is very important. It's also important to check with your doctor before starting a vitamin program, especially if you have health concerns.

Healthy Hair Vitamins

• Vitamin A - Antioxidant that helps produce healthy sebum in the scalp. Food sources: Fish liver oil, meat, milk, cheese, eggs, spinach, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, apricots and peaches. Daily Dose: 5,000 IU. Warnings: More than 25,000 IU daily is toxic and can cause hair loss and other serious health problems.
• Vitamin C - Antioxidant that helps maintain skin & hair health. Food sources: Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwi, cantaloupe, pineapple, tomatoes, green peppers, potatoes and dark green vegetables. Daily Dose: 60 mg.
• Vitamin E - Antioxidant that enhances scalp circulation. Food sources: Cold-pressed vegetable oils, wheat germ oil, soybeans, raw seeds and nuts, dried beans, and leafy green vegetables. Daily dose: Up to 400 IU. Warnings: Can raise blood pressure and reduce blood clotting. People taking high blood pressure medication or anticoagulants should check with their doctors before taking Vitamin E supplements.
• Biotin - Helps produce keratin, may prevent graying and hair loss. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, whole grains, egg yolks, liver, rice and milk. Daily dose: 150-300 mcg.
• Inositol - Keeps hair follicles healthy at the cellular level. Food sources: Whole grains, brewer's yeast, liver and citrus fruits. Daily Dose: Up to 600 mg.
• Niacin (Vitamin B3) - Promotes scalp circulation. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, wheat germ, fish, chicken, turkey and meat. Daily dose: 15 mg. Warnings: Taking more than 25 mg a day can result in "niacin flush" - a temporary heat sensation due to blood cell dialiation.
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - Prevents graying and hair loss. Food sources: Whole grain cereals, brewer's yeast, organ meats and egg yolks. Daily dose: 4-7 mg.
• Vitamin B6 - Prevents hair loss, helps create melanin, which gives hair its color. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, liver, whole grain cereals, vegetables, organ meats and egg yolk. Daily dose: 1.6 mg. Warnings: High doses can cause numbness in hands and feet.
• Vitamin B12 - Prevents hair loss. Food sources: Chicken, fish, eggs and milk. Daily dose: 2 mg.

Healthy Hair Minerals

• Calcium - Essential for healthy hair growth. Food sources: Dairy, tofu, fish, nuts, brewer's yeast, beans, lentils and sesame seeds. Daily dose: Up to 1,500 mg. Warnings: Too much calcium can inhibit the absorption of zinc and iron; An acid found in chocolate can inhibit calcium absorption.
• Chromium - Helps prevent hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia, both of which can cause hair loss.. Food sources: Brewer's yeast, liver, beef and whole wheat bread. Daily dose: Up to 120 mg. Warnings: People who are allergic to yeast should not take chromium supplements.
• Copper - Helps prevent hair loss as well as defects in hair color and structure. Food sources: Shellfish, liver, green vegetables, whole grains, eggs, chicken and beans. Daily dose: Up to 3 mg. Warnings: High levels can lead to dry hair, hair loss and sever health problems.
• Iodine - Helps regulate thyroid hormones and prevents dry hair and hair loss. Food sources: Fish, seaweed, kelp, iodized salt, garlic. Daily dose: 150 mcg.
• Iron - Prevents anemia and hair loss. Food sources: Liver, eggs, fish, chicken, whole grains, green vegetables and dried fruits. Daily dose: 15 mg. Warnings: Too much can lead to malfunctions of the liver and spleen.
• Magnesium - Works with calcium to promote healthy hair growth. Food sources: Green vegetables, wheat germ, whole grains, nuts, soy beans, chickpeas and fish. Daily dose: 280 mg.
• Manganese - Prevents slow hair growth. Food sources: Whole grain cereals, eggs, avocados, nuts, seeds, beans, peas, fish, meat and chicken. Daily dose: 3-9 mg.
• Potassium - Regulates circulation and promotes healthy hair growth. Food sources: Avocados, bananas, lima beans, brown rice, dates, figs, dried fruit, garlic, nuts, potatoes, raisins, yams and yogurt. Daily dose: 3,500 mg.
• Selenium - Keeps skin and scalp supple and elastic. Food souces: Brewer's yeast, meat, fish, grains, tuna and broccoli. Daily dose: 55 mcg. Warnings: An excess of Selenium can be toxic, leading to the loss of hair, nails and teeth.
• Silica - Strengthens hair and prevents hair loss. Food sources: Seafood, rice, soybeans, green vegetables. Daily dose: 55 mcg. Warnings: An excess of Selenium can be toxic, leading to the loss of hair, nails and teeth.
• Sulfur (methyl-sulfonyl-methane or MSM) - Sulfur is a main component to hair's structure. Food sources: Onions, garlic, eggs, asparagus, meat, fish and dairy products. Daily dose: 1-3 g.
• Zinc - Zinc and Vitamin A work together; a deficiency in either can lead to dry hair and oily skin. Food sources: Spinach, sunflower seeds, mushrooms, whole grains, red meat and brewer's yeast. Daily dose: 12 mg. Warnings: Too much can interfere with iron absorption.

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Bright New Nail Colours

Perk up your pedicure with this season’s eye-popping shades

After spending months hidden under layers of textured tights and leather boots, it’s time to let your toes see the spring sunshine. This season’s bright new nail colours are the perfect way to perk up pretty peep-toe shoes and add instant zing to a floral ensemble.

While you’re in pampering mode, treat your talons a slick of seasonal colour too. Just remember: bold colours look best on short, square-shaped nails. The look is springtime chic, not scary.

Mel Cornford

Taken From : http://www.vogue.com.au/





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Hair Care Tips

The following are some basic hair care tips that you can use to improve the health and look of your hair.

General
A healthy lifestyle will mean healthier hair for you. Excessive stress, smoking, not exercising and not eating nutritiously are not healthy for your hair.

Get enough sleep.

Hair Products (Gel, mouse, hair spary...)
Avoid using hair styling products with alcohol which dries out hair.

Avoid puting hair styling products directly on your scalp, if you put it on your scalp you'll clog the pores on your head.

Swimming
Before entering a pool, wet your hair so your hair will soak up the initial water instead of the chlorinated water.

When swimming where a cap to protect your hair from chlorinated water, if you choose not to wear a cap make sure you shampoo and condition your hair right after you are done swimming.

Drying
Hot air can be damaging to your hair so when using a hair dryer use the cool setting.

Don't leave the blowdryer in one spot for more than a few seconds, keep it moving and at a good distance away from your hair.

To speed up the drying process, pat your hair dry with a towell and let the remaining moisture in your hair dry naturally.

Gently use your fingers or a pick to untangle any knots while your hair is drying.

Combing/Brushing
Use a brush whose bristles are made from natural animal hairs, it is softer and more flexible which means less damage will be done to your hair.

Hair is most fragile when it is wet so avoid brushing or combing when it's wet, or else it will cause breakage, wait until your hair is almost completely dry before brushing it.

Use brushes/combs with widely spaced bristles/teeth and smooth tips. Sharp tooth combs can damage your hair, cause split ends, and scratch your scalp.

To keep your brushes and combs clean, wash them weekly using soap or shampoo.

Comb your hair to remove any tangles before brushing it.

Begin by combing your hair gently at the ends to get any tangles out and work your way up to the base of your hair.

Always brush/comb with a downwards stroke.

Avoid using plastic brushes/combs which create static electricity

Shampooing and Conditioning
Buy shampoos & conditioners that match your hair type, trial and error is the best way to find out what specific hair product is best for your hair.

Shower with warm water, hot water can dry and/or irritate the scalp.

It is important to wash your hair, shampooing removes dirt, dead skin cells, hair oils, any hair products you may put into your hair.

When shampooing, rinse your hair out before applying any shampoo to remove any dust, dirt, and any other foreign items, then apply the shampoo onto your scalp and massage it gently with your finger tips and work your way outwards. After you are done make sure that you thouroughly rinse out your hair to remove any shampoo residue that may be left. Shampoo residue may dry your scalp/hair and or attract dirt. It is recommended that you only lather once to avoid drying your hair out, if you have oily hair, lathering again may stimulate your oil glands to create even more oil than normal.

You should wash your hair as often as you feel necessary to keep it clean, but a general rule is for oily hair you should wash it every day or every other day and for dry hair only wash it 2-3 times a week.

Try rotating the shampoo and conditioner periodically, your hair responds differently to different products.

Use a conditioner after shampooing, it'll moisturize your hair, give it extra protection, add shine, reduce static, and makes it easier to untangle.

Use a leave in conditioner, it'll hydrate and protect your hair. A leave in conditioner on your hair is the equivalent of moisturizer on your face.

When conditioning your hair, try to spread conditioner evenly through out your hair and leave it in for a couple of minutes before rinsing out your hair.

Put the conditioner in at about an inch away from the scalp, the roots of your hair contain the most oils and usually don't need the extra conditioning.

Be gentle when shampooing and conditioning, don't use excessive force rubbing your hair, remember hair is most vunerable when wet.

Taken From : http://www.haircareguide.com
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Nicole Miller's Happy-Go-Lucky Charms

by. Renata Espinosa

"Recession" is a buzzword in the minds of many showgoers as they begin the long haul for fashion week in New York. What kind of economic reality will consumers face next year when it comes time to purchase spring wardrobes?


Nicole Miller, who showed Friday evening, Sept. 5, in the Bryant Park tents, seemed to be answering that question by approaching her Spring 2009 collection with "anything goes" philosophy, tailored to fit the tastes of fickle, individually-minded customers.

Want something tailored, that is also a little bit slouchy? Can't decide between stretch jersey or crisp cotton? Layer on both! And if your dwindling bank account has you down, there's no better fix than one of Miller's energetic carnival-esque prints of a voodoo flag - according to Miller's program notes, it's a good luck symbol and was a running theme throughout her collection. Not only will you feel better, but it just might turn things around.

Miller emphasized draping throughout, from the numerous printed silk jersey asymmetrical dresses to her version of pants this season, cropped and tapered, somewhat resembling sari pants.

One weakness in Miller's collection, however, was the overemphasis on idiosyncratic prints, and a fairly narrow selection at that. If weekend beach getaways are the main thing on the agenda of Nicole Miller's customers, this would work out fine. Though a few sportswear looks made the cut for the show - tailored jackets with embroidery, a trench, a menswear shirt - it was only a token offering and seemed more daywear-inspired rather than something that could actually be worn to work. But if it's feel-good color you're after for spring cut from figure-flattering stretch viscose, add Nicole Miller to your list.

Taken From :
http://www.fashionwiredaily.com
http://www.latimes.com
http://www.wwd.com

Nicole Miller runway show Spring 2009, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week New York
















































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