Natural and Artificial Sponge Effects

There are two types of sponges for bath – natural and artificial. It is known that man-made sponges are mostly artificial. However, it's worth to discover which one is good for health – man made, an artificial or a natural one?

It is known that “sea sponges” come from ancient times and contain organic materials such as calcium carbonate or glasses and vary from small to the big size. There is no doubt that those who are prone to consuming natural and organic foods would prefer sea sponges. However, the sea sponges, like any other natural and artificial good, has its positive and negative features.

The sea-sponges are able to grow back, if one can pick those accurately, moreover, it won’t even damage the environment afterwards. It should be noted that the sea sponge is coarse enough which enables to move the “dead skin cells,” thus making the skin pretty smooth and delicate. However, the sea sponges are pretty expensive as compared to the artificial ones.

Artificial sponges in their turn are more attractive than the natural ones when they appear next to each other on the stands of the stores. They are not as expensive as the natural ones and are almost always available, but they are not as good as the natural ones as they are made of “wood pulp.” Moreover, the artificial sponges have antimicrobial elements to remove the microbes off the body that sometimes is not even healthy.

The researcher at the University of California Davis has revealed that triclosan included in the artificial sponge can affect the hormones and the nervous system deeply. Moreover, if the skin is irritated, the very sponge can bring the “epidermis disaster.” However, if one still is prone to artificial sponge, should make sure it does not contain “abrasive polyester” to avoid the unnecessary chemicals left on the skin.  

It is important to find out the state of the skin - say if it is dry, oily or sensitive or has problems such as psoriasis, eczema, dermatitis, etc., when using any kind of sponge - be that natural or artificial, to escape every kind of harm to the skin. 

Be healthy and find more information on the artificial and natural sponges in other related articles.

Coffee: Advantages and Disadvantages

The Good Health magazine pleases the coffee fans, ensuring that one can enjoy the everyday cup of coffee without any fear it will damage one’s health. The facts how making the coffee dirking habit beneficial for the health and not vice versa, are revealed throughout the article.

First of all, it worth to inform that coffee contains disease-fighting antioxidants and the flavonoids and chlorogenic acid enable to save the body from harm. Magnesium, potassium, niacin and choline are also components of coffee, not even to speak about B2 or riboflavin.

Second, it has an impact on the mood and, the Harvard research results state that 20% of women having caffeinated coffee are happier as compared to those who are passive coffee drinkers.

Third, strangely enough, it has a positive impact on the type 2 diabetes. Research has revealed that daily having three or four cups of coffee can control insulin sensitivity and all these are with the help of chlorogenic acid and trigonelline that in their turn make coffee smell better.

Fourth, despite all of this, a healthy adult should not go beyond the limits and take more than 300 to 400mg caffeine a day. In this regard, Kate Gudorg, accredited practicing dietitian, spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia, states that 300 to 400mg coffee is equal to three cups of espressos or five cups of instant coffee. Further he explains, that careless use of coffee can have a negative impact on one’s health by creating headaches, sleeplessness, and making one nervous.

Fifth, it is being advised to be careful about the additions namely sugar, creams or flavored syrups. Gudrof explains that these additions do not necessarily harm the health. However, she stresses out the fat and explains that latte with sugar three times a day contains as much fat as a burger does.

Sixth, it should be noticed that coffee contains oils such as cafestol and kahweol that move LDL cholesterol up. Hence, those who have high cholesterol should take filtered coffee instead of Greek or Turkish one, because filters being made of paper or fine metals eliminate these oils.

Finally, Austrian and German researchers ensure, that darker roasts are mild; hence, they are good for stomach. They lessen the production of acid in it and include less caffeine. For those who have heartburn, McGrice advises café latte, as the milk calms the symptoms.

Killing the Hangover

Good news for the beer fans. Griffith University team in Queensland claims they have created the very first beer that is hangover-proof. Being a mix of lager and electrolytes it reduces the dehydrating effect of alcohol. This miracle beer is not yet available in stores, so let us cross our fingers and wait.

For now we still have to measure our portion of alcohol, so that to avoid that nasty post-party morning hangover. Most people get to the point of hangover after three standard drinks. Also, you are guaranteed to have a hell of a hangover if you mix different beverages. If you started with beer, continue and finish with beer, avoid mixing vodka and wine and be careful with the cocktails. And yes, don’t forget to drink water in between every glass of alcohol.

Cigarettes are also believed to trigger the worst of hangovers, especially if you are a social smoker. There is an amazing tendency among a lot of people to smoke only when they drink. The experts at Brown University claim that those who smoke when drinking will end up with the worst possible hangover. While if you drink without simultaneously smoking, your hangover will be more tolerable.

Professor Damaris Rohsenow explains that smoking interferes with the process of sleep and reduces the sleep quality. The hangover after a sleepless night is the worst hangover. Another reason is that smoking adds inflammatory reactions in the brain and provoke pain. Sookmyung Women’s University research team in Seoul claims that drinking Korean pear juice helps to overcome the hangover. An experiment was conducted, during which a group of people were given placebo, and another group was given Korean pear juice. Then both of the groups consumed and used a good amount of alcohol. Those who drank the Korean pear juice felt 20% better than those who used placebo. This is explained by the fact that Korean pear juice evokes alcohol-metabolizing enzymes and helps to clear out the system faster. While placebo might display such effects as decrease of concentration.

Korean pear juice might be found in Asian supermarkets. It is also easy to make it at home. These pears are also called nashi pears. All you need is to throw some six nashi pears into the juicer and here you go. Another advice from Professor Michael Oshinsky from Thomas Jefferson University, US is to use the coffee/pill combination. The best way to do this is to take some anti-inflammatory painkiller (aspirin for instance) before you go to sleep. And immediately after you wake up, start up with a good cup of caffeine.

Follow the tips and chill out!

Upcoming Spring & Summer Fashion of 2014

Spring is not far away. It's the reason I am  coming across the upcoming Spring and Summer Fashion trends, willing to share it with you. In this regard, the Cambridge News has the following coming fashion season illustrations:

1) Alexia Parmigiani’s new spring/summer collection.

 After producing her Alexia brand in 2005, Parmigiani has created a range that offers infinite styling opportunities, and each creation has its own branded bag. The collection is produced in the UK and India. The fabrics are of a fine quality where they produce fabrics of  100 percent cotton, silk georgette, silk chiffon, silk satin, modal to a lightweight cashmere mix.

This season the collection of Alexia Parmigiani is produced in luxury fabrics, in the UK. 

2) Plum Cardigan

This lovely cardigan will keep you cozy during the spring. It’s available in La Redoute.

3) Alice Menter’s ‘Washer’s’ jewelry collection

In Alice Menter’s new collection, the ordinary is transformed into something unique. Each piece is handmade created by her and her small team. It explores bold designs, geometry and symmetry. She works with everyday objects such as zips or washers. Alice appears regularly at London Fashion Weekend, and her new collections have sold out within a few hours. You can see the full collection in the Alice Menter online store. They are created in her Bristol studio.

4) Lemiena’s new i-pad Clutch Bag

Lemiena’s new i-pad Clutch bags feature a detachable shoulder and wrist strap. It will be perfect for a summer capsule wardrobe.

5) Leather jackets by Francis Leon

Francis Leon’s inspiration is found in the pages of old pages of old superhero comic books.

She sources the materials from around the world from supple Italian leathers too quirky woolen knits from Europe. According to Niji Magazine, each garment incorporates Francis Leon’s mandatory texture mash-up.

6) ‘’Reset’’ is the 1st woman’s collection from German designer Tim Lambenda. He completed the process with a shoot in London. Tim has created new patterns and starts over with his designs. The collection is a contrast of tight blousers with narrow button panels and collars. On the half of his collection, there is a skinny rubber pant combined with an egg-shaped jacked/oversized double breasted blazer.

The interior of each garment is always cozy and comfortable as they are double faced.

7) Bevza, the Ukrainian Womenswear brand, was founded by Bibi Bevza in 2006. It explores simplicity, minimalism, noble accuracy, sensuality. She focuses on clean lines, monochrome colors and strict cuts. The collection is inspired every morning-the signal of a new day. Hints of transparency add sexiness to the collection. The collection offers must-have clutches used with 3D printing technology.

The full collection will be in stores February 2014.

8) Spring Summer 2014 collection by Joanne McGillivray .

The collection is inspired by the colors, shapes and textures of the sea. Each piece has been carefully designed from the flowing wavelike maxi-dress to the clear Perspex jackets. A palette color of various captivating blue shades is mostly used in her collection.

9) Fiorucci's new collection for summer 2014.

The collection has 4 key themes and classic brand like The Angels series.

1. Cherry love-a mix between good taste and style classic lolita girl,

2. Pop safari-that includes graphic patterns and ironic multicolor flashes,

3. New vintage- includes fluttering dresses in light fabrics, lots of lines, patterns of one color, Hawaiian floral, gabardine pants and denim printed with lines and palm trees.

4. Out of Water-devoted to the sea and the great glamorous summer.

The entire collection contains handbags, shoes, sunglasses and matching accessories.

10) People Tree T-Shirts

Simeon Ferrar, the founder of Black Score, collaborates with Fair Trade and Fashion pioneers People Tree. His new released collection comprises of three different prints which give twice look.

2014 Top Trends

Here we go :
1. Feathers

In 2014 feathers will be much used.  There is a wide variety of wearing feathers, from jewelries to simple hairpin. This sleeveless garment gives a glamorous look to any cloth and will be right on 2014 trend.

2. Quirky Prints

Since 2013 quirky prints have emerged-like the prints of animals, In 2014 they are very popular. 

3. Fringing

Bohemian fashion is again popular during spring and summer season. It will be perfect if you add some hippy-chic fringing to your dress while going to any summer festival.

 4. Bermuda Shorts

It’s already predicted that mid-length Bermuda shorts will be huge as it gets warmer while wearing them.  Compared with a vest a crop top will be a part of a perfect holiday outfit. 

5. Embellished Sweaters

In 2014 shops will be filled with bedazzled sweaters making wrapping up glamorous. These sparkly and comfy sweaters are perfect for winter and spring. 

6. Graphic Prints

In 2014 bold and graphic prints are must-haves. For going to a party this amazing Egyptian inspired outfit from Urban Outfitters is perfect.

7. Slogan T-Shirts

T-shirts with slogans will be again popular in 2014. Still being casual it’s a funny way to make a statement while wearing these tops. 

8. Sheer

Sheer is big in 2013 and will continue to be popular in 2014. While being a darling and romantic trend, sheer gives the wow effect to the party outfit.

9. Menswear for Women

Seems the tailored menswear trends are returning with button-up shirts and blazers. Giving a contrast with the delicate lace this burgundy boyfriend blazer would have a great look teamed with a lace outfit.

10. Rucksacks

Like this year in 2014 rucksacks will still remain to be fashionable. Backpacks are a style statement with a wide range of printed and patterned bags out there; they are popular for their many functions.

What Santa Has to Overcome and Many More…

It is interesting enough to reveal the fact that if Santa Claus will eat or drink in each house in the UK at the Christmas eve, he is subject to get thicker, about over 263 tones. The most amazing thing here is that, in order to burn all the gained weight, he has to run for 146,666 days which is about 782,218 marathons.
Moreover, according to alcohol education charity Drinkaware, Santa will have to have one million liters of alcohol that is almost 24 million units after all the house visits. Thus, to escape the damage on the health and keep the waistline in proper order, one should not drink to excess the limits on Christmas holidays.

The Drinkaware research has revealed that most of Brits, say about 53%, drink mostly in December as compared to the other months of the year. 27% think they are comfortable to drink as much as they want without feeling any regret for that. One in five is convinced that people surrounding them, like friends, family members or colleagues, encourage them to drink mostly and that’s why they drink.

Hence, one should notice that even if people do not acknowledge, the amount of calories in alcohol is pretty huge. Just imagine a glass of mulled wine contains as many calories as there are in the three pieces of chocolate orange and, if you wish to burn off all those calories, you have to swim for 17 minutes at least. As for gin and tonic, it contains 50 calories. Perhaps, it is worthy to take gin and tonic instead of wine. In order not to damage one’s health, professor Paul Wallace, Chief Medical Adviser of Drinkaware, advises to follow drinking guidelines in this way avoiding the later hard work to burn off unnecessary calories. 

Alcohol does not let the calories burn off easily, thus making you spend a lot of time in gyms, ensures Professor Wallace.

Beauty Tips of Strictly Come Dancing for Party Season

Make-up artist Alice Theobald shares the Strictly Come Dancing beauty tips for the party season and below provides the readers with. Alice starts with the eyes. Considering the importance of the brightness, she advises to apply some brightness on. For that she recommends to prime the lid with Stay Don't Stray by Benefit and draw Bobbi Brown Shadow pencil in Tux Black along the lash line and color up into the socket. 

Using an Estée Lauder blending brush, she recommends applying Dior Show Eye-shadow in Adventure, taking from lash roots and blending outwards. For the next step, she advises to add Dior's Millennium eye shadow to the inner middle of the lid and blend.

She states that in true Strictly style she likes to dust MAC's Pearl Reflects glitter over the entire lid. It would stress the beauty if one would keep the waterline dark using Clarins Waterproof Eye Pencil in Black and to run Bobbi's Black Gel Liner into the root of the lashes and then apply Black Clump Defy mascara by Max Factor to lashes, Alice believes. She considers that bold full strip false lashes are a Strictly must. In order to strengthen the look of the eyebrows, she advises to use light strokes of Shiseido's Eyebrow Styling Compact in Deep Brown. For the lips, her advice is MAC Lipglass in Florabundance applied with Scarlet, Estée Lauder's lip pencil in Red topped with YSL, 21 Rouge Pur Couture Glossy Stain. This was how Strictly Come Dancing star Natalie Gumede looked when being photo taken for HELLO! 

Estée Lauder's Perfecting Primer can nicely cover the oil-prone patches, she believes. Moreover, Origins Foundation Brush with MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation can be applied evenly over the face to make it even perfect. Loreal's Lumi Magique light reflective can nicely cover the signs of fatigue and lift the under eye area. 

The mixture of MAC Cream Colour Base Pearl applied on the cheekbone area will give extra glow. Setting the base by dusting over Givenchy Powder Brush and Prisme Foundation powder will complete the overall make-up. 

Finally, she recommends Lumiere d'Opale, a body oil with shimmer and misting the body with Satine Perfume Lalique to create the effect of some glitter, as she considers that any skin needs some glitter especially in Strictly Come Dancing.