Ask any fashionista if clothes are an important part of our identity and they will probably talk about how vital style is to their success. To break it down a little further and step away from high fashion and instead focus on the man in the street, how important are his clothing choices? Was Mark Twain right in saying “the clothes make the man” and has this adage been taken too literally of late? Everything that we do has a cause and effect impact on the world, so in that aspect our clothes will to some degree have an effect on how we are treated by others, but in what way?A simple example can be found at a high-end Michelin-starred restaurant. Unless your face is immediately recognisable as being wealthy and successful, it will often be your clothes that the host or waiter makes their decisions on and, if you’re not wearing the right clothes to a restaurant or nightclub, then the chances are you won’t get in. Call it ‘power dressing’ or dressing to impress, but the fact is that a man’s clothes determine how society sees him, this is something that women probably got to grips with a lot earlier than most men too.We’ve all heard the expression ‘first impressions count’, and it is absolutely true; as the average stranger takes no more than 30 seconds to assess another stranger on first meeting them, and this impression can then take up to five years to erase. You can forget the other saying ‘you can’t judge a book by its cover’, as anyone in publishing will tell you that it’s the covers that make the books stand out on the shelf.Obviously Hollywood has taken this idea a little too far, with movies like Jackie Chan’s ‘The Tuxedo’, where a down-and-out cab driver’s life is turned around thanks to the discovery of a technologically advanced tuxedo, and obviously James Bond has been known to pick particular threads too. To find serious real-world examples, you don’t have to look far. Politics is full of power dressing, where subtle messages are portrayed in candidate’s clothing choice, like Gordon Brown’s persistent red tie, or George W Bush’s choice of slightly oversized suit jackets to larger his appearance. In the first Kennedy-Nixon presidential race, radio listeners favoured Nixon thanks to his authoritative voice, while TV watchers favoured Kennedy as he looked fresh-faced compared to Nixon’s tired and unconsidered choice of mens clothes.To really understand how clothes can make a man’s appearance though, you can think back to childhood fairytales like ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ or try a simple test. Picture in your head the manager of a petrol station, and then picture the manager of a successful advertising agency. The two managers might be in charge of the same number of people and earn the same salary, but they will probably be dressed pretty differently.
Affordable Dry Skin Care That Really Works
Whether you are looking for affordable dry skin care products because you have a skin disorder or because your skin is naturally dry, the good news is that such products are available. Affordable dry skin care includes what you expose your skin to, your diet and your lifestyle as well as the right skin care products for your skin type. Your skin is the largest organ in the body and is permanently on display, so it is important to take the best possible care of it.Dry skin has a low level of sebum and is often sensitive. The skin might look tight, feel parched and become drier if exposed to temperature extremes. Using harsh soaps or cosmetics which are high in chemicals can make the problem of dry skin worse or even cause a skin disorder.Sometimes dry skin is a genetic condition rather than a skin disorder. If this is the case, the same beauty and care regime applies. You can find affordable dry skin care products including cleansers, day moisturizers, night creams and beauty masques, no matter what the cause of your dry skin is.When looking for affordable skin lotions, read the ingredient list. Avoid ingredients such as parabens, mineral oil, and other sythetic ingredients. Chemicals like these can actually have a damaging effect on the skin in the long run. It’s better to pay a little more for a lotion that will nourish the skin than to save a few dollars and end up damaging your skin.If you do have dry skin, it is best to avoid tap water when cleansing because it removes the natural oils and dries the skin out even more. Instead, you should use a non-detergent cleansing lotion with a neutral pH. Nourishing moisturizer is a form of affordable dry skin care and you can apply plenty at night, including to the dry areas around the eyes where crow’s feet or wrinkles might be forming.Many affordable dry skin care preparations contain herbs, known for their benefits on dry skin. Aloe vera is soothing and moisturizing and is an ingredient in many natural skin care creams, gels and lotions. Calendula and comfrey are also good herbs for softening the skin and for soothing skin disorder problems.Essential oils such as lavender, primrose and tea tree are beneficial for people with dry skin. These can be used in a facial sauna or ingredients in a skin care product regime. Drinking plenty of water keeps the skin hydrated and teas made from fennel, calendula, borage or coltsfoot help to improve the condition of your dry skin.Eating a balanced diet complements a good dry skin care regime. Try to include vegetables, fruit, nuts, grains and seeds in your diet and incorporate raw foods where you can. Alcohol and tobacco can dry out your skin so you might want to avoid these. You might also like to avoid fried foods, the reason being that when oil is heated, it forms free radicals which are destructive to the skin.There you have it. If your skin is slightly dry, very dry or extra dry, do not worry because there are plenty of affordable dry skin care products on the market for you to try. Just be sure they have ingredients that will nourish your skin from within, while moisturizing from the outside. If you combine these products with a healthy diet and lifestyle and drink plenty of water, your dry skin or skin disorder can become a thing of the past.
Stuck In A Rut – Enjoy These Home Improvement Ideas
Well, you’ve decided to improve your home. Good for you! However, there is so much information that you may not have a clue where to begin. Don’t worry, home improvement tips are here! Listed below are some tips that will help you get started and organized so that you can become a home improvement expert.New wallpaper can transform a room. Before you add wallpaper, you need to find out what type of wall is under the existing wallpaper. Usually walls are either drywall or plaster smoothed over lath. You can figure out what kind of wall you are dealing with by feeling the wall, plaster is harder, smoother, and colder than drywall. You can also try tapping the wall, drywall sounds hollow while plaster does not.If you are looking for home improvement, don’t forget the outside areas of your home too. If you love fish, you may want to consider putting in a Koi pond. They look beautiful, and they can be customized to match the look of your backyard or be made the focal point.If you have a small bathroom and not enough space to store your items, you can easily create some space yourself. Buy some wooden shelves and install them on your bathroom wall. Display your lotions, perfumes and other beauty items on the shelves as well as your smaller towels or toilet paper rolls. This will not only give your bathroom a decorative boost, it will also organize it.Before beginning a home improvement project, make a list of the actions you think will need to be taken from start to finish. Obtain a second opinion from a trusted source to see if there are any steps you missed or anything you didn’t take into account. Plan to set aside plenty of time for your project, as it might take longer than expected.The shingles on your roof will at some point need to be replaced. As asphalt shingles get older, they start to lose the bound granules and curl up on the corners of the sheets. If you are experiencing leaks that have gone through the ceiling, then it is definitely time to lay down a new roof. Otherwise, if your roof has lost several shingles, this is a less drastic but firm indication that it’s time to replace the roof.When you are getting ready to deep clean your deck, make sure you have all of your materials ready before hand. Some of the things you will need to get together are a pressure washer, a nice sturdy scrub brush, commercial deck cleaner, a hose, and a hefty broom you can use outdoors.Before beginning home improvements apply for the appropriate building permits. Any home improvement that involves plumbing, electricity, or structural changes can require a permit. Check your local laws. If you proceed without a permit then you can be fined or it could make the house harder to sell in the future.When it comes to home improvement, be sure that you are not causing your home to awkwardly stand out from the rest of the neighborhood. This will ensure you will be able to resell it and also, that you will not receive scorn from your neighbors. Be creative, but try to lean toward conservative with colors. With additions, keep your the total size of your home somewhat near that of your neighbors.If you live in an older home with a wooden floor that is beyond sanding and staining, add a few coats of oil-based paint over the planks. Choose a paint that is intended for outdoor use on decks or porches; this ensures that it will be able to withstand the occasional wet spill and light traffic. It can also hold you over until you have the resources to replace the floor altogether.If you want to make your house shine then look to the curb appeal. First impressions are important with people, and they are just as important to your home. Consider repainting if your color is fading or is dated, and choose colors and other details that fit into the era of your house.You should feel better after reading those tips when it comes to home improvement. That was a lot to think and read through, but at least you should have an idea of what to do and where to begin with improving your home safer and smarter. In addition, you can always come back to this list.