FUN BEAUTY FACTS

Fun Beauty Facts

Cosmetic surgery continues to grow at a staggering rate. An excess of $10 billion a year is now spent on cosmetic procedures.

Ancient Egyptians used semi-precious gemstones like malachite, lapis and carnelian for coloring their cosmetics. They also used metals like copper and lead.

Egyptians invented the idea of masking body odor under the arms by using incense pellets and letting them melt into the skin. However, the first deodorant wasn't really produced until 1889.

A full one-quarter of all women won't leave home without their lipstick on.

If you want a quick, temporary face-lift, it can be accomplished by donning a headband.

Melanin loss in the hair causes it to turn gray or white.

The Romans had no tolerance for facial blemishes; not even freckles. They used odd methods to diminish, hide, or rid themselves of such things. These included milk baths and fowl fat.

A man's hair grows faster than a woman's.

Once upon a time, women used leeches to "bleed" themselves to achieve the pale look once considered the epitome of feminine beauty.

Many of today's most beautiful celebrities use urine as part of their beauty regimen. However, they aren't the first to use urine in a cosmetic form. The Romans used it to make toothpaste.

We have Coco Chanel to blame for the popular tanned look. She made if popular and even developed some of the first tanning products.

Helena Rubinstein is responsible for one of today's most popular cosmetics - - mascara.

Shimmery cosmetics often contain fish scales.

During the 5^th century, women aspired to be as hairless as possible. They plucked out all traces of hair, including their eyelashes, and shaved their foreheads.

Women of the Renaissance wanted a beautiful while look so they colored their skin with a combination of lead and vinegar or arsenic.

A debate rages on about who is responsible for the invention of nail polish. While ancient Egyptians tinted their nails with henna, it was the Chinese who were responsible for the first lacquer type formulas with which most of us are more familiar.

Victorian women of culture did not wear makeup. Cosmetics were only used by women of "questionable" character.

Egyptian men wore eye makeup for protection against the sun and nasty winged creatures like gnats.

Most women didn't begin shaving their underarms until the turn of the 20^th century.

For nearly two centuries women thought it necessary to dilate their pupils in order to achieve true beauty. They did this by using drops from the poisonous Belladonna plant.

Beauty giant L'Oreal holds a patent on nanotechnology. Wonder how that will be used in cosmetics?

Surgeons of the First World War banded together to demand plastic surgery procedures be regulated for patient protection.

Red heads have less hair on their head. Blondes have the most. No wonder, blondes have more fun.

Cutting hair doesn't make it grow faster. It does; however, make it look healthier.

The average person loses about 100 strands of hair per day.

6 Health Benefits of Eating Beets

If you are an avid beet lover, then my  post isn’t for you (but read on anyway for validation of your beet love)! You already know that beets are an extremely nutritious food choice that just happens to be tasty and delicious – you can eat the greens too! You already know that beets are an insane source of vitamins and minerals. But did you know that beets are the second largest source of sugar, after sugar cane?

If you’re not a beet lover, read on, and you soon will be.

1. Beets are nature’s Viagra

Seriously. One of the first known uses of beets was by the ancient Romans, who used them medicinally as an aphrodisiac. And that’s not just urban legend – science backs it up. Beets contain high amounts of boron, which is directly related to the production of human sex hormones.

2. Beets are high in many vitamins and minerals

Potassium, magnesium, fiber, phosphorus, iron; vitamins A, B & C; beta-carotene, beta-cyanine; folic acid. These are but a few of the many nutrients, vitamins and minerals that can be found in beets and beet greens. Beets are particularly beneficial to women whom are pregnant, as the vitamin B and iron are very beneficial to new growth cells during pregnancy and replenishing iron in the woman’s body.

3. Beets cleanse the body

They are a wonderful tonic for the liver, works as a purifier for the blood, and can prevent various forms of cancer. Nuff said, right? Tastes good and prevents cancer? Sign me up!

4. Beets help your mental health

Beets contain betaine, the same substance that is used in certain treatments of depression. It also contains trytophan, which relaxes the mind and creates a sense of well-being, similar to chocolate. Beets can also lower your blood pressure. So if you’re already steamed about not eating beets, you can get a two-fer by diving into them right away.

5. Beets are used as a stomach acid tester

How in the world does that work? Glad you asked. If you are eating a lot of beets or beet juice, and your pee turns pink, guess what? You have low stomach acid. Pee still clear? Ratchet it up and get juicing (use the greens too)! Nutritionists use beets and beet juice to test stomach acid levels, so stay ahead of the curve by adding beets to your diet now.

6. Beets are a high source of energy

At the same time they are low in calories and high in sugar (although the sugar is released into your system gradually, as opposed to chocolate). Very few foods found in the natural world are as beneficial as beets in this regard.

Beets are a wonderful addition to any dietary need. With their high volume of nutrients, delicious taste, and multitude of uses, anyone can jump right into beets without missing a beat.

Bet you didn’t know:

Beets were served in space when the astronauts of Apollo 18 met up with their brethren in Soyuz 19. They served borscht.

To-do:

If you are juicing, but haven’t gotten to veggies yet, give beets a try. Use a small amount at first to supplement your already yummy fruit smoothies. Work your way up to more as you see fit.

What are you using your beets for? Let me know in the comment box below.

Got Orgasm? The health benefits of more sex

The benefits of sex don’t stop at the big O. In fact, according to certified sex therapist and clinical psychologist Suzanne Rapley, Ph.D., the orgasm is just the tip…of the healthy iceberg.

Rapley has seen and heard just about everything in her 30 years in the business. One thing she can say for certain is that the ripple effect of a fulfilling sex life reaches all areas of a person’s life — self-esteem, confidence, self-control, mood, and even physique.

Our body has the ability to be one giant erogenous zone — and this zone needs stimulation. Sensory deprivation can actually cause stress. Whether it’s an afternoon delight, a sensual massage, or even just a good-old fashioned makeout sesh, all those pleasurable sensations release endorphins and dopamine, enhancing our mood, she said.

And of course a good roll in the hay can burn some serious calories, but what you may not realize is that it also slows down the aging process…of your vagina. Yup, our lady parts get old, along with the rest of us. The muscle contractions that occur during orgasm help keep them from atrophying. (Synonym for atrophying: shriveling. That’s not a good look for anyone.) On top of that, getting the blood flowing cleanses your whole body.

If you’re a tad timid to take to the sheets, Rapley stressed that sexuality is a learned behavior. Or, as she put it, “the earlier we learn to bike, the better cyclists we are.” Self-knowledge is the surest path to sexual success. Learn about your arousal patterns, stay focused, and be open to change. The brain is a major sex organ, and it craves novelty.

How do you know if you’re doing it right? In the wise words of Rapley, “sex is messy, ladies. If you’re having good sex, it’s going to get messy.” Get messy. Get healthy. Get your groove on.

Top 5 Tips To A Stronger Bond

How do you make your relationship stand the test of time? Maintaining a healthy and vibrant relationship with your partner can be challenging, especially in today’s busy world. Fast-paced lifestyles can often infringe upon your personal lives, leaving little time to strengthen the bonds in your relationship. However, there are ways to get out of the rut and stay on the path to a loving and committed relationship. Here are the top 5 tips for a road map to lasting love.

1. Negotiate, Don’t Retaliate.

Look for a win-win situation and remember that both of you lose if there is a fall out. “In the end , why pay the lawyer to ‘retaliate’ ?”

2.Make a list of things you like about your partner

Dim the lights, sit down together with a favorite snack and start making a list of the things you like in your partner. Items can be as simple as “I like how you make coffee for me on Sunday mornings” or they can be behavioral traits like “I love how easy-going you are”. Feel free to be as descriptive as you like. Once your lists are complete, display them in a common place (such as on the refrigerator) and read them out loud as often as you can!

3. Take A Drive With Him

That alone is good practice in conflict management. Ask yourself: Were the two of you happier at the beginning of your journey that when you arrived?

4. Plan surprise dates

Dates are a fun way to spend special time together and enjoy each others company. However, a surprise date is even more romantic and thoughtful. Show up at her office just before she’s getting ready to leave work and whisk her away to a surprise dinner and concert.

5. Go For Regular Marriage Enrichment Activities

Nuture your marriage with useful talks or activities. Couples who share a vision for their future are better equipped to make decisions that move the relationship forward and when both might have slightly different visions marriage enrichment talks help to teach couples to hold each others hand towards their vision.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Hair

"Finding hair in your food can ruin a meal. But, what if your food was made of hair -- or at least your condiment?" 

Human hair is a simple thing made of keratin and dead skin cells. Its function is to prevent heat loss from a person’s head, yet it also causes women to weep, men to buy Porsches and people to spend billions each year on its upkeep.    

Throughout history, humans have used their hair to represent their class, indicate religious faith and piss off their parents. Madonna changes her hair to represent each comeback, while Donald Trump represents his wealth with a comb-over made from 40 kt gold. Samson used his hair to store his power, while Rapunzel used her hair to sneak the prince into her tower (how early teenage rebellion began).

Such a simple thing as human hair leads to all kinds of complexities. Here are examples in which hair is more than just a dandruff jungle, so check out these 5 things you didn’t know about human hair.

1- Hair can clean up oil spills

When the 2007 Cosco Busan oil spill occurred in the San Francisco Bay, a group of eco-friendly volunteers used mats of human hair to clean the beach. Hair absorbs oil from the water, working as a natural sponge. The innovator of this idea, Phil McCrory, said he saw footage of oil-soaked otters after the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill and his harebrained plan was hatched. He collected human hair clippings from local salons, stuffed them into a pair of his wife’s pantyhose and voila: oil mop.

After the oil is collected, oyster mushrooms are added to the mat. They absorb the oil and convert the environmental threat into nontoxic compost. Environmentalists would like these hair mats carried on oil tankers, so in case of a disaster the mats can be thrown in to start working immediately.

2- Human hair is used in soy sauce

Finding hair in your food can ruin a meal. But, what if your food was made of hair -- or at least your condiment? The Internet Journal of Toxicology reported that the Chinese company Hongshuai Soy Sauce marketed their product as using the latest bioengineering technology. Priced lower than the competitors’ soy sauces, Hongshuai became popular on the shelves of Chinese stores. However, an investigation by journalists found the company didn’t use amino acids derived from soy and wheat, but amino acids derived from human hair swept off of barber shop floors. One person’s recycling is another person’s retching over a toilet. 

I've got a few more things you didn't know about human hair. 

The emperor wanted Russia to become westernized, so he required all of his courtiers, state officials and the military to adopt western fashions and to shave their beards. 

3- Beards were taxed

Peter the Great is cited as one of the greatest rulers from the 17th century, and he was a great friend to Russia. However, he was no friend to the beard. The emperor wanted Russia to become westernized, so he required all of his courtiers, state officials and the military to adopt western fashions and to shave their beards. This decree spread through the country until the only Russians exempted were peasants and priests. If a man refused to shave, he had to pay an annual beard tax of 100 rubles. Henry the VIII imposed a similar tax in England during part of his reign. However, as a fickle king who beheaded wives he no longer liked, he later grew a beard himself and ended the English beard tax.

4- Redheads may be aliens

There’s a conspiracy theory that redheads are alien-human hybrids. Think about it: Why did several kings and queens of Europe have red hair even though, percentage-wise, redheads are fairly rare? Why do so many Southies have red hair and speak a different language than other Boston locals?

It sounds crazy, but carrottops do have biological differences other than appearance. Redheaded women bleed longer, which is why doctors make special preparations for them in childbirth. They also have the smallest hair count on their heads, about 90,000 as opposed to 140,000 on people with blond and brown hair. That’s why Kick a Ginger Day began, just to keep these possible aliens on their toes.

5- Human hair was once used as jewelry

During the Victorian era, women often wore jewelry made from the hair of deceased loved ones. Since there were no photos of dear old grandma, her gray hairs paid homage. While it started as just a way to remember, hair art blossomed and become popular fashion. This may have been the most morbid fashion since Amazonians wore shrunken heads around their necks. To this day, there are a number of websites selling antique hair art and they will even fashion a new piece from a dead shih tzu’s hair. Haven’t these people seen digital cameras?  

Top 5 Shoes That Made History

The first shoes (sandals) are dating from 7, 000 or 8,000 B.C. and they were found in the Fort Rock Cave in US. The shoes have a long history, and over the centuries people used all kinds of materials for making shoes. The fashion industry has turned the shoes from necessary into some kind of work of art. But some of them are very weird and unusual  and not so comfortable to wear. However we found thousands of really bizarre shoes on internet, but we’ve rounded to Top 5 most weird shoes made in history!

Lotus Shoes

The Chinese custom of breaking and binding the girl’s feet to make it look small like a lotus flower began over thousands years ago. When the little girl turned 3 years old, all here toes were broken and her feet were bound tight with cloth strips, to keep her feet growing larger than 10 cm. Since than many Chinese women from all classes have experienced the pain in achieving the small lotus foot. The lotus shoes usually were made of silk or cotton, in different colours and styles with designs of flowers or animals. The lotus shoes were produced until 2009, by the shoe factory Zhiqiang Shoe Factory. Although the foot binding is no longer practised in China, you can find many lotus shoes in museums.

Padukas

Padukas or toe-knob sandals are the oldest Indian footwear. Paduka means foot prints of Hindu gods like Vishnu and Shiva, that are worshipped in temples. Padukas are a little more than a sole with post and knob, which is located between the big and second toe. They usually are made of wood, ivory, iron or silver in various forms and materials. Today paduka is worn by mendicants and saints of Hindu and Jain religions.

Kabkabs

The kabkabs or nalins are studded wooden stilts, worn by the women in the Middle East who wanted to protect their feet from dirty or wet floors in public bathhouses. The word “kabkab” come from the clopping sound they make while walking. They were made of wood,were several inches high and decorated with embroidered silk, leather or velvet straps. For some special occasions like weddings, the wooden stilts were covered with silver ornaments. They were worn only by women, but in the bathhouses the simple kabkabs were worn also by men.

Chopines

The chopines are high plat-formed shoes and they début in the early 16th century and were very popular among Italian women. These extravagant and impractical shoes were made of wood and covered with silk or velvet. Since they were not practical to wear, women were seen struggling to walk in chopines supported by their servants. The chopines were rarely seen because the women wore long dresses that covered their shoes, but some museums have examples of original chopines.

Heelless shoes

Heelless shoes or shoes without heels. You probably spotted these modern shoes on the fashion runways or among the celebrities like the trendsetter and singer Lady Gaga. They debuted on Antonio Berardi’s fashion show in 2007 and were made famous by Victoria Beckham, one year later. Although they look uncomfortable and weird, according to Berardi they are perfectly balanced and do not cause any pain while walking.

Top 5 Unapproved Ads That Got Top Brands In Trouble

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Here on WOWTop5, we bring you a series of Top 5 Outrageous and Unapproved Ads from the past which created international controversies.

1) FORD

A team from JWT India posted an ad for the Ford Figo (in which Silvio Berlusconi ties up and gags crying women in the trunk of his car) on Ads of the World. It wasn’t meant to be distributed.

There was also an ad with a winking Paris Hilton getting ready to dispose of the scantily clad Kardashians, her reality television competition. Both WPP Group and Ford apologized.

2) OREO

Cheil Worldwide in Korea posted this “Milk’s Favorite Cookie” poster in 2012 on Ads of the World. It incited positive and negative backlash. Kraft USA issued a statement that it never ran and “was created by our agency for a one-time use at an advertising forum.”

3) BURGER KING

A local Singapore agency made this controversial ad for a special “super seven incher” promotion promising to “blow your mind away.” The innuendo is pretty obvious.

 

Burger King issued a statement that “Burger King Corporation (BKC) values and respects all of its guests. This advertisement is running to support a limited promotion in the Singapore market and is not running in the U.S. or any other markets. It was produced by a locally-based Singapore agency and not by BKC’s U.S. advertising agency of record, Crispin Porter and Bogusky.”

4) KIA

In 2011, Brazil-based agency Moma created an ad campaign for Kia that toyed with pedophilia — representing a sexual situation between a teacher and a young student. It even won an award at Cannes for it…

… the catch? Kia told CNET it had “no business relationship” with the agency that made the ads. The ads were pulled, and Moma lost its award since the ad was never approved. (This ad is creepy, but at least Sleeping Beauty was of age.)

5) WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

In 2009, DDB Brazil made a spec ad for the WWF that showed dozens of planes flying at the Twin Towers. The text tried to justify the image with the statement that 100 times more people died in the 2004 tsunami than 9/11.