| A little facial hair is more common for women than you think, but it has to go for prom night. You also want to have the smoothest legs and get rid of any unwanted hair for the big evening in your new dress. Before removing any hair, you might want to know about the different types of hair on a woman's body. Keratin is the hard protein found in our nails and our hair follicles. The hair on our bodies is made up of vellus hair and terminal hair. Vellus us the soft, fine hair that is found on the chest, back and facial regions. Some women have darker vellus hairs that are more noticeable. Terminal hair is the dark, coarse and long hair that grows from our heads and eventually our armpits and pubic areas. Some hormonal disorders such as polycystic ovary syndrome can cause excess hair growth and darker hairs to grow on unwanted places. There are several different ways to remove hair for prom night. The most traditional form of hair removal is shaving. All you need is a razor and shaving cream or gel. This is something you can do at home and at your own pace. Remember to only shave your legs, underarms and bikini area. Do not attempt to shave your face because whatever grows back will be darker and coarser than it was before. The only downside about shaving is that it only lasts one to three days. You may also experience razor burn, bumps or ingrown hairs. You can avoid these things by exfoliating your skin with a loofah before you shave to remove any dead skin cells. The next least painful form of hair removal is plucking. This works best on small areas such as the eyebrows. All you need are tweezers and the hair is usually gone for about three to eight weeks. Take your time plucking to avoid ingrown hairs or over-plucking. A depilatory is a cream that can also remove unwanted hair from the skin's surface. It dissolves the protein structure in the hair so that you can just wash it away. Depilatories are great because the hair is usually gone from several days to two weeks and it works quickly. You can also buy them at any drug store or grocery store. On the other hand, they can be messy, give off a really bad smell and can cause allergic reactions for people with sensitive skin. Be sure to read the product information very carefully before using any depilatory product. One of the long-lasting forms of hair removal is waxing. It lasts for three to six weeks and you can do this at home with a waxing kit or find this service at most salons or spas. Usually a sticky wax is spread along the area where the hair is growing. Some salons are using a hard wax that hardens as it cools on the skin then can be quickly pulled off. This usually works better than the wax that is removed with a cloth strip. It can also be less painful. The only serious drawback of waxing in general is the pain. The good thing is that it only lasts for a second. There may also be inflammation or redness in the waxed area, but it will go away in only a few hours. People with medical conditions such as diabetes should avoid waxing and others that are taking acne medications should consult a physician before waxing to be oriented on the pain or cause of infection. If you are ready to get rid of your body hair permanently, there are some other options. Electrolysis is a professional procedure that kills the hair follicle. The process takes several hours, depending on the size of the area and is extremely expensive. There is also laser hair removal that lasts about six months. A laser stops the growth of the individual hairs, but can treat large areas of hair at a time. This is another expensive form of hair removal, costing around $500 for one session. Now that you know the ups and downs of hair removal, you can have a better idea of which method works best for you! |
October 2007 Archives
Halloween Formal? Out of Halloween ideas? You've already been the cheerleader or the sexy nurse. This year, if you want to try something new and use what you have, old prom and homecoming dresses with a little extra make-up and accessories can give you a great look for Halloween! If you have an old glamour gown lying around, the options are endless. With a bright blonde wig and some snazzy red lipstick, you can have yourself a real Marilyn Monroe. Or, you can choose to not even label yourself as a specific celebrity, but as a simple glamour girl, Hollywood star or red carpet queen. Depending on the cut and color of the dress, you could also make a more specific costume idea work. For example, if you have something long, sleek and gold, you could pull the glorious Roman Goddess out of a hat! You can also put your old animal print dresses to good use. Simply dress yourself up with a little bit of black and white make-up to go with the zebra print, or some yellow and gold to give yourself the leopard look. This is the sexier version of the zebra or the cheetah suit. Or dig up something really old to get the killer 1980s look! Your mom might have her old prom dress stashed away or visit a local vintage shop or Goodwill to get old, cheap prom dresses. To get a cute Southern Belle look, go for something with big sleeves and a big, ruffled skirt. Then add a wide-brimmed hat and long white gloves. You may already have a dress at home that is perfect for the the Southern Belle costume. Any prom dress with a soft floral print would do just fine. Speaking of print, use more of your exotic-printed dresses to get the Hawaiian, islander look for Halloween. Dazzle this up with great make-up, flowers in the hair or around the neck. Probably the easiest costume to make with your old prom dress would be just to go as Prom Queen! Use your old prom queen crown or find a gorgeous tiara at the party or Halloween store. Sequins, Beads and Rhinestones...Oh, My! Have you ever wondered what kind of embellishments your prom dress is made of? The most common items are sequins, beads and rhinestones, but sometimes the distinction can be a bit confusing. Sequins are the disk-shaped beads, but they also come in various shapes, sizes and colors. We see a lot of sequins on prom dresses and shoes because they are extremely shiny and work really well under lighting. Another great thing about sequins is that they look different under any kind of light. They look very much like a 1970s disco queen and are great for any red carpet event. This great Jovani dress is covered in gold sequins and is great for any party! Beads are another decorative item that comes in all shapes and sizes and are also made from any kind of material. Each beaded dress is unique with delicate workmanship and style. Keep in mind that beaded dresses are often way heavier than non-beaded gowns. This Sherri Hill gown is stunning in silver sequins beads. The last kind of decorative embellishment is the rhinestone that is ever-so-popular and gaudy. A rhinestone is a "diamond simulant made from rock crystal, glass or acrylic," according to information from Wikipedia These little rocks look exactly like diamonds, except for the true glistening effect. However, good manufacturers have created rhinestones that successfully shine as bright as diamonds. Here is another Sherri Hill gown that is dazzling in rhinestones and pearls. |
Scala's beaded gowns have been rocking the prom scene ever since we can remember. The 2008 Prom Season is going to be smoking with some of Scala's new gowns, bright colors, sleek cuts and embellishments galore! All of Scala's gown have a unique assortment of beads, sequins and rhinestones. But each are used to to achieve an individual look and style. Some of our favorites include bandeau halter-style gowns. A sleek satin top with a shimmering beaded bottom looks like Hollywood glamour and elegance. Spice things up with some great accessories and a fabulous up-do. Then here is the classic vintage gown. Natural tones with lines of soft, shimmering blue, adorned in sporadic stones. The prom dress elongates the body and is great for any high school prom or evening wear event. Another unforgettable piece looks like moonlit silver speckled in shimmering beads and sequins. However, the best part is the modern cut in the back. An over-sized armhole with an extra patch missing in the middle to show off a woman's seductive form. Scala also has a selection of fun and flirty prom dresses for 2008. In this strapless dress, you are basically wearing art, a beautiful Japanese print with vivid texture and color. The beautiful top is even embellished in fabric, and from a distance it looks like it is adorned in miniature Japanese fans. The middle sash separates the top from the bottom and creates the feeling of a traditional Japanese garment. The gown is a one-of-kind theme dress and will be the talk of the prom. Another Scala dress for the outgoing type is this short cocktail-style dress. Fun, young colors embellished in large, floating sequins and a large bow. This is another dress that will allow you to go crazy on the accessories. |
You've been waiting for this evening for months. So, make it count! You already look great and have the perfect date, now its time to make sure that your prom is just as great as you've always dreamed it would be. How about hosting a pre-prom gathering for family and friends. This is the perfect time to take group pictures have some pre-prom snacks or dinner, if you prom committee isn't providing any. This is a great opportunity to get everyone excited to go! Be sure to travel in a group. You may decide to rent a limousine, but it is always more fun to do this with other couples and share the experience together. Host a post-prom party at your place or even a breakfast at home or a local restaurant. Groups love getting together for after-party biscuits and pancakes and it will surely make the prom fun last. Bring some extra cash. It will definitely ruin your night if you are stranded without any money. So be smart and stash a little extra in your purse. This is also a good place to keep your cell phone in case of emergencies. You are going to want your camera to capture every last moment of your prom. You'll want to remember everyone else's dress, who their date was and how much fun you all had together. |
Tara Conner is back and it could not have been more awkward for Trump's beauty queens. Episode Two of MTV's "Pageant Place" reveals a sober Tara Conner and the uncomfortable Miss USA Rachel Smith, both individually battling for the Miss USA spotlight. When Miss Teen USA Katie Blair and her boyfriend Josh enter the picture, things really start to heat up, bringing back their ugly past. Katie was the beauty queen that made the scandalous phone call, sending Tara into rehab for cocaine abuse because she thought Tara was hitting on Josh. But the Tara in Episode Two seems to have put all of the drama behind her. Not only does she tag along with the three beauty queens, but comforts Katie after her boyfriend acts like a complete jerk during a photo shoot, embarrassing her in front of the other queens and dozens of working professionals. This whole time, young Riyo is just going with the flow, looking gorgeous and trying to embrace the fabulous life of NYC. Tune in next Wednesday for more of the drama. |
We have all figured out by now that prom is expensive for everyone. The girl, the guy and the parents are all dropping hundreds of bucks for a great prom night. But there are more people out there who are spending tons of time and money to make your prom the best one ever. This is the undercover prom committee, a group of students, teachers and parents who work for months beforehand to make sure that their classmates, students and children have the best venue, food, music and overall atmosphere for their prom. The first thing a prom committee must do is work out a budget for the grand evening. Plan to spend the most or the least amount of money on the prom venue. Of course, if you decide to hold prom in the school gymnasium, it's going to be free, but if you want to go for something a little fancier, like a hotel or a rented-out clubhouse, be prepared to drop thousands for the evening. Also keep in mind what night of the week you are holding prom. Most high schools reserve a Saturday night, which is the best time for girls and guys to get ready for prom. If you can rearrange it where prom falls on a Friday night, you may only have to pay a fraction of the cost you would pay for a Saturday night. Food will be the next most costly item. The amount of food you will need will be determined by the number of kids going to prom and what kind of meal you are having. If you are having a menu with a wait staff, you will need options and it will definitely cost more to have individual plates prepared. The most economical way to go is the buffet. You can have assortments of food and the cost stays low. Just remember to work everything into your budget including costs of labor and tableware. Music is a must-have for prom night and it has to be GOOD music. Live bands are usually too expensive for most prom budgets so the best way to go is to hire a good disc jockey. Go with a professional so that he or she will bring along the best equipment, the hottest tunes and a great DJ personality. Do not forget to budget for decorations. The prom-goers have to get into the mood somehow and great decorations will do just that. Go for a theme and build around it. Some popular themes we are seeing these days are New Orleans style, red carpet events, Las Vegas casinos or wintery romantic themes. Your prom committee can make the decorations by hand or cough up the dough to get ready-made ones. See what everyone has just lying around, old Christmas lights or decorations from a previous party. Even prom tickets cost money, but it is how you do them that will determine how much money. Some committees like for their tickets to be professionally designed and printed. Well, guess what? Nobody is going to look at the ticket after you hand it over to get into the prom. However, there are some people that might want to keep their ticket as a prom favor to keep the memory alive. This is why you should spend less money and buy nice paper from a supply store and print the tickets yourself using the school's printer. As for prom favors, cost depends on what kind of favors you choose to give. You want for you all of your friends and prom-goers to have some sort of party favor to remember the evening, like a key-chain or a picture frame. These can be personalized with the prom year and the name of your school. It definitely will cost more to get them personalized, but if you order in bulk it will be must cheaper and there will be plenty of favors for everyone. Everyone wants their picture taken at the prom so Prom Committee's duty is to make sure that there is a photographer on the set. While prom-goers will be paying for the actual prints, you still have to cough up the dough to pay for the photographer's time and equipment. You may need multiple photographers and they might need to bring their own backdrop. Fees usually depend on the photographer. Now that you know what you will be spending your money on, it's time to figure out how to get the funds to actually pay for it all. The best way to make money without spending money is to use what you have and get a lot of people's attention FAST. We have tons of ideas to help you along the way. - Car Wash: This is a classic fundraising idea that actually works! Don't charge for the actual car wash, but work for tips or donations Pick the most popular street corner in your hometown and watch drivers start to line-up for a "free" car wash. Do this every weekend for a month and you will be banking enough cash to cover some easy expenses. - Pets: Everyone loves to show off their precious animals. Host an event with an entry fee where families can pretty up their dog, cat or reptile for the whole world to see. You can have a panel of judges to determine the best looking pet or the one with the greatest talent. This isn't only fun, but a great way to earn some prom cash. - Ice Cream: We all love a little ice cream and an ice cream social after a football game would be a great way to please your peers and rack in the cash to help pay for prom night expenses. - T-shirt Sale: This might cost the prom committee a little cash up front to pay for the T-shirts, but students love prom T-shirts with cute little slogans about their high-school prom. If you order them in bulk, you can buy them fairly cheap, at around $5 a shirt then turn around and sell them to students and teachers for $15 a pop. An instant money-maker. - Tournaments: People will always pay to watch others duke it out in one tournament or another, whether it is a sports tournament or a Nintendo match. These are great ways for the prom committee to get in their and turn some profit. Host a video game tournament or a hacky sack tournament. Charge an entrance fee and provide cheap snacks and beverages. - Team up with a local restaurant: Local fast-food restaurants love helping out with fundraising events because it makes them look good and it brings them more business. You can make this happen by printing our fliers for a small discount on a fast-food purchase at a certain restaurant and make sure that everyone goes on a certain day. If they show their coupon, they will get the discount and the restaurant will split the profits with the prom committee. You can make some serious prom cash if you spread the word. - Bake Sale: This is the most traditional way to do your prom fundraising, but it doesn't cost much and it always works. For two weeks, have members of the prom committee sell their home-made baked goods at lunch time. The income will be small, but it will be something and really tasty! |
MTV has done it again- another reality show with gorgeous girls. But the best part is all the drama. During the premiere season of Donald Trump's new show "Pageant Place," we get an inside peek at all the beauty queen business. We'll be watching Miss USA Rachel Smith, Miss Teen USA Katie Blaire and Miss Universe Riyo Mori, three pageant winners battling it out for all of the attention. Trump already has a surprise for these three girls in the very first episode. He's bringing back Miss USA 2006, Tara Conner, the beauty queen who was almost dethroned for partying a little too hard during her reign. Her cocaine use put her into rehab and gave the Miss Universe organization a bad rap. But now she's here to help out the new queens and pass down her knowledge on how to get by as one of the most adored women on the planet. Hopefully her dirty habits won't influence them too much. On Episode 2, the girls will finally reunite with Tara, so get ready! |
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Hard work and some careful planning will make your prom the best in 2008. You want things to run smoothly so here are some tips to make sure you have the perfect prom experience. Keep in mind that a plan of action should begin many months before most people are even thinking about prom. First, find your willing group of students, teachers and parents who want to help out. These should be dedicated individuals who want only the best for your high school prom. This is your official prom committee. Next, divide everyone up in to sub-committees. Each group will have authority over music, food, decorations and other specific things that need attention early on in the prom-planning process. Do not forget to buy gifts for your prom court such as tiaras, crowns, sashes and bouquets. Make sure that your prom has a theme. There is the classic Hollywood theme, or Hawaiian Luau. You could also try something cute and western, Mardi Gras or disco style. Make sure that your classmates and future prom-goers know about the prom date in enough time to seriously plan for it. Use banners, posters or early invitations to remind them, especially the guys, that prom is coming up and it is time to start preparing. Select a GOOD photographer. You do not want to remember your prom with cheesy photographs. An after-prom party for the senior class and all of your friends is a great way to keep the party rolling and the make the evening last. |
Long dresses are probably more appropriate for the winter season considering the chilly, and possibly snowy, evenings.
With whatever dress you choose to wear, be sure to find a coat that goes with the dress and will make you look just as great, with or without it.
Make-up for a winter formal should be smoky. Dark make-up, hair and dresses usually look best during a winter evening. They also fit in well with the winter mood.
The celebrity up-do is what we always want. The perfect Mischa Barton look or Scarlett Johanson hairstyle would provide the ideal prom. For the classy formal up-do, you need medium to long length hair and ponytail holders, bobby pins and some hair gel. Just randomly pin strands of hair back, leaving some loose bangs in the front. Use a little bit of the gel to hold hair in place, but don't use too much. Too much hair gel makes your hair look stiff and greasy. |
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| For curls, you want them big and loose. If you have straight hair, you can use large curlers to get the big curls. You can either leave the curls down to graze around your shoulders, or you can pin pieces back to accent your face. | ![]() ![]() |
Every girl going to prom should have the best hairstyle to go with them. And no matter what kind of hair you have - straight, curly, long or short- there are hundreds of ways to get the job done and plenty of professionals out there to help you do it.
If you are going to the salon, make an appointment at least two weeks in advance and be prepared to go in early for a consultation with your stylist. This will make prom day less hectic with testing out hairstyles. When you go in for your appointment, bring a picture of what you want. Also wear a button down shirt so that your hair won't get ruined when you actually get dressed for prom. Another thing to keep in mind is that your hair may or may not turn out exactly like the photograph. That's okay. Embrace your own look.
If you decide to do your hair yourself, decide what look you are going for and go from there. If you want tight curls, straighten your hair for cleaner looking curls. Instead of using mouse or hairspray, run a smooth conditioner through your hair to prevent frizzing of dry hair.
There are some hairstyles that are always in style. Long curls can create a glamorous look for your prom. For long hair, curl thin strands to create this dramatic look. A more romantic hairstyle is the traditional French twist or braids with loops, twisted and tucked and embellished with flowers or rhinestones. If "funky" describes your gown, there are always hairstyles that will match. Crimping, criss-crossing pieces and chunky highlights all call for a fun-filled night and great prom photos.
Jewelry: It can be easy to go a little crazy when shopping for prom jewelry. There is a lot to think about- bracelets, necklaces, earrings, tiaras, etc. - but be sure to pick out something that works for you and something that YOU like. Always go for something that will accent your gown instead of over power it. If your gown really shines and is covered from head to toe in rhinestones or sequins, then go for more subtle jewelry pieces like soft pearls.
Prom Hair Accessories: These can be even more fun than a traditional up-do for your hair. A headband, bandeau, barrette or hair comb can really highlight your facial structure and be a new elegant addition to your outfit.







