Spiked Hair Styles

It is very clear that there isn't much guidance from the media in the way of hairstyles for men. It's difficult for the males amongst us to keep up with styles as many a time the famous and stylish are praised for their fashion instead of their hair. However, here you can learn the techniques to one of the most timeless looks in the male species - spikes.

Spiky hairstyles are extremely easy to achieve, but they are a good way to keep up with trends and individualise a specific look to suit unique personalities, whether you are spiking your hair to make a statement, or simply keep hair out of your eyes.

Spikes make a bold statement - they are typically wild and dangerous, and have even been copied by some females, for example Sharon Stone, Kerry Katona and Ellen DeGeneres. Although the look is easy, some men are completely lost when it comes to where to start.

One of the most dramatic spiked hairstyles is the Mohawk. Jared Leto is known for sporting this style, which consists of the sides of the head being shaved to leave a central strip. The strip is one or two inches long, and although there are variations in the look, it is typically one single strip that is spiked into a fan allowing the hair to stand up evenly. 'Liberty spikes' can also be incorporated into the Mohawk, which is when the central strip is separated into individual spikes

A close brother of the Mohawk is the 'faux-hawk'. This is a very similar style, but the hair on the side of the head isn't completely shaved. It is cut shorter than the central strip but is a more subtle look - suitable for those who aren't exactly ready to go the full hog with the hawk.

Although some looks are typically associated to a specific group of people, there is no rule saying that 'emo's' or 'punks' are the only people allowed to style their hair in a particular way. A look that is commonly associated with 'emo' groups is the messy, uneven, shaved look. Characteristically this look has a hanging front fringe covering one eye, and hair spiked randomly across the head.

Stereotypicaly, 'punks' are also known for their dramatic hairstyles. Again, the 'punk hairstyle' is a vast umbrella of looks, however this is where the Mohawk originated. Punk hairstyles include twisted spikes, messy spikes and a selection of faux-hawks, and one of the determining factors of the punk style is the existence of spikes in the hair

To conclude on the background of the spiked hairstyle, one of the lesser known variations is the 'flat top' look. This is when the style, based on the crew cut, is much shorter at the sides and back, leaving slightly more hair at the top to make a bolder impression. The hair at the top is still short enough to stand up on its own in spikes.

Anyone can achieve a spiked hairstyle, even those suffering with hair loss. Visit http://www.bloomsburywigs.com to find out more.

Daniella Clowd
Bloomsbury of London
Hair Harvest

Natural Skin Care Tips

If your blessed with the perfect look then consider yourself very lucky. Many of us have to work at it more than others. Fortunately, there are many very inexpensive ingredients that will help everyone look good and have beautiful skin. If we're going to use natural ingredients for our skin care regimen, then we should be totally aware of our skin type and thus not end up using the wrong natural skin care products. Here are some great tips for various skin types as well as recipes for face masks.

Skin care tips for normal skin
If you happen to be one of the lucky ones who have normal skin then count your blessings. This group hardly has any skin care problems and usually have that flawless look others admire. All you have to do is make sure to eat a balanced diet, drink plenty of water and get regular exercise. Another suggestion is to cleanse your face with soap and water and add a little rose water. Rose water helps to maintain your skin tone and also ensures that dirt and dust is washed away What's the point of skin toning if you have normal skin? Well, irrespective of whatever tone of skin you may have, rose water helps enlarge pores and eliminates that orange peel look every time you wash your face.

Skin care tips for dry skin
If you have dry sometimes itchy skin your not alone. One of the most amazing natural moisturizer is honey. How about making a paste of honey and milk and leave it on for like 15 to 20 minutes depending on the intensity of dryness you can go even longer. You can also leave it on over night and wash off the next morning. It's also prudent to make changes in your diet and include some dairy products. Remember to drink 8 - 10 glasses of water every day. I also heard that eating nuts as they provide oil to your skin from inside. The best overall thing to do is for dry skin care is to keep moisturized not only from the outside but from inside as well.

Skin care tips for oily skin
Oily skin happens when the glands inside the layers of skin produce too much oil. One remedy for oily skin is the application of mint and sandalwood paste. These powerful ingredients are well known for controlling oily skin and improve complexion. Cucumber is another powerful ingredient that helps fight oily skin. Just grate the cucumber and apply all over your face. No need to add any other ingredients. Your skin will feel fresh and radiant.

Ideas and Recipes for Face Masks

   1. Carrot Mask - Grate a carrot and mix it with one teaspoon of honey. Leave on your face for around 15 minutes and with regular use, it will surely bring about a change.
   2. Pineapple mash - Mash a pineapple slice and mix it with some lemon juice then, mix that with wheat flour. Use it on your face and neck area then scrub it off after a while. You will notice how smooth your skin is.
   3. Lemon-Egg Mixture - Beat an egg white and store it in the freezer for 15 minutes. When the time is up add lemon juice and a grated tomato to your cooled off egg whites. Lemon and egg have a wonderful softening quality so if you do this for a month, you'll notice how soft your skin becomes.
   4. Guava - For a more glowing look, smash a guava and stir it with an oatmeal and lemon juice mixture.
   5. Spinach - Try a cup of raw pureed spinach with one spoon of fresh cream. Apply to the face.
   6. The Radical Radish - A grated radish with a spoon of vinegar, one spoon of lemon juice and one spoon of honey and mix well. Put them in distilled water and let steep like a tea then wash your face regularly with this mixture.
   7. Honey potato - Mix a spoon of honey with an egg white and grated potato.
   8. Make a paste of orange peel and rose water. Apply the combination on the skin. This will make you're skin glow.
   9. Gently massage an egg white and honey face mask It will eliminate tan from the face.
  10. Cleansing with cucumber adds glow to the skin. Mixing cucumber juice with milk, you get a wonderful cleanser.
  11. For the oily skin type, make a mixture of lemon, grapes, egg white. After leaving it for 20 minutes, rinse the preparation with warm water. Lemon will cleanse the skin. Grapes add softness to the skin. Egg white will make the skin firmer.
  12. Maintain a strict routine of personal hygiene.
  13. Eat lots of fresh fruits, salads, milk and green, leafy vegetables. Avoid oily and fried foods. Try to avoid sugary sodas along with french fries and most junk food in short.
  14. Some women may have a problem with this but avoid make-up as much as possible. At least, do not wear make-up for long stretches of time this clogs your pores and doesn't allow the skin to breath.
  15. Never use beauty products that contain ingredients you might be allergic to. Try to do a patch test on your skin before you use any new beauty product. A lot of these skin cosmetics have propylene glycol or diazolidinyl urea which you might be allergic to. When in doubt consult a dermatologist.
  16. Follow a cleansing routine for your skin. Using a natural oatmeal-honey scrub will be beneficial.
  17. Take 1 tsp of boiled oats, ½ tsp honey and ½ tsp milk. Mix well. Apply evenly on your face and neck. After 10 minutes, use a cotton wool to dab refrigerated rose water on your face and neck. Use gentle, upward movements of your fingers to massage the face scrub off your face and neck. Wash your face with plain water. Pat it dry with a soft towel. Apply a light moisturizer on your face and neck. You may use this face scrub every day.
  18. You can purchase a natural walnut, apricot scrub check the ingredients before you buy to make sure there are no weird chemicals in them and use it on alternate days.
  19. Ever heard of Fuller's earth? Get this and use it about every 7 days or so along with the following skin care recipe:. Mix 1 tbsp of Fuller's earth, 1 tsp of sandalwood powder, ½ tsp of milk cream, 1 tsp rosewater, 1 tsp honey and mix well. Apply this natural face pack to your face and neck. Don't put it around the eyes. For the area around the eyes, apply a mix of ½ tsp honey, ½ tsp cucumber juice and ½ tsp milk cream to the area around the eyes. Leave the face packs on your face for 10 minutes. Use a cotton pad to dab rosewater on your face and neck. Soften the facial mask and gently wash it off with plain water. Pat dry with a soft towel.
  20. Gently massage an aloe vera based moisturizer into the skin of your face and neck. Use very gentle upward, rotating movements of your fingers for the massage.
  21. If you live in a sunny environment, always use a sunscreen. Whether it's a gel or a lotion but make sure that you are using a SPF 15 sunscreen-you can even try SPF 30. The higher the SPF (Sun Protection Factor), the more effective the sunscreen.
  22. Take good care of yourself. Exercising regularly, eating a balanced diet are just as important as maintaining a beauty regimen. A healthy body is the first step to beautiful, glowing skin.
  23. Drink at least 10-12 glasses of water everyday.
  24. Walk for 30 minutes every day. This should be done in a relaxed manner either in the morning or in the evening.
  25. Make sure that you get 8 hours of undisturbed sleep every night.

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