What's Your Facial Shape?

Facial shapes affect everything from the glass frames we choose to the hairstyles we wear.  Knowing what style will compliment your facial structure is so very important.  Believe it or not, one of the easiest ways on how to determine your face shape is by simply pulling your hair back away from your face and outlining it on your bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker ... even a lipstick liner and compare it to the illustrations to the left.

Listed below are helpful hints on hairstyles for your face shape.

Oval 

Considered the most ideal and versatile facial shape by hair experts, many haircuts and styles suit an oval face. However, the best styles to go for are the ones that have layers at the height of you best features such as cheekbones, lips or chin. Short layers at the top of the head should be avoided as they make the face look longer, while ladies with an oval face and thick and curly hair should avoid blunt cut as it looks like a pyramid.

Rectangular 

Hair cut for rectangular face should add width to its sides, play down on its length by adding a fringe on the forehead and a style that has a side part to soften the squareness of the face. Extremely long or short haircuts make the face look longer while chin-length bobs and haircuts add width to the face. Another way to add the width is to add the curls & waves in your hair. However, short layers lend volume to the top further elongating the face then balancing it.

Round

Hairstyles should add height on top of the head. You have to cut the bulk from the sides of your face to give it an oval look. So, one length haircut or blunt cuts on short hair should be avoided. Hair width needs to be minimized on the sides and around the ears by keeping them flat at those points. Wispy tapered ends take away the attention from the roundness of the face. Hair styles that fall right below the chin and have layers from the top down, elongate the face and look good.

Square

Need a hairstyle that lends length and roundness to it. Layered hair around the jaw line soften it a bit while wispy hair take the attention away from the squareness of the face. Layered haircuts that frame the face are best for square faces. Best options are the short, spiky cuts or long, sleek styles with top down layers starting at the jaw line. Blunt cut bangs or chin-length bobs make the face look squarer.

Heart 

Hairstyles for this shape needs to add width at the jaw line. Eyes and cheekbones are generally strong points of the heart shaped face. Women with short hair can keep the top layers soft and long or side-swept bangs while the women with longer hair can try long, wavy layers that come across to your cheekbones that lend certain rounded look to the pointed chin. Harsh choppy layers or blunt cut bangs do not suit a heart-shaped face.

Diamond 

You need to add width to the forehead and soften or disguise the cheekbones to give an illusion of the oval face. Add more fringe and volume to the forehead and the chin while smooth hair compliment the cheekbones better. A low side parting and a sweep of hair brushed across the forehead add width to the face and make it look shorter. Asymmetric haircuts look good too along with adding to the hair volume with curly or wavy styles.

Triangular

It has been discovered that hairstyles that widen the area around the forehead are generally more productive when it comes to faces that are shaped like a triangle. This helps to reduce the visibility of the dominant jaw line. It is the goal of the hairstyle for this shaped face to distract the chin area by opening up the forehead area. Many hairstylists agree that it is better to have a hairstyle that is short in length and open at the top of the face rather than closing up the forehead area and opening up the bottom of the face.

Bangs that are teased in an upright position are much more effective than bangs that are combed down over the forehead. Hair that is cut and layered around the facial area and kept open at the top are much more appropriate hairstyles than straight cuts with bangs that wisp down over the face.

Going Senile? 8 Steps To Curb The Madness

Okay, who has brain farts all the time out there in blog land?  Raise your hand.  Well, my hand is waving like a flag in a stormy wind.  I’ve been in my car heading toward a commonly known destination and then can’t remember how the heck to get there.  How about being in the middle of writing a grocery list and not remembering the name of the item and having to pull the empty container out of the garbage to see what it was you needed to replace?  How many times do you forget a family member’s name, or someone you were just introduced to a matter of minutes ago? Do you walk into a room to do/get something and then wonder why you’re even there?

Are we all going lulu … senile … bonkers?  Or, are we simply on overload?  Experts say our noggins are pretty darn adaptable and even improve with age.  Um … mine is not improving … scary thought here.  Am I alone in this?

Deep sigh … no.  Research says culprits causing forgetfulness in women are stress, not enough sleep, bad nutrition, and those blasted hormones of ours that go awry during pregnancy, after delivery or before and during menopause.  Now I’m really screwed.

Seriously though … there is hope for us ladies out there and simple ways to keep our brain in balance:

We Just Got To Eat Regular Meals -  Our brain requires fuel and that means calories to function at our best.  It's recommended we eat every 2-3 hours a healthy snack of protein or fiber like a handful of almonds, celery sticks with a little peanut butter or a string of cheese.

Power Boosters - We can boost our brain power with spinach as a side dish or try using strawberries/blueberries in a morning smoothie.

Hot Beverages - Studies show that coffee, tea & hot cocoa provide comfort and boost brain function.  Green tea is a powerful antioxidant and cocoa improves the blood flow to the brain.

Vitamins Are A Must - The brain needs minerals and enzymes to run at its best and sometimes food does not always provide what we need.  Multivitamins are good along with Folic acid but check with your physician first in case you're on specific medication that can cause a reaction.  

UNWIND - Severe stress causes permanent damage to memory as it shrinks and destroys tissue.  Find a way to vent.  Go for a walk, curl up with a good book, take a dance class, do crafts or start a hobby.  

Be Playful -  Studies proved when grown-ups play mind games (no not those kind --- the healthy ones), the brain truly reaps the rewards because you’re opening new pathways that keeps your mind young.  It can be a crossword, card game, video game, playing wii, learning a new language, how to paint or playing an instrument. 

Get Off Your Duff - Sitting on your bottom 24/7 is simply unhealthy all the way around.  Activity keeps the brain in shape AND you can reverse aging with just a half-hour walk each day.  How's that for an incentive?  Activity fuels the growth of new cells.  Get moving out there!

Proper Sleep - Not getting enough sleep effects everything from mood swings to a very poor sex drive.  We put our children on schedules when they’re little because we know the importance of them.  We can’t forget ourselves.  Just because we’re older, doesn’t mean our brains, as well as our bodies, need to go to sleep and wake up the same time on a normal schedule.

Isn’t it great to learn that we’re all not going daft?  Super women we are but in order to stay at the top of our game, we need to not loose focus keeping our mental health on track.

      

Choosing Makeup For Women Of Color ~ Video

How To Compliment a Pear Shaped or Apple Shaped Figure?

Ladies we are beautiful ...  say it out loud and believe it !!!  The heck with the picture-perfect babes, actresses and singers who grace the pages of every female magazine we skim through.  We are the face of the all-American woman.  We all come in different shapes and sizes and not one of us is exactly alike.  We are unique in our own right. 

Most of us, however, don't know how to look our best based on the body type we were born with.  The way to do that is in simply knowing some of the tricks of the trade.  We would all love to have an Hour Glass shape (considered the perfect of all).  Many of us are either Apple or Pear.  Here are some guidelines to help you flatter the body you have. 

Apple Shaped

 Typically apples have:

• A fuller face and neck
• Broader shoulders
• Fuller Breast
• A fuller, undefined waist
• Narrow hips
• A flat rear end
• Shapely legs

Balance is always the goal. Our main goal will be to lengthen or elongate your torso. We want to give the appearance of slimmer shoulders and waist. We need to draw attention away from the tummy, and draw attention to your best attributes which include your much envied breast and legs.  Focusing on your assets and emphasizing your positives will make you look much slimmer, and make for a more confident you.

Wrap around tops look best on you, fitted tops also look great, but nothing to tight. Look for tops with v necklines; this will pull the eye away from your shoulders, while accentuating one of your best features!  Because apples tend to have larger breast always make sure your bra provides the support you need! The right bra can make a big difference when it comes to enhancing your figure. An empire, or raised waist also brings the eye up and away from problem areas. A cami, or tank top, with a matching jacket is always a good way to go! Look for blouses that have a cinched waist, or belted jackets, this will give the illusion of a smaller waist, and slim down your tummy.  Jackets should fall right below the waist to mid-thigh, never at the widest part of your hips. Wear jackets and blazers open for the best vertical lines. Darker solid colors work best for your tops.  If you want a top with some pattern, choose tops that are darker around the midsection, and with the pattern at the top to bring the eye up toward your chest and face, while diverting attention away from your middle.

Play up those nice legs with shorter skirts, by shorter I mean 1 to 5 inches above the knee. Skirts should be fitted at the waist and flare toward the hem line. This will balance out your top and bottom. A-line skirts work really well because they will give you the look of a waist and more of an hourglass figure. Tulip skirts will also look great with your shape. Dresses should have strategic gathers under the breast to direct all eyes to your waist.  Textures like chiffon and silk are great options for your skirts, and you can go crazy with bolder colors and patterns but keep them on your lower half.

You want to look for jeans that have a flat front, and a rise that is lower than your natural waist. Look for jeans that have back pockets with flaps, this will help give some curve to a flatter rear.  Lighter washes and/or jeans with fading will add shape to your thighs.  Boot-cut and flared legs will give you a longer leaner look.

This shape looks best when wearing simple designs, rather than excessive flounces and gathers.  When looking for items to add to your wardrobe, always think simple style. 

Have fun with your shoes!  You can wear a chunkier heel as it will help balance your upper body.  Wedges are perfect too and avoid stiletto heels as they will make you look out of proportion.  However, sleek shoes with a thicker heel will work better visually.

Pear Shaped

Typically pears have:

• A long or slender neck
• Sloping or narrow shoulders
• Narrow back
• Small to medium bust
• Defined waist
• Curvy hips and backside
• Full thighs and calves

We have to think about balance. We want to give the appearance of wider shoulders and bigger bust this will help take the attention off the widest part of the body by bringing the eyes up to your face, neck, bust and waist. So in other words what you need to do is to over play your upper body and give your lower body a slimmer sleeker look.  Do this by using color on top, wide neck lines, accentuate your waste and wear dark colors on the bottom.

Because your bottom half is slightly larger than your top, you can wear slightly looser fitting cloths on top with out any problem. However, fitted tops look great on you as well. Blouses with a lot of detailing, tops in all sorts of prints with lighter and brighter colors, or textured fabrics are what you want to look for in your tops. This will help balance your lower half. 

Puffy sleeves and tops that hug the shoulders or ones with wide-set straps will help to visually widen the chest and shoulders.  Look for necklines that are scooped, draped, v'd, rounded or squared.  Any neckline that has a lower and wider neckline will look great. These will emphasize your bust and draw attention to your face.  Also look for an under-wire or molded bras to help with balance. A halter top that ties at the neck will give the shoulders the appearance of width they need, and this will help balance out your hips and thighs. 

A-line and flared skirts look best on pears. When choosing a dress, choose a dress with an empire waste or a wrap dress which will flow over your hips. Keep the print on top and darker solid colors on the bottom. Don't forget, your dresses will want to have the same features mentioned above on the top. 

You want to look for jeans or pants that are flared or have a wide leg, this will help hide your thicker thighs. Straight legged jeans are also a good for a sleek slimmer look. Go for mid-rise dark jeans (the darker the better) and dark pants. This gives the illusion of a slimmer hips and bottom. 

Shoes with a pointed toe will help give the illusion of an elongated figure. A rounded toe shoe will make you look chunkier as will chunky footwear.  Keep in mind that shoes with a generous cut that show the start of your toes are much more flattering than a closed to shoe . Avoid stiletto heels as they will make you look out of proportion, however, sleek shoes with a thinner heel will work better visually.

Crunches To Flatten Your Stomach Video

What Your Auto Insurance Agent Doesn't Want You To Know ...

It happens ... a car comes out of nowhere and the screeching sound of tires, breaking glass and crunching steel resonates throughout your entire body.  Once the harsh reality of what has just transpired consciously settles one of your fears is how this all will effect your insurance rates.

We all have been with our carriers for months ... even years.  Maybe you are the type of person who never thinks about picking up the phone and discovering if there are better options out there available to you.  Did you know that anything your company has done or said to keep you stuck with them probably isn't true?

Question:  Do you think you have to stay with them because they offered you a discount for paying a whole year in advance?   Not true.  A discount is wonderful but sadly, many of us receive terrible service and learn once we're on board, we are terribly dissatisfied.  You don't have to wait until your policy is up - you can go at any time. If you've prepaid, you get a prorated portion of what you've paid back.

Question:  Is it true all carriers have similar rates, so why waste time shopping around?  Not necessarily.  The bigger the company, the more they need to market which means part of your premiums has to cover those marketing and advertising expenses.  A smaller agency that doesn't advertise as much will save you money.

Question:  Are rates locked in for the length of your policy?  Well, if you got a ticket or in an accident in the past, your rate would be high and the ticket and/or accident might not come off your record while your policy is active.  However, insurance companies won't necessarily drop your rates unless you ask so, stay involved.

Insurance rates are also based on your credit score ... the lower the score ... the higher the risk of nonpayment you become.  We've all been in situations where job loss, health or marriage issues made life difficult.  If you would like to receive a free ebook on how to correct your credit send us an email at thegirlzkorner@gmail.com