Tahitian Pearls Tahitian Pearls Buying Guide

by: Yan Berry



Tahitian pearls, symbols of luxury and perfection, are long sought for their exceptional beauty and value. Named after the tropical island of Tahiti, Tahitian pearls are valued as queen of pearls and creation of the sea. Tahiti’s black-lipped oysters yield a unique array of iridescent black, gray and greenish black pearls. Employing Japanese cultured akoya pearl cultivation techniques, farmers in French Polynesia began cultivating large black pearls in 1965. Nowadays, Tahitian pearl farming has spread over thousands of miles around this island. Due to Tahiti’s government promotion, demand for black Tahitian pearls rise 5-10% a year.

Tahitian Pearl Quality

Six factors determine Tahitian pearl quality: luster, nacre thickness, surface, color, size, shape.

1. Nacre Thickness

Nacre thickness is the most important factor when measuring Tahitian pearl quality. It determines how long the beauty of Tahitian pearls will last. Tahitian pearls with thick nacre will last a lifetime, while Tahitian pearls with thin nacre won’t last long; their nacre will wear off over time.

French Polynesia Government has set up a minimum nacre thickness of 0.8mm for Tahitian pearls. Tahitian pearls with less than 0.8mm nacre thickness are prohibited from exporting.

2. Surface Quality

There are four grades to rate the surface quality of Tahitian pearls: A, B, C, D. A quality Tahitian pearls are the highest quality and they are the most valuable.

A Quality: Tahitian pearls with very high luster and clean surface (one to a few slight flaws are distributed over less than 10% of the pearl surface).

B Quality: Tahitian pearls with medium to high luster and slight surface imperfection (some slight flaws are distributed over 30% of the pearl surface).

C Quality: Tahitian pearls with medium luster and medium surface imperfection (some slight flaws are distributed over 60% of the pearl surface).

D Quality: Tahitian pearls are heavily spotted (many slight flaws or several deep flaws are distributed over 60% of the pearl surface).

3. Luster

Luster is the best expression of a pearl's beauty. It is the quality of the light reflections from the pearl’s surface. Luster measures pearl surface shininess. High quality Tahitian pearls have high luster and mirror-like finish. Thick nacre results in high luster. Tahitian pearls with sharp and intense light reflection have high luster and a metal-like steely look.

4. Size

Most common sizes for Tahitian pearls range from 8mm to 14mm. Some Tahitian pearls are 16mm and very rarely over 18mm. The largest Tahitian pearl in the world is 21mm for a round pearl and 25mm for a semi-round pearl. The larger the pearls, the more valuable the pearls are.

5. Shape

Tahitian pearls have the following shapes:
round
semi-round
semi-baroque
baroque
ringed or circled
Among all shapes, round is the most desirable and valuable. Other shapes may have special appeal to jewelry artists.

Round pearls are almost perfect spheres. Round Tahitian pearls are rare and the production rate only accounts for 5-10% of Tahitian pearls produced each year.
Semi-round pearls are nearly round.

Semi-baroque pearls are subdivided into four shapes: drop, button, pear and oval.
Baroque pearls are described as irregular shapes.

6. Color

Black-lipped oysters produce the natural black color of Tahitian pearls. Although Tahitian pearls are famous for their black natural color, they have a wide range of colors including black, gray, blue, green and brown. These colors are referred to as body color. Body colors are enhanced by at least one overtone color. Overtone colors include blue, gold, silver, pink and reddish purple.

Different names are given to a combination of overtone and body colors:
Peacock: greenish black
Pistachio: greenish gray
Cherry: purplish black
Champagne: yellowish gray
Lavender: bluish black
Tahitian gold: golden black
Pigeon gray: purplish gray
Silver: gray
Moon gray: pale gray

Among these colors, peacock and Pistachio are the most popular colors. Tahitian pearls with peacock and pistachio colors have a higher value than pearls with other colors.

Buying Tahitian Pearls

When buying Tahitian pearl jewelry, color, quality, size, design, setting, and matching of Tahitian pearl jewelry need to be paid attention. Low quality Tahitian pearls (medium or heavy blemishes) are only worth a small fraction of top quality Tahitian pearls (flawless or very slightly spotted). It is important to ask the stores where you shop to provide detailed information on their Tahitian pearl quality.

Real Tahitian Pearls and Imitation Tahitian Pearls

Be cautious about imitation Tahitian pearls sold in the market. Here are some tips about the differences between real Tahitian pearls and imitation Tahitian pearls.
Real Tahitian pearls have the following characters:
1. Real Tahitian pearls have overtones or hue: green, gray, blue, peacock, eggplant or magenta. Real Tahitian pearls have a faint reddish glow when viewed through crossed filters.
2. Real Tahitian pearls are cold to the touch. They can quickly adopt body temperature.
3. Real Tahitian pearls are gritty when rubbed across the teeth.
4. Drilled holes are smooth around the edges.
5. Real Tahitian pearls are heavy to hold.

Imitation Tahitian pearls have the following characters:
1. Imitation Tahitian pearls only have one body color; they don’t have any overtone colors or hues. The color looks very flat.
2. Imitation Tahitian pearls always have the same temperature as their environment. When touching them to your skin, you won’t feel coolness from the pearls.
3. Imitation Tahitian pearls are smooth on teeth.
4. Drilled holes are bumpy, as if pearls are melted during drilling.
5. Imitation Tahitian pearls are light in weight.
6. When viewed under a 10 x lens, bubbles or mat patterns will be seen under the surface of imitation Tahitian pearls.


Article Provided by Premiumpearl.com:
Premiumpearl.com is a leading online provider of Tahitian Pearls and cultured pearl jewelry. For more information on http://www.premiumpearl.com

OTHER RESOURCES:

The Legendary Tahitian Pearl

Commonly known around the world as black pearls, the pearls of Tahiti are indigenous to the remote lagoons of French Polynesia in the South Pacific. Legend has it that the pearl oyster, Te Ufi was offered to man by Oro, the god of peace and fertility, who came down to earth on a rainbow. Some say that Oro offered the pearl front this oyster to the beautiful princess of Bora Bora as a sign of his eternal love. Read more…

Tahitian Pearls

Every characteristic of the Tahitian pearl depends on the magical qualities of the Pinctada margaritifera cumingi. Everything that makes the Tahitian pearl unique among gems — the size of the pearls, the colors, the mirror-like shine, the rainbow play of light — is the product of a perfect and precise combination of factors that exist nowhere else in the world. It takes a black-lipped pearl oyster living in the perfect waters of the South Pacific atolls, and the skill and attention of the people who care for the pearls. Read more…

Tahitian Cultured Pearls

Tahitian pearls offer a dramatic touch. The natural black color of these pearls comes from the color of the oyster's black lips. These pearls are traditionally called “black,” but their color can range from a metallic silver, to the color of pencil lead. And within this range of colors they can have bluish, purplish, or greenish overtones. Read more…

Tahitian Black Pearls

Tahitian black pearls bring to mind the images of lush lagoons, clear blue oceans and her silvery moon of the Tahitian paradise. Each and every Tahitian black pearl is cultured in an intense and laborious culturing process. From there, it takes Mother Nature additional years to create Tahitian black pearls. Read more…

Pearl Jewelry The Magic of Pearls

by: Ian Harris



Pearls!
The word itself immediately conjures images of wealth, classic beauty and nobility. Throughout history, pearls have always been associated with power and money, for only the rich and powerful could afford them. All through history, pearls were valued more highly than gold or diamonds.

Pearls have become synonymous with high value in our language. We still speak of “pearls of wisdom”, meaning the highest form of wisdom, the wisest of the wise. Jesus Christ spoke of “casting pearls before swine”, in reference to the most wasteful possible use of a most valuable resource. And the entrance to Heaven? The Pearly Gates of course.

Why were pearls so valuable? Pearls were extraordinarily rare. Unlike gold or precious gems, they are not mined from the ground, but made by a living organism, an oyster or a mussel. Pearls do not appear in a "vein" like precious metals or gemstones. They are spread out over a wide area, and deep under water. Even in areas where there are many oysters, only a few would contain a pearl, and collecting enough oysters to find pearls was a difficult and perilous task. Also, oysters are susceptible to climate change and disease. Entire beds can be wiped out in a year, thus eliminating the possibility of finding any more pearls. All problems that don't exist with precious metals or gems.

At perhaps the most famous banquet in history, Cleopatra challenged Marc Antony to a wager to demonstrate that Egypt had a wealth and history that placed it above conquest, she said she would provide the most extravagant dinner in history and challenged Marc Antony to match it. When they met, Cleopatra took a single pearl, crushed it to powder, put it into a glass of wine and drank it. Marc Antony immediately conceded defeat, and declined the offer of his meal, the matching pearl to the one Cleopatra had just consumed. Pliny wrote in his famous Natural History that the value of the two pearls was estimated at 60 million sesterces, equivalent to 1.87 million ounces of silver. At today’s price of $US7.25/oz, that is about $US13.5 million. An extravagant meal indeed.

At the height of the Roman Empire, the historian Suetonius wrote that the Roman general Vitellius financed an entire military campaign by selling just one of his mother's pearl earrings.

During the Dark Ages knights often wore pearls onto the battlefield. They believed that the magic they possessed would protect them from harm.

In the royal courts of Renaissance Europe pearls were regarded as a symbol of nobility. Since pearls were so highly regarded, a number of European countries passed laws forbidding the wearing of pearls by anyone not of noble birth.

With the discovery and exploitation of America, the discovery of pearls in Central American waters caused a flood of pearls into Europe. Unfortunately, by the end of the 17th century, the American pearl beds were almost wiped out by the demand for pearls in Europe.

The legendary Jacques Cartier bought his famous store on 5th avenue in New York in 1916. The price? Two perfect pearl necklaces.

All that changed in 1916, when Kikichi Mikimoto, the son of a noodle maker, patented his method for cultivating pearls in oysters. He was not, however, the first to invent the method. Two other Japanese men, Tokichi Nishikawa and Tatsuhei Mise, had independently discovered how to do it, and agreed to share the discovery in what became the Mise-Nishikawa method. Their technique was patented in 1907. Mikimoto could not patent his method without infringing the earlier patent, so he changed his patent application to make it a technique for making round pearls. This technicality allowed him to avoid infringing the earlier patent.

Mikimoto then set about building his pearl empire with a passion and dedication only seen from the likes of Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. A natural born businessman, promoter and entrepreneur, he soon purchased the rights to the Mise-Nishikawa method, and went on experimenting and improving his techniques until today Mikimoto pearls are the most famous and arguably the best quality saltwater cultured pearls available.

In more modern times, pearls adorned the bodies of famous movie stars, both on and off the set, A-list society ladies, and the wives of the politicians and the rich and powerful. Everyone from Marilyn Monroe to Jackie Kennedy-Onassis to the Queen of England have appeared in public, at one time or another, wearing pearls.

What is this fascination we have today with the pearl?

Lots of things. The pearl is the only gem that has luster, the main determinant of a pearl's quality. Luster is that shine, that light that seems almost like an inner glow that no other gemstone has. Almost as if the pearl were alive, perhaps a quality of its having been created by a living creature rather than formed by massive heat and compression millions of years ago as most gemstones were. The pearl is also the only gem that does not need any kind of treatment to reveal its true splendor. It does not need to be cut or polished, its beauty is completely natural and perfect without the intervention of man.

Perhaps it is because of these qualities that pearls, when worn against a woman's skin, seem to lift the life and vitality of the complexion and impart a warm glow just by being there, in the way no other gemstone can.

Whatever the reason, fortunately for us, the advent of cultured pearls, which can only be distinguished from “natural” pearls by an expert with a microscope, has meant that these gorgeous and flattering gems are within the reach of everybody. The price of a good cultured pearl necklace is a tiny fraction of that of a similar diamond necklace, and is every bit as beautiful, fashionable and flattering as a piece made from other gems. Pearls belong in every fashionable woman's jewelry collection. Make sure you have yours.

Article provided by Monica’s of Melbourne: gorgeous pearl jewelry for the fashion conscious woman on a budget.

ALSO ON THIS WEBSITE:

Tahitian Pearls Buying Guide

Tahitian pearls, symbols of luxury and perfection, are long sought for their exceptional beauty and value. Named after the tropical island of Tahiti, Tahitian pearls are valued as queen of pearls and creation of the sea. Tahiti’s black lipped oysters yield a unique array of iridescent black, gray and greenish black pearls.

Employing Japanese cultured akoya pearl cultivation techniques, farmers in French Polynesia began cultivating large black pearls in 1965. Nowadays, Tahitian pearl farming has spread over thousands of miles around this island. Due to Tahiti’s government promotion, demand for black Tahitian pearls rise 5-10% a year. Read more…

Shopping for Pearls: A Crash Course on the Different Types of Pearls

If you are looking for a piece a pearl jewelry, you may find it a little overwhelming at first. You will encounter terminology like natural, cultured, freshwater, saltwater, and imitation. This may make it difficult and confusing at first. To help, this article will provide you some background information that explains the common types of pearls. Read more…

How to Give a Manicure

by: Danielle Hollister




This guide will give you the basic directions for nail care; however, it cannot provide the same direction and hands-on experience offered by a professional school of cosmetology.

SUPPLIES:

1 – Nail scissors

2 – Small tray, about the size of a soap dish

3 – Gentle dishwashing detergent or other skin softening, bubbly liquid (such as some bubble bath products)

4 – Warm water

5 – Two to three hand towels

6 – Moisturizer or hand lotion with Aloe Vera, cocoa butter or similar ingredient to condition skin

7 – Clear base coat nail polish

8 – Colored nail polish

9 – Top coat nail polish

10 – Small lamp or other radiant source of light

11 – Table or desk so that, when seated, your arms can easily extend across from the relaxed position of a comfortable chair

12 – Hair dryer or similar device (not required)

13 – Cotton swabs

STEPS:

1 – Fill tray with warm water and sudsy liquid (the trick is to add water at just the right temperature so it will soften skin without being too hot to the touch)

2 – Place one hand in tray and let it soak for several minutes

3 – If you're giving someone else a manicure, you can use oil or moisturizer to massage one hand while the other one is soaking

4 – Remove soaking hand and pat dry with hand towel

5 – Place other hand in tray to soak for several minutes

6 – While the second hand is soaking, you should carefully begin trimming cuticles that form around the edges of the nail itself (NOTE: Pay close attention to what you're doing, so you don't cut too close and end up causing skin to bleed. If you take your time and trim slowly with tiny strokes, you should be fine.)

7 – If your timing is perfect, you will be finished cutting the cuticles on that hand before the first hand gets wrinkled from being in the warm water too long. (Tip: Don't try to hurry the cuticle trimming process to make your timing work. Instead try to remember to check on the soaking hand half-way through the course of cutting cuticles. If the water is cold or the hand shows hints of wrinkling skin, that's your cue to stop the soaking operation and pat hand dry with hand towel, apply some lotion and go back to the trimming procedure.)

8 – When you have completed trimming cuticles on both hands, you should make sure all loose skin is removed from nail area. Begin to polish nails with clear base coat by applying a thin layer as smoothly and carefully as possible. Try to keep polish on nails only. If you accidentally apply too much or get extra polish on skin around nails, use a cotton swab dipped lightly in nail polish remover to correct your mistake.

9 – After applying base coat to both hands, choose polish color and repeat previous procedure beginning with the same hand you started with last time. Follow guidelines described above to produce best results.

10 – The next application will be a top coat to create a seal or protection for colored polish. Repeat previous steps to ensure success in this process. Remember less is better when it comes to nail polish. Thick layers lead to messy results.

11 – You have two choices to complete this process and make your manicure last.

(1) You can dry nails with a blow dryer or similar device set on slow speed at a moderate temperature. You should keep hands positioned under heat source for at least three minutes and then sit still, touch nothing, and wait for another minute or two to avoid smudges or smears that will ruin your efforts.

(2) You can skip the dryer process and sit still, touch nothing and wait for at least five minutes to create lasting results that will make your manicured nails look their best.

About The Author
Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of BellaOnline Quotations Zine, a free newsletter for quote lovers featuring more than 10,000 quotations in dozens of categories like love, friendship, children, inspiration, success, wisdom, family, life, and many more. Read it online at http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art8364.asp

Makeup Tips for 40, 50, and Beyond

by: Sheila Dicks




Growing older doesn’t have to be a burden. Aging is a part of life and if we learn to appreciate our bodies and faces we will feel much more comfortable and live a much happier, stress-free life. It seems odd that some younger women are more concerned about how they look and dwell on flaws when they are at their physical best, when some older women, who are happy to be alive, feel good about themselves, accept their bodies and faces for what they are and rejoice in living.

If you are worried about getting lines and wrinkles and would like to feel better about how you look, the first step is to change your attitude toward yourself and aging. Start by evaluating the ideas and beliefs you have about aging and where you got them. If you see older women as unattractive then you are going to have a difficult time looking in the mirror at an aging face. Aging is the kind of thing that sneaks up on you and then one day — boom, you’re there. I have met women who are fifty and beyond who are very attractive and exude self-confidence (yes, they have lots of lines and wrinkles and a not-so-perfect body). Their attractiveness comes from feeling good about themselves and knowing they are more than the outside package. Self-confidence crosses all barriers, people notice and see the beauty.

Aging gracefully doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take care of yourself. It means keeping fit, using skin care products regularly, watching your diet and living a balanced life. Develop your own beauty and accentuate your positive qualities.

As we age and our faces change, we must change the way we care for our skin and how we wear makeup. Here are a few tips to get you started:

1. Always use a moisturizer. A good moisturizer will help your foundation glide on and will keep your skin more healthy. Choose a foundation that is the same color as your skin, is moist, goes on evenly and is one you can see your skin through. Don’t forget to blend around the jaw line.

2. If you have dark spots a good concealer and foundation will hide it. If you have a lot see a dermatologist who can lighten them.

3. Powder is used to absorb excess oil and reduce shine. If you have been plagued with oily skin all your life you might notice that as you get older your skin is less oily and you have fewer lines than your dry to normal-skin friends. Use powder sparingly since too much will accentuate lines.

4. Use eye shadows sparingly and only use shadows that have a matte finish. Iridescent or shadows with a shimmer attract the light and will make wrinkles more apparent. This is a time when less is more. Use earthy tones that create depth and apply the dark shadow to the outside of the lid making sure the lines move upward.

5. Eyebrows change as we age and become unruly and sparse. Use an eyebrow pencil and feather strokes to fill in the bare spots. Keep your eyebrows a lighter color than your hair and in good condition. Remember, eyebrows frame the eyes; so to open your eyes and keep them looking bright depends largely on how well you care for your eyebrows.

6. Use blush to create a soft look. Blush shouldn’t stand out — use just enough to create a glow.

7. Use a lip liner to prevent your lipstick from bleeding into the fine lines around your mouth. Use lip products that have an emollient that will keep your lips soft.

Use makeup to accentuate your positive qualities and make yourself feel great. Don’t focus on covering lines and wrinkles but instead pay attention to your positive features. Let the beautiful you show through.

About The Author
Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women feel more confident by dressing to suit their body type. To get tips on how to dress slimmer and find your best styles get a copy of her ebook “Image Makeover” at http://www.how-to-dress.com or go to http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to get the Free Report “ 7 Things Your Girlfriends Won’t Tell You About Beauty and Fashion”.

Lip Magic: Tips for Lips

As we get older our lips get smaller and thinner — it’s a fact of life, but it need not be the end of the world or our attractiveness. If you don’t have the money or the inclination to run off and get collagen injections there are ways you can keep your lips looking great and desirable. By using simple techniques you can create illusions of larger, pouty and more balanced lips.

Lipstick looks best on smooth lips. To keep your lips smooth use a lip exfoliant and always wear some type of lipstick or lip balm, especially wintertime or in the sun.

To start creating wonderful lips use lip liner. Lip liner is a great tool that will keep your lipstick in place, define the shape of your lips and can make your lips look larger or smaller. Use a lip liner color that is lighter than your lipstick and keep the pencil sharp.

Use lip liner to outline the natural lines of your lips and then fill in the lips with a color that blends with your lipstick. This little trick will keep your lipstick in place. Never go outside the natural lines of your lips in an attempt to make your lips look larger. Lip liner will keep your lipstick away from the fine lines around your mouth, which will keep your lipstick from bleeding.

Start by defining the V using feathery, short strokes that are not too sharp. After you have defined and filled in the lips with liner, fill with color using either a lip brush or a tube. Blot with a tissue and reapply lip color. For a fuller look use a lighter color in the middle of the lip.

Tips for Lips:

Matte is the longest lasting lipstick but can be dry.
Gloss makes lips look fuller.
For extra definition line lips once again after you have applied lip color.
Balms have SPF’s.
Sheer lipstick won’t last long.
Neutral shades will match everything.
Lips will look larger with a medium color.
Moist lipsticks are more likely to bleed.

How to Dress for the Business World

Article by: Sheila Dicks

1. Treat your business clothing as an investment and choose wisely. Make sure you buy classic styles that suit your body shape, are comfortable, have quality workmanship and quality material. This is no time to try the latest fads. Take your time and shop around for the best price and the best service. Be aware of the return policy and if possible purchase your wardrobe items at a store that can do professional alterations if necessary.

2. For business situations match your handbag, shoes and belt. Black shoes should be matched with a black handbag. This is not a time to get creative with your accessories or to wear colored shoes.

3. Do not neglect your outerwear. Purchase a good quality coat that can be worn with either pants or a skirt. For cooler weather don’t neglect your outdoor footwear. For skirts choose long knee-high boots.

4. Keep shoes and boots in a good state of repair. Scuffed shoes with worn heels will ruin the look of your outfit.

5. To complete your look choose soft leather gloves that will add a nice touch as well as keep your hands from getting chapped.

6. Choose clothing material that reflects the season. Heavy fabrics and tweeds are best for Fall and Winter and will look out of place during Summer, as light linen fabrics will look out of place during Winter.

7. Always wear a belt where there are belt loops. Choose a good quality leather belt and don’t be tempted to wear a flashy or plastic belt. If you don’t like belts choose pants without loops.

About The Author
Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women learn how to dress to suit their body type and look fabulous. You can reach her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com.

Makeup Application Tips

Articles by Sheila Dicks




Steps to Great Makeup
1. Avoid wearing too much

Makeup is meant to enhance features not bring negative attention to you. That's what wearing too much makeup will do; it will bring you unwanted attention. Don't wear too much of anything such as:

Eyeliner: dark, thick eyeliner will make you look overdone and will ruin the rest of your makeup.
Mascara: too much mascara looks fake and will flake. It looks especially bad if worn with thick eyeliner or dark blue eye shadow.
Foundation: Make sure your foundation is the same color as your skin. Foundation is meant to protect and give the face a smooth look. The magic word is blend.
Powder: The same holds true for powder — not too much. Also, be sure to blend your makeup so there are no obvious lines.

2. Lips

Apply lip liner to completely cover the lips, add color and your lipstick will stay on much longer. Make sure your lip liner doesn't show. Also, your lip color should match your skin tone; wear cool colors if you have cool coloring and warm colors if you have warm coloring. If you want to make your lips look smaller, keep your liner on the inside of your lips. However, if you decide to make your lips look larger, going outside the natural outline of you lips is a mistake. This can look quite messy and unnatural.

3. Appropriate makeup

Wear makeup that is appropriate for the occasion. If you are going to the beach you shouldn't wear the same or as much makeup as you would if you were going dancing. Also, when you are in daylight your makeup should be lighter than when you are out for the evening.

4. Too little or no makeup

Some women don't wear makeup because they are not sure how to use it and are afraid of being overdone. If you are unsure, start will light colors in your shade. Start slowly and add one product at a time. Maybe start with foundation, add mascara, blush or lipstick. If you are not used to wearing makeup, using a lot at first may be a little too much for you, so start slowly. The bottom line is a little is better than none. If you are still unsure seek professional advice.

5. Overall look

When your makeup is completed it should look natural. That means avoiding colors that clash. If you have dark skin and hair you will look better in darker shades; light colors will make you look washed out. If your hair and skin tone are light, light colors will look better on you. Dark makeup will make you look older and harsh. If you have oily skin, first use oil control moisturizer and foundation. Then be sure to wear loose powder, keeping pressed powder with you for touch ups.

6. Hair color

Your hair color should also be in harmony with your skin. If you have dark hair and you want to add color, keep it close to the same shade. If you have light hair, use light colors. As you age your skin will lighten, so should your hair color. One last thing about hair color - if you do color you hair be sure you keep it up, don't let your roots show.

7. One last thing

Keep makeup looking fresh all day by doing regular touch ups. Don't let your makeup fade or crease. Smile!!!

About The Author:
Sheila Dicks is an Image and Wardrobe consultant who helps women learn how to dress to suit their body type and look slimmer. You can reach her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download her ebook, Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe ebook free.

***

ALSO ON THIS WEBSITE:
Makeup Tips for 40, 50, and Beyond
Growing older doesn’t have to be a burden. Aging is a part of life and if we learn to appreciate our bodies and faces we will feel much more comfortable and live a much happier, stress-free life. It seems odd that some younger women are more concerned about how they look and dwell on flaws when they are at their physical best; when some older women, who are happy to be alive, feel good about themselves, accept their bodies and faces for what they are and rejoice in living. Read more…

Fashion After 40

Fashion Tips for Women




Article by: Diana Pemberton-Sikes
With so many designers and trends targeting the svelte body of the twenty-something, is it possible to look fashionable as the years pass and your body begins to tell the tale?

Absolutely!

In fact, with a little ingenuity and sleight-of-hand, it's easy to be fashionable and stylish regardless of how many candles are on your birthday cake.

Now let's be frank: unless you work out religiously, you probably don't have the same body at 40, 50, or 60 that you had at 25. Time, gravity, and pregnancy all take their toll on the female body, as does menopause. And when you mix a mature body with fashions obviously made for a younger person, it can lead to self-doubt, frustration, and confusion.

But it doesn't have to be that way. Getting older also means getting wiser, and like a fine bottle of wine, you're improving with age. So you don't have the same body as those twenty-somethings you see in magazines or on TV. So what? Would you REALLY trade everything you've learned since your twenties for the body you had back then? Probably no sooner than you'd like to re-live puberty, thank you very much.

So how can you be fashionable without wearing all those body-conscious clothes so en vogue these days? By remembering the “3 C's” when you dress: clean, classic, and coverage.

CLEAN

Clean lines create a clean silhouette which makes the body appear more youthful by skimming the trouble spots instead of calling attention to them. Complicated cuts, seams, and details usually call for a killer body to pull off, so if you haven't got it, steer clear of those styles.

CLASSIC

Classic styles are called classic because they remain in style year after year. Why? Because they look good on so many bodies! Sheathes, A-line skirts, flat front pants — all tend to flatter a variety of shapes. What's more, because they remain in style year after year, classics are easier on the budget than trends.

COVERAGE

Covering appropriately is the key to aging gracefully. If your upper arms, thighs, and décolletage have all seen better days, it's time to cover them up a bit instead of sharing the wear-and-tear with the world. Now I'm not talking about draping yourself in a tent for the rest of your life. Far from it. I'm talking about wearing short sleeves instead of going sleeveless, Capris instead of shorts, and modest necklines instead of plunging necklines.

Now I know that covering up the parts that used to turn heads and draw envy can be tough to take for some women. Which is precisely why beautiful jewelry and fine fabrics are the revenge tools of choice for many well-dressed mature women.

So your bustline isn't as perky as your twenty-something daughter or granddaughter. So what? Add a beautiful necklace and draw envious glances from women of all ages. Don't have the same backside you did as a teen? Encase it in a fine fabric and see how many men go out of their way to hold the door open for you. People will look where you focus their attention, so use that knowledge to redirect their interest to the parts you want them to see.

Or, as actress Cybil Shepard once said, “I like to flaunt what I have left.”

Don't flip through fashion magazines and bemoan the fact that you don't look like the models. Instead, look at the various fashion elements to determine what will and what won't work for you. Are printed scarves all the rage this year? Grab a few and be trendy. Are mini skirts the style of choice? Pass and bank your money.

See how easy this is?

“A woman has the age she deserves,” Coco Chanel once said. You don't have to go under cover and dress “like a little old lady” just because that's what your mother or grandmother did. You're your own person.

If you remember to dress in clean lines and classic styles and cover appropriately, you can still be fashionable — AND draw long, lingering glances from handsome men — whatever your age. And if THAT doesn't make you feel like a blushing girl again, then honey, nothing I can say will!

About The Author
Diana Pemberton-Sikes is a wardrobe and image consultant and author of Wardrobe Magic, an ebook that shows women how to transform their unruly closets into workable, wearable wardrobes. Visit her online at http://www.fashionsavvy.com.

Fashion Tips: How to Dress Stylishly

How to Easily Obtain a Basic and Elegant Style
— Without Going Bankrupt!
Article by: Maria Llorente




With each new season, a new trend appears. The time comes when one does not know what to do to keep up with the fashions! And worst of all, everything gets so complicated and then boils down to the question, What should I wear?

Has this ever happened to you? You have to dress up to go somewhere, to an informal meeting or to a dinner out with friends, and you don’t know what to put on. . . If this has happened to you, most likely you don’t have a good wardrobe base. Keep on reading this newsletter, and we’ll show you how to create one:

How can the everyday woman keep an updated wardrobe at all times? Jackie Onassis, Grace Kelly or even Gwyneth Paltrow are figures of female elegance. All of them have in common what sets them apart: a unique and non-transferable style; they are not slaves to trends — they use them to add new touches to their classic and personal style.

What is the key, then, to being stylish?

They key to developing a simple yet elegant style is buying clothing items that are basic and vital, taking advantage of the multiple combinations that these will allow.

These key components of your wardrobe are the ones that ensure that you’ll never find yourself without anything to put on.

You should spend whatever is necessary to get these articles, always keeping your budget in mind, of course.

They also have the added advantage of reducing the time you spend on deciding what to put on or what to pack in a suitcase when you travel.

BASIC, VITAL CLOTHING ITEMS THAT MUST NOT BE MISSING FROM YOUR WARDROBE

The following points describe your wardrobe’s basic essentials and how to get maximum benefit from them:

1. The super basics: Lingerie that adapts itself to you. Start the house at the foundation, not at the roof.

First of all, make sure that you know your bra size well. Many women use bras that are not their size. The correct bra size will make your clothing look better on you; you’ll feel more comfortable and you won’t have to spend the entire day adjusting it.

TIP: Underwear must be comfortable and made of cotton or a percentage of cotton. Buy underwear that is elastic and that moves with your movements and that is not noticeable beneath your clothing.

2. A stylish suit: The classic basic for all seasons. Every woman needs a suit.

Black is the best option, but if you wish to look more relaxed, try beige, dark green or a color that you like and that’s not too bright so that it won’t go out of style too quickly.

TIP: You should buy the suit, especially a black, brown or neutral one, together with a skirt for the same suit. Many suits come with a skirt or pants; what’s ideal is to buy both so that you have more options.

• Get the most out of your suit:
You can use the pantsuit with a business shirt to look elegant.
You can use the skirt and jacket with a suitable shirt to look feminine.
You can combine the pants with a sweater, tank top or cami.
Or you can combine the jacket with jeans for a weekend look.
You can wear the skirt with a sexy blouse to go out to dinner in the evening.

3. The indispensable little black dress: It’s essential to have a “little black dress” hanging in your closet (how “little” the dress is depends on you and what you feel comfortable with).

TIP: It’s better to buy a dress with a classic cut, staying away from anything excessively revealing; that way you’ll be able to use it on any occasion.

• Get the most out of your black dress:
You can wear it with high heels to go out in the evening. If you put your hair up and use a stole, you’ll give it a very elegant touch.
You can also combine it with high-heeled sandals, slicking your hair back with gel for a sexy and glamorous look.
You can combine it with a knit jacket and flats to use it during the day.

4. An absolute must for all seasons: Jeans. It’s very unusual to find a woman today who doesn’t have a pair of jeans in her closet.

The difficulty arises in choosing the jeans that are the most appropriate for you among the immense variety that is available.

TIP: Visit the greatest possible number of stores and try on all the jeans that are necessary until you find the ones that favor you the most. It’s important that they be somewhat elastic so that they adapt to your figure and are more comfortable to wear. Try to choose a darker cloth, which will give you a more slender and elegant figure. Don’t be afraid of the mirror; look at yourself thoroughly from all available angles. Sit down, bend forward, move until you are assured that they’re comfortable. Lastly, don’t forget that the length of the jeans should adapt to the height of the shoe you plan on wearing.

• Get the most out of your jeans:
You can wear them with a suit jacket and a T-shirt for an informal look.
You can wear them with sneakers and a sweater for a sporty and comfortable look.
You can wear them with heels and a studded rhinestone top to go out in the evening and look fantastic.
You can combine them with a business shirt. . .

Keep an eye out for the next personal image newsletter because next week we’ll reveal the basic accessories; you’ll learn which are essential to give that unique and stylish touch to your personal image. . .

About The Author
Maria Llorente is a qualified make up artist that writes on a regular basis in the spanish beauty site. http://www.tuimagenpersonal.com

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Fashion Mistakes

Fashion Tip: Don't Make These Fashion Mistakes
by: Sheila Dicks



1. Wearing the wrong colors
To look your best wear clothing colors that will complement your skin. Wearing the wrong colors will make your skin appear sallow and lines and wrinkles will be more evident. The right colors will make you look more vibrant and healthy.

2. Wearing too much makeup

Too much makeup will make lines appear deeper and will create a harsh look. Keep makeup light for day and a little darker for evening. See a professional if you are unsure of makeup application techniques.

3. Wearing clothes that are too small

Wearing clothes that fit too tightly will make you appear larger. Wearing clothes that do not suit your body type will make you appear larger. Buy clothes that suit your body type — not someone else's.

4. Chipped nail polish

The idea of nail polish is to make your nails appear nicer. Chipped polish just brings attention to poor grooming.

5. An old-fashioned hairstyle or messy hair

Your hairstyle creates a first impression. From your hairstyle people will assume your education level, status, age, etc. This doesn’t mean the judgments are correct — they happen instinctively. Make sure it doesn’t happen to you. Visit your hairstylist regularly.

6. Messy shoes or wrong shoes for your outfit

Take care of your shoes — they complete your look. Also pay attention that they complement your outfit.

7. Roots that show

If you color your hair make sure you keep it maintained regularly.

8. Bras and bra straps that show

When wearing sleeveless tops make sure you wear a racer back bra. Don’t wear bras that fit too tightly or don’t have good support.

9. Mismatched hose

Match your hose with your shoes or with your pants or skirt.

10. Wearing inappropriate clothes

When in a working environment make sure that your clothes are not flashy (unless you are in a creative field), do not wear short skirts (more than 3 inches above the knee), sleeveless tops, plunging necklines, stilettos, too much jewelry, leather pants or skirts, or anything that shimmers.

About The Author
Sheila Dicks is a wardrobe and image consultant who teaches women how to look slimmer by dressing to suit their body type. Visit her at http://www.sheilasfashionsense.com to download a copy of her e-book Image Makeovers and get How to Build a Wardrobe free.

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Dress to Look Thinner

by: Susan M. Keenan




Quite a few strategies can help you to achieve a sleek and slimmer look without the dreaded tasks of dieting and exercising. What you wear and how you wear it are two essential avenues to explore.

Let’s tackle the issue of how you wear your clothing. Contrary to the belief that bigger clothing will disguise the fact that your figure carries a few extra pounds, it actually makes you look larger. Wearing a size 14, when in fact you only wear a size 12, may hide the fact that your tummy boasts the same span of inches as your bust, but it also makes you look like a size 14 with the expense of imaginary pounds.

Equally incorrect is the fallacy that wearing a smaller size will make your physique appear smaller than it is. Wearing a size smaller than you should shows off every extra bit of fat you have. The correct clothing size may not take off or hide those extra pounds, but it certainly won’t add any.

Possibly some of the best advice to looking thinner echoes the words we often heard in our childhood: stand up straight. With your shoulders back, your head held high, and your back straight, you will not only appear self-confident, but also thinner.

Now let’s tackle the issue of what you wear. Create an illusion of slimness with a few easy to follow guidelines:

Wear medium to high heels to elongate your physique and add length rather than pounds.
Never wear pleats if the tummy needs to keep itself inconspicuous.
If the legs and thighs need a slimmer look, then wear narrow cut pants. Baggy pants simply add pounds to your appearance.
Avoid unsightly bunching up. Wear bias-cut skirts and dresses that provide a smoother fit.
Generous thighs can readily be disguised by wearing a straight skirt or dress that stops at the knee.
Generous thighs can also be disguised by wearing a larger top and very streamlined pants.
Boatneck tops and dresses, as well as small colorful scarves, will draw the eyes upward and away from the torso and thighs.
Go for shaped outfits rather than clingy. Clingy outfits do exactly that — cling to every bit of bulge and show it off for everyone to see.
Remember to express yourself in the best way possible — hide your shortcomings, show off your assets, and smile!

Cosmetic Tips

Looking Your Best is Easy with These
Simple Cosmetics Tips!
by: Barb S.




Keep your cosmetics fresh

Makeup does have an expiry date! It might not be written on the packaging, but there will come a time when your cosmetics won't be as vibrant, smooth or nice to wear as they used to be. Not only is it a good sign that you're possibly in the wrong season, it's also important if you want to be looking your best! Keep your makeup rotated every 6 months or so.

Make sure you're wearing the right cosmetics for your skin tone

The tragic flaw many people make when buying cosmetics is not matching them to their skin tone. This makes it almost impossible when trying to find the right foundation and concealer, but it also affects the lipstick and eye shadow you should be wearing. There are ways to determine skin tone, and you should base your cosmetics selections around the right tone:

Ruddy skin tone is associated with burning easily, but also with becoming easily flushed or pink-cheeked.

Yellow skin tones respond poorly to yellowish foundation and concealer and make the skin look more flawed than it did before.

Yellow-olive skin tone is easily identified because it's mainly found in people who tan easily and don't burn often. So if you come in from the beach a shade other than bright red, yellow-olive is you!

Olive skin tones are slightly gray or ashen, do not burn easily and have greenish undertones.

Neutral skin tone has no obvious yellow, olive or ruddy tones, nor any features of these skin tones.

Cosmetics counter assistants will be able to assist you in determining your skin tone, and also offer you the best options for cosmetics and colors. Similarly, you will find great tips just by looking through fashion magazines: ruddy skin responds well to earthy colors such as browns, greens, corals and reds; medium yellow and ruddy skin tones go well with both light and dark browns; darker olive skin looks great in more vibrant shades of ruby and cherry; and dark skin tones love more natural, soft pinks, corals and browns.

Wearing the 'wrong' cosmetics for your skin tone can result in you looking washed out, accentuating blemishes and otherwise causing flawed skin.

Learn to apply your cosmetics properly

Make sure you don't look like a . . . well, clown . . . after you put your makeup on in the morning. Most of us learn how to put on our faces from our friends in junior high or our mothers, and that's all well and good until we have to go to an important business meeting and we realize we actually don't know how to apply eyeliner!

Many makeup artists will actually visit you in your own home or as part of a cosmetics party and teach you how to do it properly, or you can visit a cosmetics counter and have them take you through the process. There's more to a great look than just throwing your makeup on, but there are simple and easy tricks that will have you looking gorgeous in no time!

Foundation: Don't forget to blend foundation into your neck, or you'll end up with an unsightly line around your jaw; apply concealer after foundation!

Eye shadow: Apply your base color from the inside out, then define your eyes with a darker shade in the crease of your eyelid; for extra definition, use a light shadow on your brow bone.

Eye liner: Steady your hand by resting on a flat surface, and always apply from the inside to the outside of your eye; extending the liner beyond the end of your eyelids will give a great exotic look!

Mascara: Two layers is best; apply the first layer downwards from the roots, then again upwards from the midway point of the lashes; apply a finer layer to the bottom lashes so you don't look like a panda, then leave for a couple of minutes and repeat.

Lipstick: The way you apply your lipstick depends on the shape of your mouth, but make sure your lip liner (if you use one) matches the color of your lipstick; use a base or primer, apply color with a lip brush and remember to blot; finish off with an application of lip gloss for perfectly luscious lips.

Accentuate your best features, improve the rest.

About The Author
Barb S is a beauty expert. Visit http://www.Stuff4Beauty.Com for more information.

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