Women's Fashion Celebrity Beauty Tips

Dress Like a Celebrity

2010-11-01T22:42:00.000Z

Womens Fashion Boutique, exclusive ready to wear, one off designer clothes

SOVA So Unusual So Unique For your eyes Only

About Us SOVA Collection

2009-12-21T23:32:00.001Z

History of SOVA Collection

Going on holiday to Jamaica 2006, we wanted holiday clothes and struggled because there was just nothing suitable for me, being tall and slightly bulging at the waist, for my daughter who just can’t keep still, requires flexibility in her clothing and finally my wife who has a classical taste in style even with casual clothes.

My wife who didn’t pick up her scissors and tape measure for over year, decided enough was enough running around in circles looking for clothes that just didn’t cut it, decided to do it herself.

Searching for haberdasheries was very difficult, finding a fabric store was even worse, but with perseverance we managed to find all that was needed.

The only item that was missing was an industrial sewing machine, for which again I searched all over the place for one, as the dominance of domestic sewing machines was so much that trying to find an industrial sewing machine was almost an impossible task, but again we toiled until we got success.

Well we went to Jamaica, Ocho Rios, and we wore those clothes with such ease and comfort in the searing heat. The style and the material fitted the environment of the clear blue sea and the almost bleached sand for which our daughter merrily jumped climbed and played on the beach everyday.

After the holiday, we decided that such was the enjoyment of our holiday and the feeling of ease and comfort of wearing our clothes in the steamy hot atmosphere of Jamaica, we decided to carry the feeling of confidence and satisfaction of wearing clothes and showing off a style that no one had into a business fronted by her family name SOVA.

Co owner Jana is the designer and myself Co owner Kevin.
We decided that if we are to make this business work our vision which is to “create a boutique that revolutionised the sixties”, with no restraints of the dominant high street stores.

To develop and evolve our own style of designs to excite and encourage people to shake the shackles of age and wear what makes you feel good about yourself, to be that individual, people look and wonder where did you get your dress from, I’ve not seen it in any high street store?

Yes that’s right you’ll only find that style of distinction at SOVA collection. When I shop for something I expect to get full attention and when I decide to buy, I want to be listened too when I have an issue and for my problems to be resolved to make me feel like making a purchase.

Quality should not been compromised, there’s nothing worse than getting home to find that the item you chose, tried on is damaged.

I want to transpose the experience and standards I expect my self when I shop at a store to be treated as an important paying customer, my purchase is as I expect it to be and in pristine condition, packed well and if there are any issues, I expect that the person on the other end of the phone will treat me well and resolve my issue as quickly as possible, with no restrictions and no bad attitude.

I want to feel that I have a friend at hand if there are any issues at the end of the phone, to listen to me and to resolve the issue with no fuss.

It’s important to have these steps at every point of a buying experience.

We have a breakthrough becoming a member of a Fashion portal called Fashion Capital. They help aspiring designers with resources and advice in the fashion industry.

This is where we were given the opportunity to showcase our fashion line at the London ExCel, billed as UK’s biggest fashion event of 2009, The London Clothes show.

From 29 - 31 May 2009 ExCeL, London was transformed into a fashion and beauty haven hosting an outstanding selection of high street, designer and boutique brands as well as a unique selection of hair and beauty products to preen visitors in their thousands.

This is just what London has been waiting 20 years for the largest fashion and beauty event is coming to the capital!

This was an opportunity to acid test our products and to collect valuable data from the public. As it was we collected good feedback along with constructive criticism, for which we have learned a great deal.

The biggest trait we have learned is to listen to people and their sensitive requirements and to implement them into our style of delivery fashion design.

In fact inspiration has been the innovative drive that has given our company the know how in producing garments that will suit most people because we want to give people a sense of individualism to look and feel different in a positive way.

Our philosophy is grounded by the wants and requirements of people that demand creativity and sense of seeing something different, the arms in a top made a little longer, the length of a skirt covering the knees, the neckline open and not closed. These are thoughts of people that help us focus and shape new creations.

We value feedback because it’s the yardstick that we need to constantly keep us in line with people’s requirements and to strive to raise the quality that is expected for everyone to feel when they dress in our garments.

But most of all listening is the best tool to use when it comes to diversity. So often parents at school, how they would like their children to have a variety in the style of clothes wear, colours and flexibility always mentioned.

Plus size women are beautiful in personality and graceful in honesty. We want to reflect that trait with clothing designs that exemplify their bright demeanour.

Our garments are manufactured in the UK and last at least for 2 seasons. Value for money is important, especially these days, quality, longevity and comfort are the underline features we expect to give people to enjoy when create and make our fashion line.

SOVA Summer breeze collection

2009-08-14T05:27:00.017+01:00

SovaCollection Contemporary classic with a twist showcases the latest trends,style and cut shown in Summerbreeze 2009 summer collection by SOVA

www.sovacollection.com

Contact - andy@andyespin.com

Make-up-Artist Laura Ceiris Barrow

contact - ceiris@hotmail.com

Models Lucy & Candice

contact kthomas53@tiscali.co.uk

Losing Weight

2009-07-18T18:25:00.004+01:00

Fig 1

Hi All,
I have been pondering whether to write this article or not, I decided too because I am fed up with the mixed messages people are getting regarding being over weight on the internet.

You’ve seen the ads I was this size when I started and now after 2 months I am this size after applying, whatever the gimmick is as advertised.

I am overweight myself and I have tried all sorts of lifestyle changing diets and exercises. When you go on the internet, there is a lot of sensationalising of products that will do all the work for you and take off those pounds that are hindering your life.

I am not condoning or blaming all companies, as there are some good products out there to help aid you in losing weight.

The problem is that many people are in a situation like myself overweight, suffering from many ailments, such as heartburn, feeling queasy, but the worst of these feeling 24/7 bloated (fig 1).

I went to the doctor when I had been ill with the flu, only for the doctor to pinpoint the fact I look overweight, then all was concentrated on my overweight condition, “when did you last have a mini health check”?

Oh no here we go, “your blood pressure is abnormally high, let’s book you in to have a blood test and check your blood count”.

I only came in for a check for my flu symptoms! Now this doctor is publicising the fact that I am overweight and most of my illness is due to the weight.

The results are in and I am told that my blood pressure is a worry, but most of my blood count results were good. But the doctor told me to change my lifestyle and the food I eat.

But as a precursor anyone that is thinking of or going to have a lifestyle change should see your doctor first before you start. It is good to have a check like this to give you a history of your current condition.

The annoying thing here is that I changed my food habit and started exercising in a gym again. I started to lose weight and then, to my disappointment I started to put weight back on?

What was going on, I have cut out a lot of sugar based foods and cut down on my calorie intake, supplemented by my attendance at the gym. At that moment I became despondent and gave up!

Well what else could I do, I cut down on my food intake and train and my body is still no worse off and to cap it all I still feel bloated!

The moment of no return came when I needed to use my suit, I couldn’t believe it I have blown up like a balloon and I now can’t fit my suit, I don’t know what size I am I am fed up and I feel sick all the time.

I am virtually at am impasse! What the hell do I do, I am feeling my heart palpitations more and I know my blood pressure is high, what’s happening to me?

If I seek information on the website all I am surrounded by is the amazing use of diet pills, pills and more pills!

That was not good enough for me, I wanted to know why I was ill and why I was continually bloated to all proportions.

I found information about the production of food and what food additives side effects on humans are.

I also through research found out all the symptoms I was suffering from and why. In all I answered the question that NO ONE would admit too which is all foods we are eating have varying amount of chemicals and toxins in the form of additives and food colourings.

So I know now what can be causing my problems, my stomach feeling like an acid bath continuingly bubbling away and causing me nothing but discomfort. My question is how do I tackle this?

Again I have done research about this and found that in order for the many diets and gymnasium regimes to work I need to start my lifestyle change from within.

When you see on the Internet websites citing that you should workout and get a six pack to be fit, please shun this it’s pure bu****t? Sorry for the profanity!

When I here people telling me they measure a person’s fitness by the size of their six pack, I just shake my head in disbelieve!

To the many people out there who have given up and are disillusioned, fitness starts from inside out.

You will need to start by detoxifying your body. Now when I say detox I don’t mean buying rubbish products that have laxative ingredients in its content.

In essence you will need to start undoing what you have allowed yourself to put your body through. You will need to do a colon cleanse

This will entail flushing the digestive system of all the accumulated toxins that have built up over the years in your stomach.

Also to enable effective flushing you will also need to PH balance your digestive system as by now acid build up would be the main cause of your heartburn and queasiness.

To follow the routine of this takes 3 days to do a colon flush. When I did this I wanted to clean my system completely out, so I did the three days water fast.

Not all of you will have the will power to drink water; instead you can drink fresh fruit. Just to be on the safe side check with your doctor.

Remember this is just the beginning of your recovery, once you have finished your detox, you will really need to make drastic changes with the food you eat, because you will start to feel yourself again, your senses will kick in again and you will be more aware of what you eat.

Knowledge of the foods that affect us is what you need to know in order for you to make informed changes to your new lifestyle change to the food you will be consuming.

Now that you have made these changes, you will need to balance these changes with exercises at the gymnasium to help your body promote your body to maximise your metabolism to what it should be doing effectively.

N.B

Metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories to sustain life. Your body burns calories 24 hours a day, everyday regardless of whether or not you workout.

After Colon Cleansing, Exercise can aid weight loss?

2009-07-04T17:13:00.010+01:00

There is a world epidemic of obesity and there is no sign of it abating. My personal view in this cites the food industry introducing various synthetic organic and non-organic chemicals.

Many of these chemicals are better known for causing weight loss at high levels of exposure but much lower concentrations of these same chemicals have powerful weight-promoting actions.

This property has already been widely exploited commercially to produce growth hormones that fatten livestock and pharmaceuticals that induce weight gain in grossly underweight patients.

My point with this information is that we are spending too much energy into the cause of obesity, when we should be looking into the resolution. There are many advertised solutions that are mesmerising people with the phrase “Amazing”.

This is an amazing product that can…

• Why are our bodies not reacting to the many diets that have been tried?
• Why are you feeling bloated all the time?
• Why do you feel full of gas?
• Heartburn burning acid is fermenting in your stomach
• Why are you constantly buying indigestion tablets?
• Feeling nausea and even a little sick after some meals?
All these questions can be compounded into one answer TOXINS? The only way to get the feel of your body back, is to go through a regime that will help to eradiate those poisonous toxins from your body, that have built up through all those years.

You need to go through a course of colon cleansing. It amazes me that we have a makeover, we cut and style our hair, and we have our nails done, but do nothing for our insides.

Fitness is judged from the healthiness with, but too much vanity is placed on physical attributes. Once you have cleaned your system, you will need to help reach your goal of losing weight constantly.

Through your new lifestyle change, you need to change the food that you eat, when you chose the right food it will energise and give you a new sense of well being.

You need a barometer to show that your efforts are making real progress. As below you need to combine food intake with an exercising routine that will work for you.

To lose weight, you have to burn calories at a higher rate than you consume for some time. But in reality for the majority of people using a Gym, time is at a premium so to carry out such advised exercise plans is not possible.

I think knowledge is vitally important to enable you to devise an exercise plan that can still be affective over a short period of time in the gym or if you have the space at home.

The combination of Aerobic and Anaerobic exercise will an overall workout that will keep the body confused and the fat burning process metabolism firing on all cylinders in your body.

Aerobic
Aerobic calories burns fat as your body breathes in oxygen. Low-intensity activities such as walking are mainly fat burning. However, as your body's need for energy becomes greater than your rate of oxygen intake, your body begins burning anaerobic calories.

The word aerobic literally means 'with oxygen' or 'in the presence of oxygen'. Aerobic exercise is any activity that uses large muscle groups, can be maintained continuously for a long period of time and is rhythmic in nature.

Aerobic activity trains the heart, lungs and cardiovascular system to process and deliver oxygen more quickly and efficiently to every part of the body.
Think of aerobic activity as being long in duration yet low in intensity.

Aerobic activities include: brisk walking, cycling, jogging, swimming, aerobic classes and cross-trainer.

Anaerobic
Anaerobic calories:
Burn glucose by converting a starch stored in your muscles known as glycogen. Since this doesn't require oxygen, anaerobic calories are used in very strenuous activities for short periods.

The accumulation of lactic acid as a by product of anaerobic activity produces a burning sensation in the muscle. This symptom means you are burning glycogen, not fat. You can't feel fat burning!

So it's pretty obvious that in order to lose fat to the maximum, you must concentrate on aerobic activities rather than anaerobic activities.
Anaerobic activities include, intense short period exercise: Weightlifting, sit-ups and knee-bends.

“A key benefit of anaerobic exercise is that it raises your metabolic rate higher than an aerobic workout and for a longer period once you are finished”.

Anaerobic and aerobic exercise each has their own pluses and minuses, but combining them nicely balances the two.

Aerobic exercise reduces stress, improves your circulation, burns more fat than anaerobic, but it decreases muscle mass.

Anaerobic exercise increases muscle mass, increases cardio capacity but doesn't burn a lot of fat.

By combining both, you will maintain muscle growth, improve bone density, optimize your cardiovascular system (stamina) and gain the fat burning benefit of both.

As a final thought, the more muscle fibre you have, the more calories you burn throughout the day as your body works to repair and maintain those muscle fibres, but as an after thought you need to implement rest periods to compliment both routines.

Plus Size Women Dress Stylish Too

2009-06-16T13:36:00.009+01:00

I have recently been to the Clothes Show London ExCel, where the feedback was overwhelmingly in favour of plus size women.

We had on display a lot of Boutique clothing which in description are one off designs, contemporary classics with a “twist”.

Many of the clothing were sparkling with Swarovski stones that added glamour to our outfits. Many women visited and all they could see was size 12 – 14.

The answers we got after a fairly long browse was “do you have this in larger sizes”, you know the answer to that, a disappointing NO. We had colour, style, but not the right size.

After the Clothes Show we decided to do some plus size pieces. There are many women out there who for me drive a vanity and style that’s missing amongst others.

I don’t understand why other stores and manufactures advertise plus size and the fact that they have large supplies of clothing.

But to the disappointment to a lot of ladies, what is offered is a load of drab looking lifeless coloured clothes.

For some reason when it comes to plus size, that maybe the case but where there are large sizes, there are less variety. When your choices are between beige and dark beige, you know you're in a plus sized store.

“I learnt a lot about the challenges faced by plus size women when it comes to lack of variety”.
I know there are many women who see clothes in the mainstream that they like, but for some reason, they left out the creativity for plus sizes and ingeniously created the dullest creation of clothes, making it either a one size fits all or confusion to max with the size coding.

It’s about time Boutiques like us should break from the pack and create something a bit special, a bit daring, full of life with pastel colours, but most of all the Avant-Garde of all plus size clothes, to compliment one body.

Can you comment on the above as your input is important to know that we will be producing the right style and feel to the garments that we want to create.

This can only be achieved by learning from your comments whether they are negative or positive as they matter very much.

Thanks
Kevin
SOVA

Clothes Show London 29 -31st May 09

2009-06-05T19:46:00.006+01:00

The Style Stage

Well what a weeked ( 29 - 31st May 09 ) this was at the Clothes Show London ExCel for everyone. From Celebrities giving the benefit of their experience, to the Fashion Theatre, to be entertained by very talented dancers, singers and of course the Models , who gave an outstanding account of themselves. The Clothes show arena housed many companies that were promoting their new products and i must say many women were quick off the mark to get the bargains available over the three days. The Fashion Capital Boutique stand gave a very good account of themselves with the representation of their up and coming talented designers. One out of many of the designers SOVA showcased their launching of their clothing line.

The Clothes Show Arena

Check out my video compolation of the Clothes Show London ExCel May 2009

Unhealthy Lifestyle or is it!

2009-05-17T13:36:00.010+01:00

Obesity is rising

As a nation we need to change the way we eat and incorporate exercise to keep up a good staple diet and a balanced way of living. We are over-indulging with recent reports of increasing obesity, but it’s not necessarily our fault.

We keep treating the symptoms:-
• Heartburn
• Allergies
• Coughing
• dry, itchy throat and tongue
• Itchy skin or rash
• Nausea and feeling bloated
• Diarrhoea and/or vomiting
• Wheezing and shortness of breath
• Swelling of the lips and throat
• Runny or blocked nose
• Sore, red and itchy eyes
This list goes on and on, the result of knowing what causes these symptoms never get answered, instead we are bamboozled into being given a medicine that masks the problem.

Some doctors are passive when trying to help you, in fact they convince you into thinking that you are solely to blame, and it’s because of an un-healthy lifestyle!

Well it’s not all your fault, and the reason you will never have anyone form the food industry, from any of the scientific organisations and the government to admit anything, is because it’s all about the £ and $’s, PROFIT.

What is there to admit? The fact that our food, packaging, and the way farms cultivate produce is filled with a cocktail of additives that are harmful to humans, in fact in some cases it can trigger off cancer.

But hey who am I to preach, I’m not the expert here, but I do have knowledge of the chemicals that have been induced into the food products that have been distributed throughout US and UK and it’s not good.

There are many people out there working hard to lobby against the use of harmful additives, but no one hears about it! Instead many of us have bought into the propaganda seen on TV and reports that come out now and again, “carrots are bad for you because” or "drinking coffee can help reduce cancer” as an example.

This is almost like a strategic method to keep people in the mainstream of thinking.
Too many people have been brainwashed into thinking that the symptoms are our fault, "you eat too much", "you eat too much junk food".

“We don't know exactly why some people have a food allergy and others don't. But someone is more likely to develop a food allergy if they have a parent, brother or sister with an allergy of any type”.

Does that look familiar! The government are campaigning about obesity in Britain and using the autonomy of the Food manufacturing to blame, which to a point is correct, for producing so much low standard junk food and other processed food as the cause of over indulgence.

Hey everyone we all need to take responsibility for our lives, we need to do more research into the food processing and what is used, but most of all make it aware to others that they may also pass it on.

Nothing so far I’ve seen, convinces me that the government, food manufacturers, food processing scientist are going to blow the lid wide open with the use of deadly additives that are a cause to many of the increasing diseases, allergies and cancer forms that have increased for many years.

The additives that are used in many of the food produce is induced with the food we consume and sits in your body and it’s the reaction to your body that you feel the effects that have increased over the years, and at worse has developed into all the side effects many of us are suffering today.

Why have i stopped losing weight?

2009-05-14T22:05:00.010+01:00

Food Label

As with many of you out there, you will have been on the many diet fads, listened to your friends and work colleagues as to the method of losing weight. The tireless trek to the gym, tried yoga, step classes, aerobics, spinning, swimming, running, personal trainer in a gym and it goes on.

Everyone knows that it is important to keep our bodies clean. We wash, shower and bathe daily to remove the build up of filth and dirt from the outside of our bodies. We also brush and clean the plaque from our teeth; we even pamper our bodies, nails, and face scrubs, feet soaking in oils and herbs. But we never make that effort with our insides; we tend to follow the trait that this is done by drinking lots of water.

What works I don’t know, I just know that I have been suffering for some time with countless of varying illness, nausea, tiredness, feeling sick, heartburn, and pains in the stomach and many more you could add to the listing.
At some point I have lost weight by the method of calorie reduction, small meals, exercising, eating certain times, but for some reason I have slowly started to put weight back, why? So what can you do?

Go to the doctor and be told the change your lifestyle is wrong, they always conduct an ad- hock survey on you, how much do you drink, how many units a week? Do you smoke; and if so how many a week? Then comes the grim reaper revelation, you are overweight and your blood pressure is too high!

Ok if you are masochist then go to your dietician and they will convince you to try various food groups and you are at fault for consuming too much. All this self punishment is fine to a point, but has anyone stopped to think why am I not succeeding?

If I do nothing I gain weight, I change my lifestyle, diet, exercise and sweat like profusely and for what to get a slap in my face, by the digital numbers that rotate like a fruit slot machine. Why? Associated with all this is a problem that some people are suffering from but your doctor cannot answer.

The illness associated with your lifestyle, heartburn, stomach pains, Irritable bowel syndrome, a form of diabetes, palpitations, body twitching, it goes on.
Strange as it maybe, i have found little if any information in the UK or lobbyist raising these concerns.

I have found the usual propaganda of articles news clips from the government raising the profile of the need for people to address obesity by getting fit and addressing the amount of food that we eat. I have had to research the United States to learn what exactly we as a nation are consuming in terms of the contents and food properties.

Nothing mentioned about the need of concern that the rising use of additives is having a profound effect on people in differing ways. I am so mad that you the public are being brainwashed into thinking that you are entirely to blame. The use of the blame game is rife in the UK.

The fact that food manufacturers and some farmers that produce a great mass of food produce are using certain additives above the recommended amount and in some cases have been advised by professional bodies not to use them at all are ignoring the advice and pocketing profits on the back of our ill health. Below i have compiled some good sound information that you should be more familiar about.

12 Dangerous Food Additives

In the United States, more than 3,000 substances can be added to foods for the purpose of preservation, colouring, texture, increasing flavour and more.

While each of these substances is legal to use (at least here in the States), whether or not they are all something you want to be consuming is another story all together.

With any processed food you run the risk of coming across additives, and reading through ingredient labels you need a science degree.

Of course, eating largely fresh, whole foods is the best way to stay away from unsavoury additives, but, assuming you do include some processed foods in your diet, the following additives are ones you surely want to stay away from. Look for them on ingredient labels and if one turns up, take a pass.

Propyl Gallate
This preservative, used to prevent fats and oils from spoiling, might cause cancer. It's used in vegetable oil, meat products, potato sticks, chicken soup base and chewing gum, and is often used with BHA and BHT (see below).

BHA and BHT
Butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are used similarly to propyl gallate -- to keep fats and oils from going rancid. Used commonly in cereals, chewing gum, vegetable oil and potato chips (and also in some food packaging to preserve freshness), these additives have been found by some studies to cause cancer in rats. If a brand you commonly buy uses these additives, look for a different variety, as not all manufacturers use these preservatives.

Potassium Bromate
This additive is used in breads and rolls to increase the volume and produce a fine crumb structure. Although most bromate breaks down into bromide, which is harmless, the bromate that does remain causes cancer in animals. Bromate has been banned throughout the world, except for in the United States and Japan. In California, a cancer warning would likely be required if it were used, which is why it is rarely used in that state.

Monosodium glutamate (MSG)
MSG is used as a flavour enhancer in many packaged foods, including soups, salad dressings, sausages, hot dogs, canned tuna, potato chips and many more.

According to Dr.Russell Blaylock, an author and neurosurgeon, there is a link between sudden cardiac death, particularly in athletes, and excitotoxic damage caused by food additives like MSG and artificial sweeteners.

Excitotoxins are, according to Dr. Blaylock, "A group of excitatory amino acids that can cause sensitive neurons to die."

Many consumers have also personally experienced the ill effects of MSG, which leave them with a headache, nausea or vomiting after eating MSG-containing foods. To find out more about the side effects associated with MSG, as well as a complete list of which foods contain it, see our past article MSG: If it's Safe: Why do They Disguise it on the Labels?

Aspartame (Equal, NutraSweet)
This artificial sweetener is found in Equal and NutraSweet, along with products that contain them (diet sodas and other low-cal and diet foods). This sweetener has been found to cause brain tumours in rats as far back as the 1970s; however a more recent study in 2005 found that even small doses increase the incidence of lymphomas and leukaemia in rats, along with brain tumours.

People who are sensitive to aspartame may also suffer from headaches, dizziness and hallucinations after consuming it.

Acesulfame-K
Acesulfame-K is an artificial sweetener that's about 200 times sweeter than sugar. It's used in baked goods, chewing gum, gelatine desserts and soft drinks. Two rat studies have found that this substance may cause cancer, and other studies to reliably prove this additive's safety have not been conducted. Acesulfame-K also breaks down into acetoacetamide, which has been found to affect the thyroid in rats, rabbits and dogs.

Olestra
Olestra is a fat substitute used in crackers and potato chips, marketed under the brand name Olean. This synthetic fat is not absorbed by the body (instead it goes right through it), so it can cause diarrhoea, loose stools, abdominal cramps and flatulence, along with other effects. Further, olestra reduces the body's ability to absorb beneficial fat-soluble nutrients, including lycopene, lutein and beta-carotene.

Sodium Nitrite (Sodium Nitrate)
Sodium nitrite (or sodium nitrate) is used as a preservative, colouring and flavouring in bacon, ham, hot dogs, luncheon meats, corned beef, smoked fish and other processed meats. These additives can lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals called nitrosamines. Some studies have found a link between consuming cured meats and nitrite and cancer in humans.

Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil
The process used to make hydrogenated vegetable oil (or partially hydrogenated vegetable oil) creates Trans fats (a type of un-saturated fat), which promote heart disease and diabetes. The Institute of Medicine has advised that consumers should eat as little Tran’s fat as possible.

You should avoid anything with these ingredients on the label, which includes some margarine, vegetable shortening, crackers, cookies, baked goods, salad dressings, bread and more. It's used because it reduces cost and increases the shelf life and flavour stability of foods.

Blue 1 and Blue 2

Blue 1, used to colour candy, beverages and baked goods, may cause cancer.

Blue 2, found in pet food, candy and beverages, have caused brain tumours in mice.

Red 3
This food colouring is used in cherries (in fruit cocktails), baked goods and candy. It causes thyroid tumours in rats, and may cause them in humans as well.

Yellow 6
As the third most often used food colouring, yellow 6 is found in many products, including backed goods, candy, gelatine and sausages. It has been found to cause adrenal gland and kidney tumours, and contains small amounts of many carcinogens.
Information to gain knowledge please read and find out for yourself!

Dangerous foods
http://www.videojug.com/interview/death-and-dangerous-foods

Additives
http://www.migrainephd.com/index_files/Page374.htm

Food Additive Codes
http://www.drsref.com.au/foodaddcodes.html

Consuming Food Advice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vV-a_NBkeA&feature=fvsr

The Dangers of Aspartame
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvFRLIjOLOU

Haberdashery in the UK have virtually become extinct

2009-04-28T21:16:00.006+01:00

I am amazed at the state of the Haberdashery industry in this country. We encourage young discerning talented students to hone their new skills in the art of fashion design.

By the time they graduate and move on to do their own thing, they struggle to obtain the very materials that they require to show case the talent they have through their designs. It’s hard to buy exactly what you are looking for, and therefore forced to re-adjust and buy what is available?

Zip yellow, not in stock? Diamante buckles large size? Not in stock? Why is this? These are but a few examples i have faced looking for haberdashery, this is an answer I normally get which indicates that the trade is in decline, well worse than that, there is no industry as it was some years ago, not many people are demand haberdashery items so many business carry small stock or none at all.

Why has our industry decided that it knows best not to make it fashionable to hold stock in haberdashery and craft? Too many of our industries have died out because of negative bosses organisations who have setup a trend of not just holding stock but not to hold it at all, to let the demand wither away.

United States is inundated with shops which cater for the profession, hobbyist or beginner. Whenever i watch Fashion Runway and see the places that these contestants go too for an assignment, i just quell with jealousy that we in this country are lagging behind whilst it’s an everyday affair trading with such lush and excessive haberdashery, fabric and equipment.

We are in a depressing recession, but at times like this, trade and industry show their colours for all to see. Shoddy workmanship and traders still expect to get paid for cutting corners? Poor quality customer care from companies that is too big to care about their service to customers.

But at times like this they could enhance their position to increase their customer base. I have found it so very difficult to find a haberdashery store, it’s almost as though they have been pushed into obscurity, directions like “behind the building next to McDonalds at the rear”, as far out of sight as possible, why?

Only the large stores such as John Lewis or MacCulloch & Wallis have the advantage to market within their branding. But the likes of smaller companies have been crowded out as being not fashionable, questions such as, who sews these days?

That is the archaic thinking of people that have set the Fashion Industry many years into the past, the very reason why other countries such as France don’t take the British Fashion seriously.

Many occasions I searched onto the Internet for sewing items, sewing machine parts, art and décor, thread, and each time without fail I found what I needed exactly to my requirements, only to find that the website was in $ not £’s.

I had to search hard and deep until I found a UK equivalent, but not in the same context theme I was looking for.

We should be flooded with stores selling haberdashery in the UK, we sell Arts & Crafts books, we market the London fashion week, and we educate students in the fashion universities.

But yet in the open free market in the UK, we are sold the excuse that there is no Market for Haberdashery.

Why is it that the United States doesn’t use that excuse of a concept?

MacCulloch & Wallis 25-26
Dering Street London W1S 1AT

New Face of Croydon Vision 2020

2009-04-28T20:09:00.007+01:00

Croydon are in the middle of a Facelift project Croydon Vision 2020 that started in 2003 and expected to go until conclusion in 2020. Part of this project is to change the tired look of an out of date style that Croydon has adapted since the end of the Second World War.

With the evolutionary changes happening, closures of shops and estate buildings, in place are drafted ideas of architects that want to adopt the scenery as from Barcelona.

There are companies, organisations that want to improve the area of Croydon and so are looking for grants, support, concessionary rates to help organically grow the new face of Croydon. Once such organisation is Fashion Capital UK fashion portal. So what is Fashion Capital all about?

Fashion Capital aims to provide a one-stop online support resource for all areas of the Clothing and Fashion industry. Established in 2001 Fashion Capital has a wealth of expertise to provide all users a unique insight into the fashion industry. A dedicated team of experts are here to support you and your business at every stage of its development.

Fashion Capital combined with Fashion Enter in September 2006 to ensure a full offer of complete business support is now available.

Fashion Enter has a network of boutiques, the fashion event Profile, an agency Representing, PR Dispensary Service and allows members to have on going mentoring and business advice sessions. The amalgamation of the two businesses has provided one of the most powerful forces in fashion today.

Jenny Holloway, Director

Jenny Holloway has been working in the fashion industry for over twenty five years mostly in the private sector. Initially she was a buyer for Littlewoods, M&S and Principles for Women before opening her own label Retro.

For almost ten years Jenny was Director of her successful business Retro UK Ltd which included retail boutiques, party plan, wholesaling to major retailers such as John Lewis, Principles and independents. Retro UK also had an excellent export business with key accounts in the Middle East and Europe.

In 2000 Jenny commenced a consultancy business and was approached to be an Industry Advisor on Government funded initiatives. In March 06 Jenny incorporated Fashion Enter Ltd.

Fashion Enter Boutique Centrale Croydon

Fashion Enter (www.fashion-enter.com) has over 1000 members with two retail boutiques; Croydon and Barking - a third is planned for Spring 08. Fashion Enter Ltd provides highly specialised support for designers today including www.fashioncapital.co.uk, a PR Dispensary service, an agency representing, trade missions, seminars and workshops.

One to one surgeries are also available. Fashion Enter also owns the Profile fashion trade event which showcases new and emerging designers and acts as a platform between Graduate Fashion Week and London Fashion Week. Profile is currently sponsored by Hobbs, Whistles, Debenhams and TopShop and is in association with Rah Productions.

What this organisation can is boundless, for graduates the opportunity to have an organisation to help direct and learn more about the industry and more importantly to be advised by highly trained and knowledge staff who can give sound advice and support.

To do this Fashion Capital are looking for support in helping the Retail Industry in Croydon in establishing a sound base with helping the young designers, entrepreneurs, college graduates and up and coming designers in show casing their talents.

Croydon Council for some reason beyond recognition are refusing to aid the organisation who are a charity run business to supplement the accommodation they are using to help designers learn more about the industry.

I am of the knowledge that the whole town are in a re-development program and need all the support of the community to make the vision of 2020 a successful one. We need the likes of Fashion Capital to succeed as an organisation, because their success is everyone’s benefit.

There is no organisation that provides the resources and insight into the Fashion Industry as in depth as Fashion Capital, the fact that Croydon Capital have such resources at hand that could be helping them to PR the likes of Croydon Enterprise and Croydon Business is well just “beggars belief”.

Croydon needs a face lift and who better to advocate the new beginnings of a new future looking Croydon than none other than Kate Moss talent spotted in Croydon, and has gone on to be one of the most famous models to grace the fashion catwalks around the world.

We have been asking her to participate in raising the profile of Fashion in Croydon and to show fashion graduates what can be done in the working environment of the fashion industry.

But as yet she has ignored our pleas to help launch this town to new beginnings. This town is trying to raise awareness of change and needs the community to help input new ideas and to embrace the new face of Croydon.

This can only be successful if the people of Croydon can help input their ideas and for Croydon Council to recognise that people, organisations, societies, are the lynch pins to the success of this venture.

To stop this change from failing and becoming a “white elephant” as the London Dome proved to be, then Croydon Council are you listening, be there for the people by the people and stop dragging your pre-historic bureaucracy feet along the ground and HELP us to help you.

The Capital's Clothes Show back home

2009-03-14T18:09:00.004Z

Clothes Show London will be a Mecca for every aspiring fashionista - offering a unique experience of shopping, indulgence, celebrity expert advice, catwalk shows and trend reports for the UK's largest fashion city.
Visitors will be able to shop across an outstanding selection of high street, designer and boutique outlets; as well as sample a unique selection of hair and beauty products – before taking in a fashion show extravaganza at the Fashion Theatre; on one of the largest catwalks in the world.
Fashion designer Jana Thomas is to launch her new line SOVA under the umbrella of Fashion Capital, at the Clothes Show London, London ExCeL May 29th 2009.

Jana has been in the fashion clothing Industry for well over 15 years, creating, designer casualwear and formal classic look clothes.

Being from an Eastern Europe Russian state, her fashion ideals are far and wide as reflected in her designs for women and children; style, practical and a fashion statement, with an element of individuality being some of her traits in this ever evolving Fashion Industry.

Her garments are fitted, brimming with style for Spring Summer season, exciting, with attention to detail, ready to wear one-off exclusive fashion clothes, will be on display along with other talented fashion designers also launching their brands from the Fashion Capital portal of London at this year’s big 3 day event Clothes Show London, London Excel.

Clothes Show London 2009

2009-02-15T15:03:00.011Z

London Event Organisers brief Fashion Capital Designers

The delightful team of The Clothes Show London event organisers visited the Showroom in Kingston on the 21st January to provide designers interested in taking up the incredible opportunity of selling their products at the first Clothes Show in London in twenty years with an overview of this much anticipated event under the FashionCapital.co.uk umbrella.

The event will host a selection of up and coming designer talent, more established designers, beauty and even an indoor beach! The Clothes Show London is expected to resemble the Black Label and Pink zones previously seen in Birmingham.

Extensive press coverage will be featured in the likes of national popular magazines, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire and Easy Living as well as national papers including the Guardian. Advertisements will also feature in Glamour, Grazia, Elle, the London Lite and Metro as well as billboards and posters in London Underground stations.

Clothes Show comes to town

In 1989 Clothes Show Live opened in London and attracted so many visitors that mounted police were called in to manage the crowds.

Since then the show has been thriving in Birmingham and has become the largest fashion and beauty event in the World. 20 years on and Clothes Show Live is set to return to London in 2009!

From 29 - 31 May 2009 ExCeL, London will be transformed into a fashion and beauty haven hosting an outstanding selection of high street, designer and boutique brands as well as a unique selection of hair and beauty products to preen visitors in their thousands.

This is just what London has been waiting 20 years for… the largest fashion and beauty event is coming to the capital!

Fashion Boutique SovaCollection

A boutique is a small shopping outlet, especially one that specializes in elite and fashionable items, usually expensive clothes and jewellery.

With Boutiques you have designers that create avant-garde pieces to challenge mainstream fashion. We need the platform of the Boutique as created by Mary Quant to keep alive innovation and creativity otherwise assimilated mainstream fashion which solidifies young talented fashion designers ideas.

The sixties symbolised liberalism and freedom of expression. We need to carry this ideal on and to help keep alive individual innovation that Mary Quant boutique style in fashion created.

Jana Thomas of SovaCollection is a designer that enjoys creating and making Womenswear clothing that are of a Classical design, but always well fitted and complimentary to the body.

Once she makes her creation, it’s onto another idea, inspired by some event seen on TV, or something that triggers her imagination whilst shopping, then it’s straight to the sketch board and then to the fabric shop.

One off designs that’s what she specialises in liberated well cut fitted jackets, blouses, trousers, all that compliment a woman that works in a boardroom environment.

Or if the environment is not so formal, her casual wear denotes an air of individual artistry, colours that blend, soft textured garments, or colour schemes that elaborate shapes to disguise or proportion the body whether small or tall in height.

SovaCollection label SOVA is new but the concept of creativity is as old as time, as the fashion quote says fashion come and goes but style lasts forever.

Being of Eastern European roots, she has been in the fashion clothing Industry creating; designing women’s clothes for well over 15 years, her style and discipline is a quality that is foremost in her sewing technique as a craftswoman.

Fashion Capital Boutique - SOVA

Fashion Boutique

2008-12-14T17:46:00.048Z

British Fashion, 2nd March 1967

Carnaby Street, London 23rd May 1964

Mary Quant was one of the first designers to open up to the world her ideas on a hanger in the fashion industry when she opened up her boutique Bazaar in 1955 on London Kings Road. The sixties symbolised liberalism and freedom of expression.
Fashion designers were now experimenting and breaking the classical mould of the use of material now trying various textiles to achieve innovating shapes, patterns, colours and most of all the imagination to think outside the box. Below are a number of Fashion designers that helped to shaped and influence the fashion styles you see in the high street.
There are so many not mentioned but the designers below give a broad spectrum of innovation that is still evolving through our present designers and new designers that are emerging worldwide. Fashion has reached to globally thanks to the media and TV portal, and with this we are privileged to know more designers that have been inspirational of the 21^st century. With this insight we know have a global event of fashion shows from Europe, United States, Banana Republic to the United Kingdom.
We have models that are now reaching epic proportions and all because of the power of the press. You know not only have the catwalk queen for best model; you have face of the year, movies, endorsements, advertisements, shopping mall shows and sponsorship deals. The life of the model is in healthy hands. But unfortunately life on the high street for the Boutique has almost lost its very meaning, the same boutiques that today’s fashion shops have based themselves upon.

The Boutique represented the specialization of elite and fashionable items such as clothing and jewelry, one-of-a-kind but more generally speaking. Instead the majority of these elite shops have succumbed to the mass market selling of generic catwalk copies. This was a place that you could measure yourself in a stylish sense of the latest trend.
We have the talented designers the ideas, but not the high street portal to showcase the styles in fashion that everyone benchmarked them with, the Boutique. We want our place of distinction back; we don’t want to find these fashion pieces of art clustered in the store of mass market production on the high street in well known stores that are selling them in the very same style of a boutique.
They just pepper dust designers work of art all about the shop floor and make out as though they were produced by themselves. The next time you browse around the shop store, notice how many fashion designer names there are, you will be surprised.

Counterculture

Although distinct countercultural undercurrents have existed in many societies from time to time, here the term "counterculture" refers to a more significant, visible phenomenon that reaches critical mass, flowers and persists for a period of time. A countercultural movement expresses the ethos, aspirations, and dreams of a specific population during an era.

As with any counter culture revolution, it normally flowers with the youth and eventually blossoms to the social mainstream with such innovative effect. The coming counter culture evolution is something in society that was simmering in the background detected but not given any credence.

We are talking about a change that was once voluntary in the concept of thought amongst people but is now becoming more apparent with the media coverage around the world of events and scientific updates warning of the planets decline attributed by the worlds over use of consumerism and manufacturing. We have the atmosphere ozone damage, climate changes, mineral resources shortages, energy resources declining, textile materials diminishing.

Ecology movement

The global ecology movement is based upon environmental protection, and is one of several new social movements that emerged at the end of the sixties. As a values-driven social movement, it should be distinguished from the pre-existing science of ecology.

Ecology is the scientific study of the distribution and abundance of life and the interactions between organisms and their natural environment. The environment of an organism includes physical properties, which can be described as the sum of local abiotic factors such as insolation (sunlight), climate, and geology, and biotic ecosystem, which includes other organisms that share its habitat.

The word "ecology" is often used more loosely in such terms as social ecology and deep ecology and in common parlance as a synonym for the natural environment or environmentalism. Likewise "ecologic" or "ecological" is often taken in the sense of environmentally friendly.

The term ecology or oekologie was coined by the German biologist Ernst Haeckel in 1866, when he defined it as "the comprehensive science of the relationship of the organism to the environment. Haeckel did not elaborate on the concept, and the first significant textbook on the subject (together with the first university course) was written by the Danish botanist, Eugenius Warming. For this early work, Warming is often identified as the founder of ecology.

This is going to the way forward in the fashion industry as it will come to a point when resources will diminish so bad, the only course will be to embrace the new age of organic textiles.

Future cultural mainstream fashion

Clothes and textiles - Organic textiles

Replacing cotton with organic textiles is slowly being marketed by the likes of UK Soil Association. Other Clothing items can be manufactured:-

It's not just cotton – organic leather jackets and sheepskin rugs are available, and you can even knit your own jumpers using organic wool. Find suppliers in the Organic Directory.

The Soil Association has formed an organic directory that lists a category of textiles and companies certified by them.

Fashion Designer Bio’s

Prue Acton

Born 1943 – Australia (Benalla, Victoria) Fashion Designer Prue a central figure in the Australian fashion industry for thirty years, established a fashion design in the 1963 in Flinders lane, Melbourne. Acton's repertoire of styles and design elements have included: 'gangster' pants suit; the baby vamp; the mini skirt; pintucked baby doll; the cat suit; the romantic look; capes; leatherwear; hardware (chains, brass buttons, studs); the pants dress; culottes; battle jackets; peasant style; cut-outs, the wet look; the maxi; the tunic top; the coat dress; fun faux fur; the midi; delta style; poncho; the layered look; bib and braces; gaucho; animal prints; little knitted tops; cropped jackets; Beardsley-influenced prints; the tartar look; the tapestry look; mix and match; pinafore pants; hotpants; brickie knickers; patchwork suede’s.

Ossie Clark

Ossie Clark was a fashion designer who was famous for outrageous designs for the rich and famous mainly in the 1970’s but started as a leading figure in the Swinging Sixties in London. Ossie is now famous for his vintage designs, the contemporary fashion era being characterised by past influences and a retro feel.

Today, Ossie Clark vintage clothing is highly collectible where many of his dresses fetch hundreds of pounds and he is the celebrity’s choice when it comes to wearing vintage fashion.

Mary Quant

Mary Quant was one of the designers who took acclamation for the creation of the miniskirt and hot pants. Born to Welsh parents, Quant studied at Goldsmiths College before taking a job with a couture milliner. She is also famous for her outstanding work on pop art in fashion. In the modern climate Mary Quant no longer designs clothes but her unique style is instantly recognisable by vintage enthusiasts throughout the world because of the unique “daisy” insignia that adorns her range of clothing.

Vivienne Westwood

Vivienne Westwood is a fashion designer famous for introducing modern punk and new wave fashions into the high street during the 1970s. She is associated with the Sex Pistols through Malcolm McLaren and their popular boutique on Kings Road, Chelsea during the 1970s which had a wide range of loud, erotic and punk fashion and of course some stunning platform shoe. Now a political activists she still designs for a more mainstream audience and her brand is readily available via her chain of boutiques - but you can still see her unique style which is why vintage lovers’ crave for her originals.

Biba - Barbara Hulanick

Biba was an inspirational and popular fashion boutique in the 1960s and 1970s. Under founder Barbara Hulanicki the brand of Biba revolutionised consumer fashion by lowering prices so that trend followers could afford the latest cutting designs of the era. In 1975 Biba went under but the Art Deco influenced fashion house was re-introduced in May, 2006 but it is the early pieces of vintage clothes that fetch hundreds of pounds at auction today.

Jean Varon (John Bates)

John Bates is perhaps the most under rated of all the important British fashion designers. Working in the golden age of the “boutiques” in the 60s John Bates designed under another name - Jean Varon and under this label Bates contributed a wide range of youthful designs to the 60s and 70s fashion picture. Bates is best known for designing black leather costumes for Diana Rigg in the role of Emma Peel in the British TV series The Avengers.

Pierre Cardin

Pierre Cardin was born on July 7, 1922, near Venice, Italy, to the parents of French origin. His father was a wine maker and was preparing his son to take over the family trade.

Young Cardin was fond of ballet and theatre, he was dreaming of an acting career, and was also fascinated with the beauty of costumes and stage designs. In 1936, at the age of 14, he started as a tailor's assistant. In 1945 Cardin moved to Paris, France. There he studied architecture and worked with Paquin, then with Schiaparelli. In 1945 Cardin met Jean Cocteau and Christian Berard with whom he made numerous costumes and masks for several films, such as 'Beauty and the Beast' (1946). In 1947 he began to work for 'Christian Dior'. In 1950 Cardin created his own fashion house on Rue Richepanse in Paris.

Andre Courrèges

Courrèges, André, 1923–, French fashion designer whose designs were especially popular and influential during the 1960s. He worked for the couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga from 1950 to 1961, when he opened his own house. Often using white, Courréges created space-age, unisex styles and is known for dresses and trouser suits featuring straight, flat lines and sheer tops that sometimes sported cut-outs.

He is often credited with the invention of the miniskirt, which he frequently paired with shiny white boots. He later experimented with such looks as “gladiator” and ethnic outfits.

Foal & Tuffin

Marion Foal

Sally Tuffin

After graduating from Walthamstow Art School, friends Marion Foale and Sally Tuffin studied at the Royal College of Art under Janey Ironside, then head of the diploma course in fashion design. Determined not to make 'elderly clothes' for an established manufacturer, they set up their own business in 1961. Under the Foale and Tuffin label they created a range of bright, fun dresses, skirts and tops, which they sold through department stores and their shop in Carnaby Street. They were among the first to experiment with making women's trousers into flattering, sexy garments.Sally Tuffin is now a ceramicist, and Marion Foale designs knitwear

Emilio Pucci

Emilio Pucci (Marchese Emilio Pucci di Barsento), 1914-92, Italian fashion designer. After establishing showrooms in Florence, Capri, and Rome, he began his signature look with elegant sportswear, especially ski outfits. He created his own multicoloured printed fabrics with geometric and organic patterns for use mainly on thin silk blouses and women's shirts. He used brilliant colours in silks, bulky knit sweaters, underclothes, scarves, and towels. His designs included accessories, perfumes, and objects Nina Ricci Couture house in 1950 became famous for his use of bold patterns, and brilliant colour. He became a member of the Italian parliament in 1965.

Nina Ricci

Italian by birth (born in Turin Italy, 1883) and French by upbringing (moved to France in 1900), Nina Ricci founded her company in 1932 when she was 49 years old. Together with her son Robert, they started in a one-room atelier wherein in 7 years, the business had expanded to occupy 3 buildings. Nina Ricci started as an apprentice dressmaker at 14 in Paris. When she was 18, she was already designing and selling her creations to other fashion houses. Her genius does not lie in making something revolutionary, but more on making the female form more feminine. Leaning on haute couture during that time, Nina Ricci is a master of draping and can make a dress very special to her wealthy client by adding something special in the detailing for the wearer that makes the dress her own. There is always ease of movement in her clothes, yet keeping its femininity. In short, it was the woman wearing it that made the clothes.

Paco Rabanne

Rabanedacuervo is a fashion designer who was born on 18 February 1934 in Saint Sebastian of the Basque Country of Spain. He fled Spain for France with his mother when the Spanish Civil War broke out. He originally had an architect's education but became known as the enfant terrible of French fashion world in the 1960s. Brief introduction on the history of fashion design and designers Fashion design is the art dedicated to the creation of wearing apparel and lifestyle.

Yves Saint Laurent

The Past and the Present Fashion Designer Yves Saint Laurent was born 1936 in Oran, Algeria. After winning first prize in the International Wool Secretariat contest for his asymmetrical cocktail dress in 1954, Saint Laurent went immediately to work for Christian Dior. Saint Laurent became Haute Couture designer when Dior died in 1957. He introduced the trapeze dress in his first collection for Dior in 1958. He was replaced by Mark Bohen in 1960, when he fulfilled his military obligations. Afterwards, he opened his own couture house, financed by Pierre Berge, in 1962. The Rive Gauche boutiques for women were established in 1966, and men's wear was added in 1974. His CEO is still Pierre Berge, volatile critic of the Chambre Syndicale. His muse has been Catherine Deneuve for many years. Saint Laurent frequently uses ethnic themes in his garments, as well as bright colours contrasted with black. His day clothes have a slightly masculine flavour, and his luxurious evening wear is tinged with fantasy. He is famous for "Le Smoking" tuxedo jacket, see-through blouses (1968), peasant blouses, bolero jackets, pantsuits, and smocks. Although a shy person, Saint Laurent believes he is the last true couturier. He maintains the highest standards of classic cut and tailoring, and he receives a standing ovation after every collection is presented.

Roger Vivier

Roger Vivier was a French fashion designer born in 1913, who specialized in shoes. He died in 1998. His best known creation was the Stiletto heel. He designed extravagant richly-decorated shoes that he described as sculptures. He is credited with the invention of the stiletto heel by using a thin rod of steel encased in wood or plastic to support the wearer's weight. He has been called the "Fragonard of the shoe" and his shoes "the Faberge of footwear" by critics.
Ava Gardner, Gloria Guinness, Queen Elizabeth II and The Beatles were all Vivier customers.

Carla Zampatti

Born in Italy, Carla settled with her family in Australia in 1950. In 1965, she produced her first small collection for Zampatti Pty Limited, followed two years later by a national launch, and in 1970, by the establishment of Carla Zampatti Limited, a label that was to become a by-word for beautiful clothes, which combine Australian creativity with Italian style. Over the years, she has continually expanded her retail network to create a chain of 30 Carla Zampatti boutiques and concept stores across Australia. Today her clothes are a distinctive part of the modern Australian lifestyle.

Bob Schulz

His ready-to-wear designs were all the rage in American stores, from Bloomingdale's and Bendel's in New York to Neiman Marcus of Dallas. In 1967, Women's Wear Daily described Schulz as looking like "a young Kirk Douglas – and his clothes look terribly right... typical of the new wave of London designers combining classic good tailoring with a young mood". In London, during the Swinging Sixties, Schulz’s designs were ubiquitous, always wearable and feminine and refreshingly free of gimmickry. He enjoyed a huge success in the UK with Young Jaeger, the line he pioneered and ran from 1959 until 1965, when he accepted an irresistible offer from the Milan store La Rinascente and moved to Italy for several years.

SovaCollection Fashion Boutique

Organic cosmetics - is it organic?

2008-12-09T20:34:00.006Z

The market for natural and organic cosmetics has exploded in recent years, helped by the rising ranks of "green" consumers who are ready to pay a premium for environmentally friendly goods. Or, at least, goods that they perceive to be environmentally friendly: growth in this niche market has been driven by consumer concerns "over the perceived harmful effects of man-made chemicals rather than a desire to support the organic farming industry.

With this urgency of changing lifestyle and the way we use food and cosmetics; Consumers are haphazardly changing their buying habits with cosmetics. Changing to organic cosmetic products, which in itself is fantastic to know that contribution to the environment of saving and using products that are less demanding to our resources is good.

But so many people are not researching enough into an un-tested arena of products relatively new to the market, in some cases untested. This makes the need even more important for people to be extra vigilant in choosing products and to read and know what they are buying into.

With the emphasis on "green living" became an increasingly hot issue, makers of products are pushing natural and ethical claims as a way to differentiate their goods; Cosmetics design Europe, According to preliminary research from Organic Monitor, the European market for natural and organic cosmetics is continuing to grow as consumers seek out products that are ‘chemically-clean’ as well as having eco-friendly qualities.

Large retailers, like Wal-Mart Stores in the United States, or Tesco in Britain, have all started their own lines branded as natural and organic, competing with established cosmetic brands like Estée Lauder and Kiehl's. Consumers can buy almost any toiletry in an organic form, from body scrub and face cleanser to lip balm and shampoo.

Yet the labeling of "organic and natural" cosmetics is virtually unregulated by governments, leaving consumers to rely on industry self-regulation. Some companies have adopted private certification rules developed by groups like the French organic certifier Ecocert, the Soil Association in Britain and the recently established Oasis, or Organic and Sustainable Industry Standards, in the United States.

So what you have is a confusing worldwide separate body governing their own country, but globally everyone is confused as to what consensus agreement to have as regards to an agreed formula for what constitutes as Organic in the industry.

Made from organic means no hydrogenation, sulfation or synthetic preservation of ingredients are allowed, nor are any petrochemicals allowed, and 70 percent organic content is required. Now to a lot of people that is not what they are looking for, when it comes to information. Consumers what to know what is bad for them and to know how do I know the product I am looking at is genuine organic?

There is a growing concern that inadequate regulation of the personal care industry "is going to destroy consumer confidence in the integrity of the organic program, which is essentially a 'truth in advertising' labeling program."

Cosmetics Toxic Ingredients
Instead of simply relying on labels that read “organic,” you should look at the label and choose products that contain few or no artificial fragrances or other unwanted items. If you need to do research on the ingredients in your cosmetics to make sure you are making a wise decision, Information can be obtained of the latest reviews into the safety and progress of the use of organic products.
The cosmetic, toiletry and fragrance association is now the personal care products council

Toxic Cosmetics

The skin is the largest organ of the body. It is our most important immune defence barrier and our largest organ for eliminating waste. Substances applied to the skin can get absorbed into the blood stream. Some experts say that up to 60% of substances applied to the skin can be absorbed into the blood stream.

Many of the skincare products on the market call themselves natural but they are actually full of chemicals. Skincare products only need 1% of natural ingredients to call themselves natural! It is a misleading marketing trick but it sells and it is not illegal.

There are thousands of petroleum based chemicals used in the cosmetics industry - mineral oils and mineral emulsifiers, artificial colours, perfumes and preservatives. Many of them are highly toxic and they can cause all kinds of health problems. Some of them can be absorbed into the skin and even into the blood stream. They can cause all kinds of health problems such as respiratory problems, skin rashes, premature ageing, headaches, cancer etc.

The following is a list of some of the nasty ingredients to watch out for.
Sodium Lauryl Sulphate (SLS)
Sodium Laureth Sufate
Ammonium Laureth Sulphate (family of SLS)
Aluminium
Animal fat
DEA, MEA, TEA
Dioxins
Elastin
Formaldehyde
Fragrance
Flourocarbons
Mineral Oil
Petrolatum
Padimate-0
Imidazolidiny, Urea and DMDM Hydantoin
PVP/VA Copolymer
Synthetic Colours
Propylene Glycol - Used in antifreeze and also used in caustic spray-on oven cleaners

Fragrance on a label can indicate the presence of up to four thousand separate ingredients, many toxic or carcinogenic.
Symptoms reported to the USA FDA include headaches, dizziness, allergic rashes, skin discoloration, violent coughing and vomiting, and skin irritation. Clinical observation proves fragrances can affect the central nervous system, causing depression, hyperactivity, and irritability.

Mineral Oils, Emulsifiers and Waxes
Mineral oils are detrimental to the skin, they coat the skin like plastic, interfering with the bodies healthy functioning, blocking pores and inhibiting the skins ability to eliminate toxins. Some of them sit on the surface of the skin, clogging the pores and making germs more likely to get in and toxins less likely to get out of your body. Mineral oils do not give any nourishment to the skin because they do not contain fatty acids and therefore have no affinity with the skin and cannot be absorbed by the skin.

Ingredients in some products

1. Antibacterial Overuse of antibacterial can prevent them from effectively fighting disease-causing germs like E. coli and Salmonella enterica. Triclosan, widely used in soaps, toothpastes and deodorants, has been detected in breast milk, and one recent study found that it interferes with testosterone activity in cells. Numerous studies have found that washing with regular soap and warm water is just as effective at killing germs.

2. Coal Tar Coal tar is a known human carcinogen used as an active ingredient in dandruff shampoos and anti-itch creams. Coal-tar-based dyes such as FD&C Blue 1, used in toothpastes, and FD&C Green 3, used in mouthwash, have been found to be carcinogenic in animal studies when injected under skin.

3. Diethanolamine (DEA) DEA is a possible hormone disruptor, has shown limited evidence of carcinogenicity and depletes the body of choline needed for fetal brain development. DEA can also show up as a contaminant in products containing related chemicals, such as cocamide DEA.

4. 1, 4-Dioxane 1, 4-Dioxane is a known animal carcinogen and a possible human carcinogen that can appear as a contaminant in products containing sodium laureth sulfate and ingredients that include the terms "PEG," "-xynol," "ceteareth," "oleth" and most other ethoxylated "eth" ingredients. The FDA monitors products for the contaminant but has not yet recommended an exposure limit. Manufacturers can remove dioxane through a process called vacuum stripping, but a small amount usually remains. A 2007 survey by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics found that most children's bath products contain 10 parts per million or less, but an earlier 2001 survey by the FDA found levels in excess of 85 parts per million.

5. Formaldehyde Formaldehyde has a long list of adverse health effects, including immune-system toxicity, respiratory irritation and cancer in humans. Yet it still turns up in baby bath soap, nail polish, and eyelash adhesive and hair dyes as a contaminant or break-down product of diazolidinyl urea, imidazolidinyl urea and quaternium compounds.

6. Fragrance The catchall term "fragrance" may mask phthalates, which act as endocrine disruptors and may cause obesity and reproductive and developmental harm. Avoid phthalates by selecting essential-oil fragrances instead.

7. Lead and Mercury Neurotoxic lead may appear in products as a naturally occurring contaminant of hydrated silica, one of the ingredients in toothpaste, and lead acetate is found in some brands of men's hair dye. Brain-damaging mercury, found in the preservative thimerosol, is used in some mascara.

8. Nanoparticles Tiny nanoparticles, which may penetrate the skin and damage brain cells, are appearing in an increasing number of cosmetics and sunscreens. Most problematic are zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles, used in sunscreens to make them transparent. When possible, look for sunscreens containing particles of these ingredients larger than 100 nanometers. You'll most likely need to call companies to confirm sizes, but a few manufacturers have started advertising their lack of nanoparticle-sized ingredients on labels.

9. Parabens (methyl-, ethyl-, propyl-, butyl-, isobutyl-) Parabens, which have weak estrogenic effects, are common preservatives that appear in a wide array of toiletries. A study found that butyl paraben damaged sperm formation in the testes of mice, and a relative, sodium methylparaben, is banned in cosmetics by the E.U. Parabens break down in the body into p-hydroxybenzoic acid, which has estrogenic activity in human breast-cancer cell cultures.

10. Petroleum Distillates Possible human carcinogens, petroleum distillates are prohibited or restricted for use in cosmetics in the E.U. but are found in several U.S. brands of mascara, foot-odour powder and other products. Look out for the terms "petroleum" or "liquid paraffin."

11. P-Phenylenediamine Commonly found in hair dyes, this chemical can damage the nervous system, cause lung irritation and cause severe allergic reactions. It's also listed as 1, 4-Benzenediamine; p-Phenyldiamine and 4-Phenylenediamine.

12. HydroquinoneFound in skin lighteners and facial moisturizers, hydroquinone is neurotoxic and allergenic, and there's limited evidence that it may cause cancer in lab animals. It may also appear as an impurity not listed on ingredients labels.

Organic Cosmetics Governing Bodies
To be called 'organic' a product has to be certified as having met the criteria set by the organic-certifying body of the country it is produced in. Unfortunately, there is currently no international standard and so each country independently decides its own criteria for defining 'organic'.

However, one European certification organisation, ECOCERT, is now recognised in 70 countries. Here in the UK organic certification is given by the Soil Association, which has the most comprehensive organic standards worldwide for health and beauty products.

The Soil Association launched its standards for health and beauty products in 2002 and now certifies a wide range of companies and products to the standards. The standards were launched in response to companies that were making organic beauty products that wanted independent verification that was geared towards these types of products, and also in response to consumers who wanted to know which products truly were organic.

Representatives of UK, Europe & US
ECOCERT - France
OASIS – USA
SOIL Association – UK
Cosmetic organic standard- Europe

At last: decision on European natural cosmetics standard
It took several years of negotiations to reconcile all the interests of the important labellers of natural cosmetics in Europe but, since 3 November 2008, the new European guidelines for certified natural cosmetics have been on the internet, and they will come into force in January 2009. The new standard will make it possible to compare products, and the conditions for international trade will be improved. Passing the guidelines has brought to an end an intensive round of many discussions by the certification organisations Ecocert (France), the Soil Association (Great Britain), AIAB/ICEA (Italy), Ekogarantie (Belgium) and BDIH (Germany).

www.sovacollection.com

Look slimmer change your hairstyle

2008-11-02T15:36:00.017Z

GET THE RIGHT HAIR STYLE FOR YOUR FACE

Going to the hairdresser can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you aren’t' sure what you want. Ease your nerves by doing some research ahead of time, browse women's magazines or the internet for examples of the style you're looking for, and don't be afraid to bring a few pictures into the salon with you. Sharing these pictures with the hairdresser will give him or her visual idea of what type of cut you're interested in.
The Fringe Bang

Want to make your fuller face look slimmer? Most hairstylists will tell you a slimming hairstyle can change your whole appearance dramatically. Here are a set of hair tips that do the trick: Layers, Wavy or Loose Curls, Relax or Straighten Curls, Don’t Cut above the Chin, Sweep Your Bangs to the Side, Get Highlights.

Look at current magazines and find a new hairstyle that will fit the new you. Have you heard the word about fringe? It’s the newest way make any haircut unique. Forget those old, blunt cut bangs, today’s fringes frame your face, cut out a curve, add softness to look or make a bold fashion statement.

The best fringe hairstyles are cut with a razor when hair is dry. This permits the ultimate in customizing, for a business hairstyle, small, individual pieces are razor to frame your eyes and blend into the sides.

If you like a more high-fashion approach, super-thick chunky fringe and even ones cut to two different length and tinted two-tones are the way to go. To choose the best fringe hairstyle for you, consult with your hair stylist.

Before you do study below get to know what your face shape is and how to make the most of how you look.

Know Your Face Type

ROUND FACE

Soft, choppy styles such as layers cut around the cheeks work better for round faces than pin-straight, flat or sleek styles do. Layers that fall just around the cheekbones will shade them and cause the face to look narrower. Volume on top of the crown will create a domed look that adds height and thus elongates the roundness of the face.

LONG FACE

Typical for a long face is a long and narrow bone structure. Women with a long facial shape frequently have a long thin neck also. With a long face shape you will need short to medium length hairstyles. A wedge hairstyle is a good idea. Use fringe bangs to cover your forehead and thus make your face look less long. You need some fullness at the sides to make it look wider. Use curls or soft waves. Layered haircuts work well with these face shape. Avoid long hairdos as it would make your face look even longer. Hair longer than shoulder length will not look good at all.

SQUARE FACE

Square faces need to avoid short crops, symmetry, or anything geometric which will enhance your face shape; instead, go for soft curves which will soften the severity of the square jaw line. If you can get a slightly voluminous point at the crown, this will also detract from the square outline. Light, wispy, see-through bangs can also soften the features. Stay away from blunt cuts and hard, sleek lines as these will exaggerate the square shape. A cut with soft curves, slight fringe bangs would be best for this face type.

HEART-SHAPED FACE

Faces that is narrow at the bottom and wide at the top need a cut that hides the hairline with graduated bangs and a choppy style that flips out on the ends. When the hair turns outwards rather than inwards, it equalizes the shape by giving volume around the narrow bottom of the face. If, on the other hand, your face is an upside-down heart (narrow at the top, heavier at the jaw) make sure there is fullness at the top of the head instead to balance out the chin.

DIAMOND – SHAPED FACE

Shape widest at the cheekbones, & narrow equally at the forehead & jaw line. A diamond face shape can also carry any style.

OVAL – SHAPED FACE

Curve linear shape. Length is equal to one and a half times width, with forehead and jaw the same width. So think of the oval face shape as an egg.

TRIANGLE – SHAPED FACE

A dominant jaw line that tapers or narrows toward the cheekbones & temples. A triangle face is similar to a heart shape, but with corners & angles. You can match the angles of your face for impact or counterbalance them for softness. Avoid necklaces that end with a point.

Tip
As mentioned you will really need to get all the information from magazines and internet site pictures, to give you a better picture of what will suit your face shape. Of course you will be delving in the unknown as some of you have over the years stayed faithful to what you have been used to, so doing this may feel foreign. But hey let’s make some changes and inject a sense of adventure to enhance you as a women and to compliment your new change clothing style.

Women What you think about your body

2008-11-02T14:58:00.007Z

Whether pear or apple-shaped, short or statuesque, post-childbirth sloppy or plain fed up of feeling everything's heading south, what counts more than how you're built is how you present yourself.

No matter what's in style, knowing what looks good on you can be the difference between fabulous and frumpy. Do you lunge for the newest fashion, run out to get the hottest trend? It's great to be fashionable, but sometimes there's a fine line between fashionista and fashion victim.

Instead of obsessing over the weight that won’t go away, with strategic dressing you can learn how to make friends with your body again, with the right clothes. Learn the clever art of 'illusion' dressing - project the positive and your negative bits will look less in comparison.

Good bust? Emphasise it, great legs? Show them off, the same applies for every key body zone.

Good Foundations - Ditch those skimpy g-strings and non-complimentary bras - they make wobbly bits worse. At least 50% of women wear the wrong bra size. In contrast, well-fitting underwear give any woman va-voom, controlled curves.

Be happy in your skin and enjoy being a woman whatever shape you're in. Chances are if you give the impression your figures fabulous, others will think so, too!

Curvy: There are many patterns that can camouflage weight a rule of thumb is that if you are curvy, you'll want to wear one bigger, bolder print.
If you want to minimize curves, hips and thighs, stay away from pants that are tapered or slim.

Petite: If you are petite, bigger prints can overwhelm you, so go with smaller prints and patterns.
Wear V-neck shirts; the open neckline makes your neck appear longer, and you'll appear taller. Avoid horizontal stripes. Vertical lines such as pinstripes will give the illusion of being taller or thinner.

Tall: Wide-leg slouchy trousers or jeans look best on taller individuals, and they're a great way to accentuate your waist to appear slimmer.

Accessories
This can make or break an outfit. They can turn a drab trouser suit into something enviable; they can turn a drab T-shirt and jeans into the hottest outfit at a get together. Start with shoes to make a great impact. Heels can do wonders for many. If you want to add height, try wedges and if you want to make your ankles look lean, avoid ankle straps on shoes as those will cut you off in the wrong place.

Just because ankle straps can make your ankles look chunky doesn't mean you should simply give up and throw on a pair of boots. Be careful with boots if you are concerned about your calves. Wear tall boots that end just below the bend of the knee. Never wear boots that cut you off mid-calf.

Remember, a great pair of shoes isn't the only way to kick an outfit into high gear.
Buy accessories, such as handbags that coordinate with your height and size. If you're petite, the oversized clutch may overwhelm you; go for the trendy 'day clutch.

If you are taller or curvy, the midsized to oversized clutch can balance you out. Wearing dark colours or monochromatic colour schemes in any colour can camouflage your weight. However, if you want to avoid looking boring, you need to break it up with some fun accessories.

Wearing wrong size clothing 85% of women wear wrong size clothing?
It’s true, there are so many negative body images that we all buy into from the fashion world, film industry and pop music industry and in time we start believing that this is how we should look!

With every season that goes by we are bombarded with the latest must-haves and we rush out and buy them without thinking are they right for my body shape, life style and personality?
How many times have we rushed out to buy something we've seen in a magazine, only to get it home, try it on and thought Why don’t I look like that picture in the magazine? And why doesn’t it compliment my body?

Fashion magazines may be full of waif-like models with fragile, stick thin limbs and bodies as flat as boards; women are actually designed to have curves. Its natural, its feminine, it’s sexy and most men (88%) say that they prefer curvy women to those with a ‘perfect body’. The question is what is the perfect body?

When it comes to looking good, it’s NOT your size or shape that matters, it’s the FIT of your clothes. Really understanding your shape will make shopping much easier. Wearing the right size clothes is not about following the latest fashion or fads; it’s about choosing what actually suits your own personality and style and what makes you feel comfortable and confident.

How you look does affect how you feel about yourself, your performance in life and how others' perceive you. The old saying ‘not to judge by its cover’ may be true, but in retrospective, ‘you never get a second chance to make a first impression’ always sticks in people’s minds.

You've probably seen at least a few people wearing too-tight clothing that reveals every imperfection on those areas that would best remain hidden -- hello, Lycra bike shorts! You probably don't want to emulate that look if you want to dress to impress.

You will need to stay away from clingy jersey-knit dresses and tops that show every dimple and bulge. Choosing fabrics that are heavier in weight or lined would be much better. If you are in love with a semi-sheer dress or one without a liner, consider getting a throwback to yesteryear: the old faithful slip. One of the most important things to remember when it comes to style is maintaining a posture.

Feeling confident about what you're wearing is the most important fashion tip out there. If you feel good about what you have on, it will show in your attitude and smile, and that is really all that matters.

To help with posture, you are advised to invest in a good, supportive bra.
Finding a bra that fits and one that is ill-fitting can make the difference between good and poor posture, confidence and insecurity, well-fitting clothing or a dishevelled look. That (correctly fitted bra) alone can make you look 10 pounds thinner.

Wearing the wrong size bra?
Thousands of women are wearing the wrong size bra. A woman's bust size changes over time due to such things as lifestyle, pregnancy, age and monthly cycle. It's a natural variation but many women take none of this into consideration and continue buying and wearing the same size bra for years.

Bras can also stretch by as much as 4 inches across the back over as little time as 9-12 months so what was the perfect fit then, may well be nowhere near the perfect fit now!
The bra should feel comfortable to your taste and be matched to your activity level and lifestyle. Here are some tips to help you understand the way a bra fit can be determined rightly or wrongly.

Right fitted size bra
A properly fitted bra should feel snug around the ribcage, anchored to the body just below the shoulder blades.
The band should be level front to back and should not ride up or dig.
The shoulder straps should be secure but comfortable as most of the support should come from the band.
The cup should be filled but not overflowing.
The underwire should encircle the breast, resting firmly against the ribcage and the center of the bra should be between the breasts.
The underwire should never rest on top of sensitive breast tissue and should stay in place when your arms are raised.

Wrongly fitted size bra – too small / large
Bra straps/sides digging into the shoulders/rib cage. (Too small)
Red marks, chaffing and indentations (Too small)
The breasts are bulging out of the top or bottom of the bra. (Too small)
Abnormal back ache or shoulder pains (Too small/large)
Bra rides up at the back (Too large)
Straps keep slipping off (Too large)
Front panel standing away from the chest cavity (too small/large)

Tip
Take a look at the way you measure your cup size from the link below:-

How to measure your bra size

Dress Your Age
You need to know what works for your age which will save a lot of trouble when shopping for clothes. Most college students don't want to dress like a middle-aged woman; most middle-aged women should avoid dressing like a teen, even if they are in great shape and look good for their age.

Here are some suggestions on what you should and should not wear, based on your age:

20s & 30s: You're young enough to pull off almost any trend, so go for it, as long as you're comfortable in it and you don't find yourself tugging at it to make it fit you.

40s & 50s: Go for the classics that will last you season after season, like a great statement coat. It's time to invest in fabulous handbags and shoes that show off your personal style.

60s & Up: Keep your look polished with classics, but don't be afraid to throw in some bold colour and metallic extras.

Posture

STOP SLOUCHING!
Most People Have Poor Posture. Posture is more than just the alignment of your body. It gives signs about your attitude on life and yourself!
Bad posture can make you look insecure, depressed and uncomfortable. When You Stand Tall and Erect, you show that you are; Confident, Stylish, Comfortable, Cool with Yourself

GOOD posture can make you look at least 5-10 pounds slimmer INSTANTLY!
So Stand Up Straight!

Tip:
All day today be aware of your posture. Walk around like you are a supermodel and believe it!

STATISTICS INFORMATION REPORT BY FABULOUS MAGAZINE
What Men Say
We asked which female celebrity has the best body
40% say Kelly Brook
15% say Myleene Klass
1% rate Kate Moss as having the best celeb body – so curves win again!
38% estimate the average size of a British woman - answer size 14 – it’s actually size 16!
58% of men say they are happy with their partner’s body and wouldn’t want them to lose or gain weight
77% of men say yes when asked whether they wish women were more body confident
So, take it from the men, that the majority of them love you just the way you are – but you have to love yourselves too. The message coming loud and clear is: “You’ve got it, so flaunt it!”

WE ASKED MEN:
If you could change one part of your partner’s body, what would it be? Answers were -
“I’d give her bigger hips for a curvy hourglass figure”
“Slimmer thighs – but only because that would make her happier, and I want her to be happy”
“I wouldn’t change my girlfriend. She’s perfect”
“Nothing everything works, she’s happy with it, I’m happy with it, why change?”

WHAT WOMEN SAY
Hurrah for curves
We asked whose body you admire most:
26% voted for TV presenter Myleene Klass
22% picked curvy Kelly Brook
15% went for supermodel Gisele Bündchen
And what do they all have, girls? Yep, great boobs! PS: Nobody voted for skinny supermodel-of-the-moment Agyness Deyn, or curvy singer Beth Ditto.
56% of women say their breasts are the most attractive part of their body
45% say their stomach is the part of their body they like the least
21% constantly worry about their weight
55% worry their partner isn’t attracted to them because of their body
56% would consider having cosmetic surgery – 41% want liposuction
32% say their ideal dress size is an 8
Vital statistics
10st 1lb: the average weight of a fabulous reader
79% of you want to lose weight
37% of you want to lose 1-7lb

Final Message
The secret to all this is knowing your body shape, dressing to hide the parts that you don’t like and showing off your best parts. In a recent ‘Which Report’ it was discovered that clothes can vary up to 4 inches in shops.
85% of women wear the wrong size clothes
81% of women own sexy underwear, less than 30% of women wear them
68% of women hate their thighs
73% of women obsess about their body’s everyday
60% of women say the media pressures them to look good
The national average for a woman’s waist is in fact 34 inches!

It is important to embrace who you are and love your flaws. It is not about age Fashion or expensive clothing: it is about understanding what suits your body shape, your personality and lifestyle. Applying that insight will help you achieve your goals personally and professionally.

Loving and knowing you, whatever size you are its the key to life fulfillment.
You are Important, Fabulous and Valuable, Don’t EVER Forget That

Until you break the circle of self pity and putting yourself down, all you will do is attract what you don’t want, that is misery and more self pity, which equals sadness and self worthlessness about yourself. I want women to start at ground zero and begin by being honest with yourself and to love yourself for you are.

I believe ALL women are beautiful, and with the right clothes you can also exude self confidence and self esteem. It may also include changing your lifestyle – eating healthily and exercise. Many people believe the term ‘Real Women’ refers to plus size women. In fact I believe the exact description of a real woman is as follows:

She comes in all shapes and sizes
She walks the mile
She makes you smile
She takes chances
She has flaws
She embraces life
She is Phenomenal
She is Adventurous

Ladies get out there and make the changes for you, it’s all about attraction!

SovaCollection Women's Fashon Clothing

www.sovacollection.com

Define Fashionista

2008-08-03T16:13:00.005+01:00

Trying to define what fashionista means is the wrong way to learn about its definition. Learning what people’s perception of the phrase is more beneficial. It at least gives a starting point. Samples of this I have captured, not to categorize but to be more informative of what some people think of the term fashionista.

“A person devoted to fashion clothing particularly unique or high fashion”
“A person not to be called a fashionista would be someone who obsessively follows trends”
“REAL fashionistas do not believe in trends, that type of person would be more correctly labelled a fashion whore or a shallow bitch”
What is your definition of a fashionista? I know there will be a dictionary definition but what is your interpretation?

“To me it is someone who makes her or his own style from the fashion available without just buying what is hot”
It’s actually the one who cares about style, doesn't matter if he/she is in fashion or not, but he/she is working mostly on that like even for her/his style. Or I can call her/him stylish/smart.
This list goes on and on, and to cap it all you even have a dictionary, aka urban dictionary, which also translates to something but means something else. Then there is a dictionary word break down and meaning. [ -ista<>]

Fashion Terms
Fashion terms of the 60’s at its height

Way out – Something so far out there, it’s almost unbelievable
Far out - Cool
Groovy – very pleasing, wonderful
Hip / with it - Aware of what's going on Knowledgeable.” I’m hip to what's happening." Something cool or groovy, "Those are the hippest love beads I've ever seen!"
Before that what Granny would have called it “the very latest thing my deer”

Fashion Terms
Modern Day

Fashion - the currently accepted, prevailing style. (Vogue is defined the same way.)
Fad - a fashion that suddenly bursts into popularity
Style - a characteristic or distinctive form of dress that exists independent of fashion (hippie, gothic, cowboy)
Classic - a fashion that retains general acceptance over an extended period of time
Design - a specific version of a style
Avant-garde - ahead of its time, comes straight off the runway

So where is this taking us? I have tried countless paths and felt I was travelling on a roundabout, finishing right back where I started. I did find another definition which gave a better clue as to what fashionista means.

A fashionista is a complimentary term used to describe an avid follower of fashion one working in or deeply involved with the high-fashion industry ( haute-couture – the creation of exclusive fashions), such as a fashion designer, fashion model, photographer, buyer, fashion writer, or wearer; a devotee to clothing trends and fashion.

So where is this taking us you might ask? Taking a trip back in time, the sixties was baptised as the period of Popular Arts (Pop Arts), which encapsulated great change in society due to the aftermath of the second world war, depravation, shortage of material, textiles, housing shortages, the start of another war Vietnam and all the upheavals that transcended the events of this period.

Such a great change, whether induced by war or natural change in society, there is always a visual record of this change, depicted perfectly by abstract expression artists such as Mark Rothko and Andy Warhol. Both these artists revealed their images of breaking away from conformist classical ideals in a time when great change was upon us.

Change is always the title for wondrous things to happen in a period of great happenings. The sixties brought to us the evolution of change, Pop arts were the conduit, and the result of recording this was through Art, Music and Fashion. Inspirational people sparked great change as seen in the music industry of the sixties, youthful, energetic and cult like.

Changes in fashion also sent out a message of self expression, signalling an innovative representative, who broke the shackles of proper and prim attitudes of the 50’s and brought forth the concept of thinking “out of the box” to the shock & horror of the traditionalists.

Unfortunately though alongside these changes, you will always have consumerism fitting such individualistic attitudes and ideas into a pigeon slot and re-market it as a fashion style, a trend, a fad, and so on, until it’s watered down to non-existence. The most powerful thing a fashionista does, is to drop an innovative idea like a bomb exploding its concept into the arena of the fashion world and to watch its rippling reaction spread with great cause and effect into the world of fashion.

Seeing people rushing around like, “leaves blowing in the wind” trying to encapsulate the latest fad, surprised by the reaction and the full force of something new being unfolded before their very eyes. The late seventies, eighties and nineties all had the same effect on people from the many ingenious innovators of the world of fashion. New music genres created by vocalist and bands. Paint artists taking the level of expression to new heights, with every passing year.

In its essence being a libertine in an already conforming society, needs one to change, to show what an eye for fashion is, to show the finer intricate designed detail, created in one’s own image. To see what no other person can seen, to create an idea out of what is already available. But most of all to keep alive counter-culture fashion and idealism of self expression alive, because in the end it’s all about attraction!

But most of all if you do conform, one day you are in, the next day you’re out in the world of fashion.
www.sovacollection.com

Secrets to dressing slimmer

2008-07-05T17:57:00.000+01:00

Dress slimmer without the need to going black? Focus on what to wear instead of what not to wear. The feel-good factor is most important feeling about the clothes that you wear. The most common misconception people have about dressing slimmer is they have to wear black.

While black does provide an overall sleek appearance, it's not the only path to a svelter look. A first piece of advice: Give yourself more credit, know that you are normal and everyone's body is different. Once you start looking at yourself through a less critical lens, fashion can be a lot of fun.
Here are some tips:

1. Go monochromatic - First off, wearing a monochromatic colour scheme is elegant and flattering to all body types. Even wearing an all-white suit, for example, will look good on someone trying to dress slimmer because it doesn't chop up the body. The last thing you want to do is chop up your look with a different colour, which could make even a slim person look stocky.

2. Stop hiding behind baggy clothes, makes sure clothes fit you properly. Wearing clothes that are too baggy can easily add the illusion of five to 10 pounds to your frame and make it look as though you are hiding behind something. On the other hand, wearing clothes that fit properly; not too baggy and not too tight, exudes confidence.

3. Add accessories - Accessories are a smart trick for looking slimmer. Adding bangles or a nice pair of earrings is a great way to pull together an outfit and add a tasteful splash of colour to a monochromatic look. Accessories like a pendant or brooch draw the eye up, and toward your beautiful face.

4. Choose lower waistlines - When it comes to choosing the right pair of trousers, your best bet is to stick with a lower waistline with a flat front and no pleats. A slightly lower waistline helps to elongate your look, she explains. Pants should be on the longer side so there is a nice break at the cuff. Boots will finish the look, lengthen the legs, and can add height and elegance, she says.

5. Bet on belts - Belts can also be a great tool when trying to dress slimmer. Wearing a belt with a nice buckle lower on your hips will draw the eye to the belt and elongate your overall look, especially if the belt blends with your clothing colour. Belts can also help tie a look together, and are a very versatile accessory.

6. Skinny versus wide trousers? You can wear both. Since skinny trousers are still on the fashion radar, there are ways to wear them and look streamlined. If you are going to wear skinny trousers, pair them with a voluminous top or long blazer. The same principle applies when wearing a wide-legged trouser. Pair them with a fitted shirt or jacket. The whole outfit shouldn't be completely voluminous or stick straight. But pairing one with the other makes it simple to dress both slim, and stylish. If you are going to go with a skinny jean or trousers, then you can achieve a sleeker look with stylish boots worn over the trousers.

7. Wear colour - Use bright colours wisely. Since classic browns, beiges and charcoal grey looks good on everyone, she suggests bright splashes of colour as underpinnings to an outfit. Wear a rich magenta or deep blue camisole under a dark grey suit jacket to spice up your look without going over the top.

8. Flattering footwear - when helping her clients picks the right footwear chooses boots as the no-fail option. Boots are flattering on everyone, and everyone can look sleek in a boot. If you are wearing a pair of jeans, just adding boots and a blazer will complete your outfit, and also be slimming. Heels, too, are slimming footwear, but stay away from ankle straps, which cut off the lines of the legs, she explains. Wearing stylish clothes that fit you well and are comfortable can help retrain you to appreciate your body. After all, it's only when you are comfortable in your own skin that you can feel good in what you wear.

Clothing Styles & Body Shapes

2008-04-05T17:48:00.001+01:00

Layout your clothes before putting them on mix combinations and colour schemes before trying them on.

Tops and bottoms of one colour will make you look thinner.

Important wear clothes that fit.

Wearing too large clothes will exaggerate your figure not hide it.

Avoid belts unless you have a slim waist.

Choose appropriate accessories to your lifestyle; don’t be afraid to experiment with combination layout.

Shoes makes and completes an outfit, don’t forget quality counts. Buying clothes on impulse is a bad idea; you need to plan more in advance, what exactly you want!!

Ask yourself Do you have anything you can mix and match with it? Does it match your lifestyle?

· Will it be comfortable, easy to wear?

· Can it be machine washed or dry clean only?

· Will it fit your budget? · Is it appropriate?

· Is it a fad, can it be worn more than one season?

· Is it of good quality? It is better to have four or five mix and match outfits of good quality, than 8 or 10 cheap one-offs??

Don’t get swept away by quick bargains outfits when you shop, be practical. When you buy a new dress, be sure you have shoes and other accessories to go with it or maybe a jacket or scarf to wear over it to give it a different look.

Clothes Styles and Body Shapes

· V-neck line collar makes your neck look longer. Flat ballet style shoes don’t compliment your body as they make you look shorter.

· A short necklace can shorten your neck.

· A scarf that hangs down toward the legs will make the legs appear longer. Knitted texture, lace, floras, prints, and plaids can assist in creating an illusion.

· Vertical lines in clothing, makes you look taller and slimmer.

· Large print will make you look bigger, whereas smaller print all over can camouflage.

· Prints around the neck and over the shoulder can make your shoulders appear wider. Just wear prints near the parts of your figure's assets, because they are usually more eye catching than a solid colour.

· When buying pants be sure they fit well. Defects are emphasized in a pair of pants that may go unnoticed in a skirt. Petite women. Petite women need to keep clothes in line, slim narrow belts.

A slight contrast in colour and fitted lines will flatter you endlessly. Also stay with fabrics that are soft and flowing that fits well. Over powering prints should be avoided.

Tall women
Tall women can wear any width style of belts, try to wear knee length and just below the knee skirts, and try to avoid skirts that are too short.

Hip heavy triangle woman
A hip heavy triangle and round full figured women can use clothes with vertical lines to make an up and down illusion. V-necks and skirts with slits up the sides are also good. Clothes with small padded shoulders should be chosen. Too big of pads will make you look like a foot ball player. Wear long tops that go passed your hips. Choose jackets, tailored suits and shirtwaist dresses with straight, classic cuts.

Lighter colours on top can be worn, this brings eyes up. Wear dark stockings and avoid patterns. Select vertical, fluid patterns and avoid bulky fabrics. Adopt the just below the knee look in dresses and skirts. Choose accessories close to the same colour clothes you are wearing including shoes. This gives your body an unbroken slimmer look. Avoid very wide pinafore skirts. Stay with straight or A-line skirts.

Top heavy woman
The top heavy body types need to choose long jackets without shoulder pads. Do not wear blouses with fancy details and ruffles. Do not wear clingy fabrics on top, choose darker colours on top. Do not wear tops that are to light. Tops with raglan sleeves that fit loose are good. Wear trousers or skirts that are pleated to bring the eye down. Choose thin materials like cotton, or cotton jersey. One colour dressing will also be thinning.

Rectangular type woman
The rectangular type can accentuate curves by wearing jackets or tops that hug the waist, feminine thick sweaters over skirts or trousers. Use patterns in your tops or bottoms to add dimension. Round out the neckline with necklaces, scarves and other accessories, and use shoulder pads.

Women's Fashion Tips

2008-04-05T17:24:00.002+01:00

Fashion Tips

Layout your clothes before putting them on mix combinations and colour schemes before trying them on.

· Tops and bottoms of one colour will make you look thinner.
· Important wear clothes that fit.
· Wearing too large clothes will exaggerate your figure not hide it.
· Avoid belts unless you have a slim waist.
· Choose appropriate accessories to your lifestyle; don’t be afraid to experiment with combination layout.

Shoes makes and completes an outfit, don’t forget quality counts. Buying clothes on impulse is a bad idea; you need to plan more in advance, what exactly you want!!

Ask yourself

Do you have anything you can mix and match with it? Does it match your lifestyle?
· Will it be comfortable, easy to wear?
· Can it be machine washed or dry clean only?
· Will it fit your budget?
· Is it appropriate?
· Is it a fad, can it be worn more than one season?
· Is it of good quality? It is better to have four or five mix and match outfits of good quality, than 8 or 10 cheap one-offs??

Don’t get swept away by quick bargains outfits when you shop, be practical. When you buy a new dress, be sure you have shoes and other accessories to go with it or maybe a jacket or scarf to wear over it to give it a different look.

Clothes Styles and Body Shapes

· V-neck line collar makes your neck look longer. Flat ballet style shoes don’t compliment your body as they make you look shorter.

· A short necklace can shorten your neck.

· A scarf that hangs down toward the legs will make the legs appear longer. Knitted texture, lace, floras, prints, and plaids can assist in creating an illusion.

· Vertical lines in clothing, makes you look taller and slimmer.

· Large print will make you look bigger, whereas smaller print all over can camouflage.

· Prints around the neck and over the shoulder can make your shoulders appear wider. Just wear prints near the parts of your figure's assets, because they are usually more eye catching than a solid colour.

· When buying pants be sure they fit well. Defects are emphasized in a pair of pants that may go unnoticed in a skirt.
Petite women.
Petite women need to keep clothes in line, slim narrow belts. A slight contrast in colour and fitted lines will flatter you endlessly. Also stay with fabrics that are soft and flowing that fits well. Over powering prints should be avoided.

Tall women

Tall women can wear any width style of belts, try to wear knee length and just below the knee skirts, and try to avoid skirts that are too short.

Hip heavy triangle woman

A hip heavy triangle and round full figured women can use clothes with vertical lines to make an up and down illusion. V-necks and skirts with slits up the sides are also good. Clothes with small padded shoulders should be chosen. Too big of pads will make you look like a foot ball player. Wear long tops that go passed your hips. Choose jackets, tailored suits and shirtwaist dresses with straight, classic cuts.

Lighter colours on top can be worn, this brings eyes up. Wear dark stockings and avoid patterns. Select vertical, fluid patterns and avoid bulky fabrics. Adopt the just below the knee look in dresses and skirts. Choose accessories close to the same colour clothes you are wearing including shoes. This gives your body an unbroken slimmer look. Avoid very wide pinafore skirts. Stay with straight or A-line skirts.

Top heavy woman

The top heavy body types need to choose long jackets without shoulder pads. Do not wear blouses with fancy details and ruffles. Do not wear clingy fabrics on top, choose darker colours on top. Do not wear tops that are to light. Tops with raglan sleeves that fit loose are good. Wear trousers or skirts that are pleated to bring the eye down. Choose thin materials like cotton, or cotton jersey. One colour dressing will also be thinning.

Rectangular type woman

The rectangular type can accentuate curves by wearing jackets or tops that hug the waist, feminine thick sweaters over skirts or trousers. Use patterns in your tops or bottoms to add dimension. Round out the neckline with necklaces, scarves and other accessories, and use shoulder pads.

The Dressy Androgynous Look

2008-04-05T16:31:00.001+01:00

Definition of Androgynous as used in fashion

As a ‘look’ of a female resembling a male। Popularized by actress Diane Keaton in the 1970's movie Annie Hall, and copied as fashion apparel. Kate Bosworth and Amanda Peet recently went androgynous at New York Fashion Week.

The androgynous look is a fun way to dress for work if your dress code forbids denim. You won’t need to go all out to pull the look off as single elements of the trend will be just as effective.

If you are fed up with the limited choice of style clothing that are available on the market for women that want to feel individual, sexy and look a class act without being the same as everyone else? Then have a browse at our samples on our site?

We are new and trying to establish a trend that has slowly diminished from all women the choice to find clothes that are very smart and well cut, but available to fit and compliment you, when using our european clothes measurement size chart?

See more at http://www.sovacollection.com/

Vanity Clothing Shops

2008-04-05T14:42:00.001+01:00

Vanity sizing is a retailer or designer’s way of making you feel better about yourself by putting a smaller size on the label than you actually are. So no, it’s not you who has shrunk, it’s the label that is lying. Vanity sizing is a device used by shops to sell more clothes, and to create loyalty so you keep coming back to them.

It is a practice so widespread throughout the fashion industry that most shoppers accept that negotiating size inconsistencies between stores is built in to the shopping experience. Just over 60 per cent of women admit they are unsure of their dress size, such is the variation from store to store, according to results from a three-year survey conducted by SizeUK, a collaboration between the government, 17 major British retailers and leading academics and technology companies.

Over the past few years the practice of vanity sizing has sparked a raging debate in this country over women dieting to fit certain dress sizes – think zero, and double zero. "Vanity sizing is all about making women feel thinner than they are. We want to wear brands that flatter us.

We have stocked size zero, or UK size 4 clothes at Browns," says the store’s fashion director Yasmin Sewell, "and we sell them to petite women. We also work with several celebrity stylists who practice vanity sizing to keep their A-list clients happy. They will cut out a size 14 label and sew in a size ten label. It’s the same thing." Designer labels vanity-size too, for different reasons: their own vanity.

Have you ever wondered why designer labels do not offer clothes above a size 14? "Designers size their clothes meanly because they want to keep big people out of them. Having fat people wear your clothes is not good for a brand’s image. It’s a fact of life," says Brix Smith-Start, former guitarist with the Fall and owner/buyer of Shoreditch designer boutique Start. "Miu Miu, for example, is very mean on its sizing.

Its size 10 is smaller than Chloe’s size 10. Miu Miu doesn’t want heavier people wearing its stuff because beautiful people perpetuate the myth that only beautiful people wear the clothes. If you are curvy and have a large bottom – forget it." Even outsize retailer Evans practices a form of vanity labeling. Look inside the clothes and you won’t find the word Evans on the label, just an anonymous logo. Even big women don’t want their clothes to tell them they are big.

According to the designers spoken to for this story, labeling clothes as smaller than its actual measurement is intentional. "Most high street stores vanity-size," says one high-street designer. "It’s endemic, but we do it to make customers feel good about them." In the case of designer jeans, on a visit to Selfridges’ denim department, one woman looking for the perfect pair found that every single brand tried was, when tape-measured, incorrectly sized.

The worst offender was a pair of 26in-waist Rock & Republic jeans that actually measured up as a 33.5in waist – a difference of 7.5in. Nonetheless, our tester was ecstatic to have a pair of 26in waist jeans on, even if she in fact has a 31in waist. Every other jean label measured, from Cavalli to Diesel, had some discrepancy from size to true measurement.

If you’re wondering how stores can get away with this, the answer is easy. Put simply, clothing sizes in this country are not and never have been standardized – so, strictly speaking, definitive dress sizes don’t actually exist. This may change next year if the European Union succeeds in introducing a universal sizing system which will state measurements in centimetres – but right now retailers can put pretty much any size they think is relevant on the label of their clothes.

So, sizes don’t exist as such. But herein lies the problem. Size does exist – in our minds. We base our perceived dress size on the only official data readily available on women’s clothes sizing , which is so out of date – a mass measure in 1952 – as to be risible. Yet it is the results from this survey relating a bust, waist and hip measurement to a specific dress size – a 12 was decreed to be a 34-26-36 (my size today, incidentally) in 1952 – that most British women have locked into their heads as the "truth".

The upshot of this is that sizes 8, 10 and 12 are seen as inspirational and 14 and above as "bad". Rationally (but who is rational about weight?) this is rubbish. What we should be aiming for are clothes that look good on the body. Damn the size.

But it doesn’t work like that. The most up-to-date data on the real size of the nation is available from Size UK. In 2004 Size UK delivered the results of the first national survey on the shape of the British nation since the Fifties. The data from this survey conducted using the Body metrics 3D body scanner (the same device that helped our tester to find jeans that fitted at Selfridges) took 130 individual measurements from 11,000 people. The data is, of course, available only to those who can afford it – indeed those who funded it – namely mass-market retailers.

The survey revealed that body shapes and proportions have changed dramatically since the Fifties – and guess what? We’ve all gained weight, with British women adding on average 2.5in around the hips and 6.5in on the waist, and gaining 7lb. The average British woman now measures 39-34-41. There’s no measurement for a definitive size 12 though, or any other size. Questions which city in the UK is fittest? Are northern women fatter than southern? Where are the skinniest women?) These were met with a wall of silence from the SizeUK people.

What Size UK did was to provide measurements of the population according to age and where they live, which could then be tailored by individual stores to suit their customer base. This demography-style sizing provided just the right ammunition to retailers so they could update their size charts and create clothes that satisfy the size and shape of their target customers.

In Europe Spain authorities are now set to abolish their Standard European sizes and move instead to a system whereby garments will list the height, hip, waist and breast measurements. this is an idea floating around in Spain for sometime, but we'd like to know who the worst offenders are when it comes to vanity sizing and who gets it right? Look what store closet to true sizes, and which fall short off the mark? Take a look into the list below?

Vanity Sizing in the Fashion Industry

Stores True to size
Top Shop
ZaraMango (although leg lengths are ridiculously long in both of the Spanish chains)
Miss Selfridge
River Island

Cut Large
Next
French Connection
Premark
Marks & Spencer
New Look
Oasis
Gap
Jigsaw
Dorothy Perkins
Matalan

Cut Small
Small sizes tend to be found in the stores aimed at the teenagers, at the lower end if the price scale. These would include places like:PilotMango

Vanity sizing in the USA
American waistlines have been growing for decades. Bulging bellies now seem as if they're the rule, not the exception. But, reports CBS News correspondent Kelly Wallace, that doesn't necessarily show in the sizes of clothing, particularly women's wear.

Amid all the controversy surrounding models and whether they're too thin, celebrities are showing up on red carpets wearing size zeroes, even double-zeroes. "Double-zero works for James Bond, but seems insane for us as females!" chuckled Kate White, Cosmopolitan magazine's editor in chief.

Why are the numbers we see on clothes tags shrinking, while Americans are expanding? Wallace compared two pair of Gap khakis, one from 1996, the other from this year. Both are a size two. But the waistline on the more recent pair was two inches wider.

A CBS News producer still wears a size four Jill Stuart skirt from 10 years ago, but when she shops today, she's a zero. It's called "vanity sizing," and White says retailers are doing it because it works. "As a woman," White said, "if you feel like you can shimmy into a size four with one designer, you're not necessarily going to want the size eight with somebody else, so it forces everybody to play the game."

Pam Klein of Parsons the New School for Design showed us two skirts sold now in different stores, both with the same size on the tag. But one's an inch-and-a-half larger. The vanity sizing, she said, enables women to lie to themselves: "You can say, 'I can eat that chocolate and I can be a size six.' "Klein suggested that things might be changing, pointing, for instance, to the Dove ads showcasing women in all different shapes and sizes.

But, she says, until women get more comfortable with the size they actually are, retailers will embrace vanity sizing. "It feels good," Klein observed. "I'd rather be a size 10 then a size 14, and I know that it's the same thing, but when I open the closet in the morning, I'm getting ready and I look at that tag and I'm like, 'Yes. I'm a size 10!' "Designer Stephanie Hirsch, founder of "Inca," said she hasn't down-sized any of her products. A small is still a small. But her customers demanded an extra-small, and she complied.

"And that's become a really big seller for us," Hirsch said, "as opposed to a medium, (which) was always the biggest seller, and now it's extra-small and small." Wallace wondered whether we'll ever get back to reality, the day when, in most stores, the tag matches the actual size of the dress. "I think," White said, "it's going to be a long time." Wallace suggested that to find the right fit women should "suspend your vanity if you can. Try on several different sizes, and objectively decide what looks best."

Black Women Makeup Tips

2008-04-04T16:17:00.001+01:00

Top dermatologists advise on tips to preserve your dark skin's smooth, rich tone Forget the old-school stereotypes, like black skin's always oily. There's little about African-American skin that is safely assumed, except that it can be supersensitive — its pigmentation, called melanin, may rebel against the wrong products by developing a discoloration that can stick around for months or years. Take these skin-safe tips to heart. The nation's top dermatologists advise following these rules to preserve your dark skin's smooth, rich tone:

• Stick with a Simple and Safe Skin Care Routine: Cleanse your face daily — as little as once a day if it's dry, up to three times if your goal is to remove excess oil. Gentle treatment is the key for any skin type. Avoid abrasive cleansers or irritating cleansing puffs or loofahs. And use moisturizer only if your face feels dry without it.

• Pick the Best Products for Your Skin Type: Experts' favorites are nothing fancy — pharmacy brands will usually do — but use products designed for your skin type. Favour products for sensitive skin, especially if your skin is dry — products with harsh ingredients such as benzyl peroxide and salicylic acid can wreak havoc on certain skin types. Want to try something new on for size? Go ahead, but use it sparingly at first.

• Protect You from Skin Cancer: Darker skin does provide some protection from the sun's UV rays, but don't count on it alone. Skin cancer is less common, but can be more deadly, in those with darker skin. Begin each day by applying a sunscreen or moisturizer with an SPF 15 to 30. And reapply sun protection often while you're in direct sunlight.

• Mind Your Skin when you’re taking Certain Medications: Many drugs increase sun sensitivity, making it especially important to apply sunscreen or avoid the sun altogether. Among these medications are birth control pills, antibiotics, acne medicines and cancer drugs. But there are many others, too. Ask your doctor if your medicine makes the list.

• Get Help in a Hurry When Your Skin's in Distress: Whether your problem is acne or another condition, it's much easier to prevent problems from lingering if you address them promptly. A trip to the dermatologist might save your skin — and even save you money by preventing you from purchasing panoply of products to wage the battle against the condition.

• Avoid the Common Makeup Mistakes: Match your makeup with your skin tone for a natural look. "Makeup made especially for women of colour has come a long way," says dermatologist Wendy Roberts, M.D., who adds there's nothing wrong with relatively cheap drugstore brands. Have dry skin? Oil-based makeup is best. And for acne-prone, oily skin, water-based is the way to go.

• Seek out a Specialist for Prescription Therapies or Cosmetic Surgery: When you want more advanced skin care than you can apply yourself at home, there are professional treatments that might help both low- and high-tech. Whether you're thinking about a prescription acne drug, facial peel, micro-dermabrasion, laser treatment or other approach, ask around for an expert in treating dark skin. In inexperienced hands, these more complex skin therapies can end up ruining your look rather than rejuvenating it.

Make up tips for Black Women

Black women have a wide variety of skin tones – from lighter to darker and everything in between. And while makeup lines have improved vastly in the last five years, it’s still a tricky undertaking to find the right shade for your skin tone. So finding the right makeup for your personal skin tone can be a tricky thing. If you choose the wrong colour family, you can find yourself with a flat complexion or an ashen look. Only by trial and error, you will find a colour combination that works for you. Here are three simple steps to help you on your way:

1. Pay attention to your undertones. Look beyond your skin’s colour (overtone) to find the undertones that give definition to your features. For instance, rich ebony complexions often have cool undertones (look for colours in the blue family). Brown and caramel complexions may have warmer undertones (look for golden colours). Once you determine which colours are yours, use them as accents – especially around your eyes.

2. Find your colour family – not just what you think is your colour family. You might be surprised at just how off many women are when it comes to an accurate assessment of the colours that work for them. You may need the help of a makeup specialist or a store cosmetic counter. In fact, get a second opinion. And remember that foundation can look very different on your face than in the bottle or on that thumbnail palette, so be sure to test it on your jaw line or on the inside of your wrist to see if it will work for you.

Tip: If your complexion is uneven, you may need two different colours of foundation that can be used together. When spread correctly over the right areas, a two-colour approach can give you the even skin tone you’re looking for.

3. Use blush to contour your cheekbones. Here is one area where less is definitely more – especially if you use a more exotic colour. A simple brush of currant or mauve can really set off and flatter a medium to dark complexion, while a sweep of caramel, honey or apricot can give definition to a medium to light complexion.

Tip: Bronzer can be used as an effective alternative to blush if you have a warmer complexion. Try dusting a light coating over your face, concentrating contoured strokes at your temples and cheekbones.

Something to Think About

When selecting a makeup, colour should not be your only concern. Remember your skin type. If you have normal to oily skin, a water-based liquid foundation and a cream blush may work best for you. On the other hand, normal to dry skin can benefit from an entire line of cream formulas. Secret to Black Skin & Beauty care A good understand of the role of melanin in black skin is important. This includes people from Africa, African Americans, the Caribbean and South Pacific Islands. It's the melanin that gives skin its colour and protects it from sunlight, and also keeps you looking younger for years longer! Black skin care involves the use of quality skin care products that feed your skin, without leaving it feeling oily and dry. Type of skin conditions:

Ashy skin: Ashy skin appears when the skin is starved of moisture and dry. By increasing the oil content in your skin care regime, you can reduce the appearance of ashy skin.If your skin appears ashy, use a creamy cleanser to wash away impurities and dirt, and then rinse away with warm water. To refresh your skin, use a light toner of witch hazel wiped over the face with a damp cotton wool ball. Finally, choose a good quality creamy moisturizer to nourish your dry skin. Apply with your fingertips and gently massage in upward movements. A moisturizer containing cocoa butter works well on most black skins. If you have an oily T-zone, blot excess moisturizer off with a tissue.

Keloids and scars (Keloids is a type of scar which results in an overgrowth of tissue at the site of a healed skin injury): Black skin are more prone to developing Keloids, which is a build-up of scar tissue at the site of a wound or injury. Even pimples can leave a Keloids scar. Try putting Vitamin E cream on spots to help them heal.Hyper pigmentation: This is irregular or dark discoloration of the skin and is often find in African American skin types. Alpha and beta hydroxyl acids and dermabrasion (abrasion sanding) can help control these areas.

Tips: how long to keep make up products for?

Most black women will agree that they keep and use most of their makeup far too long. The truth is; make up does not last forever! And it easily degrades and eventually should not be used anymore to avoid serious skin health problems. Below are some solutions regarding the following agonizing question: How long should I keep using the same make for? Knowing when to throw away old makeup is very important. And, equally important, knowing when to throw away old make up applicators. This will help to eliminate serious bacteria problems that are caused by using contaminated make up.

Foundation Make Up: Do not keep or use liquid base make up foundations for longer than four to six months. Powder make up foundations should not be used for longer than one year.

Blush Make up: Powder blush make up should not be used for longer than one year.

Eye Shadow Make up: Eye shadow make up should not be used for longer than two years.

Tips for Black Sensitive Skin

As we age our skin also ages with wrinkles caused by loss of subcutaneous tissue and years of damage from the sun. We also lose colour from our skin and hair and very often looked faded and drab which makes us feel older. Cosmetics have been used for thousands of years to help women (and even men) look and feel younger, but for those with sensitive skin using cosmetics can be an expensive challenge of trial and error. These tips from dermatologist experts can help you find the best cosmetics for sensitive skin. Choose powder when possible. Powder cosmetics are not only great at removing shine; they have very few preservatives and contain minimal ingredients that can cause skin irritation. This means powder cosmetics are much less likely to cause problems for women with sensitive skin than their liquid counterparts.

1. Avoid waterproof cosmetics. While waterproof cosmetics, such as mascara, are great for tearful moments, they require a solvent to remove them that also removes sebum, the oily substance made by the sebaceous glands in the skin. Without this oily barrier, skin is exposed to potential irritants that can cause a beauty breakout.

2. Throw out old cosmetics. "Women should keep track of cosmetic expiration dates. They should throw away items that have passed their expiry date". Old make up products may have spoiled or become contaminated, a particularly important point when it comes to eye products." A few standard product life spans include: one year for foundation and lipstick; three-to-four months for mascara; and two years for powder and shadows. It is also important to wash make-up brushes and sponges regularly since they can harbour dirt and germs that will aggravate sensitive skin.

3. Use black-colour eyeliner and mascara products. Women with sensitive skin will find that dramatic black is best when it comes to eyeliner and mascara product colours. Dermatologists feel that black is the least allergenic of all colorants.Stick to earth-toned eye shadows. Lighter earth tones, such as tan, cream, white or beige, seem to cause less upper-eyelid irritation in women with sensitive or itchy eyes. "It is possible that the higher concentration of pigments in darker colours like navy blue can cause an adverse reaction in women with sensitive skin".

4. Use pencil eyeliner and eyebrow fillers. According to dermatologists, "Pencil eyeliner and eyebrow pencils are wax-based and contain pigment and minimal preservatives. They are much less likely to cause problems than liquid eyeliners that contain latex and may cause problems in latex-sensitive individuals." The pencil forms of these cosmetics are also water removable, making them easier on the surface of the skin.

5. Check sunscreen ingredients. Dermatologists recommend daily use of a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15 or higher. For women with sensitive skin, this sunscreen should only contain the physical sunscreen ingredients zinc oxide or titanium dioxide. Unlike chemical sunscreen agents that absorb UV rays, it is impossible to be allergic to physical sunscreen ingredients since they deflect the rays rather than absorb them.

6. Use products that contain no more than 10 ingredients. Simply stated, the fewer ingredients in a product, the less likely it is that the product will cause a problem.

7. Avoid nail polishes. In addition to being easily smudged and chipped, wet nail polish can be transferred to a person's eyes and face before it dries. This casual transfer can cause problems for women with sensitive skin if they find the polish irritating or have an allergic reaction to any of the components of the polish.

8. Use foundations based on silicone. While powder is preferred to protect sensitive skin, women choosing a liquid foundation should look for one with a silicone base. Liquid facial foundations based on silicone do not cause acne, and silicone has a very low incidence of skin irritation.

Dermatix recommended skin treatment for scars by dermatologists

Before trying any treatment as a cause of action, please consult your doctor to ensure that you are doing the right thing.Dermatix is a transparent, self drying silicone gel that maintains the skins moisture balance while aiding the healing of damaged skin surface resulting from surgery and/or injury. Soften, flatten and reduce discoloration - Improves scars, Rebuilds confidence. The manufacturers suggest a number of benefits, which include; ability to apply cosmetics over the gel, suitability for sensitive skin, including children, ease of use, and high patient acceptability.
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