Fancy A Makeover

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Up until now Primark have been making huge profits from cheap clothing overtaking most high street retail shops. Menswear, womenswear, childrenswear and houseware had become extremely popular as it was so cheap to keep up with the latest fashion trends. There were times when Primark used to be buzzing and queues went all round the shop.

There are two theories as to why the fast fashion chain have seen a decline in customers, the first being that cheap labour is no longer as cheap as it once was with China putting up their prices. Also the price of oil is also going up where a lot of these factories rely on this as their source of fuel for machinery.

The other theory is that people have just lost interest in fast junk fashion and despite the recession are investing on key items that will last for years to come. Women no longer have the means to shop on a regular basis and have started to shop only when they need to which is usually 4 times a year. During Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter is when we really need to pay attention and you can usually save money by shopping during the end of season sale by stocking up for next year.

I understand that not everyone has the money to shop for clothes 4 times a year but by buying only what you need when you need it you can save money on the long run. Yes a t-shirt from Primark may only cost £3 but after a few washes there are holes in it or it has lost its shape. The same thing can be said for other garments, they are simple cuts that are designed to be low cost so they don’t fit you in all the right places, did you also notice that the most of the bras and tops in Primark are adjustable by plastic do they end up breaking most of the time.

Towards the second and third trimester being pregnant can cause some discomfort, as the muscles and bones start to loosen you may find it hard to walk, sit and sleep properly. Most women find that they are most uncomfortable during the last three months as the bump gets bigger and heavier and sleeping becomes awkward.

There are many different pregnancy pillows on the market to suit all budgets and discomfort but it may not really be that necessary to spend money on one as they can sometimes cause more problems.

Wedge pillows are pillows that look a little like a 3D triangle and you put it between the legs while you sleep to take off some pressure from the knees and lower back region. You can also use it to support under the bump whilst you sleep you can get a better position without feeling so heavy. They range in price from £10-£50; an alternative is to just use a normal pillow in between the legs or under the growing bump, saving money on a wedge pillow.

Body pillows are meant to be the best because you can cuddle up to it whilst you tuck it in between your legs and you body rests on it to provide relief from aches and pains. I have personally used this pillow and found it to be the worst thing to purchase during pregnancy. Although it only cost me £15 it was too bulky and I couldn’t get comfortable, every time I wanted to turn I had to get up and move the pillow so it could support the other side of me, it was very inconvenient and didn’t relieve any of my aches and pains.

Full body pillows are really long and go all around you so you sleep in the middle a little like a doughnut. So whichever way you turn you have a side to rest your bump and legs on, these too are very bulky and the downside is you cannot cuddle up to your partner as the pillow takes up all the room. They can also cost as much as £50, most women have also found that they didn’t like full body pillows as they take up too much room and are too expensive to sue for just a few months of pregnancy.

Using a normal pillow will work for almost any position, in between the legs, under the bump and in the small of your back, so save the money and spend it on your little one, pregnancy pillows are so not worth it!

Last year the biggest beauty trend to hit the UK was the fish pedicure or fish foot spa, popping up all over the place and even in the local shopping centre. A year later and it may not be as trendy as it was once thought to be.

What is a fish pedicure?

Using miniature fish that has to be imported from abroad, they nibble on dead skin and help keep skin smooth and soft. It costs up to £50 for a 20 minute session soaking feet in a tank filled with these harmless miniature carp that nibble away hard and dead skin to help keep the skin on the feet renewed and soft.

The Health Protection Agency has now launched a major investigation after claims that the fish can carry infection and diseases and pass them from customer to customer as the fish are never discarded. Because they are so expensive to throw away they are kept for a longer period of time, this is unusual practice as salons have to discard or sanitise tools after each pedicure session. Salon owners claim that the UV light in the tanks and filters help keep them free from disease and infection.

Currently when you go for a fish pedicure they do ask in you have any fungal foot infections or diseases but staff do not actually check, some people have been put off in the past because of seeing customers with unhealthy looking feet using the fish foot spas.

Salons also claim that the water is constantly being monitored and changed every few hours to help keep it as clean as possible. To be honest this looks like a strange money making scheme to get innocent people into spending silly money when you can do it yourself only cheaper. They are already banned in 14 states in America and it looks like it will soon be banned in the UK too.

You can have smooth and silky feet all year round inexpensively and at the leisure of your own home, read how to get beautiful and smooth feet here.

Talking about gender selection is still a huge taboo in the UK and other parts of the world as many people think its taking science too far. It is illegal in the UK and much of the world to abort a foetus because of the sex and also select the gender of your next child. It is not illegal however in parts of America, Spain and Cyprus.

Recently a leading Gynaecologist in Britain was exposed as referring at least one woman a week to a fertility clinic in Cyprus for gender selection. The cost for selecting your own designer baby is £14,000. Although there are many who oppose this and feel like it is ‘playing god’ there are many reasons as to why it is still legal in many countries;

• To prevent genetic diseases
• To balance the family
• For an heir

Although there is nothing that can be said to change the minds of those that will refuse to accept gender selection there are many people out there who are grateful and delighted that this procedure is allowed in certain countries. All couples would love to have a child of each gender in most cases it means that the family is complete, but when you find that you are only able to have a child of a certain sex it can get a little depressing and seem unfair. There have been many families who have split up because of the pressures of having a gender balanced family.

Not too long ago there was a documentary of couples who were only able to have boys but also longed for a girl. One couple had been trying for years and as a result ended up with 5 boys and no girls, it left them emotionally drained. They used old wives tales and books from professional Gynaecologists to help sway and conceive a child naturally of their chosen sex.

Another couple were not so willing to let nature take its course and they flew to Spain to choose a girl foetus to be implanted in to the women’s womb, the couple already had 3 sons and without a little girl in the family the women refused to marry her partner until he could fulfil his ‘duties’. Luckily it worked first time round and they ended up having twin girls, their family is now complete and they finally married.

I find that gender selection is more down to the couple rather than society, it is perfectly acceptable to have two boys or two girls but people nowadays can see how they can achieve the perfect family and are willing to pay £14,000 to have just that.

The success rate for selecting a girl is higher than a boy but both are doable for the right price.

Tesco has reported that they have seen a rise in pregnancy test sales, usually when there is a baby boom it tells us that the economy is thriving and stable but it’s not the case here. The job market, banks and housing market continue to suffer with experts predicting even more job losses and housing market losses. So why has 2011 seen an increase in pregnancy test sales and positive pregnancies?

It is thought that as people have been cutting back on luxuries such as meals out, theatre and cinema they have been entertaining themselves at home instead. Surprisingly as pregnancy test sales have risen condom sales have decreased. Tesco accounts for a third of all pregnancy tests sold with 3.5 million sold in 2010 alone. 2010 saw pregnancy test sales increase by 31% and it seems that this year the trend is continuing.

Essex is currently in the lead with the most tests sold but other areas such as Scotland, Northern Ireland and East Anglia have also seen demand increase. The areas that have seen the most demand Tesco is making sure that they are stocked up on essential baby items such as nappies, wipes, formula and food.

People are sceptical when it comes to the cause of this baby boom with many suggesting that it’s a ploy to claim benefits but as the government cracks down on this it may be harder to claim even if you have children. Others suggest that as people lose their jobs they cannot afford to buy condoms and take a chance having unprotected sex instead. Seems silly when you can get contraception for free in most sexual health clinics but they are just some of the reasons.

Another interesting theory is that it is immigrants who are accounting for the majority of pregnancies as they too try to stay in the country longer. We all know that people flock from all over the world to give birth in the UK as it is free and cleaner than some other places. Also those from the EU regularly come over to get free healthcare during pregnancy then decide to stay when they realise they can claim benefits.

I feel sorry for those that cannot afford to have children at this moment in time but feel they should do it anyway, if you haven’t got a home or job security it is unfair to expect the government to look after you. There are many hardworking people out there who have sacrificed or put having a family on hold until they are financially able to, why are so many people so selfish?

Hypnobirthing has been around for some time but in the last five years the demand for it has shot up significantly. As NHS trusts are trying to cut maternity units and midwives money has to be saved and trialling hypnobirthing and phasing out pain relief looks like the most likely option.

What is hypnobirthing?

Hypnobirthing is when you are hypnotised before giving birth so that you are in a trance-like state, it gives you better control and is said to reduce the pain you feel during labour. It’s used as alternative to drugs such as pethidine, epidurals and laughing gas during labour. As many women are scared of epidurals due the needle used to administer it only pethidine and laughing gas are offered as alternatives. Having an epidural means you are numb from the waist down, labour and recovery are also slow as you cannot feel when you have to push and you have to wait to get feeling back in your legs before being able to move around.

In a new trial being offered by the NHS more than 800 women will be taught hypnobirthing in a new measure that is hoped will save the NHS thousands. Currently hypnobirthing is offered privately at a cost of at least £60, you are taught to self hypnotise at the right time to ease labour pains and have a stress free and near enough pain free birth.

As the NHS continues to look for ways to cut spending this is the latest, many women around the country have complained that they were denied or made to ask up to six times for an epidural during labour. Epidurals need to be given at the correct time, having one too soon will slow labour down and too late will have no effect. Women have said that they were made to beg for epidurals whilst midwives fobbed them off; when it was time to push they were left traumatised.

Not everyone has a high pain threshold and to make a pregnant woman beg for pain relief is unacceptable. If money is an issue then maybe they should ask patients who want one to pay for it, I’m sure many would like to have this as an option rather than being in so much pain the end up needing assisted deliveries such as forceps or even a caesarean.

Currently for every epidural that a woman requests it costs the NHS around £500, the cost is high because it needs to be done by an anaesthesiologist and not a midwife or nurse. So by trialling free hypnobirthing classes to pregnant women they will in time save millions. Critics argue that hypnobirthing only works for one in four women and if left alone for a longer period of time complications can arise. When pain relief is administered midwives are advised to stay with the patient as high blood pressure and a distressed baby can be a sign that things aren’t going as smoothly as they could but hypnobirthing will mean that the woman will be in a trance like state giving the impression that everything is ok.

All women want the best for their children and sometimes that means being there every minute of the day. Some mums find that they have a very needy baby who will not sleep alone, so everyday things we take for granted like cooking, showering and watching TV become impossible. It seems that in most cases it’s because they child was never put down as a young baby and was always carried so mum could feel the comfort and security of just having a baby.

SIDS do not advise co-sleeping with babies as they are more prone to sudden infant death syndrome, a child sleeping alone in a moses basket, crib or cot are most likely to be fine but there are cases where even they can die suddenly. After 6 months babies should really be in their own room, this is so they can understand than mum and dad need some ‘alone time’ too.

Some parents get too much information from magazines and books they should be left to make up their own minds on how they should parent their children. For example children are supposed to have a blackout blind so they can sleep better in the dark, but what happens if you go on holiday or baby falls asleep whilst shopping? The same goes for when you put baby to sleep, why do you have to stop hovering, watching TV or listen to music? Babies need to be in a ‘real’ house where there is light and noise.

By going to extreme lengths to make a baby fall asleep you are creating a false interpretation of what life is all about, this is why many parents cannot have a baby sleep beside them for the recommended 6 months as they cannot sleep in a room with a light on or people talking.

Did you know as much as 40% of parents in the UK share their bed with their children? Most of them are of school age and do not require nappies to be changed or milk. Co-sleeping with older children can also be a passion killer and children end up causing a rift between parents as they shuffle around in their sleep causing at least one parent to not have slept well at all. Most families who let one or more children sleep in their bed will find that the marriage collapses after a few years as men are most likely to be pushed out of their own bed to make room for the children.

We all know co-sleeping with a newborn up to the age of six months is dangerous but keeping them in your room after this time means it will be harder for them to move out afterwards. So make sure you and your partner discuss parenting before having children so you can work together to bring up your family without the risk of co-sleeping.

We all want the best of both worlds when it comes to hair styling, if you have straight hair you want it to be curly, if you have curly hair you want it to be straight, you can never win. At the moment curls are very this year, big curls, soft curls, all curls. So with many women wanting to create the looks they see in the magazine sales for curling wands, tongs and rollers will increase.

If you are really want long lasting curls then you should try the new Digital Perm, it is a new curling technique that started in Japan. By using chemicals to change the structure of the hair a little like a perm the Digital Perm uses a digitally controlled thermal heating chemical process. Each individual digital roller is then attached to a special unit that uses infra-red technology to change the hair structure to the desired curl.

Digital curls require less maintenance as they dry defined so there is no need to get out the rollers or other hair heating apparatus. Digital curls are also not like a perm where they are dated and tend to be tightly packed to create smaller ringlets; the digital perm is more current and modern with large soft curls.

You would be mistaken into thinking that the Digital Perm is just from those who have very straight hair as even those with frizzy hair can also benefit from having their hair digitally curled to provide manageable curly hair. The digital perm costs in the region of £300 but it is wise to find someone who has the experience as once the curls are set then they will stay that way. Unfortunately there isn’t much information in regards to how long it lasts for but a good estimation is around 6 months.

Some women have reported that their hair got completely fried when they had it done whereas others have had a pleasant experience. The reviews are half and half so take the time to find a reputable salon that also has the experience in providing digital perms as the training is very important, you don’t want to end up having to cut most of your hair off due to a bad perm.

£300 compared to around £60 for a chemical perm seems very dear so make sure your hair type is suitable before opting to have this done.

A recent article I came across today was advising women to start shaving their face as an alternative to waxing, threading and laser hair removal. In a bizarre twist it even says how celebs have also started to follow this trend.

It is said that Elizabeth Taylor and Marilyn Monroe were also fans of this method for facial hair remover but I think this is just a story that a bored writer invented as a way to stir up trouble in celeb land. To suggest that celebrities are also adopting this trend with no proof or statements is very misleading. It’s worrying that many young girls and women will read this article and think that it’s ok to shave the face like many men do.

Does shaving make hair grow back thicker?

It has been a popular subject for years and there has been a lot of research conducted on if there is any link between shaving and thick hair growth. The conclusion that the medical profession has come up with is that there is no link between shaving and hair growing back thicker. But many people disagree with this statement as they have first hand evidence that suggests there is a link.

Forums have been buzzing all morning with women sharing their experiences with shaving, women who started shaving their face at young age are advising that you don’t shave your face as they can tell you first hand why it isn’t a good idea. Women who started shaving 30 years ago are now telling their story of how naive they were and how 30 years later they are forced to shave on a daily basis otherwise they end up with stubble.

Face shaving was said to become popular because laser hair removal cannot pick up on what the professionals call ‘peach fuzz’ it is too fine to remove unlike coarse darker hair that laser therapy can eradicate easily. Experts also believe that when the face is shaved it also reflects the light and the constant shaving enables the skin to be exfoliated and looks younger because of collagen stimulation.

I have never heard of anything so ridiculous! If women are embarrassed by facial hair there are many cost effective ways to remove it. You can bleach, thread, wax, use hair removal cream or get electrolysis or laser hair removal. Shaving is not recommended for women as men have thicker skin than women so stubble will look hideous on a woman compared to a man.

As men and women both continue to struggle to shift the extra weight put on over the Christmas period many have started to cheat instead. Over the last 6 weeks control pants, magic knickers or shape wear (some of the names they are referred to) have increased in sales. And with the release of shape wear for men being as popular as shape wear for women it’s easy to see how gyms are still struggling to hold on to or recruit new gym members.

Although there is no scientific research confirming this, many people believe e that control pants may in time cause the wearer to lose some inches as the area is compressed and toxins and sweat are released from the body. Some manufacturers have also released shape wear that promises to reduce cellulite and improve appearance of skin if worn at least eight times a day, but research has found that diet and exercise can cause the same results with determination.

Recent shape wear that has been released for men include padded vests that create the illusion of a toned and sculpted torso such as a ‘6-pack’. It gives men a boost in self confidence especially if they are not used to the extra love handles around the waist.

Control pants have become increasingly popular as people try to cut back on luxuries such as going to the gym and poor eating habits because of the vast quantity of cheap food around cause’s people to put on weight. Control pants make the wearer appear slimmer and smooth out lumps and bumps that would make the outfit look ill-fitting and frumpy.

With celebrities also widely seen wearing control pants and shape wear it’s not a surprise that women also feel that they can cheat as celebrities are doing it too. Some celebrities pictured wearing control pants are: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Denise Van Outen, Jessica Alba, Anne Hathaway, Katy Perry and even Paris Hilton! Gwyneth Paltrow admitted to wearing two control pants at a time to create the illusion of a slimmer figure after the birth of her first child.

Control pants are just a short term solution to looking slim and feeling good in those tight fitting outfits, with regular exercise and a healthy diet most people should be able to maintain a size and weight they are comfortable with. Shape wear is also a great addition to the wardrobe for outfits that require a little extra body contouring and smoothness, so feel free to cheat every once in a while.