skin tips

are many things you can do nutritionally to care for your
skin. Following a daily health regimen with plenty of vitamins,
water and sleep should work wonders.

* Drink plenty of water: Eight glasses a day is the usual
recommendation. Water is the best moisturizer for your skin,
and it's cheap!

* Don't smoke: Smoking damages the collagen in your skin by
retarding Vitamin C absorption. Healthy collagen is what keeps
your skin from sagging.

* Avoid caffeine: Caffeine will dehydrate your skin.

* Get your vitamins: The following vitamins are essential for a
healthy complexion:

=> Vitamin A: This powerful antioxidant keeps skin supple by
preventing the hardening of epidermal skin cells. It
regulates cell turnover and renews skin continuously.

=> Beta-carotene: This is the vegetable form of vitamin A and
is necessary for skin integrity and connective tissue. It's
an antioxidant and it stimulates the immune system.

=> B complex: These include B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin) and
B3 (niacin). Together, they regulate the metabolic processes
of the body, prevent skin disorders, promote new growth and
prevent rough, dry skin.

=> Vitamin C: This antioxidant must be replaced every day. It
protects from pollution, infection and cancer, and prevents
tough skin.

=> Vitamin E: This is your skin's best friend; it slows down
the aging process and maintains skin elasticity while
protecting against cancer, pollution, smoke and toxic
substances.

Proper nutrition will not only improve your skin, but also give
you the energy you'll need to carry you through your big day.

lifeserve.com-wedding tips

You woke up this morning with a pimple the size of Peru, and you
have a bridal shower tomorrow. Don't panic! With a few
blemish-busting tips and a little makeup know-how, you'll look as
beautiful as that blushing bride on the pages of your bridal
magazine.

Begin blasting the blemish with a careful skin-care regimen:
* Wash your face with a cleanser that's specially formulated for
problematic or sensitive skin.
* Use an alcohol-free toner. Alcohol dries the skin and causes
your glands to increase oil production.
* Apply an herbal mask or acne mask over your entire face,
avoiding the eye area. Rinse with warm water and blot dry with
a towel.
* Apply an oil-free moisturizer over your entire face, and dab an
eye cream on your eyelids and under your eyes.
* Use a cotton swab to apply tea tree oil to the blemish area.
(You can find it in most health food stores.) This will heal
your skin and diminish the size of the blemish overnight.
* Dab a bit of acne medicine containing benzoyl peroxide or
another acne-fighting ingredient over the blemish and let it
remain there overnight.

As tempting as it may be, don't squeeze the pimple. You'll only
succeed in spreading the bacteria and increasing the likelihood
of more pimples. You may also bruise your skin in the process. If
the blemish is swollen, try holding ice on it for several minutes
to decrease its size. Do this several times a day, if possible.

more tips

Every European culture celebrates the joining of man and woman a
little differently. Many wedding customs and traditions have
continued to flourish for hundreds of years. Whether or not
you're of European ancestry, learn about how different nations
observe and authenticate this life event. You may want to
incorporate one or more of these traditions into your ceremony.

You'll know it's a French wedding if you observe any of these
customs:
* Keep all decorations white, from the flowers to the dresses.
* Drink from a coupe de mariage, wedding cup, during the
ceremony.
* Present a wedding armoire hand-carved with symbols of wealth
and prosperity for the bride.
* Make a croque en bouche for your wedding cake. It consists of
cream puffs dipped in hot caramel and then stacked into a tall
cone shape.
* Strew laurel leaves outside of the church for departure.
* Prepare for the chiverie, a wedding-night, pot-clanging prank
meaning to interrupt the nuptial couple. The groom must then
invite the offenders in for refreshments.

You can include an Irish feel into your wedding if you:
* Have guests shower the couple with flower petals for good luck.
* Exchange claddaghs, Irish wedding rings. The rings have two
hands holding a heart below a crown.
* Have wedding guests lift the groom in a chair to present him to
his bride as a married man.
* Serve Irish wedding cake, a rich fruitcake enhanced with golden
raisins, ground almonds, cherries, spice, and brandy or bourbon.
* Feast on ham and cabbage.

You may want to incorporate these Czech traditions into your
wedding day:
* Have a starosta, or male sponsor, present the bride to the
groom outside of the church. He'll counsel the two of you to
fulfill your duties to one another.
* Stretch a ribbon across the road after the ceremony. Friends
and family throw money so the happy couple can pass.
* Ask bridesmaids to pin a sprig of rosemary on everyone as a
symbol of fertility and constancy.
* Remove your veil and replace it with a matron's bonnet and
housewife's apron while the guests sing 'Pisen Svatebri,' the
wedding song.
* Serve sauerkraut, apple strudel and kolaches, fruit-filled
rolls.
* Place a baby on the marriage bed as a symbol of fertility.

Favors are given to show your guests that you really appreciate
their presence, but they don't have to be expensive. For
reception gifts, you can start at $2 or $3 but go as high as your
budget allows! If you want to stay on the low side, for example,
a wedding with 150 people and a $3 favor for each guest will run
you about $450.

Personalization is a popular tradition for favors. Inscribe a
picture frame with your names, date of marriage or a favorite
quote - anything that strikes your fancy! If you want to go the
crafty route, you can make your own:
* Try a delicious treat. Inscribe chocolate bars with your
wedding date or initials. Give boxes of candy that are tied to
some important element - the theme of the party, your heritage
or something unique about you and your fiancé.
* Use the talents of your friends and family. Does an aunt know
how to make divine desserts? Does your uncle love to work with
wood? Ask people you know to help you create inexpensive
favors.
* Package it up. Create your own favor packages with bits of
this and that. Include something that represents good fortune,
happiness and health.
* Assemble your own. Can you think of a few things that go well
together? For example, a popular wedding favor is a picture
frame that initially includes your seating assignment, but
doubles as a place for your picture when the festivities are
over. If your reception or party is small and intimate, you
could also think of something simple to make.
* Use your theme. If you're having a tea party, give your guests
the cups they drink with as favors. If your party is
outdoorsy, give your guests sunscreen and a favor that has
something to do with your activity, like a pair of goggles and
sunglasses for a swim party.

If you're you lost in the land of financial stress, find your way
out by using your people skills to create reasonably priced
favors. Remember that every little bit helps!
* Contact companies directly. Contact the company by phone or
check out its Web site. They may offer prices at lower cost
than retail stores because you've cut out the middleman.
* Check out Internet auction sites. You can find just about
anything on these sites. You may get lucky and find a bulk
stash of those porcelain figures you've been looking for.
* Visit local retailers. Stop by stores that carry items that fit
your idea of a great favor.
* Be creative with packaging. Decorate boxes, bags or even small
tags with words or images that relate to your theme.

thanks for sharing these tips! i've been drinking so much water that I'm constantly going to the restroom & the tips about the favors are great b/c i'm still not sure what to do for that!