Friday, February 29, 2008

SUMMER / FALL 2005 - Hair Color Trends


Hair color is quite a fashion these days and is a perfect camouflage for gray hairs too. There are many types of hair color available in the market. Permanent hair color mostly has peroxide and ammonia to cover the gray hair. However, the growth of new hair creates a demarcation line and can give away the real reason behind hair coloring.



For the more conservative among us, fall - winter 2006 offers a subtle and beautiful alternative. It's a technique that randomly places multi-hued highlights on hidden layers of hair, so when the hair moves, the colors jump out and create a stunning effect.
Popular base hair colors for fall and winter are deep beige, chestnut, and dark chocolate brunette with highlights in the reddish tones like copper and burgundy.



A new hair color can have a dramatic effect on an otherwise plain hair style.

If you're not after drama, use hair color to compliment your skin tone and highlight your features.

Fall and winter are normally the seasons for rich, dark hair colors, but blondes can have fun too with color technique like "minking".

Popular with the younger generation, minking involves putting vibrant highlights on the under layer of hair so it peeks out through the top layers to create a dramatic, attention-getting effect.

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Beauty tips




Foundation has come a long way since our mom's day, when choices were limited and most foundations were thick, unmanageable creams. But with progress in science and in packaging, makeup is available in all types of ingredients and delivery systems. You might think that application isn't important, but it's vital. Thicker, drier makeup covers more, but it's harder to blend. With light makeup, blending is easy, but it's harder to conceal skin's imperfections.


Foundations should do more than even out skin tones and conceal blemishes; it should also actually help your skin to be dewier, stronger and healthier. Here we rundown several types of makeup foundations.




Tinted Moisturizer

If you don’t need a lot of coverage but do want something to even out your skin tone and relieve dry skin, tinted moisturizer may provide you with just what you need. Tinted moisturizer is perfect for softening and protecting the skin while adding a hint of foundation color. This makeup is also ideal because you don't have to put on moisturizer and then foundation: it's a one-step process.



Mousse or Whipped Foundation

Mousse or whipped foundation is easier to apply in thin layers than liquid makeup, so you have more control. Mousse makeup is liquid makeup with air whipped in, making it lighter and smoother. It comes in a spray or aerosol-type can, like whipped cream. It costs more than other cosmetics because you're paying for the added air and specialized packaging, but if you've ever spread whipped butter on a hot piece of toast, you know the difference is vast. Whipped foundation is good for all skin types, but it's especially nice for those with dry or aging skin because of its tendency to go on smoothly instead of caking up in facial lines.



Liquid Foundation

Many women like liquid foundation best because it applies so smoothly and is easily found at your local drugstore. You can enhance the smoothness by putting it on with a slightly damp makeup sponge. Liquid makeup is good around the eyes, where you may want a bit more coverage; you can put it on with a small lip brush for the best control.



You'll often see liquid makeup in waterproof or smudgeproof or even 24 hour versions. But these specialized cremes contain oils and waxy ingredients, causing some sensitive wearers slight skin irritation. If you start having problems with breakouts when wearing waterproof makeup, switch to a non-waterproof type and see if it helps. With more people becoming aware of the importance of skin care to their overall health, companies are creating foundations made with organic ingredients such as essential oils, vegetable oils and minerals instead of chemical dyes.





Cream-to-Powder Foundation

One of the most interesting and popular foundation options is cream-to-powder foundation, made by companies of good reputation, like L'Oreal. It goes on as a liquid, but dries to a powder finish that minimizes oil and lasts all day. You'll find cream to powder makeup in compacts that look like powder (which may make you wonder why it isn't called powder to cream to powder makeup), or in tubes or bottles. The big draw is its easy application and the fact that you don't have to put on powder for full coverage.



Concealer

Concealer is thickened, even tinted to correct color for particular areas—undereye smudges, pimples or redness, for example. It's thick and comes in compacts or cover sticks. Makeup artist Bobbi Brown suggests applying concealer before foundation for perfect coverage.



Minerals

Minerals are the latest thing in makeup. Their popularity has come about in part due to the fact that the foundation has very few ingredients, and those being inert minerals, tend to be perfect for people with allergies or sensitive skin. Brush on minerals with a big, puffy brush, building up layers of nearly-invisible powder. Advertised as a "soft-focus" look, mineral makeup has been compared with the airbrush in creating a flawless appearance.


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Women's festival



1st WOMEN'S FILM FESTIVAL, CHENNAI

InKo Centre, Chennai in association with the Women`s International Film Festival, Seoul, the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) India, the National Film Archives India (NFAI), the Directorate of Film Festivals of India (DFFI) and Sathyam Cinemas will present the 1st Women`s Film Festival in Chennai (WFF) from 1- 8 March, 2008.




In its first year, the Women`s Film Festival will focus on a strong Korean and Indian section of feature films by women directors, as well as a section on World Cinema with films from Germany, France, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy, Mexico, Iran, Canada, USA, Austria, Norway and Burkina Faso. With variety and range, this Festival promises a rich haul of films. Opening with Chitra Palekar`s Maati Maay we have a total of 84 films over 7 days across 4 screens - three at Sathyam Cinemas and one at the South India Film Chamber. We hope that this Festival focusing on Women`s Films and the discussions that follow thereafter will become an annual event, an ongoing conversation that will serve as a meaningful value addition for scholars, researchers, critics, film practitioners and viewers.

Sathyam Cinemas:

8, Thiru-vi-ka Road
Royapettah
Chennai - 600014.

Ph: 4224 4224

InKo Centre:

# 51, 6th Main Road,
Raja Annamalaipuram,
Chennai – 600 028.

Ph: 2436 1224

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Thursday, February 28, 2008

Hottest Fendi Handbags




In the fashion world, it is a well-known fact that the craftsmanship of a Fendi handbag is second to none. The attention to detail is so intricate, that it makes a Fendi handbag one of the most sought after in the world. Women who are fashion conscience consider a Fendi handbag must have accessory.


The Fendi Company has been in business for over seventy-five years. In those decades, Fendi has gained the reputation of being the handbag of the rich and famous. The handbags that Fendi creates are breathtaking in their design and masterful works of art.



When you first start your search for a Fendi handbag, you will most likely be overwhelmed at the price. A Fendi handbag called a baguette, named that because it is shaped like a French baguette loaf of bread, can cost thirty thousand dollars, and that is being conservative.





Fendi currently has over a hundred different handbags in its collection. They have created an assorted and complete line of handbags that are elegant and unique. The Zucca brown handbag that Fendi created is one of the few handbags that can be purchased for under five hundred dollars. It is not a cheap handbag by any means, it is made of the same quality materials and the same attention to detail that Fendi has become famous for.



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Leather handbags a timeless fashion




Handbags were created to bring back the pleasure of dressing up. The unique world of colors and details hidden inside each bag have beencreated to remind you of the joys of the little things in life. From the way each piece is hand sewn, or the original handcrafted detail on the outside, to colorful things on the inside.
The handbag that you wear on your arm can make all the difference when it comes to your personal fashion look and styling.Handbags let you complete your fashion look without spending thousands of dollars. Not all women can afford the high prices that designers charge.







Whatever kind of handbags you choose to carry, it’s worth investing in high quality leather handbags that can not only last a lifetime but live through the ups and downs of fashion and its fleeting trends. Classic, stylish leather handbags work with any outfit, so even if it seems like a high price tag, remember that the price per wear means quality leather handbags soon become a good investment.






Many brands of leather handbags are touted by celebrities and fashion icons and good quality leather handbags are synonymous with a certain glamorous, stylish kind of lifestyle or aspiration. The power of handbags, like shoes, shouldn’t be underestimated. And if you want a bag badly enough you’ll convince yourself it will be worth the price tag. It’s hard to flick open a fashion magazine without in-depth analysis of the latest leather handbags and which celebrity is clutching what. Big designer names like Stella McCartney and big brands regularly feature in the glossies. The rumoured future Queen of England – Prince William’s girlfriend Kate Middleton is a fan of Maxwell Scott.

The fusion of attractive colors and unique designs makes our ladies beaded bags a hit in the markets across the globe. Mesmerizing beads,shells, sequins and coins further enhance their elegance to a large extent. We manufacture, supply and export beaded bags in various forms like ladies party bags, ladies beaded bags, ladies fashion bags and ladies designer bags. Competitively priced, our beaded bags are customized to meet the expectations of our clients.




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Designer handbags a hot trend





Today’s woman often overlooks herself in the luxury department. Most women opt for practical bags instead of splurging for designer handbags. Well those days are over. Women deserve designer handbags.Their beautiful selection of designer handbags by very well-known designers such as Nuti, Giorgio Brato and Beth Frank, to name just a few.

Designer handbags are a great way to make a fashion statement. Celebrities and career women and moms alike should shop at designer handbags.





Designer handbags also make a great gift. Why not purchase one of the beautiful designer handbags available at www.luxcouture.com for a special gift for someone in your life? You are sure to find the most perfect designer handbag when you log on and see the styles they offer.



Some designer bags are highly sought after, such as the New Yorker by NUTI.Now amny sites are available where you can easily purchase one of the hottest bags on the market right now for yourself or for someone you love. Today’s woman wants and deserves the best in designer handbags.




Some of the designer handbags featured are very unique. Some of the designer handbags are more classically styled. They are all beautiful designer handbags.

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Stylish beaded handbags





A great handbag is a true companion. It not only holds all your essentials while you’re running out and about, it also tells others just how well put together you are. A girl who pays attention to the details of her accessories – the handbag being one of the most important - is a girl who is well put together in general. She’s a girl who can triple the impact of her outfit with just the right bag extending from her hand. Through the history of fashion, a fabulous bag means "you've got class."

A beaded handbag can make a great accent piece to your outfit. They range from small, seed bead covered clutches to handbags made of larger beads that are perhaps a carryall, so you can match your party outfit with a black beaded clutch, or try a larger beaded handbag for your day in shorts and flip-flops at the beach.






Fashion is always changing and recently it has changed for the better. Plain is out and beautiful colors are in again. This applies to handbags as well. Instead of the usual boxy leather handbags, plain in color and style, people are opting for softer fabrics and bags decorated with colorful beads that bring out their beauty. There are several such fabulous bags that everyone should own.




There are many beaded handbag designers on the internet, with styles ranging from the funky and fun handbag for a party girl to more elegant editions for more formal events. You can carry a beaded handbag to a formal or semi formal event to add a bit of your personality to your outfit. There are even beaded crocheted handbags available, which add another level of texture to a beaded handbag.



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Monday, February 25, 2008

Mehendi tradition in India




Mehandi is the Hindi word for a beauty treatment involving the crushed leaves of the henna plant. The leaves of this plant, when mixed with essential oils and water and applied to hair or skin, leave a beautiful reddish-brown stain that can last from several days to several weeks.


Also called mehandi or henna, mehndi has been a tradition in India, Africa, Eastern Europe and the Middle East for thousands of years. Women in these cultures ornament themselves with mehndi for weddings and other celebrations. The mehndi paste is piped onto the skin in ornate patterns, then kept moist as long as possible with lime juice, eucalyptus oil and sugar to allow the stain to deepen.







Mehndi is one of the sixteen adornments bestowed on a bride during Solah Shringar. In this way, mehndi marks the rite of passage of marriage in a girl's life and her initiation into womanhood.The intricate mehndi designs, which are painted on both the hands and feet, may contain a secret language. Designs include geometric and figurative motifs such as flowers and leaf and vine patterns, and traditional hindu religious symbols. Mehndi symbolizes satisfaction and happiness in marriage. This belief is connected with its red color which is also the color of the bride's dress. The process of applying the designs takes on a ritualistic aspect.

The mehndi is applied to the bride's hands and feet the night before the marriage ceremony by the bride's female relatives who spend several hours applying the designs. The process may take anywhere from three to eight hours depending upon the complexity of the designs and whether or not both the hands and feet are decorated.

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Mehendi art



The use of mehandi or henna became a significant part of Indian folk art soon after the advent of the Muslims. The orange-red mehandi color was often painted on new brides. The women were painted with intricate designs on order to distinguish them from unmarried young virgins, who were in danger of being kidnapped by the Muslims. From that time onward, it is said that mehandi flourished as decorative art in India.




The art form of applying henna (known as mehndi, mehandi or mehendi) varies from region to region. The varying designs can mean different things to each culture, such as good health, fertility, wisdom and spiritual enlightenment.

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mehendi-moghul design



Decorating the bride's hand and feet with the application of henna or mehendi is symbolic of the auspicious occasion. Besides decorating the hands and feet it is a popular dye to colour hair. It is also used as a home remedy for various minor ailments.




In North India, application of mehendi is a common custom. For them this is an auspicious day before the wedding.Hindus consider mehandi as very dear to Lakshmi, Goddess of wealth and fortune. If ever there was a plant associated with luck and prosperity.

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Mehendi-Jordosi Design


Mehendi, a common shrub is known to have been in use in all parts of the world since time immemorial.



The traditional way of painting hand and feet with mehendi is still popular especially among brides.

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Friday, February 22, 2008

Bindi a fashion accessory






Bindi (Body dot) is the beauty accessory of Indian women for many centuries. Hindu women adorn bindi on their foreheads as a symbol of marriage and to cast off bad luck. However, on the present day bindi has a more prominent role as one of the major fashion accessory.







Bindis are designed to suit different personality types. For bold and beautiful, bindis are available in various shapes of stars, half moon, heart, tree and snakes in glittery, shiny and bright colors. In the fashion market, bindi comes in a variety of shapes, colours and designs.Simple and sober embellish their foreheads with bindis in oval shape, square, diamond or a simple dot in shades of black and dark maroon.There are variety of bindi colours other than the traditional red.



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Bindis -wrist designer







The craze for bindi is sweeping all over the world now. This temporarily beautifying dot has become a fashion statement on the present day.Beautiful body dots/bindis offer the perfect ways to express ones' individuality and explore this latest fashion wave now!



The craze for bindi is sweeping all over the world now. This temporarily beautifying dot has become a fashion statement on the present day.Beautiful body dots/bindis offer the perfect ways to express ones' individuality and explore this latest fashion wave now!





The varieties of bindis range from traditional types to fancy or designer ones. The most popular designs of bindi in the fashion market are bead work, handprints, meenakari work, kundan, and studded stones. The designer bindis are carefully carved and designed to suit the needs of the customers. However designer bindis are used only for occasions and the routine ones used by the Indian women are fancy bindis.




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Bindis a body art



Bindis have revolutionized the fashion industry as they became part of the body art. Bindis have been used around the navel by models to give a definitely hot look. College girls welcomed this fashion to give a mischievous look their chic fashion.




Bindis have revolutionized the fashion industry as they became part of the body art.Bindis made the tattoos available for fashion lovers, who feared the piercing body art. The self adhesive bindis flaunted the body parts with beautiful and exotic designs. Whether glittered or stone studded, they became an integral part of Indian fashion.



The popular body art bindis are crystal bindi, belly tattoo bindi, glitter tattoo bindi, arm/wrist band bindi, tikka bindi, crystal belly bindi, pendent bindi, crystal finger bindi, hair bindi, chin bindi, crystal eyelash bindi and crystal nail bindi. Their brand names vary as Parvati bindi, Ramola bindi ans Saans bindi in the fashion market.


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Bindi a fashion symbol



Bindis are dots traditionally worn by women in India to decorate their faces. Bindi is arguably the most visually fascinating in all form of body decoration. Hindus wear a tilak (a red dot by women and an elongated dot by men) on their foreheads, between the two eyes. This point is known by various names such as Ajna chakra, Spiritual eye, Third eye and was said to be the major nerve in the human body, in ancient times.


In the market today we see bindis of different hues and shapes ranging from the simple to the most decorative. The price range depends on the texture, elaborate work and size. Bindis have become a fascination with many for their attractive features.


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Bridal Bindi




Today, the bindi is more about the mood and occasion. An exhaustive range and a number of tratments makes the bindi come to you in forms such as crystal belly bindis, black belly bindis, eyelash bindis, eye edge bindis, tikka bindis, necklace bindis, nail bindis, intimate bindis, gift bindis, bridal bindis, bindi set & designer bindis, body tattoos, intimate Bindis, Arm/Wrist Bands, zari bindi, glittering bindi, decreto bindi etc. The use of these bindis have made them a global rage.



A magnetic collection of general, fancy, bridal, designer, eye n’ eyebrows, naval, armlets and nail bindis. So, buy bindis dots and indian bindis online, they await to adorn you and leave the onlookers speechless!





Traditionally the bindhi or kumkum is auspicious with the most common colours being red or maroon.
The very positioning of the bindhi is significant. The area between the eyebrows is the seat of latent wisdom. This area is known as the "Agna" - the 6th chakra - meaning "command". It is said to control various levels of concentration attained through meditation. The central point of this area is the "Bindhu" wherein all experience is gathered in total concentration. Tantric tradition has it that during meditation, the kundalini - the latent energy that lies at the base of the spine is awakened and rises to the point of sahasrara (7th chakra) situated in the head or brain. The central point, the bindhu, becomes therefore a possible outlet for this potent energy.
It is believed that the red kumkum lies between the eyebrows to retain energy in the human body.



Today, the kumkum has been largely replaced by the "sticker-bindhi". Made of felt, with gum on one side, this is an ingenious easy-to-use substitute. The sticker-bindhi comes in all colours, all shapes and a variety of sizes. Some are truly exotic creations, using thin metal, in gold and silver colours, encrusted with glittering stones. The bindhi, today is a fashion statement.
Apparently, one that is sweeping the West, judging by the number of young performers sporting bindhis on music channels.

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Bindi a traditional custom









Bindi on forehead! As old as tradition and as new as the times, the bindi has come of age. With a change in perceptions about beauty and adornment, the aboriginal Indian Bindiya, the symbol of inner shakti, the fabled red dot ‘kumkum’ that the women wore in the center of their forehead has now become a fashion statement.






In addition to the bindi, in India, a vermilion mark in the parting of the hair just above the forehead is worn by married women as a symbol of their married status. During North Indian marriage ceremonies, the groom applies sindoor on the parting in the bride's hair. Ancient Chinese women wore similar marks (for purely decorative purposes) since the second century, which became popular during the Tang Dynasty.

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