Update on How To Lighten Dark Underarms

I recently wrote about How To Lighten Dark Underarms because my own underarms are very dark.

See picture in post for clarification.

One way I was told you can lighten your dark underarms is to wax instead of shaving or using depilatory creams.
Here is the image of my left armpit twenty days after waxing. I waxed every three days for twenty days and applied the finishing oil at night.

During the day I would wear my regular antiperspirant but then when I got home I would shower, wax and apply the oil to go to bed.
This picture is what my left armpit looked like before I started waxing. I think I can see a difference in that the waxed pit looks lighter but this might just be wishful thinking.

I will continue waxing some more and see what really happens.

How To Get Great Hair: Deep Condition

As a Diva I know that my hair should always look good. This does not mean that my hair always has to be perfectly styled but it does mean that it has to look nice at all times.

I recently wrote about How To Get Great Hair and noted that it really starts with good nutrition and shampoo and conditioner.

As a black woman I know that one of the major hair issues we face is super dry hair. This can be caused by a number of factors, including but not limited to:

• Over processing
• Poor Diet
• Excessive Heat
• Product Buildup

One of the best ways to really hydrate your hair (after it has been properly washed) is to deep condition it. I use Neutrogena hair recovery mask to deep condition my hair.

After shampooing, I squeeze the water out of my hair and then slather on the pack of conditioner. I then place a plastic shower cap on my head and use a hair dryer on the highest setting to heat up the head all over for about 5 minutes.

I then go off and do something like play on the computer for about 5 minutes so the conditioner can penetrate, then give it about 5 more minutes of heat. I repeat this cycle until I have had three sessions of heat and then go back into the shower to rinse off the hair.

I am then left with hair that feels silky and soft because it gets a good dose of moisture. I only do this on weekends because that is the time I shampoo my hair. I will sometimes wash my hair one time during the week, but most likely my hair only gets washed on the weekends.

The next steps are to apply a leave in conditioner while the hair is still damp and let it dry. After the hair is dry I will run a flat iron or curling iron through it to completely straighten it out and then wrap it. Please come back as we discuss all these steps in greater detail later on.

My Favorite Lip Gloss

I always say that a true Diva ALWAYS wears lip gloss. Lip gloss is the one thing that can instantly make you look better. It makes your face look brighter and gives you a wonderful look without the need for lots of makeup.

As a Diva I always carry a lip gloss with me for touch ups during the day. I recently left my favorite gloss at a friend's house and I decided to try a few different glosses.

Cover Girl Fruit Spritzer
I love America's Next Top Model and they are always talking about the Cover Girl Fruit Spritzers so I decided to give that a try.
I know the picture is a bit funky but that is the best I could do with my phone. This gloss lived up to part of its name in that it was not sticky at all. The gloss went onto my lips in one smooth motion and made them shiny.

I decided to try the lick test and could barely taste the flavor of this 'fruit spritzer'. Now while I am not expecting to be able to eat the lip gloss for desert I did think that I would at least be able to taste the fruit flavor.....but it was disappointing.

I was also not impressed by the color this gloss left on my lips. I bought the watermelon because it was a cute pink shade.....yet I could barely see the color on my lips.

L'oreal Color Juice
This is what I ended up getting again since it offers great color, shine and flavor all in one. I have said that this is my favorite lip gloss because it gives just a hint of color that you can see the difference between my bare lips and when I am wearing the gloss.

I wear a light burst for daily wear and when I am ready to glam it up I simply apply more so I get a rosy lip color. This is the Raspberry Smash flavor which I LOVE because it brings out the Diva in me and always makes me look fabulous!

L'Oreal wins for me any day.

A Diva's Look at Twenty Something Finances

Welcome to the May 19, 2008 edition of twenty something finances from the Diva.

Think Pink

Dollar Frugal presents Dollar Frugal » Blog Archive » Make the Mundane Special posted at Dollar Frugal, saying, "Good afternoon Mark!"

Dorian Wales presents How to Save by Making Credit Card Payments More Real and Tangible: 5 Practical Tips posted at Personal Financier, saying, "A higher tangibly of credit card payments will ensure spending less"

Sarah presents Why? posted at 20saver, saying, "Thanks for reading!"

Sagar presents 6 Ways Greenspan Caused the Current Economic Crisis | Currency Trading.net posted at Currency Trading.net.

Heather Johnson presents Five Tips for Overcoming Your Forex Anxiety posted at Forex Loser. Emotions. Psychology....

Kelly M presents I'm an idiot. posted at View Along the Way, saying, "Sometimes, bargain hunting pays off. Other times, not so much."

KCLau presents Don’t be stupid! Keep paying. posted at KCLau's Money Tips, saying, "About why paying premiums for existing policies can be the best savings you can have."

R.Pettinger presents Surviving a House Price Crash. posted at Mortgage Blog, saying, "Tips for surviving a housing crash and how it can benefit first time buyers"

Be A Diva

Trevor McKay presents Top Ten Most Misunderstood Auto Insurance Terms posted at All About Auto Insurance.

Trevor McKay presents Deals On Prepaid Cellular Service posted at All About Prepaid Phones.

hank@myinvestingblog.com presents My Comcast bill is $160.24 per month; what am I possibly paying for!? posted at My Investing Blog.

Ideal4Investors presents Invest Your IRA in Real Estate for Beginners posted at Ideal Investment Corner, saying, "Did you know that you can invest your IRA in real estate, notes, and starting a business? Ideal 4 Investors hosts an online seminar with The Entrust Group on how to set up a self-directed IRA."

Stephan Grindley presents Debt Consolidation: The Scare Tactics posted at The Debt Consolidation Advisor.

Mandy Trapper presents Low Cost Options Are Available For The Forex Beginner posted at Forex Trading System Secrets.

Finance Girl presents Why is Buying Something Always a Good Thing? posted at Finance Gets Personal.

Helen Anderson presents 7 Secrets to Personal Finance Success at Best CD (Certificate of Deposit) Rates, Money Market Rates, High Interest Accounts posted at Bankaholic.

Barb A. Ryan presents 10 - Independent Investment Counselors and Financial Advisors posted at Pasadena Financial Planner.

Brice Hogan presents The Seventh Wonder of the World: Compounding Interest | Financialzip.com posted at Financialzip.com, saying, "Few people really understand this concept. It is truly the way to become wealthy."

Tip Diva Rules

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Protecting Your Wallet posted at Tip Diva, saying, "Losing or getting a wallet stolen is a very stressful experience, especially if someone takes your money, gets access to your accounts or even steals your identity. But there are ways to prevent or mitigate the damage caused by a lost wallet"

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Moving Back Home As An Adult posted at Tip Diva, saying, "Maybe you’ve been away at school. Or, your lease may be up and you need an affordable place to stay while looking for a new apartment. Many young adults are moving back home for a variety of reasons, but coming back may be a culture shock. Here’s how to ease the transition"

Tip Diva presents Top Ten Tips - Managing Your Personal Budget posted at Tip Diva, saying, "In uncertain economic times, it’s a smart idea to know where your financial status stands. If you’re looking to start cutting down on expenses, the best way to do so is creating a personal budget"

David Hunkar presents ADR Universe: Invest(some) in Closed-End Funds (CEFs) !!! posted at ADR Universe, saying, "There are many investors who would like to invest in foreign country stocks but do not want to take the risk of picking up individual stocks. This is a wise move since it is difficult to get complete information on many foreign stocks and also the there are many other unknown risks involved with individual companies. For these folks there are three choices by which they can buy a basket of stocks and reduce some risk involved."

Nadege presents Financially stAble posted at Financially stAble.

Ken Clark, CFP presents Financial Aid for Community College Students posted at Saving for College - About.com, saying, "Basic review of financial aid programs available to community college students."

Dollar Frugal presents Selling Textbooks posted at Dollar Frugal, saying, "Let me know if you need someone to host."

Jed Norwood presents Expert Advisors | Automated Forex Trading posted at Forex Strategy, saying, "This post helps Forex traders understand how Expert Advisors work."

Adrian Loncarovich presents GoalEnforcer Goal Setting Article posted at GoalEnforcer, saying, "Adrian Loncarovich is the co-author of GoalEnforcer, a visual goal setting software that can be used to break your goals into sub-goals and track your progress. More details about GoalEnforcer can be found at http://www.goalenforcer.com/ A free version of the software is being offered at http://www.goalenforcer.com/demodownload.html"

Adrian Loncarovich presents Finding and Getting Your Dream Job posted at GoalEnforcer, saying, "Adrian Loncarovich is the co-author of GoalEnforcer, a visual goal setting software that can be used to break your goals into sub-goals and track your progress. More details about GoalEnforcer can be found at http://www.goalenforcer.com/ A free version of the software is being offered at http://www.goalenforcer.com/demodownload.html"

Lather, Rinse Repeat

Rickey Henderson presents A Memo from the Office of Steven R. Lawlor, CPA, to Indiana Jones posted at Riding with Rickey.

Donovan Snelleman presents Easiest Way to Save Money AND Become Rich posted at ImprovedLife.ca, saying, "Being a twenty somethings we are lucky to have time on our hands, and what this article explains will allow you to financially succeed in the long run."

FIRE Getters presents Beware - Citi Cash Returns Card Charges Hefty Over The Credit Limit Fees posted at FIRE Finance.

Mag Herrera presents What I like about Credit Cards posted at Life. Money. Development., saying, "A balanced review of credit cards' nature and usage."

Chris Carter presents College is expensive, Why pay more than you have to posted at David Makes Cents.com, saying, "Tips on how to save money while in college."

Jimson Lee presents Complete Guide to Credit Repair - Part 1 posted at No Debt Anymore .org, saying, "A detailed 5 part complete guide to Credit Repair"

Mike Leonard presents Shopping – your drug of choice? posted at Until Debt Do Us Part, saying, "I’m just now recovering from what the ‘experts’ would call cold turkey. Yesterday I went to the local mall to buy some books that I had been meaning to buy online but couldn’t face the wait. The bookstore I went to is huge. It is spread across three floors. It is what I imagine walking in to Amazon.com’s warehouse would be like."

Brice Hogan presents How to Save $100 a Month posted at Financialzip.com.

Raymond presents The Best Frequent Flyer Airline Miles Credit Cards For Cheap Flights posted at Money Blue Book.

Raymond presents How To Make Money From Balance Transfer Credit Cards posted at Money Blue Book.

Heather Johnson presents Mrs. Mo Guest Poster: Heather Johnson posted at Mrs. Mo's New Jersey, Baby!.

Cash Money Life presents How to Evaluate a Job Offer posted at Cash Money Life, saying, "Here are some solid tips on how to evaluate a job offer. Thanks for hosting! :)"

Stephanie presents Graduating? Start the Job Hunt! posted at Poorer Than You, saying, "What's the first thing you've got to do when you graduate from college? Find a job!"

Lane Wright presents Compete with the Pros posted at Awesome Forex Alerts.

That concludes this edition. Submit your blog article to the next edition of twenty something finances using our carnival submission form. Past posts and future hosts can be found on our blog carnival index page.

Technorati tags: twenty something finances, blog carnival.

Plus Size Model On America's Next Top Model

I am so happy that Whitney won this season of America's Next Top Model. Although she is classified as a full figured model or a plus size model I just think she is a beautiful Diva.

She looks great and carries her weight well. She looked Fabulous in that Pink Versace dress she wore for the judging and there is no question that her face is simply stunning.

How To Get Great Hair

We all love beautiful hair and a great head of hair is essential to the Diva look. A true Diva will take care of her hair so that it always looks great.

This does not mean that your hair always has to be perfectly 'done' but it does mean that you are always taking care of it so that when you do not have time to style intricately, it will still look fabulous!

Clean Start
In order to have healthy hair you need to start with clean hair. This does not mean that you go out and use some industrial strength cleaner on your hair in order to strip out all the dirt and impurities. All it means is that you use a good shampoo that also imparts moisture to your hair. I really like Garnier Fructis shampoo because it not only cleans your hair really well, but it also adds moisture and smells great.

If you are a black woman then you might want to try out Lucky Kentucky Mane and Tail shampoo. I have tried it before and I must say it works great!! A friend told me about it and I was a bit afraid of trying out a shampoo that was originally designed for horses. I gave it a try because my friend had really gorgeous hair...and it worked really well for me. You can get this shampoo at Sally's Beauty supply..since they don't sell it at Walmart.

Eat Well
How many times did your mother tell you to eat well for nice skin? Well this also applies to your hair. You need to eat a lot of protein because your hair is made up of about 93% protein. This is why black women, who are natural Divas, get protein treatments every so often. This protein strengthens the hair and makes it less prone to breaking.

You also need to get some moisture and elasticity built up so you need to get some healthy oils like those found in salmon. I take fish oil supplements and have done so ever since I was young. I actually drink the cod liver oil liquid and I believe this has contributed to my healthy hair.

Don't forget to drink LOTS of water so that your hair can draw from that and stay beautiful!

How To Hide A Bulging Tummy

If you are like me then in your attempt to achieve a great Diva look you have to know how to dress to hide your flaws.

I happen to have a little bit of a tummy pouch so I am thinking of ways to hide that bulge but still look classy and fashionable, the way a true Diva should.

Here are some tips you can use to hide a tummy that is not too flat.

Get the right Fit

Make sure that the tops you wear are the right fit for your body type. If you pick a style that is too large then you give the impression of trying to hide a bulge under an expanse of fabric.

On the other hand if you pick a style that is too tight or the fabric is clingy then you are just drawing attention to the area.

Draw Eyes Away

If you wear a capped sleeve style then someone's eye will be drawn away from the tummy area and outwards, giving the appearance of a more streamlined torso. You can duplicate this effect by wearing a v-neckline which draws the eye downward but still carries it away from the tummy area.

Shorter Hems

If you wear a shorter hemline on your fitted tops then you can give the appearance of having less going on at the midsection area. This will help to hide that troublesome tummy area that you do not want people staring at.

Change the Style

While it is easy to grab a button front top and think that it will serve you well there is something every true Diva should know. Shirts with buttons generally tend to gap at the front, especially if the material is a bit stiff or if the cut is not perfect.

You can avoid the gap and the consequent bulge baring, by choosing a wrap style top or a tunic style. These styles help to hide the tummy for a little while..until you get yourself to the gym and get rid of that bulge for good.

What do you do to hide that irritating little bulge that you have not gotten rid of yet?

How to Lighten Dark Underarms

If you have an underarm area that is dark then you are not alone. Many women suffer from this condition yet they each think that they are the only one with the problem.

I have underarms that are darker than the rest of my skin and for this reason I do not wear sleeveless clothes. The dark skin under my arms has long been a concern of mine because it makes me so uncomfortable.

Dark Underarms are caused by:

• Strong Chemicals
• Too Much Shaving
• Dead Skin Build Up
• Medical Conditions
• Friction

Ways To Deal with it:
I have read many different methods for dealing with the dark skin in the underarm area and decided to try out some of them.

This is a bit gross but here is a picture of my underarms before I started any of the treatments. Even though the (camera phone) picture is poor you can see the line of difference between the underarm area and the rest of my skin. While the rest of my skin is brown the underarm area is quite black and just plain ugly.

Rub Lemons Under Arms
All I can say is that I would have been better off making lemonade. While lemons do have bleaching properties they did not work under my arms. I would rub lemon juice under one arm every evening after taking a shower as soon as I got home.

I went to bed smelling slightly sweet and lemony but after one week the left armpit (with lemon) looked just like the right one (no lemon).

Stop Using Antiperspirant/Deodorant

Well this one was not an option for me because I perspire a lot. I would apply my regular stuff in the morning and then wash it off as soon as I got home in the evening. I would shower again in the morning and apply some antiperspirant because I knew I would be sweating all day. In my job I have to walk around a bit so it is not like I was just sitting at a desk in the air conditioning all day. On Friday evenings I would wash off the underarm stuff and not use any on Saturday. I would reapply some on Sunday so I could go to church and run other errands but then take it off again until Monday morning.

Both armpits remained equally dark even though I have been doing this for a month now. Some people mention that if you must use a product then you should use Dove Moisturizing products because the dark skin might be as a result of skin that is too dry.

I substituted Dove with no results under my arms but it did leave a residue on my clothes and made them light!!!!

Wax instead of Shaving

I have always shaved under my arms or used a depilatory cream but I had never waxed before. I bought a Sally Hansen wax kit with the prewaxed strips and got busy. I took a shower, then dried my under arm area and rubbed the strip between my hands to warm it up. I peeled the strips apart and placed one under my arm and followed the directions and then let it rip.

Ouch!!!!

Waxing hurts.

A lot.

Especially when it is your first time and you are doing it yourself.

Waxing is supposed to help with the discoloration by removing all the layers of dead cells each time you pull the strip off. I was lucky that I did not bleed because I felt such an intense pain for a few seconds. The pain subsided quickly so I went in for another strip because I had not gotten all of the hair off.

I have waxed for three days now because I have not been able to get all the hair from one area out with one swipe. I am only doing the right armpit so I can compare the effects of the waxing to the other side.

I think the waxing is working....or maybe it is just my imagination because I am so tired of trying different things out.

I will continue waxing for about a month and then I will repost the pictures from that. I need to let the hair grow out a little longer so the wax can grip it so I can pull it out.

Have you tried to lighten your underarm area? What have you tried and did it work?