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?