Gisele Bundchen 'Ipanema' Sandals 

Compliments just keep pouring in everytime I wear these sandals.  They are simple, comfortable and beautiful.

I was looking for a pair of flat shoes or sandals last Christmas season.  I just wanted to treat myself for not buying anything for myself for a long time.  I thought anyway it was Christmas and I deserve a gift for myself.  These sandals caught my attention. By the mere look of Gisele Bundchen Ipanema sandals- they seem to be so comfortable.  I was right and I am glad that I bought them.

These sandals are designed by model Gisele Bundchen under her own brand name.  I was not really familiar of her before I bought this sandals.  But regardless of whoever designed this Ipanema sandals I would have not hesitate to buy them.  I have been to other shops prior to my visit to Myer to look for the sandals/shoes that I would buy.  I haven't seen the Gisele Bundchen sandals though anywhere else.

Giselle Bundchen's Ipanema sandals cost me $45Ausd and I think that was a good buy for a pair of footwear that I would love to wear everyday because of the comfort they provide.  They are so soft on my feet.  The photo shows that they are so soft that I can bend them easily.  I love them.  There are other designs or styles that were available but this Ipanema style is the one that I liked most.

 

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Ukrainian Fashion Week

27th Ukrainian Fashion Week: a Spicy Treat for European Fashionistas

During October 14-19, 2010, 27th Ukrainian Fashion Week took place in Kyiv. The show, gathering hordes of Ukrainian and foreign fashion experts and visited by almost 30,000 guests, featured the presentation of 44 pret-a-porter collections, including those of Victoria Gres, Nota Bene & Karavay, Andre Tan, Zalevskiy, Zinaida Likhacheva, and others. Among the special guests of this year's show were the President of the National Chamber of Italian Fashion Mario Bozelli, the founder of the company Global Fashion Management Ronald Denis and the renowned French couturier Stephane Rolland. The show was broadcasted on the World Fashion Channel.

The Ukrainian Fashion Week (UFW) is a unique professional fashion event in Ukraine the format of which fully meets the global standards of pret-a- porter fashion weeks. The event debuted in the autumn of 1997 and was the first of its kind in Eastern Europe.

The latest trends in the world of fashion were showcased this year by 44 designer brands. By tradition, the program of the Ukrainian Fashion Week 2010 was saturated by events taking place on and off the catwalk. The goal of most of these projects has been to boost the development and growth of the national fashion business.

Mr.

Mario Boselli, the President of National Chamber of Fashion of Italy and the special guests at UFW, was impressed by Ukrainian designers and by the organization of the event and expressed desire to work with them in future.

The youth fashion was presented at UFW as part of a special project New Spirit, which presented to the lovers of all things new and fashionable eight collections of young up-and-coming designers.

Mr Ronald Dennis, one of the most authoritative names in the world of global fashion-industry and a business trainer of world repute, has conducted a two-day work-shop.

The week-long show was closed in style by Le Grand Fashion Show from the famous French designer Stephane Rolland. Le Grand Fashion Show, which took place on October 22, featured breath-taking runway presentation of the designer's haute couture collection, which last summer triumphed on the Week of Haute Couture in Paris. The world-famous model Karolina Kurkova was invited specially for the extravagant closing runway show.

 

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Tips For Your Feet

Beauty Tips For Your Feet

You jam your feet into fashionable shoes, kick them around, stub their toes, ignore their nails and demand that they carry you around all day. No wonder they look a little worse for the wear. Luckily, there are plenty of simple, inexpensive tricks you can use to have your feet looking and feeling their best in no time at all.
There are so many elements of everyday living that are absolutely torturous for your feet. Standing all day, too-small shoes, stuffy boots, and exposing them to the locker room floor at your local gym are examples of scenarios to which most women can relate. Feet are often taken for granted until they start to hurt and reject the burdens you place on them, so think of taking care of your feet now as an investment against problems in the future.

If you've ever had a professional pedicure, you know how amazing it feels to have your feet taken care of: soaking, exfoliation, moisturizing and maybe even massage. The best part is you can recreate this experience at home with only a small investment of time, money, and resources.
Begin by removing any old nail polish with a remover-soaked cotton swab and then soaking your feet in a tub of relaxing, hot water. Toss in some bath or Epsom salts to increase the pleasant feeling. If you have a home foot bath with bubbles or jets, that's even better. Soak for at least five to ten minutes; the heat will promote blood circulation in your feet and soften your skin and you can use the time to read, watch television or just lean back and relax.

When you're done soaking, use a small brush to buff one foot at a time, removing dead skin and softening your feet. Let each foot go back into the water after you've finished brushing.

Use a dollop of foot scrub lotion (available at any department or drug store) to further soften any rough spots like your heels or the sides of your toes. When you've massaged the lotion into your feet, take a pumice stone to finish off any lingering rough skin. This is a great tool, so take your time and rinse your feet when you're done.

Feeling good by now? There's more. Remove your feet from the water and dry them with a soft towel. Rub your feet with some of your favorite lotion. A peppermint lotion may be particularly soothing and relaxing, especially if you have willing partner to handle this step for you. Either way, it feels marvelous.

After you've finished massaging your feet, it's time to add a little style. Trim and shape your nails with clippers and a file, and then use a cuticle stick to gently push back your supple cuticles. If you have a cuticle trimmer, you may want to scale away excess cuticle skin, although it's imperative to do this carefully to avoid damaging the cuticle.

Once your cuticles are under control, you will want to even out the surface of your nail by applying a clear or opaque base coat. This will help hide any ridges or lumpy areas that might show up if you applied nail color directly to the affected area. When the base coat is dry, add a coat of your favorite nail color. Choose something soft and light for a conservative look or something bold and daring for more flair. Whatever your choice, it's a good idea to apply several coats to improve the durability of your finish. Clean up any messy areas as you go, using a small cloth or cotton swab dipped in nail polish remover to dissolve stains that may have been deposited around the edges of your toe nail. An additional coat of clear sealer will prevent chips and scuff marks from harming your pedicure masterpiece.

That's it! You're ready to strap on a pair of open-toe sandals or to pad around the house in your bare, and very fashionable, flattering feet.

Looking pretty is one element of great feet. The other part is keeping your feet healthy. Wear supportive, well-fitted shoes, wash and dry your feet carefully to avoid fungal and bacterial problems, and mention any significant problems, such as cuts and scrapes on your feet not healing well as that could indicate a more serious problem such as diabetes.

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Investment Or Pleasure?

Diamonds, For Investment Or Pleasure?

  

Most diamonds sold to the general public are known as slightly imperfect. Slightly imperfect diamonds are not easily spotted by the trained eye. The regular person would probably never even notice the imperfections.

After the slightly imperfect stones come those that are frankly imperfect. Frankly imperfect stones have rather large or numerous flaws and visible carbon spots. Imperfect stones imperfections can sometimes be spotted by a normal observer without a glass! Frankly imperfect stones are great for people who want big stones but do not want to pay the money for fine gems. Frankly imperfect stones give the buyer more bang for the buck. At a little bit of distance the stones may appear brilliant.

It may be a better idea for purchasers to buy better grade diamonds. If someday you have to dispose of your diamonds they will almost always be appraised by those who are trained to detect flaws and bad color. The resale value of a fine stone will always yield better money than a larger more imperfect one. Large imperfect diamonds sell, but they rarely ever sell themselves. Fine diamonds will almost always find a buyer if they are offered a little under the market price.

A few words as to the best means of detecting flaws in diamonds may not be out of place. You must always possess a good lens. A good lens is key for detecting flaws and color. A good light is also a necessity. The inspector needs a light that falls freely upon it. Diamond forceps should always be used to hold the stones. A persons fingers are to big and clumsy. Peoples fingers also soil stones and make them dull and dirty.

It is extremely important to always examine a stone unset, the mounting may hide some imperfections. Many diamond owners and dealers have found imperfections in set stones months after ownership and examination. To properly observe a diamond one must start with the back of the stone, first dimming it with the breath. Often diamond cutters will often leave flaws so they are not visible from the front, but they are often very evident from the back. This is why examinations usually begin from the back. If no flaws are evident, examine the stone slowly and carefully through each rear facet. Then turn the stone over, dim it, and check the front of the stone for flaws. If none are seen, look through each of the front facets turning the stone slowly.
While examining a stone make sure that any apparent defects are not actually small spots of dirt sticking to the opposite surface. It is also very important not to mistake a reflection of thick spots on the girdle for flaws. Some times stones are cut too shallow. These stones will often times show reflections through the table. These stones are less brilliant, and also far less desirable. These stones may seem imperfect when actually they may be perfect in crystallization, although not in make.

If no defects are discerned, rest the eye for a few moments and inspect the diamond once again. This time look for small specks and feathers. Be on the lookout for small reflections on the surface as well as on the interior of the stone, as cracks that have reached the surface may be discerned.

Sometimes diamonds have knots, or spots where part of the diamond does not go with the grain. These spots are very hard to polish correctly and often times cannot be made completely flat. It is essential to find this type of flaw if it exists. This type of defect is very hard to spot. Often times it will never be noticed by the general public, and sometimes not even by the dealer. When a valuable gem is in question, and time is not of the essence, save a final decision till after a second thorough examination on another day.


Mitch Endick is a short article writer for the popular
jewelry site:
JewelrySalesandService.com. Provides information on jewelry, rings, earrings, bracelets, necklaces
and watches. His website,www.JewelrySalesandService.com
also has information on diamonds, birthstones, gemstones, pearls, gold, sterling silver,and platinum.

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Jewelry and Misconceptions

Jewelry and Gemstone Myths and Misconceptions

Everyone knows that the Hope diamond is the biggest diamond ever found, or is it? No, it is the most expensive. Well, it?s not that either. The mystery, beauty, value and stories that follow certain famous gems add a legendary quality to their existence. Here are a few commonly understood ?facts? that are actually myths, or are they?

1. As probably the best-known gemstone in the world, the Hope Diamond is followed by a number of myths and legends. After passing through many hands, it was donated to the Smithsonian Institute in 1962. It has been known as the largest diamond in the world, the most valuable diamond in the world and as a flawless stone. None of this is true. It is listed as a fancy blue gray diamond in color and a VS1 in clarity. A number of diamonds are larger, worth more and more flawless.

2. Some say that color is far more important than clarity, especially in the fancy colored diamonds. Color, cut, clarity and carat are all important no matter what the color is.

3. The Cullinan diamond is the world?s largest cut diamond. The Golden Jubilee diamond at 545.67 carats is larger than the Cullinan?s 530.2 carats.

4. Diamonds are the most valuable stones in the world. This is definitely a highly debated point. Some say Emeralds are the most expensive and others say it is Alexandrite. The .95-carat Hancock Red diamond holds the record at $926,000.

5. Pearls come only from pearl oysters. The Smithsonian has the Christopher Walling pearl, which weighs 187.5 carats. It is an abalone pearl. Mussels also make pearls.

6. Diamonds are the most rare stones in the world. Many stones, such as Alexandrite, are more rare. De Beers controls the release of diamonds to keep them expensive.

7. Birthstones are just something members of the jewelry industry concocted to create a market for their wares. Actually several systems of stones have been developed over many centuries. The American National Association of jewelers created the current most commonly used list in
1912. It lists faceted stones exclusively, and is said to have been created to make Mother?s Rings look better. The Mystical list of stones was created in Tibet in the first millennium and the Traditional birthstone list was created in the sixteenth century.

8. Pearls dissolve in vinegar. Legend has it that Cleopatra dissolved a pearl in vinegar to impress Marc Anthony with consuming the most expensive meal. This appears to be a matter of debate. The US Department of Energy Newton website for science teachers says that it is theoretically possible for this to happen because of the composition of pearls and the acidic properties of vinegar, but the size of the stone and acidity of the vinegar would affect the time it would take.

9. Diamonds are indestructible. Diamonds are the10 on the Mohs scale ? only a diamond can scratch a diamond, but they can be brittle and chip if mistreated.

Louise Coulson, a former elementary school teacher, has had a checkered career of work in the fiberarts, marketing and website development. She has moved with her engineer husband from one construction project to another, hence the checkered career.

She is currently using her fiber background in her jewelry designs and fabrication. The wire is woven, twisted, coiled and braided to create one-of-a-kind or limited-edition pieces. She has recently published an eBook, Website ShowCase, for jewelry artisans who develop, maintain and market their own jewelry websites. She is webmaster for the wireweavers.com and the jewelryspectrum.com websites.

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Facts about Perfumes

Interesting Facts about Perfumes

High living has always been associated with the use of perfumes. In the old days with royalty people espousing the need for fragrances, the bourgeois society soon followed.

Perfumes from natural odorants like sandalwood or musk were preferred. In today's world due to illegal trafficking and species endangerment, natural odorants are replaced by synthetic aromatics. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. Aromas like musk from natural ingredients are extremely complex and have been impossible to imitate through synthetic aromatics like nitro-musks or macrocyclic musks. On the other hand, synthetic aromas like ozone, marine, metallic, etc. have no parallel olfactory relationship in the natural odorants.

So nowadays with modern technology of perfume manufacturing and synthetic aromas, new categories have been created. Categories that can be best described as:

1. Bright Floral - very popular and meant for almost everyone and all occasions
2. Woody - it evokes the forest refreshing smell
3. Green - it has a lighter fragrance and is meant for casual wear
4. Oceanic - it is very popular among the younger generation
5. Spicy Fruit - a good choice for tropical weather or during summer
6. Oriental - (Or Spicy scents) it is meant for special occasions.

The composition of perfumes is very important, because the right combination of scents (as rose, jasmine, cola), modifiers (esters), blenders (linalool, hydroxycitronellol) and fixatives(like resins, wood scents and amber), can provide the unique smell by which brand name perfumes are so famous and desired for. Some famous brand name perfumes are:

1. Eau de Cologne (1709)
2. Chanel No. 5 (1921)
3. Opium YSL (1977)
4. Azzaro Pour Homme (1978)
5. Anais Anais (1979)
6. Poison Christian Dior (1985)
7. Eternity Calvin Klein (1988)
8. Envy Gucci (1997)
9. Nu YSL (2001)
10. Rose 31 (2006)

Also, preservation of perfumes is of vital significance as it degrades if kept carelessly. Previously all perfumes used to come in open bottles with caps. These bottles kept the fragrance intact for about a year. As it was used, the level of the perfume went down, and it was exposed to oxygen contained in the empty space of the bottle. This eventually changed the perfumes fragrance. Heat, light, oxygen, and extraneous organic materials, further distorted the fragrance. Thus glass bottles, though extremely decorative, allowed light, and contributed to the degradation of the scent.

It is now a well known fact that light-tight aluminum bottles are best for the preservation of perfumes, especially when they are refrigerated at low temperatures from 3 to 7 degree Celsius. The oxygen contained inside the bottle cannot be removed completely but it can be minimized by the use of rollers instead of open bottles. Further minimization of oxygen exposure can be attained by the use of sprays.

Thus almost all modern day perfume come in spray bottles, which isolate the perfume from mixing with outside oxygen, skin, detritus, and dust, thereby promoting the longevity of the olfactory quality of the perfume.

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