7 Relaxation Tips That Relieve Stress

Using any relaxation tips you may have picked up over the years is a great way to deal with the stresses in your daily life. Sometimes, when you're feeling stressed out, having someone tell you to relax or "chill out" is more annoying than anything else. But it's advice you should take to heart, especially if you are having a bad day - or week.

Here are 7 tips that will help you relax when you're feeling stressed.

1. Take a Warm Bath

Soaking in a tub full of warm water can work wonders when you're feeling stressed. The warm water relaxes you physically, loosening tight, stiff muscles. And, as a result, you relax mentally as well.

2. Read a Good Book

One of the best ways to deal with a stressful situation, especially if the stress is caused by something you have no control over, is to not think about it. And one of the easiest ways to get your mind off things that are bothering you is to read a good book.

You can read the latest best seller that you've been looking forward to. Or, if you don't think you will be able to concentrate on anything new, choose an old favorite that you're already familiar with.

3. Listen to Some Music

It's a proven fact that soothing music can be relaxing. The type of music you choose is entirely up to you. Buy a CD or cassette featuring soft, modern ballads, gentle classics, smooth jazz, or New Age music. When you feel stressed, pop the music into the player and let the music carry you away.

4. Take a Deep Breath

Something as simple as taking a couple of deep breaths can work wonders. So, the next time you feel stressed, take a few slow, deep breaths. And, if you can, add a full body stretch. Stretching and yawning are also relaxing.

5. Try Aromatherapy

Certain scents have been found to have a calming, relaxing effect on the human body. One of those scents is lavender.

You can buy lavender candles at a health food store or online, and place them around your home or office. Whenever you're feeling stressed, burning a lavender candle can help you relax.

Just make sure your lavender candles are made with essential oils.

6. Try Visualization

The things you visualize or imagine can actually have an effect on your mood.

The next time you are feeling stressed, take a moment to close your eyes and imagine that you are somewhere more relaxing, like on a beach. Imagine that you can feel the cool breeze against your skin, and hear the ocean waves.

If you're stressed about a situation, like giving a speech in front of a large crowd, close your eyes and visualize yourself giving the speech, and everything going perfectly.

Visualization can help you feel calmer, and better able to deal with whatever has you feeling stressed in the first place.

7. Spend Time Outdoors

Sunlight and fresh air have remarkable abilities to heal our spirit. Often something just as simple as taking a short walk around the block can help reset our priorities. Even yard work can be relaxing if approached from the right frame of mind.

source: http://www.squidoo.com/7relaxationtips

Lacoste Pour Femme and Gucci II

for my birthday last November, my brother sent me a gift while he was travelling in Europe: the Lacoste Pour Femme or some call it Lacoste Skin. he didn't know that this is one of my personal favorites and i'm glad he hit the bullseye eve without knowing that i love this scent! thank God for the gift of intuition! anyway, i have decided that i will only use my eau de parfums during very very verrry special occasions or when i have run out of body mists, which rarely happens. there were times, though, that i didn't really run out of mists but was in the mood to wear the Pour Femme at the office. one of my friends, a girl named Symone, detected that i was wearing the Pour Femme. she told me how she loved the scent as well. i told her i don't like heavy or cloying scents because i have migraine and rhinitis. the Pour Femme is very light and pleasant to the senses but is best if you have an active lifestyle. i spritz on my body before dressing up and still spritz on my clothes for a pump or two and i'm off to work! even if i don't re-spritz for the rest of the day, the scent stays the same, becoming more and more girly especially with the North Pole-like mode of our office' air-conditioning system. when i go out and it's hot or humid, the scent now defies the smell of sweat on skin and becomes sexier... imagine a sexy, Caribbean summer getaway. even at the office, one of my friends, Joyce D., also complimented me when i wore the Pour Femme one time. she said i smelled so great and asked if i'm wearing the Pour Femme. the scent, i should say, describes an elegance that can be worn in the office or not so special days.

i'm not sure how much it is sold here in the Philippines because there are import taxes on top of the cost of the perfumes but the Lacoste Pour Femme is $44-45 in the United States for 50ml. you can check out the Fragrance Section of the malls and check out this perfume, one guy from the Fragrance Section told me that this is Lacoste's best-selling eau de parfum for women, not the Touch of Pink.

Gucci II. when an ex-boyfriend from Los Angeles paid me a visit one summer (i wasn't hitched yet at that time), and . i love the color pink. i was ecstatic when i saw the baby pink-colored box and voila! when i opened the box and took out the bottle of perfume, the perfume has pink liquid as well! ooh, how nice, i thought! i just hate those perfumes where your paying for the "thick glass bottle" than the content (which is less). i couldn't bring the Gucci II at work because it's literally heavy because of the glass bottle itself. i'm so glad that, when my brother got home from the United States, he gave me this perfume, well, because i told him that i love it when my ex gave me this.

anyway, here goes. the moment i opened the glass cap, i could smell the scent and i fell in love instantly. this is one of the pleasant, non-cloying eau de parfums, which is great! i sprayed this on the skin under the ears and people from ten feet away or so said they can smell me!

overall, i can say that the Gucci II is a scent that is a sweet, sexy, kissable feminine. again, i don't know how much this costs here in the country but in the United States, the price is $75 for 50ml.

Erasul Acne Cleanser Soap

almost everyone i know has or had acne. i get breakouts especially a week or two before my menstrual period comes. i am my own guinea pig. be careful of the marketing hype, they say. we don't want false promises of course but since each person's hormone or body chemistry differs from another, some products work differently as well.

you wouldn't find out if a certain product works for you or not if you're not going to try it. i am a risk-taker, then again, i play the cards right. especially with make-up that i am planning to put on my face, i consult my dermatologist to double check if there's something harmful in the ingredients. i highly recommend you CONSULT a dermatologist rather than rely on other people's opinion via forums and threads. it's okay to share thoughts and personal reviews on a product that you have tried but i see other people consulting another user about things that a dermatologist knows best.

enter Erasul. a few years back, my dad was using the soap not because he had breakouts but because he's a vain beast who doesn't like seeing wrinkles or dryness on his face (yes, some men are vain as well, he's in his 60s, and he and mom do not have wrinkles but fine lines rather). i remembered it was the old packaging then. well, i didn't really know why dad used the soap but mom and i noticed that he had smooth face that the pores minimized or tight or whatever you call it. he also had a bright glow on his face, a sign of great skin.

what a fool i was for not even considering the soap to stop and fight my acne a few years back. i thought my journey to halt acne wouldn't end until i used Erasul! the soap cleansed my pores to the very inside i can see it in my magnified mirror. the soap has sulfur (skin disease fighter) but what's great about the soap is that there isn't a hint of the sulphuric scent. the soap is a transparent, honey-colored bar. with just the initial use, i saw desired results. it really does make the skin smooth and dewy, my skin had that moist glow. my acne was gone even before i finished the first bar. i believe the soap doesn't have any hardeners because they melt easily. i would suggest you buy a soap dish that has holes or strainers to keep the soap dry or so it won't be soaked in water. overall, i love this soap!!!

PRODUCT NAME: Erasul Acne Cleanser Soap

MANUFACTURER: Inno Derm

WHERE AVAILABLE: Mercury Drug

PRICE: Php 121 - Php 122

RATING: 5 / 5