Monday, March 28, 2011

French Women's Beauty Secrets


The Top 10 secrets every French woman knows for healthy beautiful skin:





  1. Great skin is healthy skin; skin that radiates from the inside out. Eating a well-balanced diet is essential for the health of your body and glowing youthful skin. Choosing lean protein, fruits, vegetables, nuts, and healthy fats like olive oil are key elements in a healthy diet.
  2. Take nutritional supplements. As most people do not get all the nutrients they need from their daily diet, taking multi-vitamin and mineral supplements is recommended. Fish oil and flax oil are essential as they decrease inflammation.
  3. Hydration is THE key to youthful skin. Hydration comes from within, drink one glass of water first thing in the morning and one before going to bed and at least six to eight more throughout the day (preferably outside meals) with additional glasses if you exercise or travel.
  4. Improve your circulation. Glowing skin is the result of healthy circulation; bringing oxygen and nutrients that add color to the skin. A spritz of cool water on the body during your shower stimulates the nervous system and brain to improve your circulation. Smoking will decrease your circulation and leave the skin sallow. So, stop it!
  5. Avoid hot water on your face. Washing with hot water will dilate blood vessels, which over time will stretch and loosen your skin, hot water also causes excessive dryness in the skin. Opt for lukewarm or cold water when removing your cleanser.
  6. Exercise at least three times a week. Exercise acts like the fountain of youth! It boosts blood flow, bringing essential oxygen to your cells, improves your mood, energy levels and overall health.
  7. Practice safe sun. Moderate exposure to sunlight is beneficial to our health. Shade, sunscreen and moisturizers with SPF are essential for youthful skin at any age.


I know that you have heard this before but do you practice it?”


  1. Wash your face before going to bed. ALWAYS! By not cleansing your skin you allow dirt, makeup and oils to penetrate into your skin, this residue then transfers to your pillow, and transfers back to your face the next night!
  2. Be gentle. Especially around the eyes and on the neck where the skin is the thinnest. Avoid harsh actions that will loosen this already delicate and fragile skin. Use gentle massage motions during cleansing. Avoid wiping vigorously or scrubbing the skin. I also suggest using a specific eye-makeup remover; your makeup will literally slide off the skin, eliminating the need to ‘rub’ it off.
  3. Adhere to your skincare rituals. In France, skincare is a ritual that begins at a very young age, lovingly passed down from mother to daughter. The Your Guinot Youth Recovery Program is a skincare ritual that provides you with a youth revolution through cellular regeneration to reverse the skins aging process to maintain your skin in optimum health.

Friday, March 25, 2011

5 Rules for Mortgage Insurance Tax Deductions





Update:
President Obama has signed a bill that has extended the tax deduction of mortgage insurance through 2011!!



Here are the rules to remember in regards to this tax deduction:

1. Your purchase or refinance loan must close before Dec 31st, 2011.

2. Household income must be $100,000 or less to get the full write off of the insurance premium.

3. The amount of the write off is reduced by 10% for every $1000 over $100k, with it phasing out at $109,000. This means if you make over $109k as a household you can not write off mortgage insurance.


4. It applies to your primary home and one other residence that the tax payer uses.


5. All forms of mortgage insurance qualify for this. So if you have a FHA or conventional loan, they qualify. If you have paid upfront mortgage insurance with a VA, FHA or USDA loan you can also use this as a tax deduction. The amount is just divided over a 7 year period.

The above is not intended as tax advice. Seek out a tax professional for advice about mortgage insurance deductions.

Monday, March 21, 2011

what makes up my wardrobe?

happy 2nd day of spring! i absolutely love this time of year...spring is the indication of "new"...of re-birth...of hope...of change...after dreary days of winter...the flowers start blooming...color is everywhere...

and...it is a great time to think about your closet... =) after all...spring cleaning is in the air...ok...maybe not so much...but why not have your own closet go through a rebirth...a change...a sense of new...and...hope...

you open your closet...it's filled with clothes...yet you think you have nothing to wear...

what do you love? what do you need? what should you throw away? where do you start?

the essential wardrobe is about the basic clothes you wear day after day...season after season...year in & year out...they give life to the odd pieces of fashion and accessories you may collect each season...they are the foundation to your wardrobe...

closet audits are necessary...by getting an inventory of what you own...and looking at pieces in new ways...meaning...shopping in your own closet...creating new outfits from pieces you already have...giving "new life" to older pieces...and yes...saying goodbye to pieces that should not be in your closet...maybe even...should "never" have been in your closet...

give yourself permission to let go of purchases that were not right...and create a closet of items that work "now" for your lifestyle...

and if this project seems overwhelming...have an "honest" friend help you out...or have a wardrobe consultant come in and help you out...the investment will be well worth it...

the end result will be a functioning closet...and most likely...a lot of new outfits from pieces that were just "hanging out" in your closet...

elena daciuk
fabulous finds
415.577.6133
fabulous.finds@yahoo.com

fyi...this is not a picture of my closet =)

Sunday, March 13, 2011

4 Things You Should Know When Choosing A Designer

When seeking out a design firm to help with your business or project you should consider a few things:

1. What type of style does that designer have. While most designers are versatile, each designer has his or her own style that shows through in each piece designed. IsrylDesigns is a firm that loves to use color and is not afraid of taking risks. 

2. Budget. What is your budget for the project and is it realistic. The economy is tough and marketing budgets have been cut. Small business depend on every penny that comes in. But when hiring a design/marketing firm, you get what you pay for. If your budget is small it may work better to break down your project in phases and complete them as you have budget.

3. Trust. Hire a designer that you can trust to give you the right direction for your business. What you want and what you need sometimes are two different things. IsrylDesigns likes to be honest with our clients about their projects and the options for development. Ultimately it is up to the client to sign off on the project, but if you trust the firm or designer that you have hired it makes the honesty much easier to give/take.

4. Timeline. When do you need your project complete? Allow yourself and the firm enough time to complete the project. For major projects like websites, give the firm at least 6 months before your target completion date. 

Thursday, March 10, 2011

What is Greywater?

Water conservation in California with our summer-dry climate is nothing new. The best approach is to landscape with plants that are already adapted to our long dry summers and need only occasional watering during the dry season. The other conservation option is a greywater irrigation system.

Why are we hearing so much about this now? Until recently, greywater systems were not a legal option for single-family homeowners in California. In July of 2009 the State of California officially incorporated greywater standards into their building code.

Greywater Sources
Greywater systems use non-potable (not drinkable) water for landscape, such as rainwater or drain-water from laundry, bathroom sinks, tubs, and showers. During the rainy season we can catch and use the rainwater from our roofs, but during the dry months we need other sources of landscape water. Water from the kitchen sink or dishwasher is not legal greywater because the high concentration of organic compounds can create a potential health hazard.

Greywater systems range from extremely simple to highly complex. Most useable residential greywater comes from the tub/shower and laundry. Conversion of existing bathroom plumbing requires professional replumbing, and may be impossible with a slab foundation. A washing machine, on the other hand, can be easily replumbed by a do-it-yourselfer.

Laundry to Landscape
Oasis Design has been at the forefront of design and policy regarding greywater systems since 1980. Laundry to Landscape is their program with free information on how to do a simple laundry-only system. It is the simplest, most economical residential greywater system that gets the most greywater out on to the landscape. Their website www.oasisdesign.net is a wealth of information on the history, policy, design and installation of greywater systems.

When Not to Use Greywater
There are a number of possible reasons not to use greywater or to use it only during certain times of year. Obviously, if you get year-round rain you don't need any kind of landscape water. Some homes don't have enough space, or don't require enough landscape water to justify the trouble and expense of installing the system. The main reasons greywater remains illegal in many areas is concern for public health. However, in practice, the health threat from greywater has proven to be insignificant.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Applying for a Home Loan?

Hot Tips for Home Buyers!

What Do Lenders Look for in Home Loan Applications?
  • Credit
    · What are the FICO scores?
    · Are there any Judgments, Collections, Late Payments?
    · Quantity and Quality of the credit tradelines
  • Capability
    · Job stability and history
    · Salary versus commission/bonus income
    · Deductions
  • Collateral
    · Liquid funds – checking, savings, stocks, etc
    · Non-liquid funds – 401k, retirement
    · Gift funds


Avoid changes to your financial profile
Remember, lenders are looking for stability in all these categories.

  • If you buy an expensive car with a loan that will affect your budget and your ability to repay a mortgage. It can also negatively affect your scores.
  • Any large deposits and transfers of funds into your banking accounts have to be sourced. It is important to document all deposits (I would say any deposits over $1000).
  • Changing jobs/employers is typically done to benefit and increase your earnings and is an obvious change. However, the lender can have additional requirements you will need to follow. If your pay structure chanes (more commission based than salaried, or salary to hourly) this can affect how they will qualify your capability to repay the loan.

Future Events:

Home Buying Seminar: Your Path To Homeownership - DATE TBD
For more information, contact:
Eileen Horan Mortgage California Ph: 650.645.1775
eileenhoran@mortgagecalifornia.com