How to Get a Tattoo or Body Piercing

Body piercings and tattoos, ancient forms of adornment and beautification, are now found on all sorts of bodies. Few states have laws governing piercing and tattoo establishments or their practitioners. Before you let a stranger puncture your skin, shop around and find out how to mutilate your body safely.

Steps

1.Think hard about what designs you want. Collect art, leaf through books, and make sketches. A qualified tattoo artist will take what you bring in and transform it into beautiful art.

2.Place temporary tattoos on different parts of your body until you're clear where you want yours: Tattoos on your back or shoulder may look incredible, but you'll never see them without a mirror. Designs on your arms may be appealing, but you may tire of always having something there.

3.Consider long-term social or professional fallout for visible piercings and tattoos. While a particular style of body art may be appealing right now, ask yourself: Will you love it for the rest of your life? Will the indulgence of a moment eliminate certain career options down the road?

4.Evaluate your ability to handle pain. Does a tattoo hurt? Not as much as childbirth, but pain is considered part of the experience. Piercings are briefer. Location also determines pain levels--anything near major nerves (down the side of the leg, for example, or on or near bones) can be excruciating; the bigger the tattoo, the longer your agony lasts.

5.Ask about hygiene practices: In the age of AIDS, cleanliness is taken very seriously. Artists should wear gloves, sterilize their tools and work space, and use packaged, single-use needles.

6.Take your time and review lots of portfolios when choosing a tattoo artist.

When you see a great tattoo, ask who did it. Look for clean, smooth outlines, and excellent use of color.

7.Be prepared to pay for an experienced, reputable piercer or tattoo artist. Tattoo artists charge by the hour and usually have a minimum (about $50), but designs can run into the thousands for large, intricate work. Common piercings (including jewelry) range from $50 to $75.

8.Insist on surgical-grade stainless, niobium, platinum or titanium steel jewelry, or solid 14-karat or 18-karat gold for all piercings until they're healed.

9.Review all procedures and risks ahead of time. Be clear on the after-care regime.

Tips & Warnings

Check the Association of Professional Piercers' Web site (safepiercing.com) for studio recommendations.

Professional tattoo artists will not work on a client who is under the influence of judgment- or pain-altering substances, legal or otherwise.

Piercing in particular, but also tattooing, damages the body's natural infection barrier. Serious problems can include viral hepatitis, nerve and vein damage, and sexually transmitted diseases (most commonly with genital piercing). Tongue piercings are particularly prone to complications. If a piercing site looks infected, don't touch the jewelry, just get to a doctor.

A new tattoo is dressed with a bandage and takes up to two weeks to scab and heal. One medical journal reported people with tattoos are nine times more likely to be infected with hepatitis C. However, you can avoid many problems by choosing a sterile establishment.

How to Dress for a Casual Night Out - Men

Adhere to a few quick tips to look suave on a casual night out, be it to a sports bar or lounge, informal dinner party or restaurant.

Things You'll Need:

Men's T-shirts

Men's Dress Shirts

Men's Dress Shoes

Mens' Dress Pants

Mens' Sweaters

Cologne

Step

1.Look and smell clean. Style your hairand shave off the five o'clock stubbly bits; use cologne sparingly; check under your fingernails for dirt.

2.Dress in layers. Try a collared shirt, either button-down or polo, beneath a casual jacket. Or wear a T-shirt under a crew or V-neck sweater in wool or cashmere. A mock or full turtleneck can also look stylish.

3.Experiment with how close-fitting your shirts and sweaters are.

4.Wear jeans, khakis or slacks, depending on how casual the outing is. Flat-front pants look more casual than those with pleats.

5.Remember that pants should be long enough to drape comfortably over the tops of your shoes without scraping the ground.

6.Select socks tastefully: No white athletic socks with dressier, nonsneaker shoes. No light socks with dark pants. If you anticipate taking your shoes off at any point, verify that your socks are hole-free.

Tips & Warnings

It can't be said often enough: White socks with dark pants are unforgivable.

How to Dress for a Casual Night Out - Women

Women are said to dress not for men, but for each other.

Things You'll Need:

A-line Skirts

Women's Casual Tops

Women's Causal Pants

Women's Sandals

dresses and skirts

Step

1. Fill in your lips with a color darker than what you would use during the day.

2.Try parting your hair differently, in a zigzag or oblique line, or pulling it back with a hairband crusted with shiny beads.

3.Layer your tops so you can toss outer layers if it gets warm inside the restaurant or bar. Try a twinset with a sweater and shell.

4.Keep in mind that a top with a complicated pattern or texture warrants a simple bottom

and vice versa.

5.Nix light-colored jeans for darker, indigo ones. Tinker with

skirt and pant lengths, wearing capri pants or a skirt that cuts just below the knee.

6.Choose shoes to match. Clunky shoes with thick soles pair well with jeans; try teaming skirts with dainty-heeled mules.

7.Paint your toenails if you're wearing open-toed shoes.

8.Remember accessories. Try gemstone stud earrings if you have short-cropped hair. Wear a simple necklace with a scoop-neck shirt and show off your neck.

Tips & Warnings

1.Pants seem more versatile than skirts, working across a greater spectrum of casual social settings.

2.Check to see what your friends are wearing if you're concerned about under- or overdressing for the occasion.

How to Trim a Mustache

There are many ways to groom a mustache. Decide how you want yours to look before following these instructions.

Things You'll Need:
* Full-length Mirrors
* Electric Razors And New Blade
* Mustache Combs


Steps

1.Wet your mustache slightly.

2.Use a fine-tooth mustache comb to brush the hair down.

3.Clip the hair on your mustache's outer edges with a pair of thin
scissors. Remember to clip conservatively.

4.Snip across the bottom of the mustache.

5.Trim the body of the mustache to achieve the desired evenness and bushiness, and to clip errant hairs.

6.Touch up the top of the mustache with a razor until you have the desired line. If you have an unusual mustache, such as a pencil-thin or handle-bar mustache, use more or less use of the razor as appropriate. Take care not to shave off the top of the mustache accidentally.

7.Comb again with the mustache comb.


Tips & Warnings * Work carefully. Clipping even a small amount of hair can change the appearance of a mustache greatly.
* A beard trimmer is an excellent tool for reducing the bushiness.
* For fancier styles, use mustache wax to shape or groom.

How to Dress for a Nightclub - Men

You spot a cute girl in a club and smile. You walk over. If she likes what she sees, she might not tell you to get lost. Here's how to dress.
Steps
1.Make sure your hair looks clean and groomed. Gel it if necessary.
2.Try a tight shirt that hugs your curves as you groove to the music and check out the scene. Or put on a nice button-down shirt.
3.Keep in mind that billowing silk shirts and white tank tops have no place in the club scene.
4.Wear khakis or darker-toned pants. Avoid tapered pants, white jeans and anything stone-washed or acid-washed.
5.Remember that shoes should be comfortable and a darker color. Leave the old sneakers in your closet where they belong.

Tips & Warnings
Avoid heavy gold chains or tufts of chest hair peeking out from beneath an opened shirt.

4 Easy Ways to Make a White Shirt Sexy

Every summer, we all put this basic into heavy rotation. Here, senior beauty editor models how to make it go in unexpected directions.

1. SCOOPNECK
Layering the T-shirt under a floral bustier gets you a result that’s ultra-flirty without being too bare. To avoid bulk, make sure the tee fits snugly, and stick to something simple on bottom, like black pants.
2. V-NECK
Play up the curve-hugging shape of a slim V-neck tee with a tube skirt. One with a fun print, like this snakeskin, is especially alluring—just don’t go any shorter than right above the knee.
3. OVERSIZE
Give a slouchy, relaxed T-shirt some definition by cinching it precisely at your natural waist with a thin leather belt. Denim pedal pushers add to the sleek, sunny-weekend vibe.
4. OFF-THE-SHOULDER
For a neat cutout effect, wear a tee with a super-wide neckline under a trim tank dress. Pull one side off your shoulder, so there’s a sexy space between the tee’s collar and the dress’ strap.

How to Apply Eye Shadow

How to Apply Eye Shadow



Summary: When it comes to bringing out your facial features, makeup is the most common way to go unless you want to go under the knife. For eye makeup, the eyeshadow is a key factor. Sweep a touch of shadow over your lids to accent eyes. You can define them, add drama and make them stand out in a few quick steps.

Application on Entire Lid

Steps

1.Prime the eyelids by dusting them with a small amount of loose powder.

2.Select a light base shadow. Using a shadow brush, sweep it across your entire lid, from brow to lash line.

3.Use a medium-toned shade to cover your lower lids.

4.Contour the crease of your eyelid with a dark shade, using a smaller eye shadow brush. This color can also work as an eyeliner (see the next section for instructions).

5.Blend shadow by stroking the lid gently with an eye shadow brush. Don't use your finger, you could wipe off the shadow entirely.

6.Use a cosmetic puff and a little pressed powder to tone down heavy shadow. Shake any excess powder off the puff, then press it gently on your lid.

Eye Shadow to Line the Eyes


Steps

1. Choose a medium or dark shadow color to line your eyes.

2. Use a small, flat, angled brush for the application.

3. Stroke the brush over the eye shadow.

4. Start at the inside edge of your upper lid. Angle the brush so that the longest tip follows the shorter end as the brush moves across your lash line. Bring the brush to the outer corner of the eye.

5. Create a more dramatic line by wetting the brush before stroking it through the shadow. Mist a small amount of water onto the brush, or dab it into a few drops of water and proceed with the line. The shadow may feel wet as you draw your line, but it will dry quickly.