Way to eternal life.

The Bible presents a clear path to eternal life. First, we must recognize that we have sinned against God: "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). We have all done things that are displeasing to God, which makes us deserving of punishment. Since all our sins are ultimately against an eternal God, only an eternal punishment is sufficient. "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 6:23).

However, Jesus Christ, the sinless (1 Peter 2:22), eternal Son of God became a man (John 1:1,14) and died to pay our penalty. "God demonstrates His love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8). Jesus Christ died on the cross (John 19:31-42), taking the punishment that we deserve (2 Corinthians 5:21). Three days later He rose from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), proving His victory over sin and death. "In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead" (1 Peter 1:3).

By faith, we must change our mindset regarding Christ - who He is, what He did, and why - for salvation (Acts 3:19). If we place our faith in Him, trusting His death on the cross to pay for our sins, we will be forgiven and receive the promise of eternal life in heaven. "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son so that anyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). "If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9). Faith alone in the finished work of Christ on the cross is the only true path to eternal life! "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith - and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If you want to accept Jesus Christ as your Savior, here is a sample prayer. Remember, saying this prayer or any other prayer will not save you. It is only trusting in Christ that can save you from sin. This prayer is simply a way to express to God your faith in Him and thank Him for providing for your salvation. "God, I know that I have sinned against you and deserve punishment. But Jesus Christ took the punishment that I deserve so that through faith in Him I could be forgiven. I place my trust in You for salvation. Thank You for Your wonderful grace and forgiveness - the gift of eternal life! Amen!"

Proof that God exist.

Ever heard atheists argue that there just is not enough evidence to prove the existence of God? Some go as far as saying "God is omnipresent and is everywhere, then show me God in order to believe he exists". Well, the bible says God is a Spirit so I can't literally show you God (I haven't seen him either) but that doesn't prove that he doesn't exist. Simply because I can't show you air doesn't mean that it doesn't exist in the room you occupy right now. However, I can show you the influence of this 'invisible' air when it knocks down a 'visible' object or flips open the pages of a book. here is an attempt to candidly show that God has made himself evident for man to perceive. 

1. God reveals Himself through nature
If you are a nature-lover or have ever taken the time to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around you, you can see the handiwork that points to an incredibly intelligent creator and designer. Look at the beauty of the sunset, the awe you experience watching the earth's polar lights in the sky (aurora), the glory of the night sky with all the stars, the dawning of the day with the blades of grass glistening like diamonds as the sunlight bounces off tiny water droplets of dew, you would ask yourself questions like "would mindless and impersonal physical forces or a chain of chance-like events need or care to make something this beautiful that man can appreciate?" One would have to be willfully ignorant to attribute all the intricacies found in nature to random chaotic events. A close look at nature reveals an intricate level of design that points undeniably to an intelligent Designer (Psalms 19:1-4). Nevertheless, some still live in denial.

2. Our Planet Earth.
The perfection of the Earth in relation to it's support of the billions of life in it never seizes to amaze. Earth is the only known planet equipped with an atmosphere of the right mixture of gases to sustain plant, animal and human life. This is attributed to it's perfect size and corresponding gravitational pull which causes it to be able to hold the right amount of oxygen and nitrogen adequate for life. If the earth were larger, it would contain an unreasonable amount of free hydrogen in its atmosphere. If it were smaller, it may not have an atmosphere large enough to protect the planet from solar and cosmic radiations from space. Still think this is co-incidence ? Let's look at the Earth's position in space as well.

NASA places the diameter of our solar system at a humongous 288,000,000,000 km. Dispersed within this wide space are 8 planets (including Earth). The distance from Earth to the sun is at about 150,000,000 km which is the perfect distance for Earth to be inhabitable. If the Earth were any further away from the sun, we would freeze. Any closer and we would burn up. With 8 planets dispersed within such a wide range of our solar system's diameter, you can calculate for yourself the probability of luckily finding a planet at that exact distance from the sun (that is not too far and not too close), then you decide for yourself if we were just ridiculously lucky or it was placed there by intent. Even a fractional variance in the Earth's position to the sun would make life on Earth impossible. The Earth remains this perfect distance from the sun while it rotates around the sun at a speed of nearly 67,000 mph. It is also rotating on its axis, allowing the entire surface of the Earth to be properly warmed and cooled every day.

3. Complexity of living organisms
From all I learned in biology classes, it would require an unreasonable level of faith to believe that highly complex biochemical reactions like oxidation phosphorylation, photosynthesis, enzymatic breakdown of ingested food, our amazing immune system, transmission of nervous impulses through the body, e.t.c, resulted out of mere chance. Even if I came into the world yesterday, I can't look at the twin towers and attribute them to forces of nature, thinking to myself "the wind, after several years, must have pushed all these blocks into place". These are amazingly complex and inter-linked reactions going on in us daily of which I'm sure that the best of scientists can't think up or create such a system so complex and independent. Still, scientists wouldn't admit the intelligence behind these processes. Let's look at blood clot formation for example. The reason why animal's don't bleed out till death after they get a cut is simply because of this complexly designed process. A cascade of events involving 12 different factors ensues when a blood vessel is broken. This linked events all lead to the formation of a clot at the site of bleeding in order to occlude the opening in the vessel. If just 1 of these 12 factors were missing, blood clot formation would be impossible and it would be a normal phenomenon for one to bleed to death after having an accident as minor as a paper cut. Yet all 12 factors (not 7,8 or 11) are currently present in the blood to initiate this reaction when needed. What's even more amazing is that these factors are present in your blood as you read this, yet they don't start forming the clots within the blood vessels because that would potentially kill you. They only initiate this process when you have a cut. That's just amazing if you ask me. This is just an example out of thousands of intelligent systems in nature. Do you really think such systems were built by chance or a highly intelligent being?

4. Theist Scientists
Most atheists often have this wrong ideology of "God VS Science". This is totally absurd because God himself is a scientist (the best at that) as we've seen in the above mentioned points. God made all scientific and universal laws and was in fact scientific in all his creation. God was actually leaving clues of his existence by showing his brilliance and intelligence in the works of nature and his intent was for man to search them out and acknowledge him (Proverbs 25:2). Many of the smartest human geniuses that have worked the earth were theist. These were really smart people who had knowledge of scientific laws and based most of their works on facts and scientific evidences. Yet, they didn't think it foolish to believe in a superior intelligent being. Why? Because they couldn't help but recognize God's signatures dispersed in the details along the quest of their research works. Some of these theist scientists include: Gregor Mendel, Galileo Galilei, Louis Pasteur, Michael Faraday, Isaac Newton, Blaise Pascal and even famous Albert Einstein to name a few. The more we go deeper in scientific discoveries, the more of God we see. It's however unfortunate and sad that most current scientists have refused to acknowledge this glaring truth (2 Corinthians 4:4).

5. God exists because he impresses this fact in the heart of men
The bible says the truth of God has been made known to man instinctively, for God put this knowledge in their hearts. Yet, some push the truth away from themselves (Romans 1:18,19). This shows that God made it unavoidable for man to see or feel his existence. God did not leave us to wander alone, aimlessly hoping that somehow we would stumble across the truth, which He intends for us to recognize. God wants us to find Him; therefore, He reaches out to us. Sometimes you wonder why the atheist goes through so much trouble just to discredit the bible or refute the idea that a God he doesn't even believe in exists. The atheist probably doesn't yet realize that the reason the topic of God weighs so heavily on his mind is simply because God is impressing it. God wants to be known. He made man unique from other creatures with the intent that we would seek and know him. He not only surrounded us with evidence of himself but He keeps the question of his existence squarely before us. God is presently nudging the hearts of people so that they might realize their sinful condition, the inevitable coming judgment, and their need of a Savior (John 16:8-11). The underlying reason atheists are bothered by people believing in God is because God is actively seeking them.



I know many atheist would go through this post in order to refute the ideas highlighted, but I'm not here to disprove atheism. I'm just here to cause the reader to really think for himself in an unbiased and neutral manner on these things. Regardless of what you may have heard, the truth the bible teaches is that God intensely loves you unconditionally. He is not going to love you more if you convert to a believer. He already loves you intensely, that's why he was willing to come in form of man and personally receive the punishment on the cross for the sins you've committed in the past or would ever commit in the future (John 3:16; Romans 5:3-8 ). The misconception that God punishes people in hell because they sin or refuse to love him is not the truth of the bible. Rather, the bible teaches that though we are guilty of many sins, God justifies us anyways and gives us eternal life if we accept and receive it through faith in Christ's sacrifice (Romans 5:16). The reason why anyone would go to hell fire is not because of this person's numerous sins. No!, it has been established that everyone (including the Christian) is born a sinner and commits sin. Yet, People are only judged guilty because they refused to receive the justification and eternal life freely given to them by Christ. It would really be shameful and agonizingly regretful to see yourself in hell not because you were morally the worst person on earth, but because you were too prideful to receive the gift of life that was already given to you freely by Christ. Choose life today if you haven't. God loves you.

Things you didn't know about air freshener.

From solid, aerosol and plug-in varieties, it isn’t rare to find one in office, cars or homes. However, have you ever wondered the safety of these products? Expert, repeatedly warn against using many types of air fresheners, citing a list of pollutants that can threaten ones health but are they right?.

-Air freshners contain volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other chemicals that may be hazardous to the health of people.

– Air fresheners only mask odours either with synthetic fragrance or by interfering with your ability to smell by coating your nasal passages with an oil film or releasing a nerve-deadening agent. In rare cases, they will actually break down the offensive odor.

-Most air fresheners contain chemicals (phthalates) that may affect hormones and reproductive development, particularly in babies.

-The phthalates in the air fresheners may be inhaled or absorbed through the skin.

-A 2006 study by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found that many air fresheners and household cleansers emit chemicals known to be toxic pollutants or to cause cancer. When used heavily, repeatedly, or in poorly ventilated spaces, the substances can reach levels dangerous to people and pets.

-Known toxic chemicals that can be found in air fresheners include camphor, phenol, ethanol, formaldehyde, and artificial fragrances (which contain their own mix of toxic chemicals). These chemicals can cause symptoms like headaches, rashes, dizziness, migraines, asthma attacks, mental confusion, coughing and more.Some of the substances in air fresheners are linked to cancer or hormone disruption.

-Products that tested positive for phthalates included ones marketed as “all-natural” and “unscented.” None had phthalates in the list of ingredients or anywhere else on the label.

If you choose to use air fresheners, make sure the area is well-ventilated, avoid treating spaces frequented by children and always follow directions.

Top 10 physicists of all time

Physics deals with analyzing all of nature to help us better understand the universe that we live in. Besides being one of the oldest quests of man, knowing and understanding how things work is a basic need of the world as it is today. Physicists everywhere have always tried to answer the questions of how and when our universe started off and what really makes it tick. Great theorists, experimentalists and thinkers have molded the shape of our world as it exists today with the help of their theories and experiments. Although most people wouldn’t think of it but a lot of the technology that comes alive is given birth to by theorists who make the breakthroughs through observation and calculation. Let us now look at top 10 physicists of all time and look at what their contributions are in shaping the macro and the micro world in which we so casually live in. 

10. Werner Heisenberg:

Werner Heisenberg was a German physicist who made significant contributions to many areas of physics. His theoretical work makes up the base for one of the most important cogs in quantum theory, the uncertainty principle. He was born on the 5^th of December 1901 and died on the 5^th of February 1976. For his contributions to physics he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1932. Besides pioneering the work behind the Uncertainty Principle he has also made significant contributions in the areas of nuclear physics, particle physics and quantum field theory.

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9. Ernest Rutherford:

Ernst Rutherford is known to the world as the father of nuclear physics. He was born on the 30^th of August 1871 and died on the 19^thof October 1937 in New Zealand. His contribution to chemistry is also significant and he received the Nobel Prize for chemistry in 1908. His gold foil experiment was the first practical splitting of an atom and he also discovered one of the basic sub atomic particles namely the proton.

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8. Paul Dirac:

Paul Dirac was an English theoretical physicist who laid the foundations for more than one study of physics. In his lifetime which spanned from 8^th August 1902 to 20 October 1984 he held many positions across many esteemed universities around the world. He was also awarded the Nobel Prize in physics along with Erwin Schrodinger for their work in the formulation of one of the earliest version of the atomic theory. He also formulated a famous equation known as the Dirac Equation and has also contributed significantly to the discovery on anti matter.

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7. Erwin Schrodinger:

Erwin Schrodinger was an Austrian physicist and is widely considered one of the founding fathers of quantum mechanics. His most famous work is the Schrödinger equation which describes how the state of a physical system behaves with respect to time. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for physics in 1933. He also proposed the famous cat thought experiment which is one of the most elaborate as well as accurate thought experiments to exist in the realm of all science. He was also awarded the Max Planck Medal in 1937 which is awarded for outstanding contributions in theoretical physics.

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6. Richard Feynman:

Richard Feynman was born on the 11^th of May 1911 and died on the 15^th of February 1988 in the United States. He was one of the best known scientists and theoretical physicist of his time and is also rated as one of the top ten physicists of all time with a wide consensus. The most significant of his contributions are in the areas of particle physics, quantum electrodynamics and he has also laid the foundation stones for quantum computing and nanotechnology. He shared the Nobel Prize for physics with 2 other scientists for his contributions to the development of quantum electrodynamics.

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5. James Clerk Maxwell:

James Clerk Maxwell was a Scottish physicist who is best known for his work in the area of classical electromagnetic theory. His work helped unite electricity, magnetic and optics into a single theory through a set of equations that are known as Maxwell’s Equations. This work is one of the most significant contributions to physics as we know it. He is also credited with laying the foundations of quantum mechanics. He was born on the 13^th of June 1831 and died on the 5^th of November 1879.

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4. Michael Faraday:

Faraday was a British born scientist, chemist and physicist who lived from 22 September 1791 to 25 August. He discovered the magnetic field and also discovered electromagnetic induction. Some of his experiments in physics and chemistry are regarded as the most groundbreaking work ever done in a lab anywhere and anytime. Although he did not have much higher education, he was highly intuitive and his powers of observation were unreal.

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3. Max Planck:

Max Planck was a German physicist who is known as the father of quantum theory which initiated a revolution in physics as it existed. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for his contributions to quantum physics in 1918. He was a highly respected and looked upon physicist in his lifetime and one of the greatest honors in theoretical physics known as the Max Planck medal is named after his excellent contributions. One of his most important contributions was the Planck’s constant which is one of the most important equation constants in theoretical physics.

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2. Isaac Newton:

Isaac Newton was an English scientist who is considered as one of the greatest men of science to have walked this earth. His contributions to the many branches of science that he delved into need no mention. His work with physics lays the foundation for classical mechanics and he formulated a theory that seemed to explain how our universe worked. He was also among the first to show that gravity was a significant force in our universe and that the earth was not the center of the universe.

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1. Albert Einstein:

German born Albert Einstein is one of the most well known names in science. One of the most famous equations of all time, which is known as the equivalence of mass and energy otherwise simply known as E = mc². He is often known as the father of modern physics as his contributions in the field of relativity have shaped the way modern physics has come to be. His discoveries and theories were way ahead of his time and it took the world a good number of years to understand them. Even today we are still delving into the wonderful possibilities that Einstein’s theories opened up to the world.

TOP 10 CHEMISTVOF ALL TIME.

Famous Chemists of all time that contributed greatly to chemistry.

Chemistry is a study of reactions between chemicals and substances that most people experience in their everday life. All of our medicines and household products are the result of a history of chemical studies and discoveries. Below is a list of some of the most important chemists of all time organized by the significance of their contributions to this field.

Marie Curie (1867–1934) Famous For: Discovery of Radium and Polonium Marie Curie received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1911 for her discovery of radium and polonium. She was able to isolate and study the compounds and nature of radium.	Louis Pasteur (1822–1895) Famous For: The process of Pasteurization and creation of Vaccines for Rabies and Anthrax In addition to developing the process of Pasteurization, Louis Pasteur discovered the assymetrical molecular structure on certain crytals. He made some of the earliest vaccines for rabies and anthrax, and the reduction of a bacterial infection in what is known as puerperal fever.
John Dalton (1766–1844) Famous For: Identification and presenting the atomic theory Recognized for his work on the atomic theory and research on color blindness. He successfully identified chemical compounds and reactions affected by interaction of atoms with one another.	George Washington Carver (1864–1943) Famous For: Promoting alternative crops to cotton, such as peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes George Washington Carver found different crops to use instead of cotton. He used peanuts, soybeans, sweet potatoes to keep the land productive. His intention was to keep the poor farmers healthy and productive.
Michael Faraday (1791–1867) Famous For: His contributions in electrochemistry and electromagnetism Faraday’s extensive work in the field of Chemistry includes the study chloring and carbon, both of which he discovered. In addition he made the earliest type of what we know today as the Bunsen burner. He was the first to identify would known as nanoparticles in mettalic form.	Alfred Nobel (1833–1896) Famous For: Inventing the dynamite As the inventor of the dynamite, Alfred Nobel is seen as a chemist, innovator, engineer, and arms manufacturer. One of his earliest inventions include the gas meter. At one time, he held nearly 350 patents on various items.
Rosalind Franklin (1920–1958) Famous For: Discovery of the DNA structure in genetics Rosalind Elsie Franklin and her contributions to science involve the study of the structures of coal, graphite, DNA, RNA, and viruses in understing their molecular structures.	Antoine Lavoisier (1743–1794) Famous For: Being the “Father of Modern Chemistry” Lavoisier was able to show the relationship between oxygen and metal, resulting in rust. He also was able to show the role of oxygen in plant respiration and in animals. It was he who showed that water was made of hydrogen and oxygen, and that air was composed mainly of oxygen and nitrogen in its gaseous state.
Robert Boyle (1627–1691) Famous For: Being the first “Modern Chemist” Boyle was the one of the earliest men to apply the scientific method in chemistry and physics. His book, The Sceptical Chymyst, is considered a foundational source of literature on the field of chemistry.	Linus Pauling (1901–1994) Famous For: His work in molecular biology and quantum chemistry A recipient of the Nobel Prize in the field of chemistry in 1954. His work in the field of chemistry is chronicled in his book The Nature of the Chemical Bond is believed as one of the most foundational books on chemistry.
Dmitri Mendeleev (1834–1907) Famous For: Creating the table of elements used in chemistry and physics In addition to the creation of the periodic table, Mendeleev work on the spectroscope and the capillarity of liquids, both of which continue to be used to this day. Politics got in the way of Dmitri from receiving the Nobel Prize in 1906.	Joseph Priestley (1733–1804) Famous For: Inventing soda water As a chemist, Joesph Priestly has been credited with the discovery of oxygen. He shares that distinction with Lavoisier and Scheele. More importantly, we have Priestly to thank for “soda water”, which he invented.
Mario Molina (1943) Famous For: Discovered the ozone hole in the Antarctic As one of three recipients of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1995, Molina co-discovered the harm that chlorofluorocarbons had on the ozone layer.	Humphry Davy (1778–1829) Famous For: The discovery for earth based alkaline metals and alkali Humphrey Davy’s contribution can be summarized in his discoveries on the nature of chlorine and iodine in its natural state. In addition, people remember for his identifying earth based alkaline metals and alkali itself.
Fritz Haber (1868-1934) Famous For: Being the “Father of Chemical Warfare” and synthesizing ammonia used in fertilizers and explosives Recipient of the Nobel Prize in 1918, Haber was responsible for the development of the synthesizing process of ammonia. He has been referred to at times as the “Father or Chemical Warfare” in which he developed chlorine and poisonous gases during the Great War, WW I.	Otto Hahn (1879–1968) Famous For: Being the “Father of Nuclear Chemistry” Hahn was one of the earliest men to work in the field of radiochemistry and radioactivity. During one of his experiments, he founded what is known as “Applied Radiochemistry” which eventually led to nuclear chemistry.
Svante Arrhenius (1859-1927) Famous For: Theory of the Greenhouse Effect and founder on the science of Physical Chemistry Arrhenius advanced the theory to help explain the “ice age” which resulted in what is known as the “greenhouse effect.” He also provided the Arrhenius equation which is a formula to calculate reaction rates when the temperature is raised on certain chemicals.	Ahmed Zewail (1946) Famous For: Being the “Father of Femtochemistry” Zewali was the first to delve into the field of “femtochemistry”, which is studying chemical reactions measured in femtoseconds (10 to -15 of a second). He received a Nobel Prize in 1995 for his advancement of the field of femtochemistry.
Frederick Sanger (1918) Famous For: Successful determination of base sequences in nucleic acids The research work undertaken by Frederick Sanger involved his successful sequencing of DNA, insulin, and RNA. He was awarded the Nobel Prize two times, both for his work in chemistry, in 1958 and in 1980. He was able to establish a baseline in “the determination of base sequences in nuclein acids.”	Stanislao Cannizzaro (1826-1910) Famous For: The Cannizzaro reaction Cannizzaro worked extensively on organic chemistry in addition to his explanation which on how certain chemical reactions take place certain elements lact the hydrogen atom. This is named aptly as the Cannizaro reaction.
Thomas Graham (1805-1869) Famous For: His work on the diffusion of gases and the application of dialysis. The discovery of Graham on the use of dialysis has its roots on his study of colloids. He was able to separate crystalloids from colloids using a dialyzer. His work on the diffusion of gases has become to be known as Graham’s law.

11 things you can do to make you look good

We’ve all had those days. Whether you woke up late, had a rough day or just don’t have a lot of time, here are some small, easy things to help you look and feel prettier.
1. Brighten your eyes

When you do your makeup, there are some simple tricks to make your eyes look bigger and shinier. Before applying eyeshadow, rub a little bit of Vaseline over your eyelid to help the makeup stick longer. Use white eyeshadow right underneath your eyebrow to highlight your browline, and also in the inside corners of your eyes to make your eye color pop.

2. Sleep

Take a quick cat nap. Not only will you feel better, but you’ll look better too. Sleeping can even out eye wrinkles and diminish the dark circles under your eyes.
3. Work out

Exercising, especially using weights, can pump more blood into your muscles and make you look a little extra defined and toned before you go out. It will also invigorate your mind and help you feel more awake.
4. Put coconut oil in your hair

Coconut oil has unique moisturizing properties. It adds smoothness and shininess to your hair — and it smells amazing.
5. Wear some perfume

This study proves that smelling good will make you seem more attractive to the people who see you. If it’s a scent you really like, you’re more likely to feel better about yourself too — and there’s nothing sexier than confidence.
6. Drink water

Staying hydrated will give your skin a healthy glow. As your skin stays moisturized, wrinkles get filled in a little more. Drinking water can also help diminish the dark bags under your eyes. Your skin will look noticeably softer and smoother if you stay hydrated on a consistent basis.
7. Whiten your teeth

Wearing a bleach tray or using whitening strips, even for 30 minutes, can make your smile more dazzling.
8. Zap acne

If traditional medicine is too harsh on your skin, you can try these all-natural ways to get rid of acne. In the meantime, you can cover up your red spots with a yellow-based foundation to hide the inflammation.
9. Use eye cream

Your eyes are the biggest giveaway of your age; so if you want to look younger, this is definitely the place to start. Even if you can’t afford an expensive brand of eye cream, use a dab of Crisco under your eyes. It will plump up your skin and reduce sagging.
10. Use bronzer

Especially if you’re using it on your legs or upper arms, liquid bronzer is best. As it soaks into your skin, it not only gives you a healthy, sunkissed glow, but the chemicals also slightly dry out and tighten your skin. This will help smooth out cellulite bumps and uneven skin.

11. Dye and wax your eyebrows

Your eyebrows frame your face; so a clear, sleek brow will do wonders. Sleek eyebrows can make your eyes look bigger and make your face look slimmer; so don’t skip this suggestion.

Scientists has created second skin

Researchers have developed what is in effect a “second skin” that is soft, flexible, and essentially invisible. Currently, the team are exploring the material's potential cosmetic applications as an effective way to remove wrinkles, treat under-eye bags, and give a general youthful appearance, though it’s not difficult to imagine other applications within the medical world. It could provide a new way to treat skin diseases, deliver drugs, or simply hydrate the skin. The study has been published in Nature Materials.

Created by scientists at MIT, the material is a silicone-based polymer that mimics the properties of healthy skin. The second skin contains all the mechanical and elastic properties of younger skin, while being breathable and waterproof at the same time. The imperceptible covering removes wrinkles and gives the appearance of turning back the clock, all without invasive surgery and in a means that can simply be peeled off at the end of the day.

“It’s an invisible layer that can provide a barrier, provide cosmetic improvement, and potentially deliver a drug locally to the area that’s being treated,” explains co-author Daniel Anderson, an associate professor in MIT’s Department of Chemical Engineering, in a statement. “Those three things together could really make it ideal for use in humans.”

The product works in two stages. First of all, users apply an invisible cream that contains a polymer made from siloxane, formed from a chain of alternating silicone and oxygen molecules. Then users have to apply a second white cream that is a platinum catalyst. This activates the polymer to form cross-links, meaning that the polymer becomes a thin, stretchy sheet, as well as diffuses light to give a more youthful appearance. A single application of both creams in the morning should last all day, even when exposed to general wear and tear, UV radiation, and even rain.

As skin ages, it loses its flexibility and elasticity, which is one of the reasons for why skin starts to look older. The new material, called XPL, aims to restore these properties. “Creating a material that behaves like skin is very difficult,” says Barbara Gilchrest, co-author of the paper. “Many people have tried to do this, and the materials that have been available up until this have not had the properties of being flexible, comfortable, nonirritating, and able to conform to the movement of the skin and return to its original shape.”

The breakthrough from the researchers, which has been tested with success on volunteers, is so far limited to purely cosmetic uses. But the scientists are keen to apply it to a whole host of other uses, such as treating eczema, port wine stain birthmarks, and even by adding drugs and antibiotics to it as a delivery system. 

Swaddling may increase infant death rate.

A new study that appears in the journal Pediatricshas identified a possible link between swaddling and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Swaddling refers to the practice of wrapping babies up in a light cloth while they sleep, leaving only their head exposed. The researchers behind the study are urging parents to exercise caution when swaddling their young.

The popularity of swaddling lies in the fact that it is reported to encourage more peaceful sleep among babies – especially those less than two months old – while also reducing excessive crying. However, results of this latest research point to the fact that swaddled infants should only be placed on their backs, as lying them on their side or front carries a statistically significant increase in the risk of SIDS.

To conduct their research, the study authors searched through several online databases in order to review all available literature on the subject of swaddling, some of which dates back to the 1950s. However, after examining almost 400 previous studies on the issue, they found only four that investigated the connection between swaddling and SIDS.

Taking all four of these studies into account, the researchers were left with information regarding 760 SIDS cases, as well as 1,759 further babies who were swaddled but did not suffer this tragic outcome. However, given the fact that these four papers were produced in different eras and geographical locations – ranging from Tasmania to the U.K. – the study authors note that any judgements drawn from their analysis are far from conclusive, as swaddling practices can vary greatly between cultures.

Swaddling is reported to help babies sleep and prevent excessive crying. Katrina Elena/Shutterstock

Nonetheless, it is significant that, when considering all the available data, certain clear patterns stand out. For instance, the risk of SIDS among infants placed on their side or front was found to double when they are swaddled. Additionally, this risk appears to increase with the age of the infant, suggesting that, while swaddling may be relatively safe during the first weeks of a baby’s life, it should not be continued beyond the first four to six months.

The reason for this is that around this age babies develop the ability to roll over on their own, so some that are initially placed on their backs may end up on their side or front – two positions that are generally associated with a higher risk of SIDS, even when swaddling is not involved.

It is therefore unsurprising that, of those swaddled babies who died lying on their front, the majority had been placed on their backs and later rolled over.

For this reason, official guidelines in the Netherlands encourage parents to swaddle their newborns in order to prevent excessive crying, but to cease swaddling as soon as the baby shows signs of being able to roll over.

Though the study authors concede that more research is needed in order to corroborate these findings and identify a more robust connection between swaddling and SIDS, they do insist that “current advice to avoid front or side positions for sleep especially applies to infants who are swaddled.” In addition, they claim that “consideration should be given to an age after which swaddling should be discouraged.”