Face Taping: What Are the Dangers of This Viral Tik Tok Trend?

The viral app Tik Tok has reached over 1 billion monthly users and has continued to grow over the years. (Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2021/09/27/tiktok-reaches-1-billion-monthly-users.html) With countless creators on the app sharing their beauty hacks, misinformation can spread easily. Tik Tok’s most recent trend, face taping, is one that some are saying should’ve stayed in the drafts. On TikTok, #facetaping has 4.4… Continue reading Face Taping: What Are the Dangers of This Viral Tik Tok Trend?

Preparing Your Feet and Toes for the Beach

When temperatures start to climb, sandals and beach time can’t be far behind. But preparing your tootsies for the sand and surf should start well before it’s time to bare your feet and toes. Despite accounting for nearly one-quarter of our bones, 18% of joints and 6% of muscles, our feet are often forgotten and… Continue reading Preparing Your Feet and Toes for the Beach

10 Steps to Great Summer Hair

1. When you rinse the shampoo from your scalp, let it flow through the length of your hair and resist the temptation to rub it into your scalp. Instead, use a gentle, massaging touch. 2.     Don’t skip the conditioner. Use it after every shampoo. 3.     Do you have straight hair? Let your hair dry a… Continue reading 10 Steps to Great Summer Hair

Tips on Treatments for a Double Chin

Nearly 7 in 10 adults possess something they really don’t want: a double chin. But this extremely common facial feature – influenced by genes and aging – can be fixed with a wide array of cosmetic treatments and techniques. Known medically as submental fullness, a double chin typically signifies excess fat in the area under… Continue reading Tips on Treatments for a Double Chin

Use these 7 killer strategies to never run out of money in retirement

Retirement written on rural road

Are you concerned that you will run out of money in retirement? It’s a real issue, given that people live longer than ever before. It’s wonderful to live a long and healthy life. But it would be best if you spent your retirement years enjoying yourself rather than fretting about whether or not your money… Continue reading Use these 7 killer strategies to never run out of money in retirement

New IRS Rule Lets Early Retirees Take More Money from Plans

Fixed-annuity guarantees more income for penalty-free early withdrawals from retirement plans. Post-pandemic, more people want to tap their retirement plans so they can retire early.  Thanks to an IRS ruling that became effective in January 2022, they now can take bigger early withdrawals without tax penalties. Here’s how it works. If you take out any… Continue reading New IRS Rule Lets Early Retirees Take More Money from Plans

“Free Look” for Annuities Offers Safety Valve If Rates or Circumstances Change

Occasionally it makes sense to cancel a new policy and get a better one. With most financial products, you’re committed once you buy. After you’ve bought a stock or a mutual fund, you can’t cancel the purchase and get your money back if you’ve changed your mind or the stock market has plummeted. Even with… Continue reading “Free Look” for Annuities Offers Safety Valve If Rates or Circumstances Change

Traveling Safely Post-Pandemic

As the world opens up again to travelers, one of the first things folks have to consider is their health. In a new report from International Living, Dr. Shane McCarthy D.O., who has over 20 years’ experience as a primary care physician, offers advice and tips to help folks travel safely. “Pre-COVID, all you needed… Continue reading Traveling Safely Post-Pandemic

You Don’t Have to Live with Stretch Marks

Finding stretch marks on your skin is never a happy discovery. But these long, thin, rippled streaks can be diminished using a variety of treatments and some cases may even be preventable.   A form of atrophic scarring that occurs when collagen under the skin abruptly stretches or shrinks, stretch marks typically show up on… Continue reading You Don’t Have to Live with Stretch Marks

Laddering Fixed-Rate Annuities Offers Combination of Good Rates and Flexibility for Future

With today’s low interest rates, it takes planning to create sufficient retirement income without taking more risk than you need to. The days when you could get good income from a collection of Treasury bonds are long gone. You can get income from dividend-paying stocks, bank accounts, bonds and bond funds, and several different types… Continue reading Laddering Fixed-Rate Annuities Offers Combination of Good Rates and Flexibility for Future

Why Fixed-Rate Annuities Pay More Than Bank CDs

Fixed-rate annuities act much like bank certificates of deposit but usually pay much higher rates than CDs of the same term.  How can insurers afford to do that?  After all, both banks and insurers pay a set rate. Before we answer that question, let’s cover the basics of how each works. A very popular type… Continue reading Why Fixed-Rate Annuities Pay More Than Bank CDs

What You Should Know about Breast Implants

Should I get breast implants? Should they be saline or silicone? Which style? How much monitoring is needed after surgery? Those are common questions people have when considering breast implants. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) offers the following information to help people make smart decisions about breast implants. The FDA has approved implants… Continue reading What You Should Know about Breast Implants

Tips for Last-Minute Holiday Travel

Last-minute plans can be fun – an impromptu family reunion or a spur-of-the-moment getaway, but you’re not guaranteed a great time, especially around the holidays, if you’re not smart about potential difficulties in the age of the pandemic. Travel insurance expert Rajeev Shrivastava, CEO of VisitorsCoverage.com, a Silicon Valley-based travel insurance marketplace, offers some smart… Continue reading Tips for Last-Minute Holiday Travel

Removing Tattoos: Ink Doesn’t Have to Be Forever

laser tattoo removal from back

There are as many reasons for wanting a tattoo removed as there are for wanting a tattoo in the first place. Times change, tastes change, tattoos may fade or blur, or an allergic reaction or infection may develop. Tattoos are intended to be permanent, but in most cases they can be safely and completely removed.… Continue reading Removing Tattoos: Ink Doesn’t Have to Be Forever

Emerging from the Pandemic: What Can a “Mommy Makeover” Do for Me?

Female body correction before and after surgery and weight loss colorful illustration on a light blue background

Re-emerging from months of isolation isn’t as easy as many thought it would be. Despite the disorientation and sense of loss associated with the new normal of their pandemic-induced lives, many people have found themselves surprisingly anxious about jumping back into life as they used to know it. Even as COVID-19 cases decline and millions… Continue reading Emerging from the Pandemic: What Can a “Mommy Makeover” Do for Me?

Designing Gardens for Year-Round Color and Protecting Your Investment

Create a colorful year-round garden filled with flowers, greenery, colorful fruit, fall color, winter interest and a few surprises. Consider seasonal interest when planning a new garden or landscape. Adding a few key plants to existing gardens can help boost your landscape’s seasonal appeal. Include a variety of plants with multiple seasons of interest as… Continue reading Designing Gardens for Year-Round Color and Protecting Your Investment

Which Facial Cleanser is Right for Your Skin Type?

Woman washing up her face with foam cleanser in the morning

Everyone needs to wash their face, right? But removing dirt, sweat, dead cells, and makeup with just any old cleanser won’t cut it. Ideally, the facial cleanser you choose should line up with your skin type – whether dry, oily, or neutral. A key part of any effective skin care routine is properly cleansing your… Continue reading Which Facial Cleanser is Right for Your Skin Type?