| BEAUTY |
Beauty.com
www.beauty.com |
 |
| Beauty.com
gives you the low-down on the latest makeup, skin care and perfume
products
plus all the hottest beauty tips. The site is full of inspiring
makeovers
with step-by-step guides on how you can replicate the look at home. All
the products mentioned on the site are available to buy direct from
Beauty.com
- the only problem is the prices are all in dollars and the products
are
shipped from the US. However, buying certain cosmetics might be tricky
over here so purchasing online from the States might be your only
option. |
BeautyNet
www.beautynet.com |
|
| This
is the virtual salon for hair, skin and nailcare. BeautyNet brings you
weekly tips on how to keep your hair in condition and how to solve your
skin and nail problems. There are some active forums on the site where
BeautyNet regulars chat about all matters nail, hair and skin related.
The advice on this site is impressive and you'll find many of your
beauty
questions answered. There are also lots of good down-to-earth hints and
tips. |
The
Body Shop
www.uk.the-body-shop.com |
|
| Known
throughout the world for its environmental friendliness, you would
expect
that image to be reflected in the site content. It is and more. The
site
focuses not just on the products, but on the ethos behind them. For
those
interested in the philosophy of the body shop there's a full glossary.
The site is colourful, informative and imaginative - there's even a
virtual
makeover using products from the Colourings range. Visitors to the site
are invited to read about the Body Shop's policies including those on
community
trade, human rights and even discover the Body Shop Tour. The tour
invites
you to visit the heart of Body Shop, view product development, learn
more
about the philosophies of the company and enjoy a bit of pampering. |
Clinique
www.clinique.com |
|
| Saturday
morning in John Lewis...hungover, looking bedraggled and still wearing
last night's make up - the last place you want to visit is the Clinique
counter with its immaculately made up assistants and helpful advice.
However,
if you need to know how to pep up your complexion and bring a sparkle
back
to your eyes then just visit Clinque's website. Simply register your
details
and feed in information about your skin colour and you get an immediate
response defining your skin type. It also provides advice on what
products
best suit you and will keep you up to date with new product launches.
It
even has a men only section - the first site on the web to pay
attention
to male grooming needs. |
BeautyBuzz
www.beautybuzz.com |
|
| This
gorgeously lush site is devoted to the world of makeup. The latest
makeup
products are reviewed in a no-nonsense style by members of the
BeautyBuzz
panel. And if you don't agree with their verdicts you can offer your
own
opinions in the real-time chat areas. All the latest cosmetics from the
major beauty manufacturers are described in loving detail and the site
even gives you suggestions of cheaper equivalents of your favourite
cosmetics. |
Make
Up Mania
www.makeupmania.com |
|
| If you're
mad about makeup then this is the site for you. You'll find news on all
the latest cosmetic products to hit the street as well as a huge
virtual
makeup store. The store is divided into ten levels covering everything
from wigs, false teeth and theatrical masks through to more
conventional
lipsticks and eye shadows. Sadly this is another US site so don't
forget
to factor in shipping costs and extra-long delivery times into the
equation.
The good news is cosmetics are generally much cheaper in the States so
you could end up saving a bit of cash. |
Salonweb
www.salonweb.com |
|
| This
site is packed with pictures of the latest hairstyles and hair care
advice
and it also promises to tell you how to get faster-growing hair. The
live
chat rooms are the perfect place to discuss your hair issues and to
pick
up a few tips from the professionals. If you're not sure what to do
with
your hair you'll find plenty of inspiration in the hundreds of
hairstyles
featured on the site. |
Lookfantastic
www.lookfantastic.com |
|
| You'll
get substantial discounts on lots of beauty products including
salon-quality
hair products from Redken, Wella and Paul Mitchell at the UK-based
Lookfantastic
site. The site specialises in hair products and you'll find a huge
selection
available at very reasonable prices. Not only can you buy the latest
products
but you can find the hair style that suits the shape of your face in
the
Hair Styles section - click on that style to find out what products
were
used to create it. |
|
| DIET |
The
Calorie Control Center
www.caloriecontrol.org |
|
| We're
not entirely sure that the most sensitive way to head up a site such as
this is with a photo montage of tables heaving with jellies, trifles,
cakes
and fizzy drinks, but this is a US site. Perhaps it's all diet junk
food?
Anyway, the Calorie Control Center boasts that if you're looking for
information
on cutting calories and fat in your diet to achieve and maintain a
healthy
weight then this is the place to come. |
Health
Vision
www1.mhv.net/~donn/diet.html |
|
| This
is what we like to see: a page headed 'Diet and weight loss/fitness',
including
the essential component of physical well-being, not just sloughing off
the pounds. It describes itself as 'a complete one-stop guide', and we
reckon it's pretty close. There are dozens of articles on all aspects
of
diet and health, and rather than a list of diets, there's a big section
on diet and weight loss tips, many tried, tested and submitted by
readers. |
Slimming
World UK
www.slimming-world.co.uk |
|
| In Slimming
World, 'it isn't a sin to be overweight, it isn't a sin to be less than
'perfect' and it isn't a sin to eat and enjoy life', apparently.
Slimming
World operates on a similar basis to Weight Watchers, with around 6,000
groups nationwide. The idea is to decide on what size you want to be,
then
work with the support of your group to achieve that goal. |
Cyberdiet
www.CyberDiet.com |
|
| Looking
scarily like the notice board of that new gym you have just joined,
Cyberdiet
has all the advice, tools and recipes that you would expect from your
virtual
personal trainer. Use the daily food planner to create a whole dietary
schedule for your week, or maybe, after a couple more press ups,
Cyberdiet
can tempt you into doing your body mass profile, hip to weight ratio or
body fat distribution. If that's not enough, then the nutritional self
assessment will weigh out exactly how much fat, protein etc you should
eat and what foods you can get them from. This site may just save you
some
of those gym fees. |
SOAR
soar.berkeley.edu/recipes |
|
| An astonishing
database, containing more than 38,000 recipes from around the world.
Actually,
it's probably a lot more than that since we wrote this, as the index
relies
on surfers submitting their own recipes, and the range and diversity is
stunning. Ironically, of course, though there are thousands of ways to
heap grief on your heart here, there are also many thousands of healthy
options to inspire you. |
eDiets.com
www.ediets.com |
|
| Members
only, well actually you can enter as a guest. Live online meetings,
support
groups, shopping lists and exercises to cover every area where you
could
imagine that fat could possibly be deposited. Check your meal plan and
record your progress in your diet journal - remember no cheating. This
site is well laid out, has a food database, recipe exchange and tips
from
other members if you happen to slip up. |
Fitness
and Diet Humor
www.fadhumor.addr.com |
|
| A truly
bizarre idea. This webmaster has put together a host of pages of jokes
on dieting, running, weightlifting, martial arts and general fitness.
The
idea? That in an exercise and diet-obsessed world we can all benefit
from
lightening up a little. Top 10 reasons for studying martial arts? How
about
'You need never run out of firewood again,' or 'Learn to count to 10 in
three different Asian languages.' Oh well, suit yourself. |
WeightWatchers
38.144.7.116 |
|
| The
big name in dieting for more than 30 years is now online. If you just
don't
have the willpower to go it alone - and how many of us do - then the
Weight
Watchers system of planned diets and getting motivation and
encouragement
from your fellow dieters could be just the recipe. As such, this site
is
a complement to, rather than a substitute for, regular meetings. |
|
| D.I.Y |
Details
Written up In
Computer Active's Excellant Webguide
Absolute
Authority on Home Maintenance
www.absoluteauthority.com/home_maintenance |
|
| A content
and reference packed site that, despite the name, cannot quite be the
last
word for us Brits as it's a US site. But strip out all the information
you can't use (local licensing authorities and the like) and you're
still
stocked with more tips and tricks than you'll ever need. As well as DIY
proper, there are excellent features on cleaning techniques and the
green
alternatives to the caustic muck many of the professionals use. |
All
Experts
www.allexperts.com |
|
| What's
the secret of successful DIY? Preparation. And what do most of us do?
Plunge
straight in and create more work and expense for ourselves in the long
run. All Experts is not solely a DIY forum but it's particularly good
on
home repairs. If you have a question on plumbing, wiring, building,
furniture
repair or whatever, simply post your query to the appropriate message
board
and a specialist in that subject will come back to you with an answer. |
Bob's
Weekend Handyman
www.weekendhandyman.com |
|
| So authentic
even the website looks homemade. But we're being churlish. This is a
fine
resource and, though not very pretty, it's simple to find what you
want.
You want plumbing? Bob will point you to six other websites. You want
painting?
15 websites pop up. Again, many of the stores listed are in the US, but
the advice is still relevant and, increasingly, you can buy the goods
you
want online anyway. |
Do
It Yourself.com
doityourself.com |
|
| This
one reminded us rather of those home handyman manuals from the early
1900s.
Everything from DIY, to car care, energy and insulation, pet care and
pest
control is covered. Again, it goes heavily on the 'online community'
slant,
figuring that the information we've all gleaned from our DIY successes
and disasters can be fruitfully shared with our peers. We even picked
up
some tips for our troublesome lawn and solved a nasty cat flea problem. |
George
Butler's Ham Radio and DIY
www.butshack.demon.co.uk |
|
| Somewhat
eccentric site from ex-Yorkshire hotelier George, who passes on a
lifetime
of experience gleaned doing it, whatever it is, himself. The it in this
case is everything from building balustrades, taking a leaf out of
Charlie
Dimmock's book and constructing a pond and a watergarden, to restoring
antiques, hunting down collectable items, and building a radio from
scratch.
And should you get bored while you're working, George has a selection
of
poetry for you! |
Hamilton
Acorn
www.hamilton-acorn.co.uk |
|
| No matter
how much we may like to think of ourselves as a nation of extreme
sporting,
out and about types, the fact of the matter is that the UK's favourite
hobby is ... DIY. Nothing much changes then, except for the way we
acquire
the raw materials with which to mess up our houses. Hamilton Acorn can
help you do the job more cheaply, more quickly and hopefully with fewer
disasters, being the UK's leading supplier of materials to the
decorating
trade. Now online, it's pitching at the DIY enthusiast, with an
unbeatable
range of materials. |
World
of Interiors
www.worldofinteriors.co.uk |
|
| If your
home remodelling aspires a little beyond the Handy Andy school of MDF
and
chipboard, then take a dekko at the oh-so-tasteful World of Interiors
website.
Stronger on inspiration than the mechanics, you can read how journalist
David Dorrell realised a childhood dream when he converted an old water
board building into a home or browse through the design studio,
choosing
from hundreds of designs of fabric and wallpaper. |
DIY
fix it
www.diyfixit.co.uk |
|
| A site
intended for UK viewers only, you'll find yourself back on familiar
ground.
Nice busy, bright and slick look to the site and it's cleverly arranged
with sections on specific subjects - asphalt roofs, bath sealants,
broken
glass and so forth, and with cross-referencing by work areas. So
there's
a section for the lounge, kitchen, bathroom, loft, bedroom and outside.
Once you get to the sections you'll find advice is simply set out in
bullet-pointed
lists. |
|
| FASHION |
FashionUK
www.widemedia.com/fashionuk |
|
| The
design of this site is on the cutting edge and that's fitting for a
site
that focuses on the young, hip end of the fashion market and new
designers.
The site is regularly updated with the latest fashion news and
information
on the latest collections to hit the stores. Check out what the young
and
fashionable are wearing around the UK with the FashionUK roving street
fashion reports and find out more about the designers with the in-depth
interviews and profiles. |
Elle
Online
www.ellemag.com |
|
| Elle
is the biggest fashion magazine in the world and this site is based
around
content pulled from the US version of the magazine - which is a bit of
a drag when it comes to finding a source for all those divine clothes
displayed
on the site. No matter: you can always enjoy window-shopping and
there's
a mass of other interesting stuff on the Elle site including beauty
news,
health and fitness advice and the obligatory horoscopes. |
Glamour
www.glamour.com |
|
| We all
take great pleasure in gloating about the fashion mistakes so-called
celebrities
make and that's what makes the Glamour site so compelling - the
slideshow
archive of Celebrity fashion no-nos. Glamour is a popular US magazine
and
all the clothing featured in the mag can be bought directly from the
site
- as long as it's stocked in the US store Nordstrom that is. While
you're
visiting the Glamour site, indulge in a bit of bitchery in the online
forums
- now why did Jennifer Lopez wear that dress? |
Fashion
Angel
www.fashionangel.com |
|
| Fashion
Angel is a directory of Fashion websites. However it doesn't just list
any old fashion site it actually checks them out and only lists those
it
deems "outstanding fashion websites". This site is not as glitzy and
glamorous
as the big name fashion sites, however it could lead you to some of the
more interesting and quirky style sites. |
Fashion
File
www.fashionfile.co.uk |
|
| Get
the low-down on the latest fashion, the hottest models and the most
popular
designers at this stylish UK site. All the latest collections are
covered
and accompanied by plenty of good clear photos of the clothes, many of
the top catwalk shows are also captured on video. You'll find
background
information on all the major designers plus shots of their designs.
Anyone
who wants to make a career in fashion will find the list of model
agencies,
photographers, stylists and PRs invaluable. |
Fashion
Icon
www.fashion-icon.com |
|
| Fashion
Icon has one mission and that's to bring you the latest fashion news.
It
turns out Fashion Icon is actually a name and she's an undercover
fashion
reporter. The site looks kind of quirky and the fashion news and
features
held on there are all written in a kitsch, breathless cod fashion
editor
style. Nevertheless it's an entertaining fashion stop-off and covers
material
that you won't find elsewhere. |
Vogue
www.vogue.com |
|
| As you'd
expect, the Vogue site looks fabulous. The fashion shots are
beautifully
taken, the text is carefully crafted and the design is so stylish it
hurts.
All the latest fashion stories from the shows in New York, London,
Milan
and Paris are covered. Alternatively, if you fancy chatting to other
fashion
fiends, hang around in the online forums. There's no chance you'll miss
out on the latest fashions if you keep an eye on the Shopping List,
which
picks 5,000 key looks from the world's top designers. What's more, you
can buy clothes featured in the latest US issue of Vogue from the
online
boutique - US ordering and pricing we're afraid though. |
|
| Feng
Shui |
Feng
Shui for Modern Living Magazine
www.fengshui-magazine.co.uk |
|
| The
online version of this Feng Shui magazine acts as a good introduction
to
the ancient Chinese art of living in harmony with your environment. The
site does a good job of explaining the many different schools of Feng
Shui
- believe me, that's no easy task. If you need more help getting your
house
just right, check out the reviews of the latest Feng Shui books or you
could buy the £24.95 Feng Shui software package recommended on
the
site. |
The
Feng Shui Society
www.fengshuisociety.org.uk |
|
| The
UK's most prominent Feng Shui society have a website which could do
with
a little visual rearranging itself, but is a superb round-robin
resource
for information on the topic. They're a non-profit organisation, so the
all-inclusive lists of Feng Shui events and regional groups are
available
to view for free. Moreover, the society provides the UK registry for
professional
consultants, a huge list of links to the people in the know. |
Feng
Shui with Lillian Too
www.lillian-too.com |
|
| Lillian
Too is a world-renowned Feng Shui expert and she's also one hell of a
prolific
author on the topic. Her latest tome is the Illustrated Encyclopedia of
Feng Shui and you'll find an outline of the contents on the site. If
you're
inspired by Lillian's writing check the site to see if she's carrying
out
a Feng Shui Masterclass near you. Our only worry is that this site is
so
cluttered and pack full of colour that it could do with some serious
Feng
Shui attention itself. |
Geomancy.net
www.3dglobe.com |
|
| This
site is a centre for the latest Feng Shui Research and boasts hundreds
of pages packed full of Feng Shui resources, articles and tips. The
Geomancy
site is also home to a popular discussion forum covering all aspects of
Chinese culture. The site contains so much information that the best
way
to get to grips with it is to take the guided tour. All aspects of the
art of Feng Shui are covered from surveying your home to a step-by-step
guide to actually making your home harmonious. |
A
World of Feng Shui Online
www.worldoffengshui.com |
|
| This
site is a practical guide to how to use Feng Shui to increase your
wealth
in the coming year of the Golden Dragon - now that sounds good, doesn't
it. It is good on the techniques of using Feng Shui successfully in a
business
context - there's even an article on the Feng Shui of the White House.
Words of design wisdom come from Aunt Agga and her Feng Shui column and
if you need more information you'll find a list of Feng Shui masters in
the Reference Info area. |
The
Feng Shui Ultimate Resource
www.qi-whiz.com |
|
| This
iconoclastic site might change the minds of anyone who thinks Feng Shui
is a load of hokum to be bracketed with astrology and alchemy. It's
packed
full of articles with apparently cynical titles like "Why Flutes and
Mirrors
CAN'T Fix Your House" and "Spotting Phony Feng Shui". But the wordy and
fairly learned pieces are actually bent on defending the practice and
to
be fair, they make their case well. The humorous angle is refreshing
and
there is even a "Dictionary" packed full of Feng Shui in-jokes. |
Do
it Yourself Feng Shui cures
homearts.com/depts/home/03fengb1.htm |
|
| The
Home Arts site has a section devoted to practical DIY Feng Shui tips
that
are very easy to put into practice. Even better these simple changes
don't
cost much to implement - all of them can be done for under £70.
The
advice focuses on how you can make your office environment more
harmonious.
For example if you can't see outside while you're sitting at your
computer
make sure you hang a picture of your favourite scene nearby, or
introduce
a potted plant to your work environment - apparently 'your soul will
appreciate
the nature'. |
Feng
Shui Web
www.fengshuiweb.com |
|
| Feng
Shui Web is the work of the international Feng Shui practitioner and
teacher
David Daniel Kennedy. It's a good site for beginners because the
emphasis
is on easy and practical ways to use Feng Shui in your home or office.
What's more the advice is written in an easy to understand and down to
earth style. Of course what David would really like you to do is buy
his
latest book, but you can check out the online excerpts before you sign
the cheque. |
|
|
|
The
Informed Investor
