| How to Apply Wax Strips Posted: 30 Jan 2021 12:00 AM PST Waxing at home may seem intimidating, but it's actually quite easy and there are many ways to make it less painful and more comfortable. At-home waxing kits come with wax strips already covered in the proper amount of wax, so you don't have to worry about heating any wax and applying the right amount to your skin. Plus, waxing at home is much less expensive than having it professionally done at a salon or spa and you'll get the same results with practice. [Edit]Getting Your Skin Ready for Waxing - Purchase an at-home waxing kit designed for what you want to wax. At-home waxing kits, in general, are made to wax specific parts of your body. To ensure the best results, less pain, and no irritation, make sure you purchase a kit designed for what you want to wax. For example, don't use the same waxing kit on your face that you'd use on your underarms. Also, if you have sensitive skin, look for a kit that's gentle or designed for sensitive skin.[1]
- If you have any kind of skin condition or disease, you should see a professional rather than attempt to do it yourself.
- Check that the hair you want to wax is long. In order to safely wax, no matter where it's located on your body, that hair needs to be at least long, but no longer than . If your hair is longer than , use electric clippers or scissors to shorten your hair down to at least . If your hair is shorter than , wait for it to grow longer before waxing it.[2]
- Electric clippers are the type of clippers normally used to cut hair. They typically have different guards that go on the blade so you can cut your hair to a specific length.
- Stop using products with retinol 2-5 days before waxing. If you're taking any type of prescription medication that contains retinol, or if you're using any skin products that contain retinol, stop using them at least 2 days before you wax. Do not wax while taking or using these products.[3]
- In general, retinol products can dry and irritate your skin; make it peel, crust or blister; and make it sensitive to sunlight.[4]
- Waxing your skin while taking retinol products can make these side effects worse and damage your skin.
- Exfoliate the area you plan to wax 1-2 days in advance. To get the best waxing results, remove dry or dead skin and other imperfections ahead of time. A couple of days before you plan to wax, wash and exfoliate the area you're going to wax.[5] Do not exfoliate within 24 hours of waxing, as it may irritate your skin.[6]
- Exfoliation includes using a brush, face cloth, loofa, etc., to scrub your skin.
- You can also use specific exfoliation products, such as body/face scrubs, that contain small, rough pieces of things like seeds to help exfoliate your skin.[7]
- Drink lots of water before you start to wax. Make sure you're completely hydrated before you wax. Drink as much water as you can in the hours before you're going to wax. Hydration plumps up your skin which can reduce the amount of pain. Plus, plump, hydrated skin is less likely to get ingrown hairs.[8]
- Try to avoid foods and drinks that can dehydrate you before you wax, such as coffee, soda, alcohol, fried foods, and anything with a lot of sodium/salt.
- Take pain medications or apply ice to reduce pain. You will never be able to eliminate the pain from waxing completely, but there are things you can do to reduce that pain. Take an over-the-counter pain medication an hour or 2 before you wax. Or, hold an ice pack against the skin you're going to wax immediately beforehand to numb the area.[9]
- If you use an ice pack, hold a towel between that ice pack and your skin. Also, make sure the area is completely dry before applying the wax.
- You can also apply an ice pack to the area after you wax to reduce the pain.
- Wash and dry the area you're waxing immediately beforehand. Right before you wax, completely wash the area with soap and water and dry your skin with a towel. If possible, have a shower immediately before you wax. You want to remove natural oils that may be on your skin and/or the residue of lotions or creams you may have recently applied. Wax adheres better to clean, dry skin.[10]
- Some at-home wax kits come with a pre-wax cleanser that you can use to wipe down the area you're going to wax.
- If you aren't able to wash the area before you wax, sprinkle baby powder (or another powder like cornstarch) onto your skin to absorb the oils.[11]
- Conduct a test run of the wax to make sure it's safe. Follow the regular instructions to try small amount of wax on a piece of your skin. If the waxing kit doesn't come with a test strip, cut a small piece off one of the larger strips. Use a spot on your body that isn't visible in case the wax irritates your skin (e.g., upper arm or upper leg).[12]
- If the test area becomes really red, swollen, painful, or irritated, don't use the wax anywhere else on your body.
[Edit]Using Wax Strips to Remove Hair - Read the manufacturer's instructions before using the wax strips. Do not attempt to wax until you've read all the instructions and warnings that come with the kit (unless you've used the product before). Make sure you know exactly which items you'll need to have ready when waxing and gather those items before you start.[13]
- In general, you'll likely need the following items to wax: a brightly lit room, a mirror (depending on where you're waxing), a towel, moisturizer or aloe vera, and tweezers (if you're waxing your face).
- Remove the protective backing from the prepared wax strip. You can approach this step two ways.You can remove the entire backing off the strip before applying the strip to your skin. Or, you can peel off a portion of the backing, apply that part of the strip to your skin, and then pull off the rest of the backing as you push the strip against your skin.[14]
- Some at-home waxing kits may instruct you to rub the strips between your hands for a few seconds before removing the back. This is to heat the wax slightly before you apply it to your skin.
- Apply the wax strip to your skin and rub it 2-3 times. Lay the wax strip down on the area you're waxing, in a direction that will allow you to easily pull the strip off in the opposite direction of your hair's growth. For example, when waxing your legs, you'll want to lay the strips lengthwise on your legs. When waxing your eyebrows, you'll want to lay the strips horizontally above your eyes. Rub your hand along the wax strip in the direction of the hair growth 2-3 times to firmly secure it to your hair.[15]
- Keep in mind that the wax doesn't go to the edge of the strips. Therefore, the unwaxed edges of the strips will need to be located where there's no hair or where you've already waxed.
- Use one hand to hold the skin taut to pull off the strip. You'll always need 2 hands to pull off a wax strip: one hand to hold your skin tight while the other hand rips off the strip. You'll find it easier to use your dominant hand to rip off the strip, unless you're waxing an area that's difficult to reach. Practice makes perfect when it comes to waxing. You may need to reposition yourself several times before you find your favourite method.[16]
- This is one of the reasons it's best to wax larger areas that are easier to see (e.g., your legs) if this is your first time waxing at home.
- Rip the wax strip off quickly in the opposite direction of hair growth. Grasp the edge of the wax strip at the end your hair is growing towards. For example, if you're waxing your legs, you'll want to grab the bottom of the wax strip as you'll be pulling upwards. Hold the strip firmly and pull in the opposite direction of the hair growth quickly and in one motion.[17]
- Try to remove the entire wax strip in one smooth movement.
- Don't stop and restart partway through pulling off a wax strip, this will just cause you more pain and won't pull out as many hairs.
- Reapply the wax strip up to 2 more times to remove stray hairs. Each wax strip can be applied to your skin up to 3 times if needed. That means, after the first pull, you can re-wax the same area 2 more times if you missed any hairs. It's not a good idea to apply wax to the same area more than this, as it may cause too much irritation.[18]
- You can also use the wax strip to remove any wax residue on your skin. Apply the strip and remove it the same way you would if it were hair.
- Repeat the process for the remaining areas. Once you've completed the waxing process using one strip, continue the same process with new strips until the area is fully waxed. If the section you need to wax doesn't need a full strip, feel free to cut the strip into smaller pieces so you don't waste any.[19]
- Larger areas, like legs and arms, will require multiple wax strips.
- Smaller areas, like your upper lip or eyebrows, may only require 1 strip.
- Remove any remaining wax off your skin with water or oil. Check the manufacturer's instructions to determine the recommended method to remove residual wax from your skin (if there is any). Some at-home waxing kits are water-soluble, which means you can easily wipe the leftover wax off with a damp washcloth. Other kits are oil-soluble, which means you will need to use some sort of oil (e.g., mineral oil, coconut oil, etc.) to remove the wax residue. Dab a small amount of oil onto a makeup pad and wipe the wax off your skin.[20]
- Some at-home waxing kits will come with a product that's specifically for removing residual wax from your skin.
- Moisturize the area just waxed with oil-free lotion or cream. Once you've finished waxing and have cleaned up all the wax residue, make sure your skin is completely moisturized. Use a lotion or cream that is oil-free or non-comedogenic so it doesn't clog your pores and potentially cause ingrown hairs. You can also use aloe vera gel to soothe the area and add moisture if you'd prefer.[21]
- It is also recommended that you wear loose-fitting clothing around the waxed area immediately afterward to prevent skin irritation.
- Avoid having a hot shower or bath immediately after waxing, as it may make the area more painful.
[Edit]Things You'll Need - Scissors
- Electric clippers
- Loofa, washcloth, etc.
- Exfoliant product
- Soap
- At-home waxing kit
- Oil-free or non-comedogenic moisturizer
- Over-the-counter pain medications (optional)
- Ice pack (optional)
- Aloe vera gel (optional)
[Edit]References |
| How to Calculate Annualized Portfolio Return Posted: 29 Jan 2021 04:00 PM PST If you want to find out how much you're earning on your investments, you likely know that you can subtract the starting value from the ending value. If you then divide that number by the starting value and multiply by 100, you have the basic rate of return. But what if you've had your portfolio for several years? Your portfolio is (hopefully) growing every year, compounding your returns. If you want to compare your portfolio's performance with someone else's, the annualized portfolio return gives you the best way to do this. There are 2 different ways to calculate your annualized portfolio return. Your choice depends on whether you want to control for the effect that your contributions and withdrawals have on your portfolio's performance.[1] [Edit]Time-Weighted Rate of Return This calculation shows you a rate of return that ignores investor behavior (deposits and withdrawals), making it the best way to compare the performance of investment managers and brokers. - Find the difference between the beginning and ending values for each year. Subtract the value of the portfolio at the end of the year from the value of the portfolio at the beginning of the year, then divide that number by the value at the beginning of the year. This is your simple, or basic, rate of return. Multiply by 100 to find the percentage.[2]
- For example, if the beginning value of your portfolio was $100,000 and your ending value was $105,000, your simple rate of return for that year would be 5%:
 - If you earned any dividends, include those in your ending value. In the previous example, if you'd also earned $50 in dividends, your ending value would be $105,050.
- Add 1 to each rate and multiply them together. Start by adding 1 to each basic rate of return you've calculated for each year. Then, multiply those figures together to calculate the return for the entire time frame. This incorporates the way the value of your portfolio builds on itself, or compounds over time.[3]
- For example, suppose you've had your portfolio for 4 years and your simple rates of return are 5% (0.05), 7% (0.07), 2% (0.02), and 4% (0.04). Your total return would be 1.19 (rounded):
- Raise the total rate by an exponent of 1/n. In the exponent position, "n" represents the number of years you included in your calculations. You're trying to find the average for any 1 of those years, so the exponent is represented as a fraction of 1 over the number of years.[4]
- Continuing with the previous example, plug 1.1918 into your calculator and multiply by the exponent 1/4. Your answer should be 1.044.
- This calculation gets you a geometric average, which is simply an average of all the simple rates of return that also takes into account the compounding that occurs year after year.[5]
- Subtract 1 and multiply by 100 to get the annualized rate of return. Now that you have your geometric average, you need to turn it into a percentage. Subtract 1 (this takes care of the 1s you previously added to each yearly return) to get your decimal. Then, multiply 100 to get your percentage.[6]
- To continue with the example, your annualized rate would be 4.4%:
 - The full formula is
 , where "R" is the rate of return for each investment period and "n" is the number of years.
- Use a different formula if you only have the initial and final values. To calculate the annualized portfolio return, divide the final value by the initial value, then raise that number by 1/n, where "n" is the number of years you held the investments. Then, subtract 1 and multiply by 100.[7]
- For example, suppose your portfolio's initial value was $100,000 and the final value after 10 years is $150,000. Divide 150,000 by 100,000 to get 1.5. Then multiply 1.5 by the exponent of 1/10 to get 1.04. Subtract 1 to get 0.04, then multiply by 100. Your annualized rate of return is 4%:
 - The full formula is
[Edit]Dollar-Weighted Rate of Return (IRR) This calculation shows the impact your deposits and withdrawals have on your portfolio's performance and is best used to compare your portfolio's returns to another individual investor's returns. - Enter your contributions or withdrawals in column A of a spreadsheet. Open a spreadsheet, then use column A to list each of your contributions or withdrawals to your portfolio, with your first value on row 1 (cell A1). Express withdrawals as negative numbers with a ( - ) in front of them.[8]
- Put each contribution or withdrawal in a new cell. There's no need to combine cash flows for specific periods. For example, if you made 2 contributions and 1 withdrawal in a single year, you'd have 3 entries in 3 cells rather than just 1.
- Put the dates of the contributions or withdrawals in column B. Next to the corresponding value in column A, type the date that contribution or withdrawal was made in column B. Use the "date" function so the program recognizes the values as dates.[9]
- In Excel, the date function is =DATE(Year,Month,Day). For example, if you made a contribution on January 15, 2020, you would enter "=DATE(2020,1,15)".
- Input the formula on a new row. Once you've entered all of your data, drop down a row and add the formula =XIRR(values,dates,[guess]). The 3 variables in the formula break down like this:[10]
- The values you enter refers to the range of cells containing the contributions or withdrawals you made. For example, if you used column A, rows 1 - 20, you would enter "A1:A20".
- For the dates, use the range of cells in the column containing your dates, using the same formula as you used for the values. For example, "B1:B20".
- The third value is your guess as to what you think the IRR will be. If you don't have a guess, you can leave this blank. Excel defaults to 10% if no guess is given.
- Allow the program to compute the solution in the same cell. Once you enter the formula in the cell, the program uses an iterative technique, which involves trying different rates in a complex equation until the correct one is found. These iterations start with your guess rate (or the default 10%) and move up or down to find the annualized dollar-weighted rate of return. The program will display the result in the same cell where you entered the formula.[11]
- The result Excel and other spreadsheet programs reach is accurate within 0.000001%, so it's a result you can rely on.
- Troubleshoot your data if you get an error. If you enter the formula and get an error message instead of a result, it usually means there's something wrong with the data you entered. If you get a "#VALUE" error, it means you have a date that isn't recognized as a valid date. A "#NUM!" error could result from any of the following:[12]
- Your value and date arrays are different lengths
- Your arrays don't contain at least 1 positive and at least 1 negative value
- One of your dates comes before the first date entered in your array
- The calculation failed to converge (find a result) after 100 iterations
- You can calculate an annualized rate of return using any investment period, as long as all the periods are the same. For example, you can use months rather than years. Simply change the exponent to reflect the period you're using. With months, you would use the exponent 12/n (where "n" is the total number of investment periods) to get the annualized return, since there are 12 months in a year.[13]
- Annualized return is used to give you a sense of how your portfolio has done. It's most effective when you're looking at investments over a long period of time.[14]
[Edit]Warnings - Watch your order of operations on the calculations to make sure you get the correct answer. Double-check with a calculator if you're working by hand.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Save Endangered Plants Posted: 29 Jan 2021 08:00 AM PST As climate change progresses and habitat destruction continues, the list of endangered plant species grows longer. Staring at a list of endangered plants can be discouraging, especially if you aren't sure how you can help. Fortunately, there are a few different ways you can make a difference to help save endangered plants in your community and in your own backyard. - Search for endangered species in your area. Since plants differ between regions, different areas have different endangered species. If you aren't sure which plants are endangered in your region, do a quick search on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website.[1]
- You can visit the USFW by clicking https://www.fws.gov/endangered/.
- In the United States, there are over 5,000 plant species that are listed as threatened or endangered, including the Desert Yellowhead, the Capa Rosa, the White Sedge, and the Green Milkweed.[2]
- In Europe, there are over 900 plant species that are endangered, including the Dwarf Moonroot, the White-Faced Storm Petrel, and the Syrian Juniper.[3]
- In Pan-Africa, there are 39 plant species that are endangered, including the Hoary Clover Fern and the European Frogbit.[4]
- Volunteer for habitat conservation in your area. Habitat conservation groups work to protect the natural land in your area by removing invasive species and keeping the land free for native plants. If you'd like to get your hands dirty, try volunteering your time to help clean up the habitat in your area to make room for endangered plants.[5]
- You can find habitat conservation groups in your area by searching "habitat conservation + your town/city."
- Restore wetlands in your area to preserve natural habitats. Wetlands are areas of land that flood either part of the year or year round. They're one of the largest habitats that grow endangered plants, and they're very important for ecosystem health overall. Try attending a local or state conference in your area about wetland restoration to learn more about what you can do in your area to protect these native habitats.[6]
- If you know there are wetlands near you, you can apply for a Wetland Program Development Grant to start the restoration process.
- Leave endangered plants in the wild if you encounter them. Although endangered plants are cool to come across, removing them from their natural habitat can be detrimental, and may even kill them. Plus, if a plant is on the endangered species list, it's actually illegal to remove it unless you have a permit.[7]
- Feel free to take a photo of the plant for posterity!
- Educate your friends and family about endangered plants. Not everyone knows about endangered plants and how to protect them. If you feel up for it, try spreading your knowledge around to inform your loved ones about what they can do to protect natural habitats and endangered plants.[8]
- You can start the conversation by saying, "Have you guys heard about the native plant species in our area that's endangered? I didn't know much about it, but I've done some research…"
- Not everyone will be open to hearing what you have to say, and that's okay.
[Edit]Yard Work - Plant native plants in your yard or garden. Plants that are native to your region help to encourage other native plants to grow, leading to more habitat diversity (which will encourage endangered plants to grow in your region). If you can, try to fill your natural area with plants that have been there historically.[9]
- Attract pollinators to your yard to help spread pollen to endangered plants. Bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, and moths all help to spread pollen, or the male seeds of a plant. You can plant specific plants in your natural area to attract these animals and help them pollinate your own plants and other plants, including endangered ones, so they can spread their seeds and grow in other areas. Pollinator plants vary from region to region, so search for your area to find the plants best for you.[10]
- Keep natural habitats as they are. Plants thrive in environments that are untouched and undisturbed, especially if they're endangered. If you have the opportunity to buy property, try to leave it as-is as much as possible to encourage native plants.[11]
- If you're looking into buying a home, try to find one that's already been built rather than building a new one on a lot. That way, you can leave an undisturbed habitat alone.
- Avoid planting invasive plants, or plants that have no natural predators. These plants can take over your habitat and make it hard for native and endangered plants to establish themselves. Invasive plants vary from region to region, so you may have to do some research to find out which plants are bad for your area.[12]
- Avoid using herbicides and pesticides in your yard. Herbicides and pesticides can kill endangered plants in your yard and other areas. If you can avoid it, try not to use chemicals to control weeds and pests in your lawn, and instead go for natural solutions, like peppermint essential oil (for controlling bugs) and removing weeds by hand.[13]
- As herbicides and pesticides wash down the waterway, they can kill or harm other plants, too, not just the ones in your yard.
- Be cautious using fertilizer, as well—even if it's organic. If you over-fertilize, the plants won't be able to absorb all of the fertilizer and it will leach into the water supply. That can cause a lack of oxygen and too much nitrogen in the water, which can kill fish and lead to algae bloom.[14]
[Edit]Careful Purchasing Habits - Make sure the plants you buy are legal. If you love collecting rare plants, finding ones that are out of the ordinary can be exciting—but it's important to make sure you aren't buying endangered plants. Go to an established nursery and avoid buying plants online to ensure you aren't accidentally buying endangered plants (which is illegal).[15]
- If you aren't sure whether or not a seller is reputable, ask them about where they got the plant and what species it is. If they have trouble telling you or they don't want to disclose that information, they probably aren't the most trustworthy.
- Buy wood that's certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Logging is a huge source of environmental destruction when it isn't done properly, and it can destroy natural habitats, leading to plant loss (especially endangered ones). If you're looking to buy wood or lumber, try to find some with the FSC label of approval. This ensures that the lumber has been logged ethically and with the least amount of environmental impact possible.[16]
- To look at a map of FSC certified forests, visit https://fsc.org/en/certified-forests.
- Putting your money toward wood that's collected in an environmentally friendly way will encourage sellers to think about the habitat that they log in, leading to less habitat destruction.
- Find fair trade coffee to protect natural habitats. Growing coffee beans takes a lot of land, and it can lead to habitat destruction, and habitat destruction is the number one cause of endangered plants. When coffee is marked with the Fair Trade symbol, that means it was produced ethically with the least amount of environmental destruction. When you buy coffee, look for the fair trade symbol to protect plants with your purchases.[17]
- Saving endangered plants is tough work, and you may end up feeling a little discouraged. Try to keep your spirits up by looking back on all the work you've already done.
[Edit]Warnings - Buying and selling endangered plants is illegal under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.[18]
[Edit]References |
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