In theory, it's good to do what makes you happy. But finding what spurs you—what you wake up thinking about, or what you would gladly do for free—may take some digging and distilling. Forging my own successful yet unconventional career as a chef, author, and entrepreneur took listening to my gut and, even tougher, trusting it. These four valuable tips can help speed up the process for you.

Put aside practical concerns.
What's stirring in your soul can be blocked by thoughts about, say, what salary you can earn for the work. To unearth what you really want to do, quiet your mind and tune in to your heart. Pose queries such as "At the end of my life, what am I going to wish I'd done?" I moved to Maui, sight unseen, and lived there for 15 years because it was my answer to "If I could live anywhere, where would I live?"

Identify granular interests.
If it's not realistic to give up a regular paycheck for a passion project right now, chances are there are aspects of your current job that intersect with what moves you. Figure out what you dig in your day-to-day and focus on that. For example, if you're interested in social responsibility, scout a nonprofit that is related to your work and create a proposal for how an affiliation would benefit your company.

Figure out what you don't love.
Be honest about where your true talents lie. One critical lesson I learned: As a restaurant owner, I was capable of sourcing competitively priced ingredients, but that wasn't the best or most joyful use of my time. So I enlisted someone to handle that duty while I focused on what really inspired me—developing new recipes.

Be true to you.
Don't let what others say override your inner counsel. At many points, I was told that there wasn't enough interest in the things I wanted to pursue to make them successful. I opened one of the country's first raw-food restaurants in Maui in 1996, which was way ahead of the curve. I also became deeply interested in environmentally responsible practices well before they became mainstream. Trusting my instincts above anyone else's enabled me to be a pioneer in the sustainable-food movement, proving that authenticity is the most valuable commodity of all.

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Blackphone, the privacy-focused Android smartphone unveiled back in January, is finally a real product. Collaborators Silent Circle, an encrypted communications firm and Geeksphone, a Spanish smartphone maker today announced that the first handsets have begun shopping to pre-orders customers.

It’s been a long time coming. Pre-orders opened in February, during Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, and the first handsets were expected to ship in April. The handset itself sports a quad-core 2 GHz processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of onboard storage and support for LTE networks.

The components aren’t bleeding-edge, but bundled with the $629 asking price is a suite of apps developed by Silent Circle. Some of these, such as Silent Phone, Silent Text and Silent Contacts, are available on other Android and iOS devices, but the following are exclusive to the new handset: Blackphone Security Center, Blackphone Activation Wizard and Blackphone Remote Wipe.

The hope is that this smartphone will offer greater protection than its mainstream rivals and appeal to those who care about keeping their personal data under lock and key.

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Pop star Simi, X3M Music’s recent signee and label mate to R&B superstar, Praiz, has released two new singles from her forthcoming sophomore album. Titled Tiff and E No Go Funny, the singles were released on Monday, June 9, 2014.

The dance track, E No Go Funny- with its jumpy beat, interesting lyrics and sing along chorus is already making waves around the country. The song finishes with a beautiful blend of African instrumentals thus giving E No Go Funny an authentic African sound.

On Tiff with its great delivery and semi-groovy beat, Simi delivers touching lyrics, that is already being felt by many -  “This jam, Tiff makes you want to fall in love…” popular rap artist Cyrus da Virus says. Plans for the video of Tiff are already underway and the label says we should expect the video soon.

“My music is different from the usual… Every song I sing is created out of a desire to make an impact. “Tiff” and “E No Go Funny” are singles that speak to young hearts and so far, I’m impressed with the reception the singles have gotten." Simi says.

"I thank God for these two singles and I'm very excited about them. For me its just fun all through and I'm loving it” the singer adds.

Her debut album – Restless EP, which was produced by Samklef was launched in 2008 and had hits like Ara Ile and Iya Temi.

The beautiful and talented Simi has been extolled by many big names in the music industry. Music producer Oscar Heman Ackah, calls her “a breath of fresh air”, Folashade Anozie, A&R Manager X3M Music said “Simi is the next big thing”.

listen and enjoy:

E no go funny

[audio mp3="http://www.aphroden.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/E-NO-GO-FUNNY-MASTERD.mp3"][/audio]

Simi's Tiff

[audio mp3="http://www.aphroden.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/TIFF-MASTERD-MONTAGE.mp3"][/audio]

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1. Keke Palmer’s Commando Moment: What undergarments (if any) go with a dress that features major hip-and-thigh cutouts? We’re going to guess Palmer had to get super-creative (and walk very carefully) in her white-and-gold Alon Livné mini dress.

2. Gabrielle Union’s Thigh-High Boots: Pairing a long white gown with a strappy sandal would have been waytoo expected. So the actress decided to bring a pair of over-the-knee black boots to the carpet — and she still managed to show some thigh thanks to the super-high slit on her Maria Lucia Hohan gown. It’s definitely a Look — though we don’t know how comfortable it was in the 80+° weather.

3. Zendaya Coleman’s Braids: Plaits are everywhere this summer, but we’ve yet to see someone wear their hair with so much attitude and sass. The 17-year-old star goes for super-long braided pigtails and a black snapback cap to complement her equally bold Emanuel Ungaro outfit.

4. Pharrell’s Button Malfunction: His hat stayed securely on for this entire performance, but Pharrell couldn’t get his star-printed cardi off, fumbling with it for at least 20 seconds. And of course Twitter exploded. Watch the clip below (the button meltdown happens around the 1:40 mark).

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It was 35 years ago Tuesday that Sony, not Apple, revolutionized the way we listen to music.

The Walkman, a portable cassette player that, for the first time, let us take our music with us without bothering our neighbors, hit the market on July 1, 1979.

Today, it's all about Apple's iPod. But in its heyday, the Walkman was as synonymous with portable music players as Kleenex became to tissue and Xerox was to copy machines.

Released in 1979, the TPS-L2 was the first model of Walkman that Sony released. It wasn't the very first portable cassette player designed to let users listen on the go. But the earlier product, called the Stereobelt, was considered too big, ugly and expensive and didn't last long.

"Walkman" is an iconic brand name today. But originally, the Japanese Sony was afraid English-speaking customers would find the name odd and shipped it in the U.S. and other countries as "Soundabout." The company quickly recognized the error and returned to the original name.

Sony was originally unsure how popular its groundbreaking music player would be. Many analysts thought it wouldn't sell because it only played cassettes and couldn't record.

Two years later, in 1981, came the Walkman II. It was smaller than the original and barely bigger than a cassette tape. It sold around 1.5 million units. The Walkman II originally came only in silver, but black and red models were latter added.

The Walkman was a delicate piece of tech that you could carry around with you, as long as you were careful with it. Then came the "Sports Walkman," the WM-F5, in 1984, with an extra-thick plastic casing that made it water resistant and more durable.

The Walkman line has lost much of its shine in the iPod era. But like the rest of the tech world, Sony has gone digital with its iconic product. The most recent Walkman mp3 players include last year's NWZ-W273. Smaller than many headphones, the set even lets you wear them in the pool.

Bowing to digital reality, Sony retired the cassette Walkman in 2010.

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The Central Working Committee for The Future Africa Awards & Summit (TFAAS) has today announced its new identity, and also unveiled its new logo and web portal.

"The brand has always focused on evolving alongside Young Africa," said Mfon Ekpo, a member of the committee, and Fellow with President Barack Obama's Young African Leaders Initiative. "After a year of work with our global brand support team, we are excited to unveil this new identity which puts the focus on our African reach, and reflects our commitment to a bold new vision for the continent's future."

The new logo has Africa in its centre, outlined to reflect a guided vision. Its strength is in its simplicity and clarity. This simplicity is also mirrored in the official web portal www.thefutureafrica.com/awards

The committee, in May, also unveiled the 'Have you met Africa?' campaign with brand ambassadors Ashish J. Thakkar (Rwanda), Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde (Nigeria), Chude Jideonwo (Nigeria), Jason Njoku (Nigeria) and Saran Kaban Jones (Liberia).

TFAAS 2014 is supported by Microsoft, the US Consulate and the Tony Elumelu Foundation. Official Media Partners are EbonyLife TV, AfricaMagic, Bloomberg TV Africa, Ventures Africa, and Y! Africa. Official Online Partners are MemeBurn, BellaNaija, Premium Times and 360nobs.

The official bloggers for 2014 are Linda Ikeji, Omojuwa, LadunLiadi, Olorisupergal, Ameyaw, NigeriaNewsDesk and GidiTraffic. Country partners are The Cable, Ladun Liadi Blog, The Trent, Information Nigeria and News Wire.
Cool FM is the host radio station. Channels Television is the host TV station.

For more information, visit @TFAAfrica on Twitter or the website www.thefutureafrica.com/awards.

The official hashtags for 2014 are #ThisIsAfrica and #TFAAS2014.

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 A new method of enhancing the re-growth of corneal tissue to restore vision offers possible promise to people whose corneas have been damaged by disease,burns or chemicals, researchers report.

The scientists focused on limbal stem cells, which help maintain and regenerate corneal tissue. The loss of limbal stem cells due to disease or injury is one of the leading causes of blindness.

Tissue or cell transplants have been used to help the cornea regenerate. But the results weren't consistent because it wasn't known if any or how many limbal stem cells were in the transplanted tissue or cells, the study authors noted.

For this study, the investigators used a molecule called ABCB5, which is a "marker" -- or sign -- for the hard-to-detect limbal stem cells. Using this method, they zeroed in on limbal stem cells from human donors and used the stem cells to re-grow anatomically correct and fully functional human corneas in mice.

"Limbal stem cells are very rare, and successful transplants are dependent on these rare cells," study co-author Bruce Ksander, of the Massachusetts Eye and Ear/Schepens Eye Research Institute, said in an institute news release.

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In our weekly roundup of the looks that are gaining fashion ground (and the ones losing their style street cred), we saw chic compartments, a top with some cover and a pair of trousers that reminds us of Xanadu — we saw it once by accident, and don’t expect see it again.

Up: Fun Pockets. We know from experience that one of the best things to discover when you’re shopping for a dress is finding out that the little number you just picked off the rack has pockets. It seems that the ladies on the red carpet are also fond of having them as well and have proudly display them in a chic manner. Lucy Liu (left) donned a gray cap-sleeve Andrew Gn dress, which had a pair of bejeweled accents that elevated a simple shift. Keira Knightley also sported a pocket embellishment on hergolden Simone Rocha midi while Zendaya modeled two slouchy ones on her Emanuel Ungaro skirt. We love this look, but does this mean that handbags will become obsolete? Stay tuned.

Up: No-Skin Crop Tops. These midriff-baring pieces have been around for some time now, which means it’s time for celebs to get creative. Two weeks ago, we saw lace belly-baring tops. The latest spin? A demure, non-skin-showing style. Kelly Osbourne (center) paired her busy Alice + Olivia skirt with a black crop top that barely shows a sliver of skin. Keri Russell also decided to cover up in a white Monique Lhuillier top with chic cap sleeves. Does this inspire those of you who have been crop-top averse to give the trend a try?

Down: Sheer Linen Trousers Under a Dress. If something seemed a bit odd to you with Keira Knightley’s (right) Chanel dress, you were not mistaken. Though it looks like she’s perched her multicolor confection on top of a sheer skirt, turns out, it’s actually a pair of tiered, lacy linen trousers! We commend her for making bold, fashion-forward choices, but this trend has never been up and never will be. (Sorry Keira. Maybe you should stick with that cute go-to outfit you’ve been wearing throughout your Begin Again tour?)

The post Red Carpet Trend Report: The Scoop on Fun Pockets, Only-Kinda Crop Tops and the Pants That Will Never Happen appeared first on Aphroden.

So we all thought these guys had gone separate ways like…them be five, later become 3 and disappeared; but no they are here to stay. After the Album: Beyond Infinity was launched, these guys disappeared and just when we all were saying why is it that the good ones never last, the guys re-surfaced under a new management; Qtaby Events, all fresh and they informed us they had been touring the UK, they had been recording and they have something new for their fans, a sizzling hot video for their song THE ANTHEM, they say it’s a country rock song and the video was shot in the UK. Click this link to download the video for THE ANTHEM by Infinity.

You should also like their fan page on facebook www.facebook.com/infinitykrew for details on how to win freebies from downloading the video. YES!!! FREEBIES. Ok, bye but before you go, you can follow them on Twitter @InfinityAfrica and Instagram @InfinityKrew

Mobile download http://bit.ly/1m4HRy9

Youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HYCcKWxLu3I

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Just as you transition your wardrobe from summer to fall (You wouldn't wear spaghetti straps in October, right?), the same should be done with your cosmetics. We are offering you tips on how to update your look—without spending big bucks.

Experiment with new shades

Updating your color palette is the easiest way to freshen your look. "Coral is the hottest shade right now and the most universally flattering. Trust us the latest shades are not your grandmother's coral! If you only want to invest in one new product this season, make it a sheer coral lipstick.

Update your foundation:

Show off your skin this season. Heavy, cakey, and powered foundations are a thing of the past. It's all about sheer formulas that allow your natural texture freckles and all to come through. "Light airbrushed spray foundations are really big and help you create a dewy, fresh look.

Spring clean your makeup bag:

Now is the perfect time to go through your bathroom drawers and toss those products that have been rattling around in there for years. Makeup has a limited shelf life, especially mascara, which should be replaced every three months. Also, don't forget to clean your brushes regularly; not only does this sanitize and extend the longevity of your tools, it also helps with product application.

Go for bold lips:

Put away your gloss—lipstick is back! We recommends trying bold shades like coral, rose, and watermelon. "There's nothing better than a light bronzer on the skin, a bright bolt of color on your lips, and a sundress," she says. "Any woman, no matter her age, skin tone or where she lives, can rock that style and look modern and fresh."

Prime your skin

Invest in a luminizing face primer. It makes skin look radiant and helps makeup go on evenly—and stay on. Primers also even out skin tone and reflect light off your face, giving your skin a luminous look. It's the secret weapon of many celebrities!

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Paradigm Initiative Nigeria (PIN) has hosted the South-East editions of TENT Workshop 2014, and the Internet Policy Training, as part of it continuing efforts to expand the space for opportunities in Nigeria’s internet and digital spaces. The events held from 24 – 26, and then 27 – 28 June, 2014.

PIN hosted a 3-day workshop facilitated by experts from 24 – 26 June at the Nike Lake Resort Centre in Enugu. The workshop featured trainings by experts, on Nigeria’s freedom of information law, Internet freedom advocacy in Nigeria, internet freedom and social media, communicating organizational objectives, ICT Policy in Nigeria and introduction to digital security. Participants included 20 Civil Service Organisations (CSOs) based in that South-East of Nigeria.

After the successful ‘Internet Policy Training’ in Enugu, the PIN team moved to Abia where they hosted over 750 students from various schools to a 2-day workshop tagged ‘TENT (Techie. Entrepreneurial. Nigerian. Talented.) Workshop’.  The event was held in conjunction with the National Association of Computer Science Students and held at the Abia State Polytechnic on 27 -28 June, 2014.

Some of the schools represented were Abia State Polytechnic, Michael Okpara University, Enugu State University, and the Institute of Management and Technology, University of Nigeria.

Day one of the TENT workshop focused on encouraging students to come up with innovative tech ideas to enable them graduate with a business plan and not just Curriculum Vitae. Tope Ogundipe, Chief Operating Officer of PIN also introduced the students to digital opportunities in Nigeria with a focus on aiki.ng, the online jobs and opportunities portal launched by Microsoft last year. "You need skills to be able to launch, lead and grow a business,” Ogundipe told the students.

Speaking during his session, ‘Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of PIN, pointed out the four stages for students to graduate with a technology business plan: Ideation, Action, Focus and Consolidation.

“The big vision for the TENT Workshops is to help jump start the culture of innovation and enterprise in the mold of global tech brands among students in Nigeria tertiary institutions,” he said. “Don’t let anyone deceive you, don't let anyone turn you into a failure before you even try".

Day two of the workshop hosted 50 students with tech ideas in a closed facilitated session with Sesan. The students were divided into groups for software solutions, online and social networking, system security, gaming and entertainment, hardware solutions, desktops and Mobile applications. They all gave presentations and demonstrations of their ideas.

Registration is now opened for the North-Central edition of the Internet Policy Training. Interested participants should visit www.pinigeria.org/ipt.

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Liberian rapper Sonny Tubman aka Scientific, has released yet another Classic for the rap and HipHop community.

Scientific, in this song decided to address the canker in Liberia and her music industry as a whole, by sending a wake up call to all the citizens and industry players to help strengthen the nation and their music industry.

The rapper whose formative years have been spent in Ghana, raps about how his people warmly embrace foreigners and yet reject and despise their own. He further laid bars about the “Pull Him Down” syndrome eating up Liberians and all black people. Scientific who takes pride in his nationality as a Liberian didn’t let the beat end without making that clearly known in new single titled “Haters Killaz”.

He addressed issues which are prevalent not only in Liberia, but in Ghana and most African states. Musicians in Ghana might familiarise with his factual statement about how artistes are paid chicken change compared to foreign acts that come to perform in the same country.

It is evident throughout the song that Scientific is dissatisfied with the current state of his country’s show business and claims that Liberia started this whole HipHop movement, yet they slouched for a minute only to be overtaken by their neighbouring countries.

He hopes that this song would have the desired effect by getting all Liberians and Africans to embrace their own and help develop it to the fullest.

“Haters Killaz” was produced by P-Dubb Mancini, a Liberian based in Philadelphia, USA who has produced for a lot of big names in the American music industry such as Wale, Jadakiss, Fred da Godson, and a host of others.

TWITTER @scientificgh @pmancini

Listen:

[audio mp3="http://www.aphroden.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Scientific-Haters-Killaz-Prod.-By-P-Dubb-Mancini.mp3"][/audio]

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If you’re familiar with David Beckham’s body (ahem) of work for H&M, you know that he’s not afraid to show a little skin in the service of showing off his line of bodywear. You may rememberhis commitment to the cause hasn’t wavered a bit, as you can see from the latest round.

In the steamy black and white ads, the soccer star shows off his abs, tattoos and upper-thigh region in an assortment of styles, from skintight boxer-briefs to fashion-y tees. He also expands his repertoire beyond swim and underwear, including a few pairs of sweats (as seen below, right) that are equally cozy and cheeky.

One thing that’s slightly different from previous campaigns? The soccer star doesn’t let his abs do all the talking. The photos share plenty of focus on his chiseled mug and tousled hair, leading us to think he could be a perfect lead model if his wife ever starts that men’s clothing line.

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1. The inspiration for her newest bust-shaped bottle? It’s an ode to her inner blonde bombshell. “Last year, I did a photo shoot as a blonde, and I felt inspired and powerful — a sultry bombshell” she reveals.

2. Her DIY makeup is super toned down. “I can do a full face from start to finish, [but] when I do my own makeup, I love it looking fresh and clean, [so] I go very light on the skin.”

3. She may dress crazier than the average girl, but the inside of her purse looks pretty much like ours: “gum, money, jewelry, lotion, hand sanitizer and lip gloss.”

4. She keeps black eyeliner in her pantry, because, duh, “It’s my obsession.” (That’s the same reason we keep Oreos in our pantry.)

5. That glowing skin in her latest video? She come by it naturally — and “never does face masks.”

6. Her primping motto: No pain, no gain. And her top ouch-inducing beauty treatment of choice: “The painful process of threading.”

7. The Queens native’s favorite hot spots in N.Y.C include “lots of food places: Negril and Gloria’s [for] West Indian food. And you can’t forget the malls! Green Acres Mall, Kings Plaza, and the Jamaica Coliseum Mall.”

8. And if she could go “H.A.M.” on any indulgent food without any consequences? “Warm brownies with vanilla ice cream.” We’re with her there.

9. Her favorite beach is “anything in Trindad. It’s home!”

10. Finally, what does one of the most entertaining women in the world rely on for her own entertainment? “I was recently watching Kandi’s Wedding on Bravo – [there's] so much drama! I also love anything on Investigation Discovery.” So next time you tweet Nicki, you know what to talk about.

The post Things You Didn’t Know About Nicki Minaj (Including Her Guilty Pleasure) appeared first on Aphroden.

Adebola Williams and Guests

The Future Africa Awards and Summit officially presented the members of the Advisory Council - Nigeria and honoured them for their unwavering support through the years at the Wheatbaker Hotel on Monday, July 7, 2014.

The event which was an evening of Jazz, fine wine, presentations and good company had in attendance Adesewa Onyenekwe, Bolanle Austen Peters, OC Ukeje, Mai Atafo, Kemi Lala Akindoju, Gideon Okeke, Wana Wana Udoabong, Tosin Martins, Shade Ladipo amongst others.

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They spent the previous four days weeping for Neymar. They will spend the rest of their lives grieving about Tuesday, 8 July, and the day that Brazilian football was demolished in one of its own great cities.

In the list of great sporting collapses it is hard to think of an occasion as raw, as painful and as humiliating as this, when Germany scored five goals in 29 minutes against a Brazil team that had taken leave of any semblance of a game-plan. Extraordinary and excruciating to watch it was a World Cup match like no other. Even the Germans sensed that they should mute their celebrations, as if they were also bystanders at a solemn state funeral.

Something was lost to Brazilian football that will never be recovered, not in this generation or perhaps many more to come. It was their misfortune that the second World Cup finals in their country coincided with one of the most mediocre Brazil teams in memory but even then no-one expected a defeat that Luiz Felipe Scolari himself described as “catastrophic, terrible”. This was football history being made.  It was a realignment of how we think about the world game and where the power lies.

Here are some pictures of the many hearts broken during the clashes between Germany and also during the third place final against Holland.

This was the tournament that was supposed to exorcise the ghosts of the “Maracanazo” and instead it has lumbered a whole new generation of Brazilians with a complex they may never shift.

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Ekejiuba Chinenyenwa is a student of Bells University studying Biomedical Engineering. She is also an upcoming designer whose designs is inspired by the Nigerian Culture, her point of concentration is in judge materials.

Her designs are made for everyone and it could be worn for various occasions and regularly on a daily bases. The designs on her outfit portrays confidence, uniqueness and class. In her designs she tries to showcase and promote old fashion styles in a modernized form so that the outfits could be cherished by their admirers.

Chinenyenwa & her models

She is currently going to showcase her outfits on the 19^th of July, 2014 at a programme titled “Rip the Runway Nigeria” which will hold at the famous Eko Hotel and Suites.

Rip The Runway is one of the biggest Charity Fashion & Music showcase in Nigeria. This event features the best of Fashion, Music, Networking and Socialising. Artistes performing Patoranking, Davido, LOS, Omo Baba.

Find below some pictures of her inspired exotic designs. Also follow her on Twitter: @conea95  Instagram:  conae_95

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Your feet are on display this time of year, but it's hard to keep them looking their best when the weather's warm: Exposure to the sun and hot surfaces like sand and concrete can leave your poor dogs dry and rough. Here's how to protect them from the elements so they stay picture-perfect for the entire season (because you never know when you'll want to Instagram your pedi).

Exfoliate At Least Once A Week
"This will help you get rid of surface dry skin cells, making them look and feel smoother," says Kristen Murphy, Spa Manager at the Woodmark Hotel's Still Spa. Plus, your moisturizer will be more effective when you slough off flaky skin first. Some great budget foot scrubs to try include Tree Hut's Peppermint & Sugar Exfoliating Foot Scrub  or Kiss My Face Peppermint Foot Scrub. For dryer skin, opt for a sugar scrub instead of a salt-based scrub; although salt detoxifies and draws out impurities, it can also be dehydrating.

Avoid Soaking Feet
Contrary to what you might think, soaking can further dehydrate already-dry feet, says Murphy. So instead of soaking your tootsies, apply a sugar scrub directly onto dry skin, and wipe it off with a moistened towel.

Keep a Pumice Stone in Your Shower
Celebrity manicurist Jin Soon Choi, founder of the JINsoon Nail Lacquer line and Jin Soon Hand & Foot Spas in New York City, grew up in a small village in South Korea where foot-care products weren't available. "We would go to the river and find a textured stone, and we would scrub our callouses and feet with the stone," she says. "This really worked." Of course, you don't have to search for your own stone since commercially available pumice stones are available. Use one daily or once every other day; just make sure to apply less pressure to soft skin and more to callouses when giving your feet a scrub-down.

Do Some Heavy-Duty Moisturizing
Your heels are prone to over-use—and as a result, they tend to dry out more easily than the rest of your foot, says Choi. The heel is also protected by thicker skin, which means that it's less penetrable and it'll take a little more effort to lock moisture in.  Apply a lotion or oil immediately after you shower to retain the moisture your feet have already soaked up. For even better results, reapply a moisturizer right before bed.

Don't Forget to Apply Sunscreen
Lots of people neglect to apply a good SPF to their feet, but don't make this big mistake. Not only does the skin on your tootsies need protection, but nails are made of protein and are therefore as vulnerable as your skin. "Cuticles serve a purpose," says Barbara Hershfelt, director of sales and marketing for Cutex. "They seal in moisture and protect new nail growth as it emerges from the base of the nail." Sun, wind, and sand can dry cuticles and nail folds (the areas of skin that frame your nails), which is bad for nail growth. You can avoid these issues by being diligent with your sunscreen routine.

Eat Foot-Friendly Foods
Believe it or not, some foods can cause your feet to swell and become bloated. Foods high in salt are the most likely culprits, says Carolyn Dean, M.D., a member of the medical advisory board for the nonprofit Nutritional Magnesium Association. To keep your feet looking great, avoid packaged foods, which are heavily salted. Sugars can also cause foot puffiness, so you'll want to minimize your intake of that, too, says Dean.

Let Toes Breathe
Since nails are a living part of your anatomy, they need a break to "breathe" from time to time so they can continue healthy growth patterns and rid themselves of chemical residue, says Choi, who recommends a break from nail polish about once a month for a few days to a week. This can help prevent discoloration—particularly if you like to use dark-colored nail polishes—and keep your pedi looking pretty.

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Everyone has a reliable look they love — yes, even celebrities, who have unlimited access to every pair of shoes and fancy dress in the universe. Take Keira Knightley, for example. She’s been stepping out on her Begin Again promotional tour wearing one very Keira outfit after another, and it’s evident that she’s found a style she’s happy to stick with.

The outfit in question: A perfectly prim dress in pale shades, with feminine details like pleats, lace and ruffles, long-sleeved and/or full-skirted, worn with a pair of girlie, metallic round-toe pumps. From left, she exited her hotel in a chic Valentino tea-length sheath, a high-necked Prada day dress (both in the same pair of silver heels) and a baby pink lace number (for which she swapped in the gold version of the same heels).

A cool pair of sunglasses or a barely-done do modernizes the look and keeps it from being too prissy, and her go-to Smokey eye perfectly finishes the ensemble. And we have to admire the packing strategy: When you decide on one easy two-piece outfit, there’s much less to pack and even less to think about.

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