INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, impurities and excess oil while preparing your skin for cleansing and toning.  Before exfoliating, use a cleanser on your skin. Gently massage your skin in circular motions for a few minutes to promote blood circulation, to remove makeup and to eliminate excess oil, or sebum. Many cleansers contain exfoliating beads or other ingredients that allow you to accomplish both tasks at once. Just avoid cleansers that have drying ingredients like deodorants, colors or fragrances. Also, skip cleansers that have "antibacterial" on the label. Pour some toner onto a cotton ball. Rub the toner over your face until no excess dirt remains. Massage the cream into your skin for hydration and a dewy look.  Use a moisturizer with at least SPF 15 to prevent premature aging from sun exposure.  Look for moisturizer containing humectants like glycerin, propylene glycol or urea. Humectants attract water when you apply them to your skin and improve its hydration.  Choose moisturizers with alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). AHAs improve dead skin cell turnover, which results in decreased dryness, acne, wrinkles and age spots. Since these products make your skin more sensitive to the sun, you should always follow with sunscreen. Switch moisturizers according to the season. In the summer, use a lighter product. In the winter, choose something thicker and heavier. If you use 1 brand of cleanser, choose your toning and moisturizing products from the same brand. Taking a unified approach is often better for your skin, because mixed brands don't always interact well with one another.

SUMMARY: Exfoliate your face gently. Apply a toner to your face. Apply a good moisturizer with natural oils such as rosemary or almond. Use the same family of products.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Most people won't pull out a set of measuring cups or a food scale at a nice restaurant.  To keep you on track with portion sizes, have a guide on hand like this one from WebMD  Keep a copy of this guide in your wallet or purse.  Pull it out once your meal arrives and compare what you're served with and the appropriate portion size listed. Divide your plate by the "correct portion" size and "leftovers."  Ask to box the leftovers immediately so they're no longer a temptation. Do a little research before you head out to eat.  Knowing what options are available prior to ordering helps you stay away from temptations and stick to your smaller portion size.  Check out the menu and nutrition information online if available.  Choose 1-2 items that seem good and will fit into your small portion. Call ahead and see if they're able to half or smaller portions.  It can help you prepare for whether you will need to take home leftovers. Learning to leave a little bit of leftovers on your plate is a good habit to get into.  You can almost guarantee that restaurant portions are much larger than recommended.  Plan on having leftovers.  When you eat out, ask the waiter to box a quarter—or even half—of your meal before you get it. You'll have the perfect leftover portion for the next day. Ask your server if they have half or petite portions if it's difficult for you to leave items on your plate. Split an entrée with a friend or family member.  This is another good option if you have a hard time not finishing the whole portion.  If you split it, it's automatically portion controlled! This is a great way to manage portions.  Starters are usually smaller (and cheaper!) than entrées.  There's also a low risk of finishing "more than you should" which can happen with larger entrée sized meals.  Try tapas too!  Some restaurants serve tapas which are very small portions of dishes.  You can order 1-2 small tapas and overall still maintain a small portion size.  It's great for those who like to try a variety of dishes. If you don't order an appetizer, try order a child's size portion.  Again, these are much smaller than an adult entrée and make portion control a lot easier.  Beware of "kid foods" - sometimes portions are smaller but the choices might not be very healthy.

SUMMARY: Print or buy a portion size guide. Choose your meal before you go. Leave food on your plate. Order an appetizer for your main course.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: This should tie the end of the project off permanently and effectively, creating a solid knot.

SUMMARY: Pull the piece of yarn sticking out of your project taut.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: If you're struggling to get a job because of your lack of experience, respectfully tell friends and family that you're trying to find clients. Offer to do their funeral makeup for free so you can practice your skills. Pre-arrange everything with the client, including makeup preferences and choosing a reference photo to work from. If you already have plenty of experience, continue to do this type of freelance work as a way to earn income in addition to your funeral home work. If you'd like to increase your chances of getting a mortuary makeup artist job, get mortuary qualifications. You can train across a wide range of mortuary skills so you qualify for more mortuary positions. Training in multiple mortuary fields will make you a more attractive job candidate at smaller funeral homes where they may not be able to hire a large staff. Since it may be difficult to get experience without landing a job first, contact local mortuary makeup artists and ask if you can learn from them.  Keep in mind that most apprenticeships are unpaid. It's important to have your cosmetology license before you begin an apprenticeship because you'll probably be working with deceased bodies. If you can’t find a mentor or a way to get lots of experience, don’t worry. Many mortuary makeup artists get their initial experience after they’ve gotten their first job. As long as you have your training and license, you are still a viable candidate for a mortuary makeup artist position. Many funeral homes will want to train you according to their preferred practices.

SUMMARY:
Volunteer your services to gain experience. Attend mortuary science school for an emphasis on funeral home work. Ask to apprentice under another mortuary makeup artist. Get on the job training.