AP9 Articles

AP9 GalleriaUSA Reveals the Secrets Behind Healthy Looking Hair

A woman’s hair may go through several styles, colors and lengths during a lifetime because it’s the easiest part of the body to alter when a mini makeover is needed. However, as easily as hair can be changed, it can also be damaged just as easily. AP9 GalleriaUSA, a leading discount membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, presents tips to consider when purchasing your next bottle of shampoo.

Shampoo is meant to remove dirt and build-up, and conditioners are designed to add shine, build body and detangle for easier styling. But with so many products available, it’s difficult to know which shampoo or conditioner will work best for you. Price, ingredients, and, ultimately, the final look of your hair are things you need to take into consideration. AP9 Galleria USA suggests finding out what type of hair you have before selecting a shampoo.

There are three basic hair types: normal, dry and oily. Hair can also have additional qualities -- thin, coarse, fine, colored, straight or curly -- that need to be considered when choosing the right shampoo for you. To make a better-informed decision, AP9 GalleriaUSA suggests shampoos for the most common hair types:

-- Normal Hair. If you have what is considered normal hair, the time and money spent on your hair will be minimal, since normal hair is usually healthy-looking and easy to style. It’s not too dry or too oily, and it hasn’t been chemically treated or processed. The best shampoo for normal hair is a clear, gentle shampoo.

-- Dry Hair. There are many reasons why hair becomes dry and can feel and look damaged. Hair can become dry due to color-treating or a lack of conditioning treatments, or because the hair is coarse and curly. Coarse, curly hair tends to be dry because the oils produced on the scalp don’t travel as easily down curly hair shafts as they do with straight hair. Coarse, curly hair can also tangle easily, looks frizzy and is prone to split ends. The solution for this hair type is to use creamy, moisturizing shampoos that contain ingredients like wheat germ oil, shea butter and nut oils (macadamia, for example). In addition, dry hair should not be washed every day. Frequent washing dehydrates the hair and makes it frizzier.

-- Oily Hair. This type of hair tends to be limp and flat, difficult to style, and quick to become oily after every wash. People with oily, fine or limp hair should select a clear shampoo that’s gentle, is designed for daily use and contains the body-building ingredient panthenol. Hair experts insist that panthenol penetrates the hair cuticle, making each strand thicker.

Before rinsing more money down the drain trying to find the “right” shampoo, determine your hair type. Ask your stylist or the employee of a local beauty supply store for help in your selection. In addition, AP9 GalleriaUSA members can log on to Galleria123.com to save up to 20% off beauty and personal care products like shampoo. May every day be a good hair day, wishes AP9 Galleria USA.

AP9 BusinessMax Prepares Business Travelers for Their Next Trip

Meeting clients, promoting a new product or service, and attending events are all good reasons to travel for business and not for pleasure today. With companies becoming global, more and more people find themselves traveling from city to city and country to country to close deals, make presentations, or visit the corporate office. One suggestion from AP9 BusinessMax, a leading membership program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^® featuring discounts on office supplies and services, professional development and more, is to use top-quality, light luggage during those never-ending business trips.

The majority of business travelers are always in a hurry, notes AP9 Business Max, and don’t really have time to pack several bags -- much less check them at the airport. What they need is luggage that holds all of their necessary belongings but is still compact enough to be a carry-on. That way, when the plane lands, the traveler can simply get off the plane and head to the next destination without wasting any time waiting for checked luggage.

AP9 BusinessMax has several recommendations to keep in mind while shopping for the ideal business luggage. Beyond options such as price, color, material, and style, be sure to take the following characteristics into consideration before reaching a final decision:

-- Choose a carry-on. As noted before, business travelers tend to have very tight schedules, and time is money. Luggage that can be lugged anywhere at any time can save them the extra half-hour usually needed to pick up their luggage and even prevent the inconvenience of losing or missing their luggage. Just remember to follow the size guidelines offered by the airlines to ensure that what you buy will fit in the overhead compartment. Most bags within the 24" x 14" x 9" (61 x 35.5 x 23-cm) size range are considered acceptable on all planes.

-- Get some wheels. Lots of walking and even running are part of the daily schedule of a business traveler. To help your daily routines, it is important that you have luggage with wheels to make it easier to get around airports, hotels, and the like. Heavy-duty wheels (some have durable in-line skate wheels) and a sturdy base are two essential characteristics for business travel luggage.

-- The more compartments, the better. A large number of small pockets can really come in handy. Having enough compartments to separate personal care items from important documents and business suits will make your trip less stressful. You shouldn’t have to worry about your shampoo exploding onto your business suit when you’re trying to concentrate on your next presentation or on closing that deal.

Of course, if you travel a lot, you’ll also want to consider characteristics such as durability, expandability, warranty, and price when picking out luggage. Just remember that, as a business traveler, you can make your life easier by only packing what you really need, notes AP9 Business Max.

AP9 PrivacyMatters 123 Says, “Don’t Get Hooked – Phishing Can Ruin Your Day”

AP9 Privacy Matters 123, a leading security and privacy membership program from Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, offers its members advice and insights on how to stop today’s identity thieves.

As if there weren’t enough identity theft scams out there already, it seems that phishing has quickly emerged as one of the most damaging forms of online identity theft. And, no, that’s not a misprint, reports AP9 PrivacyMatters 123. It’s “phishing,” not “fishing,” but it’s a good bet that right now, plenty of identity thieves are busy baiting their collective online hooks, in hopes of reeling in confidential information.

Phishing scams can be complicated, but their aims are simple, notes AP9 Privacy Matters 123. Try thinking of these scams as — what else? — a ruse to coax the surrender of personal information. The … pardon the pun … catch is that expert phishers masquerade as legitimate and well-known companies (often banks and credit card companies) and tell unsuspecting online users that they are verifying or updating account information. And — big surprise — they need to confirm that information or the account will become inactive.

Well, two can play at that game. Or, even better, to borrow a quote from the 1970s’ comedy cult classic Animal House, “Don’t get mad … get even.” AP9 PrivacyMatters 123 offers just a few ways to frustrate an online phisher and keep personal information, personal:

-- Don’t touch that mouse. Never provide any personal or security information in an e-mail. Phishers may be despicable, but they can also be pretty convincing. If the e-mail claims to be asking about existing account information, call the company’s customer service number instead.

-- It’s a family affair. Tell everyone in the family about phishing threats, and warn them to keep an eye out for such online scams. It only takes one online user per computer to open up the information flood gates for all.

-- Read the fine print. When typing in a URL or web address, make sure it’s the right one. Many online addresses are very similar, and it takes only one slip on the keyboard for personal information to fall into an opportunistic phisher’s hands.

-- Big brother is listening. Not to be too paranoid, but maybe George Orwell was right. The calendar reveals that “1984” has clearly come and gone, and it’s still not clear how much personal information is freely floating out there. For that reason, don’t ever volunteer personal information over the phone — until it’s clear that you’re dealing with a reputable organization.

So when it comes to phishing, stick to the “deep sea” variety. More to the point, stay alert, and see to it that online phishers suddenly feel compelled to head out to sea for the afternoon — and not back to their computers. For these and other anti-identity theft tips, finding help is as easy as AP9 Privacy Matters 123.

AP9 Privacy Matters Says, “If Your Wallet is Swiped, Don’t Sit Around”

AP9 PrivacyMatters, a leading security and privacy membership program from Adaptive Marketing LLC^®, knows it’s no fun getting ripped off. Still, if it happens, consumers need to have a plan of action in place. Fighting back effectively against any theft calls for speed and efficiency.

It seems that no one knows the actual origins of “Pull yourself up by your bootstraps,” but it’s definitely sound advice when it comes to having a wallet or purse stolen. Irish author James Joyce used it in his 1922 Ulysses, and in the modern lexicon it has come to mean an improvement of one’s situation through personal effort. Sure, it’s inconvenient to have to deal with the theft of critical and personal items, but no one else will do the legwork. That’s on you, notes AP9 Privacy Matters.

So taking that first proactive step is key. And once those proverbial bootstraps have been pulled up, AP9 PrivacyMatters has some definite ideas on how to recover from theft effectively and with fewer headaches:

-- “Calling all cars.” If theft happens, first and foremost, don’t panic or get enraged. After all, what will that do? Instead, act fast and file a police report for the stolen item. And be sure to get a copy of the police report, in case the bank, credit card companies or insurance companies need proof of the crime.

-- Call up and cancel. Cancel all credit and charge cards, and get new account numbers. AP9 PrivacyMatters warns that victims will spend a lot of time on the phone dealing with customer service people right after a theft. So keep those phone skills sharp.

-- Stay in the fight. Again, no one likes to deal with being ripped off, but don’t wallow in it. Instead, fight back, act fast, and make some more phone calls. Once those stolen account numbers have been canceled through the individual credit companies, call up the major credit reporting agencies and ask them to flag accounts with a “fraud alert.” In case the cards have already been abused, ask those at the reporting agencies to add a “victim’s statement” to build in some more protection.

-- Check in with the bank. Call the bank ASAP, and tell them what’s happened. Have them cancel checking and savings account numbers and arrange for new ones. Also arrange for stop payments on any blank checks that might have been stolen from a purse or billfold. Cover all the bases. Thieves don’t miss much.

-- Call the haul. Once you’ve dealt with all the finances, get on the phone with everybody else — utility companies and the phone company. Tell them that someone may well try to get new service, masquerading as you.

The worst thing theft victims can do is sit around feeling sorry for themselves. It’s better instead to pull up those bootstraps and fight back — quickly, efficiently and thoroughly. And take heed of these theft-recovery tips from AP9 PrivacyMatters.

AP9 TodaysEscapes Offers a Preview of Upcoming Book Releases

As August rolls in, vacationers will be heading to the beaches in waves, reports AP9 TodaysEscapes, a leading membership discount shopping program from Adaptive Marketing LLC^®. Along with towels, sunblock and their preferred forms of hydration, most beach-goers will be hitting the sand with book in hand, the perfect accessory to while away the time as they work on their tans.

Of course, the books that enjoy a little beach time in late summer will be as diverse as the people reading them. Some folks like a light read, a playful romp through the fictional lives of the rich and famous, notes AP9 Todays Escapes. Others prefer gripping adventures, from detective mysteries to military thrillers. Still others lean toward tales of teenaged angst or even stories about immortals.

To help late-summer beachcombers plan their summer reads, AP9 TodaysEscapes offers a look at a few upcoming book releases:

-- July 23: Daniel Silva, renowned writer of international intrigue, releases the seventh book in the Gabriel Allon series, “Secret Servant.” Allon travels to Amsterdam to investigate the assassination of a terror analyst and is drawn into the kidnapping of the daughter of an American ambassador, a tale of twists, turns and breathtaking suspense. Also in stores on the 23rd is “Justice Denied,” the latest J.P. Beaumont thriller from J.A. Jance, as well as “Thursday Next: First Among Sequels,” the fifth literary detective installment from acclaimed satirist Jasper Fforde, who delves this time into the deaths of Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple.

-- July 31: International bestseller Karin Slaughter returns with her seventh book, “Beyond Reach,” a Georgia-based thriller revolving around medical examiner/pediatrician Sara Linton, who faces a lawsuit from grieving parents, a mystery involving her husband’s police force, and the uncovering of family secrets. Also arriving on the 31st is “Third Watch,” the riveting finale to the Acorna’s Children series by Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Ann Scarborough, along with “Jinx,” a young adult book by Meg Cabot, author of the popular “Princess Diaries” series, about an unlucky teenager who hopes her fortunes will change when she moves to New York City to live with an aunt and uncle.

-- August 6: Paranormal fan favorite Sherrilyn Kenyon comes out with “Devil May Cry,” the next installment in the best-selling Dark-Hunter series, featuring immortals Sin, Artemis and a tale of revenge that takes a romantic twist as Armageddon looms. Robin Cook also returns with “Critical,” the next in a line of stories featuring Laurie Montgomery and Jack Stapleton, New York City medical examiners. This time, they’re investigating a rash of infection deaths at Manhattan hospitals that rely heavily on the secret investments of a Mafia don.

-- August 13: Bestselling author Sandra Brown releases “Play Dirty,” a tale of intrigue and sex involving a former professional football player-turned-ex-con who’s hired to impregnate an airline magnate’s wife but finds himself under suspicion of murder. Also available in stores on the 13th is “Force of Nature,” the eleventh book in Suzanne Brockmann’s Troubleshooters series, featuring private eye Ric Alvarado as he goes deep undercover into a criminal organization that may be spreading its tentacles into terrorist activities.

Wherever their interests may lie, book lovers will have plenty of new summer reading to choose from — and plenty of savings to choose them with through AP9 Todays Escapes.

AP9 SimplyYou Reminds the Public on the Benefits of Exercise

Over the years, people have always looked for the equivalent of a “get rich” scheme when it comes to having a good body. Unfortunately, there are no shortcuts when it comes to getting into shape and losing weight. Eating healthy and regular exercise are the only ways to sculpt that perfect body, reports AP9 SimplyYou, a membership discount program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^® that provides significant benefits in healthcare, discounts, security, personal property and personals.

One of the main reasons that people exercise is to lose weight, reports AP9 Simply You. But losing weight is only one of the many benefits that people can gain from regular physical activity. From improving quality of life to reducing stress, exercise adds years to one’s life, gives people more energy, and helps improve self-esteem. For those looking to improve their quality of life, exercise is the answer.

Whether it’s a jog around the neighborhood or taking a yoga class at the gym, an enjoyable workout is within reach for everyone. The right exercise doesn’t have to be time-consuming or difficult, either. Regardless of the type of exercise, constant physical activity is one of the most important aspects of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. That’s why AP9 SimplyYou offers these reminders on the benefits of exercising.

-- Lose weight. By burning calories, exercise helps people achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Burning calories can also reduce body fat — increasing energy levels and improving one’s appearance and confidence. The combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise is often the best solution for those looking to shed a few pounds.

-- Reduce cholesterol levels and the risk of developing diabetes. Exercise can reduce cholesterol in an overall effort to prevent heart attacks. Also, people who stay in good shape are far less likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, since frequent exercise can lower one’s blood sugar level. According to the American Diabetes Association, just half an hour a day of moderate physical activity, coupled with a 5-10% decrease in body weight, resulted in a 58% reduction in diabetes in a study of people with pre-diabetes.

-- Reduce pain and stress. Exercise stimulates the production of endorphins that produce feelings of well-being and help people relax. Whether it’s a ten-mile bike ride or thirty minutes on the treadmill, releasing pent-up energy can be a great way to get over an argument with a friend or a frustrating day at the office.

-- Strengthen bones and muscle. Frequent exercise, especially weightlifting, helps build up strength and tone the body. From an appearance standpoint alone, lifting weights and running can help give people the body that they desire. Physical activity can also prevent the bone-weakening disease osteoporosis.

In the constant grind that is life, going to the gym may seem impossible sometimes. But finding the time to exercise can help improve your confidence, happiness and quality of life, reports AP9 Simply You.

AP9 SavingSmart Warns Summer Travelers About the Risks of Hidden Hotel Fees

It’s summertime, which means it’s vacation season, which means a lot of travelers might be in for a surprise when they check out of their hotel rooms, reports AP9 Saving Smart, a leading membership discount program offered by Adaptive Marketing LLC^®. Fortunately, asking a few questions before confirming a hotel reservation can help to reduce sticker shock come checkout time.

As friendly and accommodating as hotels like to be, they’re still in the business of making money, and the cellphone wave has chipped significantly into the large revenue stream once generated by hotel phone charges, reports AP9 SavingSmart. Hotels therefore need to find other ways to bring in additional income, and they’ve become quite creative about doing so. And while hotels are required by law to inform guests about add-on fees, when and how they do so can vary, as can the specific charges applied by each hotel.

To help you ask the right questions before you make hotel reservations this summer, AP9 Saving Smart offers a breakdown of common “hidden hotel fees”:

-- Resort fees. Resorts tend to be more expensive to begin with, since they typically offer a lot of add-ons to the standard hotel room, whether it’s golf courses, fitness spas — even beach towels. What people may not know is that a number of resorts charge their guests a resort fee regardless of whether they use any of the resort offerings.

-- Parking fees. Motels were created in the 20th century in large part to accommodate motorists near an interstate highway. Hotels, a much older industry, were designed for people without taking their cars into account. These days, of course, cars are everywhere, and hotels realize it. Unless you’re taking a shuttle van from the airport to a hotel, there’s a good chance you’ll need to pay for your automobile’s accommodations as well as your own.

-- Room service. As the saying goes, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” When it comes to room service, that’s doubly true. Many hotels now tack on delivery fees for room-service meals, along with 15% gratuities that often go unnoticed — until checkout — when travelers think handing the bellboy a five-dollar bill is more than enough to cover the tip.

-- Other service fees. From housekeeping services and phone use to Internet access, fax machines and more, hotels can fulfill any number of needs, but these services typically don’t come free. Wily travelers can sometimes get around the Internet access fee by using a dial-up modem and a local ISP number, but even that maneuver can show up on the bill as a charge for a local phone call.

-- Honor bars. Five-dollar candy bars? Seven dollars for a bottle of water? How much for a beer? The best way to avoid the high cost of honor bars is to pack snacks ahead of time — or to go shopping outside the hotel.

Budgeting for a vacation can be difficult in the best of times. These days, as fuel costs stay high and hotels find new ways to charge their guests, it’s as difficult as ever, which is why smart consumers continue to take advantage of the savings offered every day throughout the year by AP9 SavingSmart.