If the Bible were about skin care there would only be five commandments. Exfoliating is the second of the five commandments of skin care. Unfortunately, most people actively follow only one of these five commandments/rules; most people only do 20% of what they should be doing for proper skin care. Dermatologists, cosmeticians, and beauticians could, and have, for years given tips and recommendations for great skin care. However, most of these tips are irrelevant or are less effective if you are not fulfilling the five most basic rules, needs, necessities, requisites, and requirements for great skin. These five rules should be considered the foundation for any great skin care system. Like any foundation, they can be built and expanded upon (for example by the said tips by skin care professionals mentioned above) – you just have to get the basics covered first. We recommend that you use organic and all natural skin care products because the dangers of using harsh (potentially carcinogenic) chemicals on your skin are simply not worth the risk – however, even before you consider using organic skin care products you should at the very least be following the five commandments of skin care.ExfoliatingAlthough exfoliating is one of the most important steps in a skin care regimen, it is far too often completely skipped by people. This is a big skin care mistake; every type of skin will benefit from exfoliation at least twice a week. The reason that you need to continually exfoliate is because the lower layers of skin regenerate new skin cells and new skin which are pushed up to the top layer of the skin leaving dead skin on the surface layer. Exfoliation will remove these dead skin cells as well as any excess oil, dirt, makeup, dust, harsh chemicals, and any other pollutant left on the top layer of the skin after cleansing. Effective exfoliation leaves the skin soft, refreshed, and smooth. Effective exfoliation will also allow toners and moisturizers to penetrate deeper into the skin. A note of interest here is that in the same way that exfoliation opens up your pores for toners and moisturizers to penetrate deep into the skin it can also allow dirt, dust, harsh chemicals from skin care products, and other pollutants to penetrate deeper into the skin so you want to make sure you close your pores before going about your day. It has been suggested that men have softer skin than women over the lifetime of their skin likely because they shave everyday which helps to remove the top layer of dead skin which is a form of exfoliation in itself. These dead skin cells need to be gently exfoliated off the surface layer to prevent clogged pores.Just like cleansing, you want to make sure that you do not over-exfoliate which can cause surface irritation and redness and may cause your natural oils to spiral out of control. You also want to make sure you gently exfoliate in a circular motion. Do not scrub too hard; your skin is not a garage floor and should not be treated like one. Be very gentle with your skin to prevent premature aging. You may want to aim to exfoliate anywhere from twice a week to every other day. You will have to do some trial and error to find the right balance for your skin. Some people like to use an exfoliating cleanser to keep things simple but if you insist on having two separate products like we suggest it is best to cleanse before you exfoliate so that you can clean dust and grime off the top layer of skin before opening up your pores. Just like cleansing, you want to spend about three times longer rinsing your skin than scrubbing. Also, some people only like to exfoliate in the winter months or use different scrubs for the summer months and the winter months. This is because in the winter the dead skin cells on the surface can dry your skin out even more so than summer months because the skin is already prone to drying and produces less sebum in the summer. For this reason, at Giddy Organics, we offer scrubs that are designed for winter months as well as scrubs for summer months.

Summary
SPDN is not the largest or oldest way to short the S&P 500, but it’s a solid choice.
This ETF uses a variety of financial instruments to target a return opposite that of the S&P 500 Index.
SPDN’s 0.49% Expense Ratio is nearly half that of the larger, longer-tenured -1x Inverse S&P 500 ETF.
Details aside, the potential continuation of the equity bear market makes single-inverse ETFs an investment segment investor should be familiar with.
We rate SPDN a Strong Buy because we believe the risks of a continued bear market greatly outweigh the possibility of a quick return to a bull market.
Put a gear stick into R position, (Reverse).
Birdlkportfolio

By Rob Isbitts

Summary
The S&P 500 is in a bear market, and we don’t see a quick-fix. Many investors assume the only way to navigate a potentially long-term bear market is to hide in cash, day-trade or “just hang in there” while the bear takes their retirement nest egg.

The Direxion Daily S&P 500® Bear 1X ETF (NYSEARCA:SPDN) is one of a class of single-inverse ETFs that allow investors to profit from down moves in the stock market.

SPDN is an unleveraged, liquid, low-cost way to either try to hedge an equity portfolio, profit from a decline in the S&P 500, or both. We rate it a Strong Buy, given our concern about the intermediate-term outlook for the global equity market.

Strategy
SPDN keeps it simple. If the S&P 500 goes up by X%, it should go down by X%. The opposite is also expected.

Proprietary ETF Grades
Offense/Defense: Defense

Segment: Inverse Equity

Sub-Segment: Inverse S&P 500

Correlation (vs. S&P 500): Very High (inverse)

Expected Volatility (vs. S&P 500): Similar (but opposite)

Holding Analysis
SPDN does not rely on shorting individual stocks in the S&P 500. Instead, the managers typically use a combination of futures, swaps and other derivative instruments to create a portfolio that consistently aims to deliver the opposite of what the S&P 500 does.

Strengths
SPDN is a fairly “no-frills” way to do what many investors probably wished they could do during the first 9 months of 2022 and in past bear markets: find something that goes up when the “market” goes down. After all, bonds are not the answer they used to be, commodities like gold have, shall we say, lost their luster. And moving to cash creates the issue of making two correct timing decisions, when to get in and when to get out. SPDN and its single-inverse ETF brethren offer a liquid tool to use in a variety of ways, depending on what a particular investor wants to achieve.

Weaknesses
The weakness of any inverse ETF is that it does the opposite of what the market does, when the market goes up. So, even in bear markets when the broader market trend is down, sharp bear market rallies (or any rallies for that matter) in the S&P 500 will cause SPDN to drop as much as the market goes up.

Opportunities
While inverse ETFs have a reputation in some circles as nothing more than day-trading vehicles, our own experience with them is, pardon the pun, exactly the opposite! We encourage investors to try to better-understand single inverse ETFs like SPDN. While traders tend to gravitate to leveraged inverse ETFs (which actually are day-trading tools), we believe that in an extended bear market, SPDN and its ilk could be a game-saver for many portfolios.

Threats
SPDN and most other single inverse ETFs are vulnerable to a sustained rise in the price of the index it aims to deliver the inverse of. But that threat of loss in a rising market means that when an investor considers SPDN, they should also have a game plan for how and when they will deploy this unique portfolio weapon.

Proprietary Technical Ratings
Short-Term Rating (next 3 months): Strong Buy

Long-Term Rating (next 12 months): Buy

Conclusions
ETF Quality Opinion
SPDN does what it aims to do, and has done so for over 6 years now. For a while, it was largely-ignored, given the existence of a similar ETF that has been around much longer. But the more tenured SPDN has become, the more attractive it looks as an alternative.

ETF Investment Opinion

SPDN is rated Strong Buy because the S&P 500 continues to look as vulnerable to further decline. And, while the market bottomed in mid-June, rallied, then waffled since that time, our proprietary macro market indicators all point to much greater risk of a major decline from this level than a fast return to bull market glory. Thus, SPDN is at best a way to exploit and attack the bear, and at worst a hedge on an otherwise equity-laden portfolio.

Shoe Repairs And Several Other Things When I Was 7
My Dad repaired most of our shoes believe it or not, I can hardly believe it myself now. With 7 pairs of shoes always needing repairs I think he was quite clever to learn how to “Keep us in shoe Leather” to coin a phrase!

He bought several different sizes of cast iron cobbler’s “lasts”. Last, the old English “Laest” meaning footprint. Lasts were holding devices shaped like a human foot. I have no idea where he would have bought the shoe leather. Only that it was a beautiful creamy, shiny colour and the smell was lovely.

But I do remember our shoes turned upside down on and fitted into these lasts, my Dad cutting the leather around the shape of the shoe, and then hammering nails, into the leather shape. Sometimes we’d feel one or 2 of those nails poking through the insides of our shoes, but our dad always fixed it.

Hiking and Swimming Galas
Dad was a very outdoorsy type, unlike my mother, who was probably too busy indoors. She also enjoyed the peace and quiet when he took us off for the day!

Anyway, he often took us hiking in the mountains where we’d have a picnic of sandwiches and flasks of tea. And more often than not we went by steam train.

We loved poking our heads out of the window until our eyes hurt like mad from a blast of soot blowing back from the engine. But sore, bloodshot eyes never dampened our enthusiasm.

Dad was an avid swimmer and water polo player, and he used to take us to swimming galas, as they were called back then. He often took part in these galas. And again we always travelled by steam train.

Rowing Over To Ireland’s Eye
That’s what we did back then, we had to go by rowboat, the only way to get to Ireland’s eye, which is 15 minutes from mainland Howth. From there we could see Malahide, Lambay Island and Howth Head of course. These days you can take a Round Trip Cruise on a small cruise ship!

But we thoroughly enjoyed rowing and once there we couldn’t wait to climb the rocks, and have a swim. We picnicked and watched the friendly seals doing their thing and showing off.

Not to mention all kinds of birdlife including the Puffin.The Martello Tower was also interesting but a bit dangerous to attempt entering. I’m getting lost in the past as I write, and have to drag myself back to the present.

Fun Outings with The camera Club
Dad was also a very keen amateur photographer, and was a member of a camera Club. There were many Sunday photography outings and along with us came other kids of the members of the club.

And we always had great fun while the adults busied themselves taking photos of everything and anything, it seemed to us. Dad was so serious about his photography that he set up a dark room where he developed and printed his photographs.

All black and white at the time. He and his camera club entered many of their favourites in exhibitions throughout Europe. I’m quite proud to say that many cups and medals were won by Dad. They have been shared amongst all his grandchildren which I find quite special.

He liked taking portraits of us kids too, mostly when we were in a state of untidiness, usually during play. Dad always preferred the natural look of messy hair and clothes in the photos of his children.