We all know that aromatherapy can be used to ease tension and quiet a busy mind. Finding products that do the trick, however, can be another matter. Many people make the mistake of giving up on aromatherapy when the techniques they've tried just aren't working. Fortunately, there are more ways to use aromatherapy than you probably know of. Below are some of the best ways to use your favorite scent.

Scented Candles
Everyone is familiar with this one, but how well they work depends on two things - the scent used and the amount of scented oil mixed into the wax. A quick test: before buying a candle gently brush your finger over the top of the wax. If you can't see the oil, or it doesn't have a pleasant smell, then it likely won't diffuse well when burned.

Scented Oil Burners
This one can be a little more complex than candles, though all that's needed is an oil burner, tea light and vial of scented oil. Pros: the oil in the burner spreads the scent very quickly. Cons: the scent can smell a bit differently coming from an oil burner, and you have to watch them closely. If the oil burns too low, it causes a very unpleasant burning odor. The best way to see if this works for you is to try it.

Scent Diffuser Reeds
When I first saw these, I thought they looked completely ineffective, until the office I worked at got one. To my surprise, the diffuser reeds left the room smelling pleasant and fresh every day for weeks. They work by setting a few small reeds in a container of scented oil. The reeds absorb and slowly diffuse the aromatherapy oils over days and weeks.

Aromatherapy Body Products
Although these types of products can be found everywhere, don't simply buy whatever aromatherapy blend the company claims is "stress-reducing." Take the time to find a formula that you find pleasant and relaxing. If you use aromatherapy shampoos, conditioners or lotions, they should work well beyond the initial application. If the scent is short-lived, then it's not worth your money.

Do you know shoe talk? If you've been paying attention, you caught lesson one on the language of shoe. If not, it's easy enough to catch up. Learning this lingo could be pretty useful, so what are you waiting for? Grab a friend and read on. Then, when you're done, you could test your knowledge with another friend who is more shoe-savvy than the pair of you. Better yet, use it to grab that pair of whatever those saucy things were in the mall window. Who knows? With these four extra words from the shoe encyclopedia, you may even know what you're talking about this time.

After Hours
Well, normally when you think after hours, you are probably thinking of a hot exclusive party after your favorite band's concert, right? Well, in the case of shoe talk, you'd be off just a little. Okay, maybe a lot. After Hours shoes are comfy shoes that you would not be caught chilling in at any party, but would definitely want to wear while chilling at the house. These would be slippers, moccasins, booties and other casuals.

Gore
Usually, you might associate gore with movies, not shoes. However, there is another definition besides the one used in horror flicks. When referring to shoes, a gore is actually a piece of material, generally elastic, fitted into both sides of the shoe vamp to make it easier to slip and off. It can also make the shoes more comfortable.

Tannage
This type of tannage doesn't involve your swimsuit or a beach. Tannage is actually the process that raw hides and skins go through to get turned into leather. There are actually a number of steps in the process. Leather footwear is made of material that has gone through this process.

Spectator
Spectators are a type of shoe. No, they won't be watching you. However, you might be eyeing and admiring them. Spectators are made of two materials, with one material being more dominant. The dominant material will have a pinking edge and the toe of the shoe will have a perforated design.

I live in Bangkok, Thailand, where I teach English to corporate employees. When I moved here a few years ago, I wore the usual business suits and low-heeled conservative shoes, wanting to project a professional image. It was only after several weeks of working in a Bangkok multi-national corporation I realized I was just about the only one in my office who was "suited up." The women in my company had a completely different dress sense that I loved. Cute, girly, frilly......office wear in Thailand differs a great deal from our Western culture.

Typically, skirts are never longer than the knee. It's floral or has swirly designs, brightly colored or black and white. It's usually A-line or smocked at the waist and moves fluidly when walking. This Hurley Sinclair Convertible Skirt is similar to Thai fashion and perfect for the office. Often times, the women in the office pair these skirts with t-shirts in block colors (short or long sleeves) or perfectly fitted dress shirts in pretty, solid shades.

Often times, girls in the office have perfect jewelry to accessorize (often costing less than $1 a pop at the local market) and everything is finished off with high heeled strappy sandals. And many Thai women have a lot..... One of my office co-workers photographed every one of her 60 plus pairs of shoes, so she can easily find them when she's late for work in the morning.

Thai women are known for their beauty anyway. But matched with sexy, feminine clothes, adorable shoes and, ... oops wait, I forgot to mention the handbags? The current trends are Kate Spade or Guess and many Thai girls on low salaries will save for months to buy the real thing.

Ugg boots have been a featured player in many popular magazines and runway shows. These boots, which are made from sheep's skin and wool, may look like a strictly winter item, however, when Hollywood and celebrity icons started wearing them, they quickly caught on as a year-round fashion item. While the popularity of this boot style has faded in and out in the context of the history of shoes, the controversy over the term "ugg" continues to this day.

The Beginning of the Ugg
Ugg boots are sheepskin boots that have a tanned leather outer, a fluffy, wool liner and usually a synthetic sole. The terms "ugg," "ug" and "ugh" have been used to describe this type of boot for decades. While ugg boots look like they came from Alaska and are primarily manufactured in the U.S, they actually originated in Australia where they continue to be manufactured today.

Trademark Controversy, What Can Be Called an Ugg
In 1971 the term "Ugh-boot" and several other related terms were registered with the Australian Trade Mark Registry by Shane Stedman. Several decades later he sold his registered rights to Deckers Outdoor Corporation, which is an American shoe manufacturer. After acquiring these rights Deckers Outdoor Corporation went on to register these terms and others with the U.S. Trademark Registry. However, this didn't stop many Australian manufacturers from continuing to use the term "uggs" and related derivations of this term, to describe their products.

In 2003, Deckers had had enough and threatened to sue these companies for trademark infringement. The Australian manufacturers, however, felt that the terms registered were generic terms that had been used for generations to describe traditional Australian sheepskin boots and filed their own legal actions. By January 2005, the Australian Trademark Registry had repealed the trademark protection for the terms "ug," "uggs" and "ugg boots."

Today if you buy ugg boots, there is no guarantee that you will be buying "Ugg Boots." To make sure you are getting the designer version, you will need to buy them from a Deckers distributor. However, if you are looking for the traditional Aussie ug boot, just look for a product with "ug" or "ugh" in the boot's name.

Baby boomers are moving into a new era in their lives where the demands are not the same or, in most cases, have been or need to be revised. The days of stilettos or the most popular shoes may be gone or may be worn more sparingly. It is more about comfort and maintaining good foot health. More baby boomers are taking preventative measures to avoid arthritis of the ankles and foot area, be it in a conservative manner or otherwise. This includes conforming to wearing the proper shoes that promote good foot health.

Many baby boomer women have, in the past, worn shoes for looks that may have caused damage to the feet due to pinching, improper sizing or the pushing down of the foot into pointed toed shoes in an extremely high heel. Men, on the other hand, may have worn shoes that were improperly fitted or possibly a shoe that simply was not ideal for the foot.

When considering foot health, baby boomers are more opt to consider comfort over style, though it is possible to have both. There are many options today for comfortable shoes that prevent injuries and promote foot health. There are multiple styles of shoes made by New Balance, Nike, Asics and many others that market shoes that look like basic active wear shoes or oxfords that are certainly accepted in a corporate environment yet provide the necessary support and balance to maintain good foot health.

The baby boomer generation, known as the "Me Generation," is an aggressive generation that will use their health coverage to ensure they are well taken care of, and boomers will make modifications and life style changes to ensure they have good foot health.

When times change, accepting new practices in one's lifestyle may take a little time, however being comfortable is important to all generations. With the many lines of fine active wear shoes that are on the market, comfort and style don't have to be compromised. The baby boomers may however be the leaders of the pack for future generations to show them that being cool doesn't mean giving up comfort and good foot health.

An avid shoe lover simply must speak the language of shoes. How are you going to be able to snag a pair of all your faves if you don't even know their name or what you're looking for? Besides, learning shoe speak can help you find some cute shoes you may have never known about before. Plus, it's a great way to fit in with all your shoe-savvy friends. So, here's four words from the shoe encyclopedia to get you started. Be sure to watch for more.

Ghillie
No fish stories here. The ghillie is actually a shoe in which fabric or shoelaces are laced through fabric eyelets. A ghillie can be worn by men or women and can be found in a boot, high heel, or even a sneaker. It just depends on each individual shoe and how it's made.

Saddle
Ride 'em cowboy! Okay, maybe not. When talking shoes, a saddle is not something you strap to the back of a horse. It's a style of shoe with a different color of leather strapped over the instep. Not exactly horseback riding. When it comes to saddle shoes, you could be doing a number of things, including golfing, bowling, or attending a formal occasion.

Kiltie
A kiltie? What's that, a skirt for shoes? No, no, no. Well, it kind of looks like one sometimes. A kiltie is actually a fringed shoe tongue. The fringed part hangs over the front of the shoe. Generally, these would be somewhat dressy shoes. You can even get a kiltie with a wing tip, which brings us to the next term in our shoe encyclopedia.

Wing Tip
No, we're not switching to bird chatter here. We're still talking shoes. A wing tip is when the part sewn over the toe is shaped like a wing. This can be done on many different types of footwear. For instance, you could see it in a women's heel, a men's dress shoe, or even in a stylish boot.

Summer is a great time of year. The hot weather makes such activities as boating and swimming desirable. And if you are headed out for a day on the lake, whether for fishing, sailing or water skiing, boat shoes are a must-have.

Boat shoes are not traditionally considered very stylish. They are very simple: canvas (the fashion gods shudder) or leather uppers attached to a rubber sole. The rubber sole, one might guess, is meant to keep the wearer from slipping on the deck of a boat that is most likely wet. In earlier times, boat shoes resembled moccasins more than anything else. Now, though, boat shoes are becoming as high tech as any other shoe.

Worried about foot odor out there on the lake? Some boat shoes are treated with special products that help maintain "all day freshness." Concerned about stains? You can get boat shoes that are made from stain resistant materials. Is there anything nanotechnology can't do? Additionally, high-quality boat shoes made with real metal eyelets are often treated with products that resist rust. After all, you don't want your shoes to get rusty.

Many boat shoes are also made with soles that are molded so that proper support is given to the foot. Your feet can become sore while you are out there padding around on the deck of a boat. Now you can enjoy space age comfort, even while escaping the space age on your sail boat, with items such as venting, sun protection and secured tab collars. Plus, you can get special grip soles that are made with advanced traction to keep you from falling off your boat.

It is also possible to get boat shoes made from a variety of fabrics and different features for different activities. Want special fishing boat shoes? You can get those. No matter what you

Perhaps no shoe holds as much fascination for the general public as the pointe shoe. While few people will wear them because of the strength and special training required, many will admire them. But the pointe shoe as we know it today was not always the dominant symbol of ballet. Early ballet, in fact, did not even include female dancers, and when they were first introduced in the late 17th century, they wore not pointe shoes on stage but high heels, which were reflective of the court shoes of the time.

Women's ballet shoes largely lost their heels at the turn of the 19th century (although heeled ballet shoes exist to this day as "character shoes" for certain types of roles and dances). Dancers had the freedom to fully pointe and flex their feet thanks to ballet slippers, but early pointe work from this period was done with the aid of stage machines that hoisted dancers into the air on wires. As pointe work began to develop, dancers had to rely on soft shoes made of layers of leather and fabric and were limited in the range and length of work that could be performed en pointe.

As pointe shoes developed, a range of materials were employed to create the hard platforms and supportive soles that allowed dancers to stand on their toes. These have included wood, which is still often used in the shanks of the shoes that support the arch, steel (which went out of fashion with the rationing of the WWII era) and today's most common materials -- layers of burlap and glue.

While pointe shoes, unlike ballet slippers, are not to be experimented with by untrained dancers, the beauty of this specialty shoe can be seen reflected in many shoe trends, including ankle ribbons and narrow, square toes on shoes of all heel heights that hug the foot. These pointe shoe-influenced designs have appeared on many celebrities including Bjork and Lara Flynn Boyle, although regrettably often paired with dresses that were fashion "don'ts."

One of the classic shoes is the Mary Jane. A Mary Jane is a very basic shoe with a strap across the top. Most of the time, a Mary Jane has a low heel, and traditionally these are black shoes, often made from patent leather. Today, though, in keeping with evolving styles and a desire for individuality, Mary Janes are taking on new life. There are Mary Jane pumps, and there are Mary Janes that comes with large, chunky heels. There are even sneaker-style Mary Jane shoes. It is also possible to find Mary Janes made from different materials, with large and embellished buckles and in a variety of colors.

Where the name "Mary Jane" Originated

Back in the early 1900s, Richard Outcault created a comic strip called Buster Brown. Buster Brown was rather popular, and he had a sister named Mary Jane. While both siblings wore the simple, strapped shoes in the comic, they ended up being named after the female character (I guess calling them "Buster Browns" just didn't have the same appeal).

At any rate, Outcault was no idiot. In 1904 he went to the World's Fair and began selling licenses like crazy to companies who wanted to use his comic characters to help sell their products. The Brown Shoe Company (hmmm ... not idiots, either, seeing an opportunity to use Buster Brown to represent Brown shoes) bought a license from Outcault and began doing its best to cement a connection between beloved comic characters and shoes.

Mary Janes Today

In the past, Mary Janes were associated mainly with little schoolgirls. Now, though, Mary Jane shoes are worn by women of all ages. And where they used to be worn by boys as well, there are very few males these days who would feel comfortable wearing a pair of Mary Janes.

While today clogs generally refer to chunky, backless slip-on shoes for women, historically the clog was defined by both shape and material. Traditional clogs have a wooden sole, but those are rarely seen in today's fashion shoes. When they are, it usually has a bit of added rubber on the bottom for both traction and durability.

Although we generally associate clogs with the Nordic countries, wooden shoes that can be termed clogs have historically been worn all over Europe, including the British Isles and Mediterranean countries such as Italy and Greece, where they were most predominant in the 18th and 19th centuries. Today these wooden shoes often remain part of traditional ethnic dress and are still worn because they are considered to promote health. In some cases, the clog remains as a wooden over-shoe to protect a delicate and expensive footwear from mud and rain.

For those in the United States, clogs have two main associations. The first is clog dancing, which originated in Europe. Clog dancing is a competitive dance sport in both the United States and Europe, although the shoes usually used now do not visually resemble the historical wooden clog, but tend to look more like a men's dress shoe with a boxy toe and are very loud (thanks to wood or metal plates) when dancing.

Otherwise, when it comes to clogs, many Americans think of 1970s fashion, where natural fibers, ropes and wood were popular in all manner of shoes for men and women.

While some of today's clogs hark back to that retro 1970s look, clogs are now often made of rubber or other comfortable materials, appear in both vibrant and natural tones and bear little resemblance to their wood ancestors. Today's clogs appear in a range of heel heights, and some clogs can be appropriate for men and women, although the style is dominated by women's shoes.

Crocs and their imitators represent the most recent evolution of the clog. These shoes, which started as comfortable gardening shoes, have become a fashion trend for both genders thanks to their easy wear-ability, multiple colors, unisex design and futuristic shaping.

A look at the new shoe on the scene, yoga sneakers.

One of the new buzzwords in athletic shoes is the yoga shoe or sneaker, which may seem a bit weird for an activity that is generally practiced barefoot.. However, the truth is that people wear a wide variety of footwear for yoga, including ballet slippers, jazz shoes and specialized "foot thongs." The yoga sneaker is the sturdiest of these choices and is essentially a stylish, flexible athletic shoe that molds to the foot while also being durable enough to be worn outdoors. Because the shoes are extremely comfortable and more streamlined than a traditional athletic shoe, they are an increasingly popular trend with both those who do and don't practice yoga, including celebrities.

Adidas, Reebok , and smartdogs all make stylish yoga shoes that are appropriate both in and out of the studio, but you should be sure not to wear the same pair for both! It's bad form to wear streets shoes in a yoga or dance studio because while you might not be practicing barefoot, many other people often are.

Because traditionally yoga has been practiced barefoot the yoga shoe is a recent invention designed to cater to Western preferences while also capitalizing on the ever increasingly specialized world of athletic shoes. The yoga shoe itself has evolved form the dance sneaker, itself only a few decades old. The dance sneaker has the traction and support of a regular athletic shoe, but also includes a highly flexible sole that is often split to accentuate the shape of a pointed foot, breathable material, and a sturdy toe box to allow for pointe work.

The yoga shoe eliminates the toe box and has slimmed the sole down while also reunifying it. This creates a profile more similar to that of a slipper, but with extreme flexibility and strong support just like the dance sneaker. Made of breathable materials, yoga shoes let your feet breathe, wick sweat, and most importantly, can be tossed in the washing machine without much hassle -- not something that can be said for most other high fashion trend items.

Because of their light weight, Yoga shoes make great walking shoes and are also ideal as shoes for the commuter that doesn't want to wear high heels on the bus or subway. While new to the shoe scene, the yoga shoe will surely continue to evolve, possibly splitting off into in-studio and outdoor versions built around the same principles of flexibility, support and style.