Get Gorgeous Naturally

Essential things to carry in your purse/handbag

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:33:00 +0000

Everybody (or mostly everybody) carries a purse or a handbag when outside. But how many times have you been asked for a pen? Or a paper to write on? People tend to miss out simple yet important items that could ease out situations that you face while outside home.

So what should you carry in your purse? Ofcourse, it widely varies from person to person, but some items just ought to be there -

For starters, a pen (which works!) and little sticky papers that are convenient to use
Wallet with money (and change), ID and driving license
Keys and cell phones too!
Tissues and hand sanitizers
Feminine necessities
Reading glasses/sunglasses or your contact lens case with solution
A compact mirror
Whichever of the following you may need for a touch up - facial cleanser, compact powder, kajal, lipgloss/Vaseline, lipstick etc etc.
A hairbrush/comb
Safety pins! Yes, they are tiny and oh so important to pin away and be hassle free. A good idea would be take a few tissues/papers, fold them up to be thick and then pin the entire set of safety pins neatly on to the tissues and place them in the tiny compartment of your purse. You'll never waste time looking for them in your purse then. You could pin them up to the insides of your purse too, but I'm too careful with my handbags and couldn't take any pin marks or tears anywhere.
Painkillers or any other medication you use
Your will or any last words written on a piece of paper, stashed away in your handbag, just in case you were in a freak accident or something

Kidding about the last one! Intriguing idea though..8->

Ayur anti-sun tan face pack - Review

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:30:00 +0000

I've been using Ayur's anti-sun tan face pack for some 2 years now. And I love it. Especially because it is inexpensive and works quite well for its cost. According to the pack -

Ingredients - Ayur's special sun tanning face pack is made up of herbs like multani mitti, calamine powder, kaolin powder, pudina, haldi powder etc. This is a pure herbal pack having no chemicals.

How to use - Wash the face with water. Mix 1 tablespoon of this pack with 'Ayur' rose water or tap water and apply the paste evenly on the face. Allow it to get dry. Then wash the face with cold water.

Effect - This is an excellent face pack for oily and sensitive skin. Regular use of this pack, removes the tanning of the skin and makes the skin fairer.

Costs - Rs. 40 for 100 gms (Best use before 36 months from date of manufacture)

Pros - I'd agree with what they have to say. After using the pack, my skin always feel clean and fresh. And over time, you can definitely notice the tan decreasing (as long as you'r not prancing about in the sun everyday obviously). Since I'm a fan of haldi, I often add some more haldi to the powder and then apply the pack on my face. Its quantity is good, which lasts for 2 months, depending on how often and how much you use.

Cons - My only grouse with Ayur is that it's difficult to find this face pack in shops. Not all shops keep it and quite often, I've been forced to check from market to market, before finally laying my hands on it. It's packaging is pretty boring, but that's not really a big deal, as long as the product does the trick. Other than that, the fact that they don't really advertise their products much doesn't really bother me. Because eventually, I'd be paying for it, so it's better this way!

Would I recommend this product? - Yes, I would!

For baby soft skin around eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:42:00 +0000

I'd started using under eye creams and gels to get rid of my dark eye circles. But what I noticed after almost a year of using them, was how soft the skin around my eyes had become. Not that I had wrinkly old skin anyway, but the skin looked plumped up, soft to touch and gave my eyes a fresh, dewy look.

And I plan to continue using eye gels for long now. So an excellent way to minimize any damage to the delicate skin around the eye, is to use almond oil every night before sleeping. Gently massage almond oil around your eyes with your ring finger and make sure you are regular with this.

Keep up with this routine for atleast 3-4 months, to see visible difference to the skin around your eyes. Remember, the earlier you start with this routine, the better it is for your eyes.

Homemade waxing strips

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:52:00 +0000

If you are looking to learn and wax yourself over time, then investing in wax strips made out of cloth is a good idea. It keeps for long and the cloth absorbs any moisture from the wax and helps in a clean pull.

You could use any thick cotton cloth (I've heard old jeans works fine, though haven't ever tried it myself). You could use some old curtains or you could buy casement cloth from a shop. I'd used casement cloth initially, but then found some rags which were thicker and worked better. If you still can't find any suitable cloth at home, check out any shop and ask them for thicker varities of cotton cloth and you could choose one accordingly.

Once you buy a cloth, cut it into strips of 4-4.5 inches wide (wider than you need), so that you can fold in the edges and stitch them over. You could skip the stitching part, but doing this avoids any unravelling threads after you wash them over and over again.

Now how many strips you'd like to make depends on how much waxing you do at a time. Since I wax my arms and legs at one go sometimes, I have some 15-20 strips with me. They are more than enough for waxing this much.

Plus, I have strips of varying widths as well, though most of them are around 3-4 inches wide, and some a little narrower. There is no hard and fast rule. For example, when I wax my arms, I use a little narrower strips and for my legs, the wider ones do a better job.

This might sound cumbersome, but prepare the strips once and then you can use them for years. After waxing, simply soak them in water and once the wax dissolves, you can wash them as usual. I've been using my own wax strips for years and that's a whole lot of cost saving!

Waxing at home - Things you need

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 20:11:00 +0000

Once you are ready to wax, it's time to get down to the nitty gritty of the things you need. So you will be needing the following -

Wax (ready made or homemade)
Wax strips (you can buy them or make your own using cotton or casement cloth)
Spatula (or a butter knife if you don't have a spatula)
Wax heating machine (you can heat using a microwave otherwise)
Powder for dusting
Towel(s) for wiping any sticky messes

This is all you need for waxing at home. If you are looking to save money by waxing at home, then I'd definitely recommend making homemade wax. You could additionally purchase a wax heating machine (I'd bought mine around 7-8 years back, for around 200 Rs I think). It's an excellent investment, and will save you the trouble of heating in the microwave or on the stove constantly. Not to mention, it's cheap!

For the waxing strips, check out this post. It explains all about how to make your own long lasting waxing strips.

Black seed oil (Nigella Sativa) for hair growth

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 02:45:00 +0000

Black seeds (also known as black onion seeds, kalaunji in Hindi and Nigella Sativa as the scientific name)have been used for it's medicinal properties for centuries and I figured I ought to try it myself. Luckily, there was a bottle of black seed oil at home, so I could start using it immediately. The oil sure has a strong smell, but nothing unpleasant. I like the crunchiness and flavour of kalaunji seeds anyway, when used on buns and paranthas.

I also came across its uses for growing strong, healthy and shiny hair. So I've just started using it for the first time, by massaging it on to my scalp and leaving it on. It seemed to cause a tingling sensation as soon as I applied it, unlike any other oil I've used. So I really hope it works.

I'll keep up with this routine and will post of updates, about whether it's working or not.

To healthy, strong hair!

Update (6th October, 2010) - I used the oil topically for a few days and then began taking a teaspoon with honey. I must've used this for some 2-3 weeks, but to no avail. It could be that I didn't keep up with the routine for a period, long enough to see results.

In any case, this didn't work for my hair growth, although I'm certain having a teaspoon of black seed oil with pure honey everyday is as healthy as healthy can get!

Homemade wax recipe

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:53:00 +0000

I prefer using fresh, homemade wax instead of store bought ones because atleast I'm sure the wax I make at home is completely natural and chemical free. Not to mention homemade wax is alot cheaper than purchasing a ready made one. Some ready made ones can irritate sensitive skin, causing tiny boils or rashes too.

So for this homemade wax, my only disclaimer - it does take some practice! I remember trying to make wax initially and would end up with some hardened, thickened mass which really didn't work like wax was supposed to. But once I got the hang of it, it's been a piece of cake. Do remember, if you can't so much as boil an egg, you won't be able to prepare this wax either. :P

For other adventurous souls, you'd be needing -

A pot/vessel for preparing the wax
Wooden spoon (preferable)
1 cup sugar
1/8th cup lemon juice (Half of 1/4th cup basically)
2-4 tablespoons of water
A container/tub for storing the wax

Now, to make this task easier, grind the coarse sugar granules into a powder. This makes it super easy for the powder to dissolve in the lemon juice and water and you wouldn't need to slave over the stove for half an hour, stirring in constantly to get the sugar to dissolve. And this was actually my mom's idea to use powdered sugar instead.

So, on medium heat, add the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water and stir in till the sugar dissolves completely. Keep stirring for 5 minutes or so and then, let the mix come to a rolling boil.

You will know your wax is ready when you see a pale golden colour appearing and the consistency is honey like. If you'r not sure if it's ready, simple test with a butter knife. Take a tiny amount and let it cool for a minute (be careful, you don't want to burn yourself!) and then apply a small patch on the back of your hand.

If you've ever been waxed before, you'll know how easily the wax spreads on your skin and how it hardens just a little bit on cooling. If the patch you applied is too runny/watery, then you need to let the mix cook for some more time on low heat only (using high heat will cause the mix to boil quickly and turn deep golden, which would indicate a toughened mass of sugar).

And if the wax you applied on your skin wouldn't spread too easily, then you need to add 1-2 tablespoons of water (don't add all of it together, mix in little by little to see how much more it needs to soften and more or less accordingly).

Finally, the wax needs to be sticky enough and if it isn't, you can add a dash of lemon juice to make it so. Once you get the desired consistency and the pale golden colour, take off from heat and immediately pour into the container that you will be using to store the wax. (If you let it cool in the vessel, it will harden and you'll have to heat it all over again to pour it into the container)

I use a microwavable container, so it's real easy for me to heat it and take out the desired amount to put in the wax heating machine, when I need to wax.

This makes roughly a cup of wax, and can easily be stored at room temperatue. Remember, it may be a little difficult in the beginning, but after so much practice, I don't even measure the amounts of lemon juice and water anymore and make it perfectly anyhow!

PS: For anything gone wrong, well, it's happened to me too and there's always a second time. Also, to get rid of burnt/hardened sugar, just keep the vessel and spoons dipped in water for a few hours and then wash as usual.

3 foods for healthy hair

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 13:35:00 +0000

Now some people have it real easy, when regardless of what they eat or how they handle their hair, it just remains strong, healthy and shiny. One of my aunt's friend, back in the 70's, had lush, thick hair and without her even working hard to maintain it. When my aunt once enquired what she uses to wash her hair, she said nothing special at all. Sometimes when she'd forget to take shampoo in while taking a shower, she'd simply use Rin (clothes washing detergent!) to wash her hair! So much for not using harsh chemicals on your hair.

Anyway, since most of us aren't that lucky, eating your way to healthy hair assumes greater importance as a way of ensuring healthy locks. Since everybody advises 'eat lots of fruits, vegetables and drinks lots of water' for good hair, it eventually remains just an advice and nothing more.

So here are 3 easy foods that you can make a part of your daily routine. Just make a habit of eating these foods every single day, and soon, you'll forget that you'r eating healthier till you notice your hair looking shinier and stronger in 2-3 months time. So here are my favourites -

1. Nuts and some more nuts - These are by far the easiest to snack on and are tasty too. You can choose from almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts, peanuts etc. And simply make a habit of eating a handful as a snack everyday. These nuts are an excellent source of zinc, a deficiency of which causes hair shedding. So make sure this is a regular part of your diet. (Tell me this bowl of walnuts, peanuts, cashew nuts and almonds doesn't look tasty!)

2. Low fat dairy products - Yup, a glass of skimmed milk or a cup of low fat milk everyday would do wonders for your hair. They are great sources of calcium, which is an important mineral for hair growth. I often have a cup of warm milk, with honey and cinnamon. It makes for a tasty and healthy drink too.

3. Eggs - Your hair is made up of protein and eggs are an excellent source of protein, with other beauty nutrients like biotin and vitamin B12 too. You can have them boiled, fried, scrambled or any other way you like it. Plus, one egg is only some 85 calories and that makes eggs low on calories and big on nutrients - definitely healthy!

There are alot of other healthy hair foods as well, but if you atleast made a start with just these 3, you'd be spurred on to work harder on your hair from the inside out, and can easily add more to your diet later on.

The best anti sun tan remedy

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 03:19:00 +0000

Sun tans obviously vary from person to person, but if the tan lines are severe or are visible to the naked eye, they definitely won't reduce easily and quickly.

So what's the best anti sun tan remedy? Well, simply save yourself from the harsh sun rays in the first place. Yes, that is a remedy because some wise person mentioned that prevention is better than cure. And no, slathering on sunscreen as your only protection does not count for 'avoiding' the sun. Though sunscreens do work, they don't ward off the risk of tanning completely and only delay it.

The only measure which is 100% effective against sun tans, uneven skin tones, pigmentation, skin aging and wrinkles is actually the most neglected - staying out of the sun as much as possible. Especially the harsher sun rays from 10-4 PM. And that doesn't mean you can't step out to enjoy in the sun altogether. Just do so with umbrellas, hats, caps, scarves etc. These are opaque and the sun rays won't hit your skin, and consequently, won't cause any skin damage.

And what if you've already suffered some skin damage? Then go through the remedies I've posted here and use them regularly. They should work because I've used them to get rid of tans myself. And yes, they WON'T work if you keep baking yourself a good tandoori chicken complexion out in the sun every day. So it's important for you to go out in the sun only with protective gear in place and then work on the skin at home as well.

You are bound to see results if you keep at it consistently. But that's the key - being regular with the face packs and supplementing new skin growth with fresh fruits, vegetables, water and an active lifestyle. It does take alot of effort, but a smooth, flawless complexion? It sure is worth it!

3 must do's for healthy eyes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 21:32:00 +0000

Eyes are delicate organs and rough, insensitivity towards them can cause irreversible damage. No amount of money/expertise can bring back the original, natural state. This is what an eye doctor had told me once. And it really did make sense too. So here are 3 things you must be careful about for healthier, radiant eyes -

Be gentle while handling your eyes. Don't pull, scratch or rub your eyes and the area around them. The skin around eyes is very delicate and being rough with them isn't a good idea at all. Nobody wants aging eyes, with crows feet and fine lines, right past age 30. So it's very necessary to be gentle while removing eye make up, while plucking a dust particle out of your eye or while dealing with eye styes and other such infections.

Your eyes are worth alot more than the money saved while purchasing some cheap, locally manufactured eye products. Take special care to buy quality, branded items for your eyes. You can limit the quantity of eye makeup you have, but you shouldn't do the same with the quality. And do remember to discard them, once they are past the expiry date.

Be careful of straining your eyes while reading, watching TV and other such activities. Bad or insufficient lighting, improper posture while reading, using the computer for hours at a stretch or inadequate sleeping hours are just some of the instances of how we strain our eyes day in and day out. The results? Tired, over worked eyes, with dark circles, which lack the lustre and sparkle. You should make a conscious effort to minimize the strain on your eyes and let them relax too. They help you soak in the beauty around. They do deserve this much care!

Why sunshine is better than artificial lights

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:58:00 +0000

If you are trying to get rid of some skin tan, dark under eye circles, pimple or acne scars, or any other such blemishes, you would, in most probability, be checking your skin in the mirror day after day, for any noticeable changes.

And in most cases, you'd end up checking out the mirror with tubelights, bulbs or lamps on. And this is where you need to know that your skin shows alot (of damage or improvement) when you check it in daylight instead. I noticed this myself, when I could clearly see diminishing pores/patches on my face in sunlight, but while checking out the same in tubelight, I couldn't see any difference on my skin.

The same applies to when you are out purchasing cosmetics. It's so so important to buy foundation, concealer, lipsticks, blusher etc. etc. during day time only! Trying a patch test inside a shop's glossy artificial lights really doesn't reflect the true picture and if you are really looking for that 'perfect' shade, you must try stepping out into the sun and then checking out how the shade suits you (Take a friend along, or just use a compact mirror - though it would look a little odd looking into the mirror standing outside a shop, but hey, it's worth it if you get the perfect shade!)

And trust me, if you want to see how many pores, blackheads, whiteheads, or other discolourations your skin is living with, then do yourself a favour and open those curtains wide, let sunlight stream in and gloss over in front of that mirror for the 'moment of truth'!

You'd feel alot better knowing your problem areas and then work accordingly to fix them. Happy gazing! :)

Home remedy for blemishes

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:53:00 +0000

Blemishes are spots or patches of discolouration, left behind by pimples, acne, boils, insect bites, bruising, sun tans, or just plain stress. If you have blemishes caused due to stress, then nothing would work better than calming yourself down and reducing stress levels first. No home remedy would work as long as the stress continues to bother you.

However, for other blemishes, using the following paste is an excellent remedy for getting rid of such spots and blemishes -

Paste of Neem leaves (Wash, boil and grind the neem leaves to a paste) (Or you could simply boil the neem leaves and use the water instead)

Turmeric powder (haldi)

Lemon juice (optional)

I haven't specified any quantities, because it depends on the area you need to apply the paste to. I don't mind using a little more turmeric powder than usual, even if it stains, because it works wonderfully as an antiseptic and makes skin radiant and glowy.

Apply a thick paste of the above and let dry. Don't use soap on the area right after this application; let your skin absorb the goodness.

Using this regularly for 2-3 weeks can markedly reduce the blemishes. This paste also cools your skin, so it's good to use in summers when your skin is tired of the heat and pollution.

Waxing at home

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:34:00 +0000

Waxing in one of the best hair removal methods available because regular waxing results in slower hair growth over time. I've been waxing for years now and it's great because now I wax once in a month or so and the hair takes longer to grow out each time.

What's even better is that I can wax myself at home, and have perfected the art of doing so. I always found visiting beauty parlours/salons for waxing every month so time consuming, not to mention the costs involved for something which is just 'heat-apply-pull'. Plus, I've always had a penchant of learning how to do things myself, and this is one of the numerous things I do myself (and often, better than the beautician's themselves).

And it's not something like cosmetic surgery that only expert professionals can handle you know? Not to mention that while waxing yourself, you can make sure not a single hair is left behind and waxing in the comfort and privacy of your home is great!

And ofcourse, like with all other things, it takes practice! Initially I used to be scared just to yank the strip off me. And I have to admit, I did suffer some red bumps here and there, because of wrong waxing techniques. Fortunately, I learnt quickly and now, not only do I wax myself easily, but I do it in a such a way that there is minimun pain (Yup, there are tricks to minimize the pain as well).

So here, I'll be sharing all the things I've learnt over the years and hope to make waxing alot more of a pleasurable experience for you. Keep watching this space for more!

Pimples and breakouts? Try this!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 22:00:00 +0000

Pimples and breakouts have a way around and for some funny reason, we tend to get them most when we'd rather not have them. So try the following quick fix to calm the swellings and dry them out -

1-2 tsp honey (use lesser if it's a lone pimple; more otherwise)

Cinnamon powder

Drops of lemon juice (if you have oily skin)

Apply this over the pimples and let dry. Wash off with warm water. Don't pick on the pimples for sure and use this 2 times a week to keep such breakouts at bay. Precaution is better than cure! :)

For glossy, shiny hair

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 13:03:00 +0000

If you have dull, lifeless hair and are looking to bring on the shine, then simply use the following rinse after shampooing your hair -

1/2 cup of plain tea (unsweetened and without milk obviously)

A generous squeeze of lemon juice

After you are done shampooing, take a jug of water, and add the tea lemon mix to it. This will dilute the mixture and allow you to rinse your hair nicely. Then use this as a final rinse to your hair and that's it.

You might be uncomfortable with the idea of leaving tea in your hair; I used to feel the same. But after I started seeing how soft and shiny my hair would be after drying, I didn't mind as much. The half cup of tea works fine for shoulder length hair; use more or less depending on how long your hair is. If you find the mix is still too strong, then dilute it more with water and then rinse as usual.

A word of caution though. Your towel would stain when you dry your hair with it. So keep one towel aside just for this. And you might want to use a dark coloured towel, instead of a white/cream coloured one.

Do this once or twice a week for best results.

For getting rid of dark under eye circles

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 31 May 2010 22:26:00 +0000

I should know best - when it comes to dark under eye circles, there would hardly be any remedy that I haven't tried. Most didn't work, but the some that did, made me feel alot better when I looked into the mirror every morning. I know how frustrating it can be, checking in on all the time, hoping to see the dark circles diminishing.

Even though I sleep well, eat well, lead a stress free life, I've been plagued with dark circles since my teenage years. Only difference, now, I know how to tackle them and have definitely succeeded in lightening the pesky dark shadows.

Now you'd need to use the following mix for atleast a month, regularly, to see visible results. I was on iron supplements as well while using this eye pack, so at the end of the month, I wasn't quite sure what worked. Was it the increase in heamoglobin levels? Or did the mix do the work all by itself?

Either way, there's a 50% chance this would work. So why not give it a shot? Mix the following -

1/2 tsp of powdered fenugreek seeds (methi) (Grind 2 tablespoons of fenugreek seeds and store the powder in a tiny bottle. It'll last a long time.)

1 tbsp of full cream milk (It shouldn't be too watery; add a little milk cream or milk powder to thicken)

Drops of rose water (optional)

Let the powder soak in the creamy milk for an hour in the fridge. Then apply thickly all around over the dark circles and let dry. Wash gently with cool water.

My dark circles diminished by half when I tried this for a month (and boy, was I delighted!). Maybe it was a combination of the iron supplements and this pack, but either way, if you've tried alot of other remedies which haven't worked, there's no harm is trying this as well.

And let me know if it works for you!

Uses of rose water

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 May 2010 20:25:00 +0000

Rose water sure is one of my favourite ingredients when it comes to skin care. It smells delicious, fresh and is so cooling on the skin.

You could add rose to absolutely any face pack and enjoy it's benefits. Or simply spritz on rose water after a long, tiring day outside and the refreshing scent will make you feel fresh and energized immediately.

I myself apply rose water on my face, after I rinse away any face pack. This tones my skin and tightens the pores to keep out bacteria and germs. Especially in summers when my skin can't take any more heat, I apply rose water before sleeping to soak in on the goodness.

If you have skin that's prone to break outs, acne or pimples, regularly using rose water is a good idea. It cleans and hydrates skin and is completely natural, so it's a safe bet to steer clear of blemishes.

If you want, you can keep rose water in the refridgerator and dip cotton balls in cool rose water, to apply on your tired, puffy eyes. Though this won't help lighten any dark circles (I've tried it, never worked), it really refreshes tired, dry eyes and is soothing.

Now the fact that your skin would smell alot more sweet ought to make you go buy a bottle of rose water and keep it handy for all times, isn't it? :)

Tomato - An excellent remedy for tanned skin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 30 May 2010 19:52:00 +0000

Now using tomatoes for skin care? Yeah, I can vouch for this one. While I was in school, I'd tanned quite a bit because of the time spent outside in the sun. So the one thing I did routinely, was to slice a ripe tomato into two, and rub one slice onto my face and neck, making sure to apply as much juice as possible.

And guess what? Two months down the line, I actually got rid of the tan! And I was so hooked on to it (because it was such an easy thing to do everyday), that I used tomato juice regularly, just to keep my skin clean and fresh. I used to have an oily T-zone as well, but after using tomatoes, my skin became completely oil free.

Ofcourse, the tomato juice doesn't really smell nice and it is kinda watered down to apply just the juice. And oh yes, who can forget that tingling sensation you get when you apply it? Initially, that tingly scratchy sensation that I used to feel was annoying, but once I started seeing results (and after I kinda got used to it), I didn't mind as much. My mom tried the same, but the tomato juice would irritate her skin alot, so she used to apply other face packs and just add the tomato juice to it, instead of applying plain concentrated tomato juice.

In other words, you ought to give it a try if you are trying to get rid of tanned skin or are looking for a glowing, brighter complexion. Since tomatoes are drying, I wouldn't suggest it for people with dry skin. It works great on oily or combination type skins, as long as you can handle the tingly sensation.

And if you want, you could puree half a tomato and apply the paste too. Or just squeezing out the juice and applying it works just as well. Your pick!

Pretty feet et vous?

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 May 2010 09:59:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I can't help but notice clean, neatly maintained hands, feet, nails etc. Everybody notices clothes, hairstyles and shoes, and most make sure that they turn out in their best while they are out. But what about the oft neglected feet? Most people forget that well maintained feet, make the shoes that wrap them look better as well.

I remember socializing at a party, where I noticed a young mother's feet so badly dehydrated and scaly and unkept, that I almost wanted to point it out to her! (No no, but I didn't!)

Anyhow, having pretty feet does not involve costly and lengthy pedicures every alternate week (though these would certainly help). For me, I make sure I scrub my feet with a pumice stone while taking a shower and moisturize them after the shower, to keep them soft and smooth.

If you really really have dry feet, then one of the best and quickest ways to hydrate them, is to apply any moisturizer on your feet (vaseline works great as well) and wear socks to let the cream get absorbed generously and go off to sleep. You will wake up in the morning to amazingly soft and happy feet.

Your feet do carry you places. Isn't it time you nourished them to keep them healthy as well? Think about it!

Vaseline to the rescue!

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 29 May 2010 09:39:00 +0000

Eyeliner gone fuzzy? Smudged kajal (kohl)? A runny mascara? Yeah, we've all been in situations where we'r oustide at a party and need a quick fix for wiping away make up gone wrong. And unless you carry a make up remover in your purse/handbag all the time, chances are you'll be left with water as an option to rub away messy lines.

So my favourite quick fix is Vaseline. I carry it all the time and it's real simple to use as well. Just dab some on a tissue or cotton, and gently rub on the smudged area. After wiping clean with vaseline, simply use a clean cotton to dab away any oily excess and voila! You'r good to go!

It works well with removing eyeliner, mascara, kajal or lipstick stains and it's moist, so it's gentle on skin as well. Vaseline to the rescue, it really is! :)

Soothing tan remover

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 May 2010 03:05:00 +0000

In the summers, when your skin takes a beating from the heat all around, try this cooling pack to calm your nerves and lighten skin tan in the process -

1 tbsp yoghurt

1-2 tbsp lemon juice

Paste of ground mint leaves

The chilled yoghurt and cool mint, along with citrusy fresh lemon makes for a refreshning pack. Apply all over your skin. Wash off after it dries and repeat 2-3 times a week.

For moisturizing and softening dry skin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 24 May 2010 03:04:00 +0000

This pack is very simple and hydrating. Use it to soothe and moisturize your skin -

1-2 tbsp yoghurt

1 tsp honey

Apply this to your face and neck and relax while it dries. This pack would penetrate your skin and soften it in the process. Wash off with cool water and repeat atleast 2 times a week for best results.

Getting rid of dandruff

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sat, 22 May 2010 02:25:00 +0000

Gorgeous, silky hair but plagued by dandruff? Fikar (worry) not! It's pretty easy getting rid of those dreaded white flakes if you simply nourish your hair atleast twice a month with a hot oil massage and lemon juce application.

Oil your hair generously for a minimum of 2 hours. Then 15-30 minutes before taking a shower, take a juicy wedge of lemon and squeeze out the juice on to your hair roots and rub gently. Make sure you apply the juice to your scalp and hair roots specifically. Use as much as required. You'll feel a gentle tingling for a while, and soon it dries up.

You can shampoo as usual after this (try using a gentle herbal shampoo and not chemically loaded ones). Preferably air dry your hair, instead of using a blow dryer. You'll love how soft and silky your hair feels and no more white flakes to deal with!

You could oil your hair once a week, and use the lemon juice as well, every 15 days. It's really worth the effort!

Anti wrinkle face mask for women over 30

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 19 May 2010 00:56:00 +0000

Wrinkles, fine lines, crows feet - all signs of aging skin, which can be delayed if a proper skin care regimen is followed even when you are in your 20's. Don't wait for signs of aging to show up. Start right now! The following face mask is great for women over 30, who should start using this to delay the onset of wrinkles.

And no harm in using this twice every week even if you'r below 30, because this face mask results in skin lightening as well -

1-2 tbsp creamy yoghurt

1 tsp of tomato juice

Make sure this mix isn't too runny when you are going to apply it on your skin (If you add too much tomato juice, resulting in a watery consistency, you can refridgerate the mix for 15-30 minutes to make it easier to apply).

Apply generously all over and let dry. The lactic acid in the yoghurt and the acidity of the tomato work well in getting rid of tan lines and softening the skin. Rinse with cool water and remember to be regular with this (for atleast a month) to see long term effects of wrinkle-free skin and faded tan lines.

Exfoliating scrub for dry skin

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:11:00 +0000

Keeping dry skin well hydrated even after cleansing routines is of utmost importance. Which is why the ingredients you use should be well suited to your skin type. Use the following quick fix for sloughing off dead cells, without stripping your skin of all moisture -

1 tbsp of honey

Granulated sugar

A pinch of dried orange peels (coarsely ground) (optional)

Massage the sugar on to your skin, till the sugar crystals dissolve into the honey. Take your time and be gentle with your skin while scrubbing!

I haven't been able to use this myself, no matter how yummy I find it, because my skin remains normal to oily most of the time. Anyway, honey is moisturizing and is a great ingredient for any face pack for dry or mature skin. Do use it!