Entirely from heart

Amla Oil: A Simple Way For A Healthy Mane

2013-08-26T00:00:00.000+05:30

It is an obvious fact that women all over the world crave for healthy hair. Regardless of their race, cast or creed, when it comes to hair topics, women are always on the same page. Hair is a perfect way to looking good and feeling confident about oneself. There is and will never be any woman who can be happy on a bad hair day! Therefore, to avoid such low moments, you must take the right measures to keep your locks long and healthy.

Here is a century old secret to a healthy mane. Yes ladies, it is our very own Indian Gooseberry, which is also referred to as Amla. It is an edible fruit of Myrobalan-tree, mainly seen in India and Burma.

Amla is known to have abundance of tannins and vitamin C, which makes it a highly antioxidant rich fruit, and it contains kaempferol, flavonoids and gallic acid that helps enhance the hair texture.

Benefits of Amla:

As per Ayurvedic philosophy, the Indian Gooseberry has very many benefits. It possesses excellent rejuvenating properties, and it is also a widely considered medicine to treat pitta dosha disorders.

Given that it has a plethora of antiviral and antimicrobial properties, it helps preventing rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and is also effective against some cancers; reduces severity of pancreatitis, renal disease along with diabetes.

This is of course besides the skin and hair benefits that it holds! Isn’t this a miracle fruit? Indeed it is, creating wonders for your dry and dull tresses is one of the many benefits of this fruit. This is available in the market as a powder and oil. Oils and powders made from the bark, fruit and leaves of the Myrobalan tree can help to solve numerous hair woes.

Amla Oil vs. Powder:

Amla Powder:

Amla powder is generally applied to hair as a paste, which is invariably combined and blended in with other herbal powders, such as henna and shikhakai to make it into an herbal paste that nourishes your hair. It can also be used to give reddish hues when mixed with natural henna.

Amla Oil:

Amla oil is an excellent remedy for hair loss, dandruff, irritation of scalp, as well as premature graying. The oil is known to strengthen roots thereby preventing shedding and promoting strong and healthy hair growth.

Preference:

It is for the simple issue of the color that the powder leaves behind that most women prefer the use of the oil instead!

How to use Amla Oil?

It is advisable to use this oil especially when you suffer from excessive hair loss, as it stimulates healthy and thick growth of hair. There are two ways you can include this miracle fruit in your hair care routine and they are mentioned below.

Amla oil: massage one night before hair wash

Applying chemical based shampoo to hair can result into drying and it also strips off the excess natural oil from your scalp, thereby resulting in dry and dull looking mane. Hence, apply Amla oil the previous night before shampooing, as it offers added protection by properly coating your hair. This will give your hair a soft and shiny feel and also makes it less vulnerable to damages and as you know, less damages mean less hair fall.

How to use:

Take very little quantity of Amla oil and massage it on to your scalp.
Cover your head with shower cap (a plastic one) and leave it for overnight.
Wash your hair thoroughly with a mild shampoo.
Remember to give your hair a last rinse with normal or cool water.
Repeat this procedure at least once in a week for best results.
These simple steps aid to faster and quicker hair growth.

Bridal Makeup Looks: 7 Tips To Look Best On Your Wedding Day

2013-08-25T00:30:00.000+05:30

Weddings hold a truly special day in any woman’s life. Each of us want our big day to be special, with all the memories remaining with us forever!

And in that case, the bride would also want her wedding pictures to be the best!!! She would want it to be captured in every angle so that it is picture perfect. Literally! So bridal makeup turns out to be the key deciding factor following her bridal dress.

The aim of your wedding makeup is to look your natural best! The best would be that, when you run to your albums after a couple of years, you would still look mesmerizing.

Highlight your best features and hide the flaws. Plus make sure to make your makeup last the whole day, even after all hugging, crying and eating. Everything must look fresh and not caked up, even at the end of the day. Hence you need to get the best of products and the proper shades to get that perfect look.

Here is a guide on Indian Bridal Makeup and ways on how you can achieve this. Make sure you follow these basic steps for best results.

1. Moderation is the key:

The main idea of perfect bridal makeup look is to accentuate the best features at the same time keep the overall look simple yet gorgeous. As it is, Indian Brides are loaded with jewelry and heavy dresses, hence it is best to keep the makeup neutral.

2. Explain your needs to the makeup artist:

If you are hiring a makeup artist, make sure you explain what you need clearly! Explaining things in advance will help you get the look you want. Come on, a bride has the right to make all the demands! If the makeup artist is new then, it is always recommended to get a trial session before your wedding day.

3. A trial photo session with the makeup:

A trial photo session with the final makeup is always recommended. The reason is, some foundations and powders tend to look brighter or lighter in pictures as they reflect light in a different way. Hence taking pictures with flash prior to the wedding can give you an exact idea of how the final bridal makeup looks on camera. It is better to be prepared in advance, over the last minute bad picture jitters.

4. Select the perfect shade of foundation:

Most brides in India tend to go wrong with the foundations. Hence, make sure to blend the foundation on your neck region to check, and also check whether it matches your skin perfectly or not. Always remember to apply foundation on your neck too or else your face will look different from the rest of your body.

5. Get skin treatments done in advance:

Brides must always get their beauty treatments, such as facials and waxing done well in advance before the wedding day. At times these treatments irritate your skin and leads to outbreaks and makeup can very well aggravate these issues.

And I am sure; no one would like to get such unwanted visitors to ruin their special day. The same thing holds true for eyebrows as well. Get them plucked and shaped one or two days before your D Day. If you wait to pluck them on the same day, they may look red and swollen, and also could give you rashes, making you feel itchy, before make up application. This might totally spoil all your overall effort to look good.

6. Wear Contact lenses before makeup:

If you are a person who wears contacts, make sure to wear them before makeup application. Because there are favorable chances of your eyes watering. This can possibly ruin the effort you took to apply the right makeup.

7. Ward of stress Hormones:

Last but not the least you need to relax and shun off all the stress. I know it’s difficult to practice but stress can spoil your skin making it look worse.

I remember getting boils on my face before my wedding and engagement. So I am sharing my personal experience with you all. Relax as much as you can and drink plenty of water and eat lots and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables to get glowing and beautiful skin for your “Big Day”

5 Must Consider Organic Skin Care Tips

2013-08-24T15:21:00.000+05:30

Organic products are very popular these days! They are popular because Organic Products are made from pure nature extracts and don’t contain chemicals. These products nourish your skin without causing any side effects!

Every lady out there wants to have great skin which not only appears flawless but also feels smooth. We try a variety of products available in the market to get flawless smooth skin – moisturizers, creams, lotions and what not. These days markets have been flooded with anti-aging creams that claim to undo the aging process. But do these products actually work? Think again. What benefits can chemical filled products give your skin in the long run?

Scary right, but it is the fact.

These skin care products available in the market are generally made from complex and synthetic chemicals, which have the potential to cause dangerous side effects, such as hormonal imbalance as well as cancer in some extreme cases and bad skin in the long run for most.

No doubt the synthetic ingredients in these products deliver effective and quick results, at the same time can result in to hazardous long and short term side effects. Hence it is now time to consider Organic Skin Care tips to avoid damage to your skin and body.

Organic Skin Care and their benefits

Organic Products are cultivated without using any kind of chemicals. If you remember Aamir Khan’s Satyameva Jayate’s Episode on Use of pesticides then you might remember why we need to consider organic products. We not only need to eat organic food but should also prefer products made from organic produces.

Organic cosmetic and skin care products are free from synthetic ingredients, chemicals, heavy metals, dyes, as well as carcinogenic substances. They further are offered on the basis of skin types including oily, dry and combination skin. Make sure to choose brands that offer high quality products that help you suit all seasons.

It is an unfortunate fact that FDA doesn’t regulate natural, pure and safe labels. Even natural toners and cleanser include unsafe chemicals. At times even “Organic Skincare Products” contain chemicals. Therefore, it becomes an essential point to read the labels of skin care product to know whether it is organic or not.

Benefits of using organic products:

Safe to use:

Organic products are known to be safe as they don’t include any toxic chemicals; they are prepared with pure organic produces.

Gentle on the skin:

The purity of Organic cosmetics ensures that they don’t cause any harm to your skin. Hence people with the sensitive skin type can opt for organic skin care products as they have the potential to reduce irritation caused due to chemicals. These products also aid to develop better skin condition gradually.

Nourish skin naturally:

Organic skin care products offer extra nourishment to your skin and keep it fresh and young. They don’t show results as swiftly as regular products but aim to maintain the health and radiance of your skin.

5 Must Consider Organic Skin Care Tips

Look for organic cosmetics and personal-care products:

Read the labels of products before buying them. They must include organic ingredients cultivated without the use of pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Organic skincare products come with USDA organic seal, look for this seal while making purchases.

Make it a rule to avoid products with difficult to sound words. Ideally organic products contain only a few main ingredients.

Follow a simple beauty regime:

Break the myth of using tons of moisturizers, creams, toners and cleansers to have great skin. Just following the cleaner – toner – moisturizer routine and use a sunscreen with a good SPF.

Say no to products with fragrance:

A number of skin care products come with varied fragrances in their ingredient list. These products include phthalates that add artificial fragrance. Phthalates have the potential to trigger allergic reactions and are also known to cause damage to your kidneys, lungs, and reproductive system.

Stay away from petroleum by-products:

It is always recommended to avoid petroleum by-products, which include mineral oils and paraffin. These products hold greater chances of containing carcinogens, which clog pores and obstruct skin’s ability to get rid of waste and toxins. Rather use olive oil to keep your skin smooth and soft.

Maintain a healthy lifestyle:

The key to healthy skin is healthy lifestyle. Follow a nutritious diet and regularly exercise to stay young and look young. Eating plenty of fresh fruits and veggies will result in healthy radiating skin. After all you are what you eat. Last but not the least drink plenty of water as it flushes out toxins and keeps your skin clear.

10 Best Body Lotions Available In India

2013-08-23T00:30:00.000+05:30

Body lotions are one of the basic essentials of our skin care regime. They are applied on the external skin with bare hands, a clean cloth or a cotton ball. They re-hydrate and soften the skin making it more youthful and healthy skin.

In short, a Body lotion is a kind of moisturiser that maintains your skin’s health. Some of the best body lotions aim to protect the skin from sun and prevent the skin’s early aging process. Today our market is flooded with numerous body lotions brands, making it difficult for one to choose.

Here are 10 of the best drugstore Body Lotion brandsavailable in India:

1. Nivea Happy Time Body Lotion:

Nivea has always been known for its cold creams and now their body moisturizers are dominating the skin care market. Nivea has introduced in all four kinds of body lotions catering various skin needs. The Nivea Happy Time Body Lotion is ideal to be used for Normal to dry skin. With a wonderful citrus fragrance, the body lotion’s smooth buttery texture excellently spreads on your skin without leaving your skin oily and greasy.

Nivea is one of the top brands known to offer best body lotions in India.

Rating on Nivea Happy Time Body Lotion: 4.5/ 5

2. The Body Shop – Shea Whip Body Lotion:

The Body Shop is known to make products that are inspired by nature. Though pricey, the brand offers value for money purchase. The Body Shop Shea Whip Body Lotion is a light, fluffy moisturizer that gives you soft, supple and smooth skin. It leaves behind a fresh yet classic scent and excellent for dry skinned beauties. Shea butter not only moisturizes your skin but also makes it soft. The Body Shop Shea Whip Body Lotion includes antioxidant vitamins A and E, which protects and nourishes the skin.

The Body Shop is one of the top international body lotion brands that offers products free of animal testing.

Rating on The Body Shop Shea Whip Body Lotion: 5/5

3. Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion:

Another best known brand for good quality body lotions is Vaseline. The brand also has a variety of body lotions catering to varied skin types. The Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion is one of the very popular and most liked body lotion. Enriched with cocoa butter & vitamin E, Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion conditions your skin by penetrating deeply and smoothes roughness. It also lightens the appearance of dark spots thereby igniting your skin’s natural glow.

Rating on the Vaseline Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Body Lotion: 4/5

4. Vaseline Aloe Fresh Hydrating Body Lotion:

Our skin has natural potential to regulate its moisture equilibrium; however steady exposure to various elements dehydrates the skin making it dry and dull. Vaseline Aloe fresh body lotion restocks your skin with the lost moisture and makes it look healthy and fresh. The non-sticky body lotion is quickly absorbed by the skin. With its refreshing aloe formula, the Vaseline Aloe fresh body lotion revitalizes the skin, moisturizes it and provides non-sticky hydration.

Rating on Vaseline Aloe fresh body lotion: 4/5

5. Parachute Advanced Deep Nourish Body Lotion (Extra Dry Skin):

Parachute has exploited the skin benefits of coconut milk and has come up with a Deep Nourish Body Lotion. Coconut milk imparts your skin with a natural youthful glow and so does Parachute Advanced Deep Nourish Body Lotion. Besides making your skin soft and supple, the Body Lotion also protects your skin. Parachute Advanced Deep Nourish Body Lotion is suitable for both men and women with very dry skin.

Parachute is a recent addition to the body lotion brands in India.

Rating on Parachute Advansed Deep Nourish Body Lotion: 4/5

6. Bath and Body Works Secret Wonderland Body Lotion:

The Bath and Body Works Secret Wonderland Body Lotion is made of fortified ingredients, such as Shea Butter, Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E. The body lotion hydrates your skin and keeps it moistured for the whole day. Ideal to be used as a daily moisturizer, The Bath and Body Works Secret Wonderland Body Lotion’s non-greasy formula quickly absorbs and makes your skin soft, smooth and nourished.

Rating on The Bath and Body Works Secret Wonderland Body Lotion: 3.5/5

7. Himalaya Intensive Moisturizing Body Lotion:

Get over rough and scaly skin with Himalaya Intensive Moisturizing Body Lotion. Specially made to soothe and treat dry skin, the body lotion’s intensive natural and organic formula takes proper care of your skin. The super creamy texture of this lotion gives your skin a rich base of olive oil, cocoa butter, wheat germ oil and grape seed oil.

Rating on Himalaya Intensive Moisturizing Body Lotion: 4/5

8. Lotus Herbals Almond Nourish Body Nourishing Body Lotion SPF 20:

Lotus Herbals Almond Body LotionYour search for a sunscreen cum moisturizer comes to an end with Lotus Herbals Almond Nourish Daily Nourishing Body Lotion. Made from active organic and natural ingredients; this body lotion from Lotus Brand delays skin ageing, making your skin look young and youthful. Specially formulated to give you wonderfully supple and radiant skin, Lotus Herbals Almond Nourish Daily Nourishing Body Lotion – SPF 20 also protects your skin from the harmful UV rays of the sun.

Rating on Lotus Herbals Almond Nourish Daily Nourishing Body Lotion in SPF 20: 4.5/5

9. VLCC Almond Body Lotion:

VLCC Almond Body LotionAlmonds are known to give your skin with all the much needed nutrition and protect it from any damage. VLCC Almond Body Lotion has been prepared using this formula to keep your skin young and supply the needed nutrition every day. It contains SPF 15 that protects the skin from sun’s harmful UV rays. The Body lotion includes double protection, which keeps your skin safe from UVA and UVB rays keeping it healthy and free from pigmentation.

Rating on VLCC Almond Body Lotion: 4/5

10. Dove Essential Nourishment Body Lotion:

Dove Essential Nourishment Body Milk offers your skin deep nourishment which is necessary to maintain the youthful look of your skin. It not only nourishes the skin’s surface, but also nourishes it from inside to give long lasting beautifully soft as well as smooth skin.

Rating on Dove Essential Nourishment Body Milk: 4.5/5

Rosemary: A Herbal Remedy for Hair Growth

2013-08-22T14:49:00.000+05:30

In today’s era of dust and pollution, everyone is experiencing hazardous consequences on hair and skin, even when we take care in various ways.However, we tend to forget that the sun and pollution can make our skin and hair prone and vulnerable to damage.

Let’s take an example for hair: Even hair oils and shampoos available in the market include chemicals, which make things worse. Hence all we can do is to use natural alternatives that boost hair growth and shun hair fall.

Long before the introduction of various shampoos and conditioners, beauties searched their gardens and fields to find herbs that solved their beauty woes. Be it premature balding, dandruff, hair loss or dull tresses, there is a herb naturally available that meets every demand.

With the development of science and technology we have become too lazy to find simple and natural solutions for hair problems. Instead, we resort to manmade toxins and chemicals that can make things even worse.

It is high time we realize the importance of nature; and that nature has remedy for every human ailment and problem.

One such commonly found garden herb that can give beautiful long hair without any side effects is Rosemary. Yes, Rosemary herb is widely known as a folk remedy for its various health benefits.

Rosemary: What is it?

Rosemary, an easily accessible herb, appears green in color and has thin needle-like leaves. It has a typical deep pungent smell but is touted around the world for its vitalizing properties. The herb is known to rouse your scalp thereby promoting growth of healthy hair. You can easily find dried Rosemary at any health food store.

Rosemary is not only safe to use but also helps to treat various conditions, such as increasing menstrual flow, aiding indigestion, supporting circulatory as well as nervous systems, improving memory, relieving muscle pain along with improving muscle spasms.

Benefits of Rosemary:

As per the University of Maryland Medical Center, Rosemary has been used since centuries to stimulate hair growth. Besides its plethora of health benefits, the herb also effectively works in delaying the graying of your hair. Isn’t that wonderful? You would no more have to color your hair if you incorporate Rosemary herb in your hair care regime.

Some of the additional benefits of Rosemary include:

Stimulate and improve circulation of blood to scalp as a result promoting hair growth
The herb’s antibacterial property helps to cleanse hair shaft gently
Amplifies the shine of your hair
Prevents early graying of hair
Offer relief from dry, flaky and dandruff ridden scalps

How Do I Use It?

There are numerous ways of taking benefit of Rosemary oil to have healthy looking tresses. One of the most simple and easiest ways of using it is adding two drops of rosemary oil to one tablespoon of your regular hair oil and massaging it on to your scalp.

Wrap a hot towel around your head to leave it on for overnight before shampooing your hair. Following this regime at least once in a week will give you notable results.
Dried Rosemary or Rosemary oil is easily from at the grocery store at a reasonable price. If you have interest in gardening, you can very well grow this herb in your garden and take ultimate benefit from it.
It is essential that we take health and beauty seriously and feed our bodies with effective and harmless solutions instead of resorting to chemicals. Everyone wants a little extra hair, so why not give your tresses a boost with rosemary.

Japanese Hair Straightening: Things To Consider Before Getting It Done

2013-08-21T00:30:00.000+05:30

Japanese Hair Straightening, as the name suggests is a chemical process that can make the curliest hair straight. In simple words women with curly hair who crave for straight hair must consider Japanese Hair Straightening.

Primarily started in Japan as a smoothing plus conditioning treatment, the Japanese Hair Straightening procedure promotes permanent alteration in the structure of the hair. In this procedure, the cyctine protein bond of hair gets loosened and is reshaped by straightening of hair cells.

The entire procedure of Japanese Hair Straightening involves numerous steps that vary as per the length and texture of your hair. It is generally a long and time consuming procedure which takes no less than six to eight hours depending on the length of your hair. That’s not all; Japanese Hair Straightening requires another hour or so for the next follow-up session after three days of getting the treatment done. This straightening lasts for at least 6 or 7 months.

Also referred as Japanese straight perm, thermal reconditioning or straight perm, Japanese Hair Straightening is the most popular technique among hair straightening methods. The biggest benefit about Japanese straightening is that your hair gets a rich natural texture even after being processed by all sorts of chemicals and immense heat for such a long time. During the process a pre-conditioner is applied to prevent your hair from any damage, which is followed by a hair relaxer and ironing.

The Japanese Hair Straightening is expensive and is sure to burn a hole in your pocket. But once you try this procedure, you will surely get tempted to get it done all over again. The treated hair looks not only great but also becomes easily manageable; however the new growth will be of a consistency similar to your original hair. You can very well repeat the procedure for the new growth as well.

Things to Consider before Japanese Permanent Straightening:

Japanese hair straightening, no doubt is a great styling option for styling, but you need to consider some factors before getting it done.

1. Once you get your hair straightened permanently, you cannot try different looks, such as curls as this may cause damage to your newly treated hair. Hence if you are fond of trying new looks all the time, then it s recommended to avoid Japanese Hair Straightening at the first place.

2. Also avoid straightening, if your hair has undergone any intensive chemical treatments, such as coloring, and bleaching, as your hair may be prone to great amount of damage. There are chances that your scalp may get irritated resulting into immense hair loss. Therefore, conduct a strand test in case of doubts, to see how your hair reacts to chemicals.

3. The type of your hair is the most important factor to be considered before Japanese Hair Straightening. If you have African curls, then Japanese Hair Straightening is not the treatment to be considered, as strong chemicals can be devastating for such delicate tresses. Also the treatment exposes the hair to heat for longer duration, which can cause lots of damage to the hair. African hair can be straightened using hair relaxing treatment, which is far gentler on the mane.

4. However once you get Japanese Hair Straightening, you have to make sure that your hair is protected from sun and is properly moisturized. Hence treat your newly straightened hair with deep conditioning hair on a regular basis. If you want to color your hair, then you will have to wait for at least one to two months after the treatment.

Some experts do claim that Japanese Hair Straightening treatment is not harmful; however you need to remember that any procedure that has the potential to alter your hair’s natural structure cannot be safe. Last but not the least; get the Japanese Hair Straightening done by a well known and experienced stylist if you don’t want to have any awful experiences.

3 Indian Hairstyles For Round Faces

2013-08-20T00:00:00.000+05:30

For a perfect look, one has to consider three basic rules – hair styles that suit particular face shape, right makeup and proper styling products. 3 Indian Hairstyles For Round Faces

So how will you determine the shape of your face and understand which hairstyle is right for you and which is not. The first and foremost thing you need to do is pull back your hair to a tight bun or pony tail and stand in front of the mirror. Now take a damp chalk and draw the outline of your face in a mirror, which will be your facial shape.

The different shapes of face include

Round
Oval
Rectangle
Square
Heart
Diamond
Triangle

Every facial shape has particular characteristics and some hairstyles accentuate them. Here are some of the Indian hairstyles that look perfect on round faced beauties.

How to determine your face is Round?

Round faces have large and curved forehead with a rounded chin. Such faces look full and have very few angles. Cheekbones of round faced people are wider than their jaw line.

What hairstyles should round faced beauties prefer?

Girls with round face must always take care that they consider hair styles that make their face appear thin and long. Looks that tone down the fullness of round cheeks works ideal for round faces. Here are some hair style tips that you must consider.

1. Long Curls:

If you have round face, then you need to mind curls as they can highlight roundness of your face. If you are born with curly hair then keep it long, and cut them into layers. This will avoid fluffiness of your hair. Find a stylist who specializes in cutting curly hair; he/she might thin out the consistency with a proper cut giving your face fullness. Best of all, get your hair straightened or give soft curls with curling irons to give our face a flattering look.

2. Long Bobs:

Round faced people must be cautious while trying a bob cut. Haircut with same length and that falls above your jaw line can make your face even rounder. Instead go for a long bob, as they are at least 2 inches longer than chin and also complements round face. Modern bobs with wispy ends look better and look great on round faces. Cut the back shorter than the front with wispy ends.

3. Bangs:

An ideal compliment for any hairstyle, Bangs are the best hairstyles for round face. However, straight bangs are not recommended for round faces. In case you love bangs, then curl them and keep them to one side. Side Bangs will make your face look longer.

Hairstyles to avoid:

Never ever tie your hair tightly back to a pony tail it will make your face look even wider. If possible give curls to the pony tails making it a focus of attention and it will take attention away from your round face.
A total no for chin length hair cuts with rounded edges as they will make your face heavier than normal.
Always remember to choose a hair style that will make your face longer and less rounder which also highlights your best features.

Indian Braid Hairstyles That You Can Try Too

2013-08-19T00:00:00.000+05:30

Braids have become a huge trend of recent times. Youngsters from around the world are sporting this look not only for colleges but also for parties. Even celebrities are sporting braids on the Red Carpet and also on the ramp. It is a simple hairstyle that works for all occasions. Today braids have different variations, such as the fishtail plaits, maiden braid, French braid as well as the messy braids.

Braid, also referred as Plait, is a commonly adorned of hairstyles Indian women. Braids are commonly preferred by women in both rural and urban India. This hair style is more commonly sported by female home makers as it keeps hair away from the face. Besides giving a neat appearance, Braids are fun, manageable and makes heads turn for sure. The biggest advantage of Braids is that they keep your hair neatly in place for long periods of time and also avoid tangles.

Braided hairstyles are gaining importance these days and you will see models walking the ramp with newer variations in this look. Irrespective of the texture and type of hair you have, plaits look very elegant. Today, we see girls wearing fishtail braid, twisted plaits, reverse French braid with any outfit be it Indian or western and they all look equally stylish and chic.

Be it any casual event or a wedding, braid hairstyles are preferred these days. You can make a braid of your choice, such as regular or a French braid, then transform it into a messy bun and ornate it with flowers to make a versatile hairstyle.

There are several hairstyles that incorporate Indian braids;some of the most popular of them are as follows:

1. Standard Braid:

Also dubbed as English braid, standard plaits are the most common hair style followed by majority of females. Starting at the nape, standard braids are made by diving hair into three equal portions. Cross the left portion over the middle one and the right portion over it. Repeat this procedure till you complete the braid.

2. French braid:

This is the second most popular braid, which is referred as “Sagar Choti” in Hindi. French Braid excellently keeps the entire head neatly braided in to plaits. This look became popular after the Movie “Ishqzaade”, where Parineeti Chopra was seen sporting French plaits. French braids are started by taking three small portions at the top of your head and then gradually coming to the nape by adding sections of hair to the plait. At the nape you can either make a regular braid, or a Fishtail braid or a Bun as per your choice. Here is a detailed French braid tutorial. The french braid has become one of the most loved of Indian braid hairstyles.

3. Crown braid:

More or less similar to Swiss braid, Crown braid is woven like a French braid. These braids take too much of time to be woven as small sections of hair from the crown area are added as the braid advances. Crown braid works well for medium to long hair and is best for curly hair beauties as it keeps your crown neat and well maintained. You can accessorize your braids with different embellishments to make it look chic!

4. Fishtail braid:

Fishtail braids are completely the style of the season. Young college girls, Bollywood beauties and models on the ramp have be sporting this trend off late. It looks equally stylish on both Indian and western wear. The one sided fishtail braid has been very popular as well. Also referred as the ‘herringbone braid’, Fishtail Braid is woven by taking small even sections of hair like a standard braid that looks like a fishtail or a herringbone.

Even though the plaits are woven like an English braid, you have to take very small sections of hair each time, so it’s better to use a tail comb while doing the hairstyle. Here is a detailed Fishtail braid tutorial.

How To Use Rosemary For Healthy Hair?

2013-08-18T00:00:00.000+05:30

We never know which herb from our garden can help to ward off some problems. Yes, problems, such as hair loss and thinning of hair have always been a major concern for most of us. Not all remedies work in the right way hence it is essential to find out a natural and permanent solution for them.

Here is one such commonly found herb that can help you say good bye to all your hair woes. Rosemary, a green herb with needle like leaves with blue flowers works wonders on your hair. Like all herbs, even Rosemary can be incorporated in your hair care regime in numerous ways.

You can use either fresh or dried Rosemary, but while cooking it is recommended to use fresh herb. Concoctions and oil of Rosemary soothes and conditions dry and flaky scalps. If used in concentrated form to scalp and roots, rosemary aids to get rid of serve to serve dandruff ridden scalp.

Here are some of the common most ways in which Rosemary canbe externally used:

Rosemary Oil:

Rosemary essential oil is easily available at any drug store at affordable prices. It is a very highly concentrated oil and you can mix it with your regular oils for daily use. Secondly, you can extract oil from fresh rosemary herb (if you can find it). All you need to do is crush the fresh herb with your hands to get the aromas and put it into a glass bottle. Any jars and bottles will do. Next you have to add any oil of your choice, for instance olive oil or jojoba oil, over the crushed herbs. Avoid using oils that are sensitive to temperature such as coconut oil. Now place this bottle in a cool, dark place for next 2-4 weeks. Hurray, your home made rosemary infused oil is ready and you can apply it on to your scalp.

Rosemary Infusion:

Don’t worry; the concept of Rosemary Infusion is not as complicated as it looks or sounds. In fact it is as simple as making a cup of tea. Get some water and add rosemary herb to it and let it boil for 15 to 30mins. Strain the concoction, the liquid that you are left with is referred as rosemary infused water. Use this concoction as treatment for shine, cleansing rinse, and treatment for graying, dandruff as well as scalp irritation. Remember that this concoction should be used as the last rinse; you do not have to rinse your hair after this. Massage your scalp all the time while rinsing to get maximum benefits.

Rosemary infused water also helps to soothe gastrointestinal pain, vomiting, fights rheumatic and neuralgic pains, and also acts as a tonic to regain energy after exhaustion. You have to drink one cup of this concoction empty stomach in the morning.

Rosemary Vinegar:

This procedure is similar to the Rosemary oil infusion. You have to crush fresh rosemary and add them in a glass jar with apple cider vinegar. Store it in a cool and dark space for around 2 to 4 weeks. However, the procedure to use Rosemary Vinegar is slightly different. After shampooing your hair, mix 1/4 cup of rosemary vinegar with 1 to 2 cups of water and rinse your hair with this mixture. Do not further rinse out. Rosemary Vinegar is excellent to be used as a gentle cleanser, to treat hair for Ph balance, as well as shine and conditioning.

Rosemary Vinegar can also be used for Salad dressings and marinades as this adds an extra pinch of flavor and health to your food.

10 Best Body Scrubs Available In India

2013-08-17T00:00:00.000+05:30

Winters make your skin dry and look flaky. Bring the best out of your skin by scrubbing them on a regular basis. Though we never forget to scrub our facial skin, we tend to miss out scrubbing our body. Your body must also look as young and glowing as your face does, hence it is essential to scrub your body too.

Scrubbing gives your body a buffed and polished look. It not only gives your body a good exfoliation by getting rid of dead skin cells and clogged pores, but also increases the flow of blood with the circular massage motions. Remember to pay special attention to the knees and elbows as the skin at these parts appears dry usually.

Ubtan is the best homemade body scrub that will give you a glowing and healthy looking skin. It is made from wheat bran, gram flour, curd or milk cream and a pinch of turmeric. As this is a time taking process, we can opt for drugstore body scrubs. Here are some of the best body scrubs for women in India and are worth giving a try.

1. The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub:

This brand has to top the list of body scrubs. Though they are expensive body scrubs, they give a complete value for the money spent. They leave your skin buttery smooth and glowing right after the first use. With an extravagantly chocolatey smell, The Body Shop Chocomania Body Scrub excellently gets rid of the dead skin cells and stimulates your skin’s microcirculation. The real cocoa butter and organic cane sugar in the scrub makes your skin softer and smoother.

Rating: 5/5

2. Victoria’s Secret Romantic Wish Stimulating Body Scrub:

The second in the list comes the Victoria’s Secret Romantic Wish Stimulating Body Scrub. This scrub excellently buffs off the dry and dead skin cells from your body with its natural exfoliating sugar crystals from a Secret Garden. It creates luxurious and fragrant foam that cleanses your body thoroughly leaving behind a fragrance that lasts long. The super innovative formula of Victoria’s Secret Romantic Wish Stimulating Body Scrub makes it easy to be used on wet skin in shower. The scrub is a smooth blend of Pomegranate, Freesia and Cucumber Blossom.

Rating: 4.7/5

3. L’occitane Almond Body Scrub:

Coming to the third most loved body scrub by beauties around the country, it’s none other than the Loccitane Almond Body Scrub. Enhanced with crushed shells and almond oil, the scrub just melts into your skin. This foaming Almond Shower Scrub cleanses softly at the same time exfoliates all the dead cells and impurities. Packed in a tube with a convenient twist open top, the Loccitane Almond Body Scrub leaves a fresh and delicate fragrance of almond flowers.

Rating: 4/5

4. The Body Shop Strawberry Body Scrub:

Another excellent scrub from The Body shop, The Body Shop Strawberry Body Scrub is gel-based scrub with crushed walnut shells and kiwi seeds. With a subtle strawberry scent, the scrub gently cleanses and exfoliates dead skin cell and dirt from your body leaving behind a shiny, soft and healthy skin. Ideal for normal skin, The Body Shop Strawberry Body Scrub is excellent for everyday use.

Rating: 4.5/5

5. Fab India Neem Tulsi Face and Body Gel Scrub:

Specially formulated for the daily use, Fab India Neem Tulsi Face and Body Gel Scrub gently exfoliates the skin. The active ingredients keep you revitalized and invigorated for the entire day. The natural combination of Tulsi and neem works gently on your skin and exfoliates the dead skin cells giving you a healthy looking skin.

Rating: 4/5

6. Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream:

An ideal scrub with the extracts of grapefruit, lemon, spearmint and menthol, Clinique Sparkle Skin Body Exfoliating Cream gives you a radiant looking skin. The menthol extracts in the scrub gives you a cool, tingly sensation, unlike most exfoliators. Though the cream doesn’t lather much, it works wonders in cleansing the skin.

Rating 4/5

7. Clarins Toning Body Polisher:

With rosemary, rosewood and mint essential oils and crystals of salt and sugar, Clarins Toning Body Polisher not only gives you a radiant looking skin, but also makes it toned. Its soft and not too coarse texture works excellently on your sensitive skin. Clarins Toning Body Polisher works excellently to get rid of flakes, impurities and dry skin cells.

Rating: 4.5/5

8. Mannings Lemongrass and Ginger Spa Exfoliating Body Scrub:

Mannings Lemongrass and Ginger Spa Exfoliating Body Scrub is a unique product that gently cleanses and exfoliates your skin. Enriched with refreshing lemongrass and ginger spa, this scrub gives you a soft and fresh looking skin. With the goodness of ginger essential oils, seaweed as well as aloe vera extracts, the Body scrub imparts a healthy glow to your skin. The walnut shell powder in Mannings Lemongrass and Ginger Spa Exfoliating Body Scrub gives your soft and smooth skin.

Rating: 3/5

9. Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator:

A must have body exfoliator for sensitive skinned beauties, Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator offers the right amount of scrubbing it needs. It works gently on the skin and removes dead skin cells with specially designed micro beads that leave behind a smooth and moisturized skin. Rightly referred as a high-performance body scrub that excellently polishes the skin, Shiseido Refining Body Exfoliator is developed using the subtle Japanese scent KUROHO and cherry blossom fragrance.

Rating: 4.5/5

10. Vaadi Walnut and Apricot Face and Body Scrub:

If you are looking for an organic body scrub that effectively fights skin ageing, then Vaadi Walnut and Apricot Face and Body Scrub is the right option. Give your skin an enriched cleansing and it exfoliates all the dirt and impurities clogging your pores. Formulated with apricot and walnut, the scrub leaves behind a fresh, soft and younger looking radiant skin. The unique Vaadi Walnut and Apricot Face and Body Scrub also protects your skin from the sun’s harmful UV rays, thereby preventing your skin from any damages.

Rating: 4/5

Let us know which is your favorite body scrub!!!

How To Get Rid Of Hair Fall The Natural Way With Acupressure

2013-08-16T00:00:00.000+05:30

Beautiful and healthy looking hair is something everyone wishes for. However, the increased usage of chemicals on hair is leading to problems, such as grey hair and Hair fall.

Technology has come up with varied treatments that promise to solve all your hair related problems. Nevertheless, the amount of negative impacts of these treatments is varied and the results differ from one person to another. But, you still can relive a sigh of relief because Acupressure massage comes to your rescue when all other remedies for hair fall fail.

Originated in 1600 BC, Acupressure massage is a regimen started off in Chinese medicine. This is a heavenly miraculous hot oil hair massage that offers relief from numerous health conditions, and hair loss is one of it. Treating your body with acupuncture points for hair growth will give you following benefits:

Brings oxygen to the scalp
Healthy blood circulation to the face and scalp
Maintains overall Health of blood
Flushes out toxins
Gets rid of dead skin cells, dandruff and debris

Acupuncture treatment for hair loss:

Acupressure massage aids in healthy hair growth as well as strengthening of your existing hair. It is recommended to enhance the acupressure massage’s benefits of olive oil. Olive oil when massaged to the scalp neutralizes the DHT hormone, responsible for hair loss. The natural ingredients of Olive oil reduces the development of DHT i.e. Dihydrotestosterone on the scalp, thereby promoting hair growth.

How to do an Acupressure Massage?

Here is a simple step by step guide to achieve benefits of Acupressure for hair growth:

1. First twirl your strands of hair around your finger giving gentle tug on to the roots. This will help to stimulate nerves of your scalp. Follow this technique for whole of your scalp.

2. On your scalp around a distance of 6 to 8 fingers above your eyebrow is located the Seat of Bliss. This part of your scalp is slightly softer than rest of your skull.

3. Start massaging lightly by making circular strokes at the seat of bliss with your fingers before moving out to the rest of your skull. Make the strokes bit firmer as you branch out from soft part of your head.

4. As you move out from the seat of bliss, it’s time to concentrate on the occipital ridge. It is a point where the muscles join the skull. This part is on your hairline just above your neck. It is a very powerful acupressure point, which relaxes you instantly from stress. Apply pressure with your fingers or thumb on this point and hold on for some time, if you hold on for few minutes you will get a deep release. As soon as you releasing you will feel the flow of blood and all your stress and tension gets vanished.

5 Next you need to draw a line using your finger from this acupressure point to the middle of the scalp. There are numerous acupressure points located on this line. Gently stimulate them by applying light pressure using your finger pads. Keep doing this till you reach the bottom of your hair line.

6. Don’t forget to concentrate on the edge of your hairline framing your face. Massaging these points will not only stimulate growth of hair but also help you relive from stress.

7. Acupressure points are present all over the scalp; hence massage the entire scalp with your finger pads. Repeat this entire process till you feel these points have loosened.

Following this acupressure massage routine will augment the flow of blood, nutrients and oxygen to the scalp. Proper supply of oxygen and blood to the scalp will not only nurture it from inside but will also give your healthy and shiny tresses.

6 Most Popular Teen Hairstyles

2013-08-15T01:00:00.000+05:30

As a teen, you are always on a high – exploring new ideas and thoughts to create new looks often. Be it clothing, make up or hairstyles, you love to get experimental by trying out new things and adding quirky colours to them.

Especially playing cool with hairstyles adds a lot of glam and gives you a completely different look. So the next time you’re thinking of a makeover, without any second thoughts pick a different hairstyle that adds glam to your personality.

Teen hairstyles can go completely on the edgier side from razor cuts to pixies and highlights too. The biggest ‘pro’ of teen hairstyles is that they can be experimented in any way, especially because your age is permissive.

Most of the teens these days find it easy to let their hair loose for all occasions or simply tie a pony tail. However, there are numerous options that a teen girl can opt for. We recommend teenagers to try out these popular hairstyles for girls that go well with their facial features and their personal style.

Hairstyles for teenagers

Long hair:

During the teen age, most of the girls love to keep their hair short as they are easily manageable. However, short hair limits the hair styling options. Long hair gives you the freedom to try out different hairstyles and change your look any time.

You can simply curl them with a curling iron or straighten them using a hair straightener whenever you want in just a matter of few minutes. These days, braiding has become very popular among teens and with braids, there are multiple options to be considered. All you need to know are the basics here; later on you can practice and learn the complicated braiding techniques as well.

French braids:

A regular French braid can look classy and sophisticated. Start with the central part of the head and divide the hair into three equal sections. Keep adding small sections of hair from the sides of your braid till the end of the head. You can try various variations in French braid as well.

Long Curls:

This is a perfect hairstyle for teenagers – long and soft waves!!! It gives a perfect innocent look to them, especially when accessorized properly. Girls with long hair must go for blunt bangs as they are a perfect combination for teens. As a matter of fact, bangs make you look younger. Even short, asymmetrical bangs work great on teen girls.

Ballerina Buns:

These are the most elegant looking hairstyles that look great on both teens and older women. Ballerina buns are quite easy to style. You just have to make a ponytail wherever you want the bun to be. Comb the pony thoroughly and twist and wrap the hair around the base of the pony tails and secure it with bobby pins or an elastic band. You can also create a messy look by simply twisting the hair into a top knot at the crown part. Both the types of buns can be easily made with curly hair too.

Layers and Highlights:

Long hair with layers and highlights look very modern and cool on teen girls. This one of the most ‘IN’ haircuts for teenagers this season! Classic long layers starting from the chin, continuing all the way down look good anytime. If you wish, you could highlight them as well!

Short Hairstyles:

Short hairstyles are easy to maintain and style, especially for teenagers.

Pixie Cut:

Simple short hairstyles look refreshing. If you want to try something new, then go for the pixie cut, as it is very popular amongst teenagers. If you are looking for a unique haircut, then try a bowl haircut.

Punk Hairstyles:

If you are a non-conformist teen, then punk hairstyles would work great on you. Punk cuts, generally, are wilder and flatter on any kind of face. Nevertheless, you need to be sure whether this hairstyle blends with your personality and lifestyle. It is always important to feel good in your own skin, right. You need to use the right products that add volume and hold your punk style perfectly.

Whatever your hair length or type is, accessorizing your hair is real fun. Teens can try their hands on a variety of colored hair accessories matching their outfits.

Decorate your bun or braids with hairpins or beads.
Headbands never go out of style, hence invest in headbands available in different colors and shapes. Short haired girls must opt for thinner headbands, whereas the ones with long hair can go with wider ones. For soft girly touch, try bands with bows and flowers too!

Mustard Oil: The Key To Lustrous Long hair

2013-08-14T00:30:00.000+05:30

Are you craving for locks Like Rapunzel, then here’s is a secret for you. The oil which is used in the pantry to sauté various dishes will get you lustrous long mane. And yes, that’s none other than Mustard Oil. North Indians prominently make use of this oil for cooking and other purposes.

This revitalizing miracle oil is not only great in food, but acts wonders on your hair too. Used to promote healthy hair growth, mustard seed oil was also used by the ancient Romans and Greeks.

Why Mustard Oil?

Mustard oil is extracted from the seeds of mustard plant, which is a cruciferous plant belonging to the cabbage, broccoli and Brussels sprout family. The seeds of Mustard plant and its oil have several medicinal uses since the ancient Greece.

Mustard is known to be rich in minerals and vitamins. It is a good source of selenium, zinc, as well as beta carotene. Beta Carotene gets converted into vitamin A, an excellent factor that promotes hair growth. Moreover, Mustard oil contains loads of iron, fatty acids, calcium and magnesium, which encourages hair growth and conditions it. Hair loss is generally a result of zinc or selenium deficiency in the body, hence regular massaging your scalp with Mustard oil will stimulate healthy hair growth.

However, using Mustard oil on scalp is a practice that has been followed for more than 4,000 years. Massaging not only helps to strengthen muscles but also makes your skin stiff. Hence regularly massaging your head can yield you with long and healthy hair.

How to Use Mustard Oil?

Massaging your dry scalp with Mustard oil can yield great benefits. You just have to apply it like any other oil, then cover it with a hot towel. You can simply cover it with a shower cap as well. But wrapping a hot towel opens the pores on your scalp and helps the oil to penetrate into the roots. Leave it for overnight or for at least three hours before shampooing.

If you don’t have much time you can also leave the oil for only 10 minutes, but use a blow dryer. A blow dryer works just like a hot towel, by helping the oil to penetrate into the roots. Then wash and condition your hair as usual. Remember, Mustard oil has a thick consistency and a pungent smell which can be difficult to wash off. Hence using this procedure once in a week, this offers immense benefits.

Tips and Tricks:

1.Mix your regular oil with Mustard oil. This will not only help to reduce the thicker consistency of the oil you’re using but also makes the application easier. It also reduces the amount of time required to wash off the oil from your hair.

2. Make a homemade concoction by blending your hair oil with some mustard seeds and henna leaves to get thick oil. You can also heat the mixture. After you get the desired consistency, strain out the leaves to get the oil. Massage your scalp with this oil the night before you want to shampoo.

3. Boiling Henna leaves in mustard oil stimulates healthy hair growth. For instance add 60 grams of Henna leaves into 250 ml of mustard oil slowly until they get burnt in the oil. Filter the oil using a strainer. Regularly massage your scalp with this oil to get rid of hair loss problems.

4. To get rid of dandruff from your scalp, mix a teaspoon of mustard oil with equal amounts of coconut and castor oil and massage it on to your scalp. Leave it overnight or for a minimum of four hours. Shampoo next morning to cleanse the oil.

5. Simply applying Mustard oil and other homemade masks won’t guarantee healthy hair growth. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle and follow a balanced diet to help these tips work.

3 Romantic Hairstyle Ideas For a Date or Valentine’s Day

2013-08-13T00:00:00.000+05:30

Everyone desperately waits for Valentine’s Day through the year! Now that this day is here, you must be wondering what to wear and what look to adopt for this day? All you ladies out there must be dreaming to look their best and make their men fall in love with them all over again.

Perfect dress and makeup is not enough, you need to sport a perfect romantic and “in love” hair style for a dinner with your Valentine. Here, we present a few romantic hairstyle ideas for this special day.

Style 1: Loose, romantic curls

Luscious curls look hot and romantic anytime. Try out this cute and sassy loose curls romantic hairstyle this Valentine’s day. The hairstyle possesses a particular flirty-chic flare and oozes femininity. Hence a must try look for V Day. The smooth glamorous yet sexy and bouncy curls look outstanding, especially with smooth texture.

Use a large tong and make loose curls by taking random sections of your hair. If you are aiming for a retro look, then brush out the waves and smear on some shimmering serum to your tresses.

Style 2: Half up/half down

Finding the perfect hair style for your special V day Dinner can be a daunting task at times. Never opt for super-polished and severe updos, instead choose something chic and petty. Such hairstyles don’t need too much effort, just create a sultry half up and half down hairstyle. It is a perfect and easy romantic hairstyle which will guarantee head turns.

A half up/half down style includes variety of looks. You can make a look half fishtail braid and add some cute hair accessory at the end or simply pin you hair in the middle. You will definitely have fun to play around with different versions of this hairstyle, ranging from romantic and boho to retro and glamorous looks. Each style has its own charm and brings you fabulous options to choose from.

Here is a step by step tut to make this hairstyle.

Style 3: Soft updos

Updos are life-savers on a bad hair day and on days when you are running late. With just a few minutes , you can achieve a soft Valentine’s Day updo. Opt for slightly messy buns that adds soft chic look to your overall attire.

And who says a romantic and cute hairstyle cannot be sexy? Soft updos not only looks stunning but also adds an oomph factor to your look. Make ponytail at the nape and wrap it around itself and tuck the ends securely using bobby pins. Remember to leave few strands loose to frame your face. This will just take few minutes and you will surely look super gorgeous ready to rock your V day dinner.

Tips To Choose Hair Color For Pale Skinned Beauties

2013-08-12T00:30:00.000+05:30

No matter how much you like Aishwarya’s or Priyanka’s hair color, it might not work for you if you don’t have a complexion like them. Yes, it’s true; the color of your hair depends on various factors and differs from person to person. Women with pale skin always have a tough time finding the right hair color for their hair. But it’s easier than you think.

Selection of hair color for pale skin with brown eyes becomes simpler, once you figure out whether your skin tone is cool or warm. Here are some tips that will help you find which hair color will work best based on your skin tone and eye color.

Your skin tone can be easily recognized by seeing the hue of veins in your inner wrists. Slightly green tint would mean warm skin tone, whereas blue indicates cool skin tone. Women with warm skin tone must go for warmer hair colors, whereas the ones with cold skin tone can opt for platinum blond, flaxen or champagne shades.

Pale Skin and Light Brown Eyes:

If your brown eyes have a specific golden tint, then you are quite lucky. You can choose from a variety of options and can easily get away with cool colours. The best look might be a medium brown with lighter highlights. Thumbs up for blond and reddish highlights. You must avoid intense shades such as platinum, white or black. Pale auburn, light golden brown and golden blonde hair color looks good with hazel eyes.

Pale Skin and Darker Brown Eyes:

Dark brown eyes look greatly contrasting on fair skinned beauties; hence they go better with natural hair colors. Browns and dark browns would look pretty much natural on you and also highlight your complexion. You can also try cool shades; however, it is advisable to stay away from lighter hues if you prefer more of blonde look. If you crave for two-tone hair color, then lowlights would be the ideal option for you.

Fair Skin and Brown Eyes:

If you have naturally light brown hair, then select a light color complementing your skin tone. This concept works great for warm skin tones. Bright red is a great hair color option for ladies with fair skin and brown eyes. Light and medium auburn will look good, if you have light brown eyes. Opting for darker shades is perfect if you prefer a Snow White look. Go for dark chestnut brown as it is a perfect contrast for your skin tone. A big no for black with blue hues, especially for women with warm tones.

Always discuss with a professional, especially when trying a shade very lighter as compared to the natural hair color. A professional will always guide you and tell you which color would work best for you.

10 Best Body Washes Available In India

2013-08-11T00:00:00.000+05:30

Washing your skin with soaps can affect its pH balance in a big way, making it look dull and lifeless. We always use mild face washes on our face and make sure our facial skin is always soft and subtle, but what about your body?

The skin of your body is equally important and needs to be taken care of. So why not try body washes instead of using harsh soaps on your body. If the beauty-holic in you is cynical, then you might be hunting out to have the best of the body washes in your shower. And if your shower is jam-packed with products, then it’s advisable to streamline all your body gels, oils and creams with one of these 10 best body washes.

So here we bring you 10 best Body washes that you must consider:

1. The Body Shop Satsuma Bath & Shower Gel:

First in the queue is the body wash from none other than The Body shop. The Satsuma Bath & Shower Gel from the brand is an invigorating all-over body cleanser that rejuvenates you for your coming day. With the goodness of soya oil, The Body Shop Satsuma Bath & Shower Gel gives you a soft and clean skin and a leaves behind a fresh citrus scent.

The Body Shop is quite known to offer best body washes for women.

Rating: 5/5

2. Dove Beauty Body Wash:

Dove’s innovative Body Wash is a unique product that offers combined benefit of a Body wash and gentle exfoliation scrub. Ideal for both men and women, this nourishing Body Wash gives your dull and lackluster skin a lively glow. Its gentle exfoliating beads effectively get rid of the dead skin cells and gives your skin a polished and an even-texture. Dove Beauty Body Wash contains Dove’s unique moisturizing milk that nourishes, hydrates and makes your skin soft and silky.

Rating: 4.5/5

3. Fabindia Avocado Body Wash:

Enriched with the richness of moisturizing Avocado Oil, the Body Wash from FabIndia effectively restores the skin’s lost moisture. It makes your skin soft, supple and keeps it healthy throughout the day. With a pleasant aroma that lingers around, the Fabindia Avocado Body Wash is skin friendly and has natural ingredients.

Rating: 4/5

4. Biotique Apricot Body Gel:

Give your body a treat of ayurvedic indulgence with Biotique Apricot Body Gel. This mild Body wash is made of organic products that works well for all skin types. Being 100% soap free, Biotique Apricot Body Gel gently cleanses pollutants and impurities from your skin without making it dry. With the goodness of Kernel Oil, Apricot, Soap nut, Wild Turmeric and Himalayan Water, it gives your skin a nourished and moisturized feel. Biotique Apricot Body Gel gives you an additional benefit of exfoliation and gently scrubs off the dead skin cells giving your skin a natural glow.

Rating: 4.5/5

5. Himalaya Herbals Protecting Neem and Turmeric Body Wash:

This is a soap free herbal formulation from Himalaya Herbals. Enriched with Neem and Turmeric, the Body Wash cleanses your skin gently and takes effective care of it. The Himalaya Herbals Protecting Neem and Turmeric Body Wash has combined antibacterial properties of both neem and turmeric that will give you clean and refreshed skin.

Rating: 4/5

6. Khadi Lavender & Ylang Ylang Herbal Body Wash:

Restore the healing properties of spa at home with Khadi Lavender & Ylang Ylang Herbal Body Wash. The body wash shuns off all the stress and fatigue of the whole day once you soak in the luxurious lather of Lavender & Ylang Ylang Herbal Body Wash from Khadi. Made with a fusion of Lavender Oil and Aloe Vera, it gives you a revitalizing bathing experience. The goodness of Ylang Ylang relaxes the body’s stiffed muscles, reduces body aches as well as inflammations thereby gently healing your skin.

Rating: 4.5/5

7. Olay Quench Body Wash:

Give your skin a kick-start every morning with Olay Quench Body Wash’s luxurious bathing experience. Entice your senses to Olay Quench Body Wash. Ideal for the dry skin, this Body Wash is rich with moisturizers that makes your skin silky smooth and irresistible to touch. Get soft and supple skin everyday with Olay Quench Body Wash.

Rating: 4/5

8. Fiama Di Wills Exotic Dream Enlivening Care Shower Gel:

With the goodness of Glitter beads, Bearberry leaves and black currant extract, Fiama Di Wills Exotic Dream Enlivening Care Shower Gel is designed especially for women. It makes your bathing experience second to none and takes you to an exotic world altogether. The perfect blend of the ingredients in this body wash gives your body a succulent scent invigorating your senses. Fiama Di Wills Exotic Dream Enlivening Care Shower Gel creates fragrant lather and gently cleanses your skin and removes dead cells. It moisturizes your skin and keeps you refreshed for the whole day.

Rating: 4/5

9. Nivea Creme Soft Shower Cream:

Nivea Creme Soft Shower Cream revitalizes your body and effectively cleanses off the dirt accumulated on the skin. The enriching body wash soothes your nerves and senses and relaxes you after a shower. Its moisturizing benefits results into silky and smooth skin. With extracts of almond oil, the mild scent of the moisturizing body wash lifts your mood instantly.

Rating: 4/5

10. Palmolive Aroma Therapy Absolute Relax Body Wash:

Shun off the impurities and dirt collected on your skin after a shower with Palmolive Aroma Therapy Absolute Relax Body Wash. This is an esteemed Aroma Therapy and a relaxing Body Wash from the beauty house of Palmolive. Palmolive Aroma Therapy Absolute Relax Body Wash has rich extracts of Iris Ylang Ylang essential oil as well as Lavender oil, which keeps your skin nourished and energetic throughout the day. In shower, this Palmolive Aroma Therapy Absolute Relax Body Wash bursts into striking scent that amuses your senses. The organic Body wash is safe and skin friendly and has no side effects. It also functions as an anti-stress body wash that gives you refreshed, hydrated and silky smooth skin. Have a luxurious bathing experience each day with this Palmolive Aroma Therapy Absolute Relax Body Wash.

Rating 4/5

Pamper Your Locks With Hot Oil Massage To Prevent Hair Loss

2013-08-10T15:54:00.000+05:30

Nature is not something to be tampered with! We have learnt it the hard way. As we got greedy, our environment kept degrading and we have been paying the price with our health and beauty. The polluted and stressed filled environment doesn’t spare anything, not even your hair. The more we have been exposed to it, the more hair problems we have encountered.

Ignoring the wisdom of centuries as we grew up, most of us put away those bottles of oil. Our mothers kept telling us that it was a sure shot way to get our healthy and beautiful hair but we continued to ignore them. They did after all make our hair sticky and icky for that brief period of time!

This article is all about how wrong we have been to ignore the age old wisdom of oiling!

Why should we oil our hair?

Oil massage helps in improving the circulation of blood to the scalp which ultimately leads to better nourishment and hence better health of hair. Also, oil provides good lubrication to the hair, thereby, checking and reducing the damage.

How to do it right

Simply applying oil to your hair doesn’t serve the purpose. Oiling must be done in a specific way to get the desired benefits.

Here are some tips you can consider while oiling your hair:

Apply oil to your scalp not hair. It’s your hair’s root that needs to be nourished to have a beautiful and shiny mane.
Always apply warm oil as it seeps in to your scalp more easily than regular oil.
Dip a cotton ball in warm oil. Squeeze out any surplus oil and dab this cotton in to your scalp. You can also directly apply warm oil with your fingertips. But remember to massage your scalp gently. Over massaging will break your hair. So do it in moderation.
Oil your hair either overnight or 1 to 2 hours ahead of shampooing your hair. Oil will seep in more at night, making your hair healthy from the inside out.
Going out with oiled hair must be avoided as it tends to attract more dirt and dust, which further can cause dandruff, hair fall and scalp irritation.

Here are some oils that you can use to get rid of your hair problems

Olive oil possesses anti fungal and anti bacterial properties that aids in destroying bacteria in your scalp thereby promoting hair growth. It also helps to nourish and condition your hair at the same time improving its elasticity and strength. Olive oil assists in restoring the overall scalp cell health of chemically treated hair thus promoting healthy hair growth.

Almond oil is a rich source of Vitamin-E and hence helps to reduce hair fall. Regular massaging your hair with almond oil makes your hair strong, long, shiny and thick. This oil also provides nourishment to your hair, thereby helps smoothen the cuticles of hair.

Coconut oil is known to be an excellent hair conditioner. It possesses best moisture-retaining capacity as compared to any other oil. Coconut oil not only cleanses but also moisturizes your scalp. It easily penetrates into your scalp and stimulates the growth of hair follicles.

Some additional homemade hair loss remedies:

Treat your hair at least once in a week to retain its strength and shine.
Avoid excessive use of chemical procedures, such as perming, straightening and coloring.
Try to lessen the uses of styling equipments that use heat, which include hot irons, blow dryer, and curling rods. They are the main reasons that dry the hair, leading to dull and damaged hair.
Cover your hair with a hot-towel after applying hair mask. This will benefit your hair.
Shun off split ends by trimming your hair in every 2 to 3 months. Regular hair cuts will help you keep those lower dead locks away, thus boosting hair growth.
You can also try out some ‘make it at home’ conditioners, which will help you keep your locks thick and free from hair fall.
Hot oil massage is not an only solution for damaged hair. Hair is damaged due to various factors; hence you need to take preventive measures against them to have healthy locks. As the saying goes….prevention is better than cure!

Thanks to all my readers!!

2013-08-10T12:52:00.000+05:30

Hey all my sweetie pies..

I know that I have been posting after a very long time, say more than 4 months. But, I couldn't manage to pull out time to update my blog. Anyways, Today I am happy to announce that even after not making a single update on my blog I get around 200 visitors per day. All this with out even optimising my blog or making any efforts to get readers. Doesn't that sound great!

Well, If Your's is a well established blog then you might be getting better number of visitors. But for a starter like me, this is also a great achievement. Hope the numbers keep growing.

I was very much sure that not updating my blog page for 4 months will definitely affect my readership. But to my surprise, it was getting readers from Google Well so I thought of writing a thank you post to all my readers. To be frank, Guys I am motivated all again to write, review and share in a full swing.

Summers are here

2013-04-20T22:35:00.000+05:30

Hey all my fellow bloggers and friends, its been a long time since I wrote something. I recently changed my job hence couldn't extract time to blog. Also my Mr. Husband came back after his long sail, naturally I would spend my spare time with him instead of blogging. Last month was all full of new beginnings and start to my life and I enjoyed it the fullest.

Me and Mr. Husband went for our first vacation after this sail to Matheran and shopped a little bit. However, some future plannings have kept our expenses binded. Well that's not a concern, the real concern is the hot climate. Arrrrghhhhh, how I hate summers. :-X :-X:-X:-X

You have to wear the lightest clothes you ever own and yet guard yourself from the scorching sun. The sun seems to be getting cruel and crueler with each passing day. The worst part is during summers my skin is at its worst. It gets oily after every hour and nothing works on it. Neither any primer nor any home remedy. Hence I avoid wearing any makeup on my skin. Even my best of liners run down my eyes within few hours. This is another reason that I have not been doing any EOTDs for now.

I just apply my tinted sunscreen from Lotus and my very favourite Tips and Toes gel liner and my lipstick light handedly for office. All my desires to use my favorite eye shadows gets mellowed down with the summer heat:-(. Anyways what do you do for summers any special routine. I would love to learn things from you

Exploring my Creative ideas to make something new

2013-03-09T00:30:00.000+05:30

I saw this lace curtain at my home and had a feeling that it could have been made into something better. All I could think of was the beautiful lace dresses and skirts I see in Pinterest. I wanted to make one out of it. Unfortunately, I never had enough time to make.

Last week, my fever kept me stranded at home and this was the best way I used my free time.

See what I made..

A tunic top with boat neck:

The boat neck is usually the safest types of neck designs you can have and I love it. you can always be relieved from the fear of any unnecessary things peeping out of our dresses and bend anywhere without any fear. :D

Back of the tunic

I have added a small loop at the back of it just as a detail.

Lace Jacket with corduroy lining:

The jacket I used as pattern. Pretty na!1

I had a lace jacket already and created this one using its pattern but making few changes. I used my old Corduroy capris, which couldn’t fit me anymore, for the inner lining. You can wear it in both the side, great isn’t it?

Lace Skirt:

I always wanted a lace skirt, so here it is. I made one for myself. Yeah!!

How to make fabric flower?

2013-03-08T00:30:00.000+05:30

You must have seen the fabric flower I created in my DIYWaste to Haste attempt- Part 2. Today I will explain you how to make it. There are numerous ways of making fabric flowers. You can search online and you can find hoards of them.

This is a very easy technique and takes juts few minutes if you have everything ready with you. Firstly, you need to decide what kind of fabric you want to make a flower. It can be of any of any kind, light or thick fabric, whichever you prefer.

Here are the things that you will need.

Fabric circles cut outs of desired shapes (minimum9 for one flower)

A pair of Scissors

Needle

Thread

Extra fabric for base

Fabric glue

How to make fabric flower?

Firstly cut out a small circle from the extra fabric for the flower’s base. This circle should be smaller than the circle taken for flower.

Now take one of the circles cut to make flower and fold it into half. Now fold it as shown in the image.

You will get a circular triangle. Now stitch this circle to the fabric base. Stitch four such circular triangle covering the base completely. This will be the first line of the flower.

Now make similar circular triangles and stitch it over the joint of 2 circular triangles. Attach four triangles in the second line as well.

Remember you don’t have to flatten them. You must keep the petals fluffy so that they look like a flower.

Now place the last circle over these two layers and stitch the center part to the base. Now fluff the petals and see your flower is ready.

Now you have to hide all the stitches on its back so. Take a fabric circle of the size similar to the base and stick it to the flower’s base using fabric glue. Let it dry.

flower made with same pattern from crochet fabric

You can either directly stitch this flower to the required garment or attach a safety pin to the base of the flower and pin it wherever required.

Use these flowers as brooch for your favorite dress, hair bands, bags, Jackets and many more stuffs.

Gold and copper festive eye makeup

2013-03-07T00:30:00.002+05:30

I hope you guys liked my previous eye makeup tutorial on Smokey eyes. This time I have a festive eye makeup tutorial for you. Well, sorry again, I don’t have pictures to support my tutorial. But I will try to be as descriptive as possible to make it easy for you.

Things you will need

Bourjois Eye primer
Kajal to tightline (I used Lakme Eyeconic)
Stars eye shadow
VoV eyshadow
Maybelline color tattoo in Bold Gold
Eye shadow brushes
Eye liner (Maybelline gel liner in brown for upper lash line and Tips And Toes gel liner for water line)

How to make Gold and copper festive eye makeup

Start with clean face and apply a foundation base all over your face. I have used Lakme Perfect Radiance Foundation. Prime your eyes; I have used my newly brought Bourjois Eye primer.

This primer can be used all over the face as well. It creates a soft base and makes makeup application easier at the same time improves its staying power.

Now apply Maybelline color tattoo in Bold Gold in the inner V of the eyes. Use fingers or brush which ever you prefer.

Eyeshadows used

Now dab on the Stars eye shadow in the outer V of the eyes.

Line the crease area with VoV eyshadow.

Now you have to blend it all.

While blending, extend the eye shadow towards the brow bone. You can use a highlighter if desired. I decided to skip it.

Now tightline the eyes and line the upper lash line with brown shade from Maybelline Eyestudio Drama swirl liner in Brown and Gold. You can use black liner also. I preferred brown because it will highlight the eyeshadows.

Line the waterline with kajal. I use only Tips And Toes Gel Liner as it stays on forever on my eye lids.

TADAAAA!!!!.. It’s done. So do you have any doubts you can very well write to me. I will be glad to help you.

VOV antique gold eye shadow: A review

2013-03-06T01:43:00.000+05:30

Hello friends, here I come with a review of my one more favorite and most used eyeshadow. If you feel that you have seen this eyeshadow somewhere then let me remind you this was the one which had broke one the same day I brought it. :D I re worked on it and made it usable.

I didn’t have the heart to throw this brand new broken piece away. So, I anyhow wanted to use it. My remodeling attempt worked well and Tadaa I have this eyeshadow here and today I will be reviewing it.

Price: I brought this more than a year back so don’t recall. May be 150 or 200 bucks.

My experience of using VOV antique gold eye shadow:

I love this eyeshadow to the T. The antique gold shade is so awesome that I just can think of any festive makeup without it. It is a must have shade for me as it looks neutral at the same time rich on your eye lids.

The antique gold shade of this eyeshadow has light shimmers and has smooth and soft texture. It blends on easily on your lids without adding any weight on your eyes. You might just not feel it on your eyes. The SA told me that it can also be used as a blush though I don’t approve of it.

It can be used as a bronzer but not as a blush at least for me. It comes with a sponge brush applicator, which is of no use and so I threw it away. It has no fallouts hence doesn’t create any clutter while application.

Swatch:

EOTD:

Yays of VOV antique gold eye shadow:

Awesome shade

Smooth and soft texture

Blends well

Gives ultra-light feel on application

Nays of VOV antique gold eye shadow:

Useless brush applicator

No ingredient list mentioned

Would I buy VOV antique gold eye shadow again?

I don’t know how much time it will take to finish this one. But I will surely want to have this shade again.

Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadow Bold Gold: A Review

2013-03-05T00:30:00.001+05:30

Hello ladies, how’s the week coming for you. Today, I will review my latest buy from Maybelline Color Tattoo range. Yes, Bold Gold. You must be very well aware of what the Maybelline Color Tattoo range is all about. I have already reviewed Bad to bronze, PomegranatePunk and Fierce and Tangy on my blog. if you haven't read it, you can read them now.

I am crazy about Color tattoos and want the brand to introduce few more shades. I am also waiting to get my hands on the Audacious Asphalt shade. The shade Bold Gold is a subtle yet fancy shade, which can be used for daily makeup as well as for parties.

Price:- Rs.350 for 4 gm

Product Claims:

Dare to wear 24HR shadow.
Cream formula glides on without creasing and keeps color vibrant
Ink technology creates 24HR wear shadow for our most intense, long-lasting color saturation
Ophthalmologist-tested
Safe for sensitive eyes and contact lens wearers

How to Use:-

Illuminate with fingertips, sweep all over eye from inner corner and work outwards. For added drama, darken as desired.
Must be used before 30 months from the date of manufacturing

Packaging:-

The Tiny Glass pots with black plastic lids are just so cute; I am in love with the packaging. It is bit heavy enough but is travel friendly. However, you have to be careful with the handling part as they might break on falling from height. Also the transparent glass pot makes it easy to identify the shades unlike the Maybelline Gel Liners which come in frosted Glass Pots.

My experience of using Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye shadow in Bold Gold:-

The shade Bold Gold is looks like a shimmery golden color in the pot and on application gives a rich gold look. It is a perfect shade for festive and bridal makeup. Considering the fact that brides in India mostly associate with red and gold, the Maybelline Color Tattoo Eye Shadow Bold Gold would be an ideal choice for your big day.

The single application of this shade gives a subtle golden shimmery coverage, whereas multiple applications result in to rich gold shade. Though it might not look as much similar to the shade that appears in the pot, you will be pretty satisfied with its outcome.

Gold shades are must for me for any occasion and hence I wanted to have this shade. The smooth mousse like texture of Color Tattoo makes it easy to apply and blend. The slight shimmers as seen in the pot doesn’t look prominent when applied. It just appears as a rich shine on your eyelids.

You get this brush complimentary

I am every much content and happy with the shade color as it is gives a beautiful look. Apply it alone over the lids or blend it with other shades it gives a rich look to eyes. I use this shade both as daily wear and for wedding functions. For daily use, I just smear it over my lids and line my eyes with jet black eyeshadow and it done. The shade makes your eyes pop out attractively.

As you all know the staying power of Maybelline Color Tattoos is awesome. It dries quickly on your eyelids and stays for good 6-8 hours without creasing. It has worked on my oily eyelids without any primer for almost whole day.

Swatches:-

shade Swiped 3 times

EOTD:-

Yays of Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bold Gold:-

Soft creamy texture
Gorgeous Shade
Ideal shade for daily wear and party wear
Easy to apply with both brush and fingertips
Blends easy without leaving patches
Stays as put for the whole day without creasing
Comes off easily with Makeup remover
Cheap for the quality and amount of product you get.

Nays of Maybelline Color Tattoo in Bold Gold:-

I don’t find any cons with this product. But I think Maybelline must introduce more shades in this range.

Would I buy Maybelline Color Tattoo Bold Gold again?

Obviously, I would but definitely not this shade as this pot will take forever to finish. I will very well try me hands on some new shades from this range.

For all those who are looking forward to use this shade, I will say this is a must-have and highly recommended one.

Rating 4.9/5

Stars Eyeshadow in bronze: A Review

2013-03-04T00:30:00.001+05:30

I have been using this eyeshadow too much lately and I am so much loving it that I had to review it. It is a beautiful shade that I have and almost use it every day. The antique bronze eye shadow when applied alone or with other colors makes your eyes pop out.

I don’t know whether it is a renowned brand or not as I got it from my beauty center haul. I loved the shade, so got it.

Price: Rs 95/- but I got it for lesser amount. Don’t remember exactly.

My experience of using Stars Eyeshadow in bronze:

I have a soft corner for gold and bronze eyeshadows as they go well with all clothes and are apt for any occasion. This shade was brought for my sister, but I liked it so much that I kept it for myself. Well I had to exchange one of my golden eyeshadows in exchange.

I have done various attempts of blending various colors with this eyeshadow and each of them came out to be exceptionally beautiful. The shade is exactly shimmery bronze and comes out exactly the same after application.

Though, this eyeshadow leads to fallouts, it’s still manageable if applied carefully. It has a soft texture and can be easily applied with fingers also. The staying power with a primer is good, I haven’t tried without a primer so cannot comment on it. The shimmers are not visible when applied on eyelids, they just look like a rich bronze shade.

Swatch:

EOTD

Yays of Stars Eyeshadow in bronze:

Beautiful bronze shade

Staying power with primer is pretty good

Soft texture

Blends easily

Nays of Stars Eyeshadow in bronze:

Fallouts

No ingredients list mentioned

Would I buy Stars Eyeshadow in bronze again?

Well, that doubtful. I don’t trust the brand but if I ever finish it and don’t get this shade with any known brand only then I might consider buying again.