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Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Fashion

Live India Fashion


Shape up and Shine
Even if you cannot afford professional treatment, there's still a lot you can do for yourself from home beauty treatments Although backless blouses look very elegant many women have blemished backs. Rather than covering up and hiding your body, do something to get rid of these spots. A weekly light scrubbing down with pumice stone or a scrub gives a regular exfoliation, which is a must to give the skin a satin smooth look. Also include healthy doses of vitamin C (atleast 1000 mg two to three times a day) in your diet. There's nothing like a good massage to relax those tense nerves. Fast once a week to detoxify the system. When toxins overload the body, the skin appears blemished and sallow. Following a detoxification programme will give your skin a chance to regain its natural shine.

Get into a regular beauty routine. Never go to the bed with your make-up on. Cleanse, tone and moisturize your face every night, even if you have oily skin. Of all the products that promise soft and radiant skin, a moisturizer is probably the most effective. It nourishes the skin, giving an almost immediate softness and suppleness. Wear a moisturizer with a high SPF to protect the skin from the sun's damaging effects, and use a renewal cream, preferably collagen based, during the night. Pay special attention to dry areas such as knees and elbows by moisturizing liberally after exfoliating
If you need to loose weight, go about it in a systematic way. Crash dieting doesn't work as you'll only loose much needed energy. Any weight loss programme should be slow and controlled. Breakfast like a king, lunch like a Queen, and dine like a pauper. Avoid cholesterol rich food like butter, cheese, and ghee.

Avoid tea, coffee and fizzy drinks, opt for fruit and vegetable juices, mineral waste and herbal teas.

Stock up on foods that boost the immune system, especially if you are susceptible to flu. Zinc is one of the most powerful immune system boosting minerals, but avoid taking too much of it in a supplement form. Food rich in zinc are red meat, whole grain bread and cereal. Fill up on the A-list foods, which are nutritious and taste great!

Carrots (Anti-cancerous, reduce the risks of heart attacks, good for the eyes);
Broccoli (anti cancerous, and rich in vitamin C and calcium);
Spinach (Anti cancerous, contains vitamin C, E and calcium);
Grapes (helps prevent heart disease, high in vitamin C, iron and potassium);
Strawberries (reduces cholesterol ans risks of high blood pressure);
Onions (clears blocked sinuses, help prevent heart attacks and rectal colon and stomach cancers);
Garlic ( Anti-cancerous, reduces acidity, lowers blood pressure, boosts immunity, and reduced blood clotting).

Get a plant in your room. It's well known that houseplants are good for health. They cut down on chemical toxins in the atmosphere, counteract allergies, asthma, headaches and fatigue and humidify rooms, so both your lungs and skin will benefit.

Moderate exercise makes the bones stronger, but intense training can have the opposite effect, as a lot of calcium is lost in sweat. If you are working in a hot and humid weather, you would sweat more and so you'll need to increase your calcium intake. Swimming is good for everyone, especially those with damaged joints or muscles. If you have a bad back, swimming is the ideal exercise. It builds strength, is relaxing and helps tone every area of your body.

Yoga is an extremely effective work out for the body and the mind. It improves co-ordination and posture, and asthma patients have benefited greatly as they are taught how to breathe properly. Yoga has no side effects, is beneficial for all the systems and prevents illness from striking.
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Foot Notes

Foot Notes

Pampering Your Feet
Feet are hardest working parts of the body, but we rarely make time to give them the attention they need. A weekly pampering pedicure and massage is the answer and will leave feet feeling refreshed and ready for action.

Easy steps to softer feet
Nail Clippers, Emery Board, Toe Separators,
Pumic Stone, Foot Lotion, Cuticle Cream,
Hoof Stick, Clear Polish, Polish Remover,
  1. Soak feet in a bowl of water for about ten minutes. Add two to three drops of essential oil of lavender for an even more relaxing effect.
  2. Dry the feet. Clip the toe-nails across and file smooth.
  3. Rub feet with an exfoliating body scrub, paying particular attention to any rough skin that may have formed on the heels and the balls of the feet. Wash off all traces of exfoliate and dry the feet thoroughly.
  4. Support the foot with one hand by placing your thumb on the sole and your fingers on the top. Use the other hand to massage a cooling foot lotion or an overall body moisturizer into the foot. Start at the base of each toe and work down the foot making small circular movements with your thumb and forefinger.
  5. Work the lotion between the toes and massage each toe by gently rolling it between your fingers. This helps to stimulate the circulation and pressure points. Repeat steps 4 and 5 on the other foot.

  6. Lie down for about five minutes with your feet above the head, either resting a pillow or against a wall. This relieves tension in the feet and legs and can help aching veins.

    Cut off any excess toenail with
    a air of nail clippers, working straight across the nail. Avoid using nail scissors as these can split the nail and cause
    ingrowing toenails.

    Use an emery board to file
    your toenails straight across,
    rounding them slightly at the corners. To avoid ingrowing
    toenails, don't file into the
    corners of the nails. Hold the board slightly angled down towards the free edge of the
    nail andsmooth from each
    side of the nail towards the centre

    Massage a little
    cuticle cream
    into the base of
    your nails.

    Push back your cuticle
    with a hoof stick or a cottonbud(swab).
    Use circular
    movements
    for greatest effect.
    Wipe
    off any excess cream,
    and finish with a
    coat of clear
    nail polish.

    Foot Care
    In the complete human body feet are the mist strained and worked out part, but inspite of this are the most neglected one also. Lack of proper care for feet result in many problems like corns and bunions, cracks, infections and ingrown nails.

    Massaging the feet each night with oil is relaxing and keeps them soft and supple. In winter warm oil can be used with sesame or mustard oil. In summer coconut oil provides a cooling effect.

    Corns

    If the shoes are to tight, pinch or do not fit properly corns appear due to the pressure put on the bony areas of the foot and also interfere with the circulation of blood ultimately leading to corns.

    Remedies
    · The sap from a marigold stem, milky juice from green figs or papaya juice are all good remedies. Apply to the affected area frequently.
    A slice of lemon can be placed on the corn and bandaged in place overnight.
    Cracks on heels

    Walking barefoot on rough surfaces or excessive exposure of bare feet to the sun, wind or water causes cracks on the heels and soles apart form the aggravation of Pitta and Vata doshas, which cause dryness and roughness of the feet.

    Remedies
    Take about three tablespoons of bees wax and mix one teaspoonful sesame oil in it. Warm it a little and apply on the affected areas.
    Use warm sesame oil or ghee on the affected areas.
    Apply a mixture of 1 teaspoon of mango tree sap and 1 tablespoon water to the cracked skin.

Skin Care

Skin Care
Being the mirror, the barometer of an individual's health, skin is the clue to one's Ayurvedic constitution. This can be understood by the types of skin that one has. Example: If vata is predominant the skin of a person is dry, rough, cold, thin with fine pores and wrinkled. In case of pitta constitution, the skin is delicate, fair and red toned with freckles, moles or acne and burns easily. If the constitution is of kapha dosha the skin of a person is oily, smooth, moist and thick with a tendency towards large pores.

If the skin is not cared properly and neglected it suffers from premature aging, becomes dull and blemished. Regular consumption of milk, honey and yogurt are good nourishment for skin and prevents premature aging.

Following are some common skin problems and ayurvedic remedy for preventing and curing the same.

Acne and Pimples

The aggravation of tridosha or the three energies of the body results in the occurrence of acne, pimples and blackheads. In all pitta dosha is effected the most and it happens so due to the excessive intake of alcohol, tea, coffee, spicy, oily and fried foods.

Stress, tension, pollution and chemicals are also among the major causes that aggravates Pitta dosha and result in acne, boils, pimples and rashes.

Remedies
A paste made from one teaspoon each of sandalwood powder and turmeric mixed with milk, is very good. A paste of nutmeg and water is also beneficial.
Half a cup of Aloe Vera pulp can be taken internally (Do not take internally if pregnant) or applied externally to the skin. Dosage: Twice a day.
Before going to bed, was the face thoroughly and then apply a paste of 1 Tsp. coriander juice mixed with a pinch of turmeric powder.
For pimples, apply a paste made from one teaspoon of cumin seeds. Remove after one hour.
A paste of fresh fenugreek leaves, applied and washed off with warm water before going to bed prevents pimples.
Pigmentation

Imbalance of Bhrajaka Pitta that colors the skin and can be compared to melanin causes blackening, pigmentation and discoloration of skin. Excessive exposure to the sun, irregular eating, sleeping habits and consumption of foods and drinks that aggravate pitta are responsible for the aggravation of bhrajka pitta also.

Remedies
Grind five almonds and mix with 1 teaspoon of fresh cream and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply this paste to the face and neck. Leave on for about fifteen minutes.
Apply papaya juice, or mashed papaya, to the affected areas.
Grind equal amounts of sesame seeds and turmeric in a small quantity of
Water Apply to the face or discolored skin.
Make a paste from basil (tulsi) leaves and water to use on the affected skin.
Premature Aging

This is due to the aggravation of vata dosha, which naturally increases with age. Thus aging is something that can be prevented to come to early but can't be cured as such. It's a natural ongoing process and beyond human limit to control it.

Aging causes dryness and wrinkling of the skin. Factors like excessive thinking, stress, tension, over work, strain, irregular sleeping and eating habits and cold or dry foods enhance aging. Foods containing artificial flavors, colors, preservatives and chemicals also aggravate the Vata dosha and fasten aging.

Remedies
Massage the face with ghee, almond oil or coconut oil before going to bed.
Use grated cucumber in a face pack.
Apply fresh aloe Vera gel to the skin.

Sunny Tales for winter

Sunny Tales for winter

The soft chime of the Christmas bells the distant cathedral towers are already bringing in a touch of festivity to the short sunny afternoons that tend to melt away into cold evenings. The fun of celebration and the pain in bidding goodbye to the century is here. And each of us would like to good in the millennium. But as the dry northerly winds brings in an ill omen for your skin, you must be ready with your army of moisturizers, cold creams and cleansing milk to fight away the elements that try to turn your glowing skin into a dry and parched piece of dirt. And if you are not, you better be prepared. For an youthful and healthy skin not only reflects your beauty, it also enhances your personality, turning you into an element of eternal attraction. Hope you wouldn’t be able to resist yourself from being called the star of the evening!

In the days of our mothers and grandmothers, skin care started since childhood. Massaging a body oil and keeping it lying in the open, under the sun, was a regular practice. It not only helped in pigments to synthesize the vital Vitamin D needed for the baby’s bones. With maturity, the teenage girl would be asked to pamper her skin with pastes of turmeric, besan and fresh cream. In those days these simple products were just brought in from the kitchen and never sold in attractive containers with costly herbal labels on them.

But with the changing scenario of the hectic city life seems to sqeeze out all the energy and youth left in you. The pollution and the dirt is the worst enemy of your skin. Morever, busy working women no longer have time to pamper themselves with home-made products. What they can find time for is just a visit to the parlor, a quick facial and then probably an application of a popular night cream at night during the dry winter months.

Though synthetic products are flooding the markets, beauticians and skin care specialists are going back to the days of our mothers. They are advising to hold on the age-old home made products to keep your closer to nature. It is nature’s winds that turn your skin dry, yet it is nature that guards the secret to your beautiful skin.

Our skin is made up of different layers. The outer epithelial layer our epidermis is the most likely target of our environment as the harsh elements can hardly reach the dermal layer that lies below. The epidermis constantly peels off and rejuvenates. But during this course of molting the skin looks dry and you tend to lose the natural glow that you were so proud of. The peeling off is more likely to occur during the winter months as the winds are dry and squeeze out the natural oily texture of the skin. Again there are many who are allergic to the cold environment. They suffer from painful allergic manifestations that have a detrimental effect on the skin and can even lead to infections. They fail to acclimatize with the sudden change in the climate and the greatest effect is felt on the skin. Skin happens to be the reflection of how you are affected by changes in your environment.

Another important enemy in modern city life is the wide range of pollutants that precipitate in what we call the winter smog. These pollutants not only darken your skin, the dirt particles clog the skin pores and do not allow the skin to breathe. In the process your skin shrinks and you look older.

But you can turn your tomorrow into the day after with regular hair and skin care programme. Remember, your scalp is also a part of your skin and requires regular attention, otherwise your hair too will fall off easily and little can be done once this downfall starts. good skin is not one that has been taken for granted and abused with a variety of products, but one where you know what products your skin needs. The texture of all skin types are not same and nor do they have the same requirements. The first step of our skin care treatment is to have knowledge of the skin type – whether it is dry, oily or neutral. The attention you give to your skin today will definitely be reflected years later.

However, application of various products only on the outer surface does not lead to an ultimate healthy skin. What one needs is a healthy diet and a peaceful mind. The meals should have ample amount of juicy fruits and vegetables along with at least ten glasses of water a day. Intake of liquids help your skin to retain the essential oils automatically and acts as a natural protection against dryness. The diet should be deficient in vitamins, specially vitamin C and vitamin E.

Both these vitamins are essential to keep the skin soft and supple. Though most of the modern skin care products contain vitamin E, it is advised to drink milk and eat the white of an egg to assure regular intake of vitamin E.

And as far as vitamin C is concerned a lot of green vegetables and fruits will serve the purpose.

Again, there are certain parts of the body that require special care during the winter months. These are you feet and hands. Specially the feet tend to crack and they are the most neglected areas, constantly exposed to dirt and dryness. Your scalp too needs special mention as many of us suffer from the dandruff that can have long term effect on the like hair fall. And what about your lovely nose? It must look horrible with the blackheads crowding on the soft exposed part.

Three elements of skin care are needed for any skin during winter. These are a deep cleansing milk to remove the dirt or excess oil adhering to the skin. This is followed by astringent applications that cools, tightens and tones the skin enabling it to maintain a natural balance. And last but not the least an oil based nutrient rich in vitamin E to nourish the skin and keep it supple

Home Truths

Home Truths

It never fails. Just when you thought you’d seen the last of the face invaders, they’re back and larger than life! Suddenly, you feel like an alien, and the only thing you want to do move…to another planet. But wait! Instead of waging war on you skin by blasting blemishes wit supersonic zit creams and harsh scrubbing, take the kinder, gentler approach, just like the women from the past who made good use of everyday items like fruits, vegetables, nuts and cereals for enhancing their beauty. Grandma’s recipes obviously work, because even the most exotic spas of Europe are veering towards herbal and natural therapies.

The best part? You can whip these up in seconds using things that are sitting in the refrigerator or on the kitchen shelf. Masks, facials, packs and cleansers made of homegrown stuff all work in gentle, natural ways to soothe, stimulate, relax, tone or clear the skin. Though you may go according to different or problem skin types, a tutti-frutti approach may be better: everyone’s skin is a combination of oily and dry elements. You might want to use a mask for oily skin on the nose, forehead and chin and mask for dry skin everywhere else.

You can even take a Chinese restaurant approach, and combine, say honey with egg in the same skin category. However, you can cook up your mask, apply it to a cleansed skin and let it do the good work for fifteen or twenty minutes while you relax. Feet up on the pillows or resting on the slant board will double the benefits of any helper you put on the skin. Remember, skin is an all-over affair. Don’t stop with just nourishing your face – spread the good work to hands, to the throats and shoulders. After twenty minutes, splash away the facial with cool or lukewarm water.

What is your skin type? Get a headstart on the road to a dear complexion by understanding the basics:

  • Oily sin usually has a shiny surface, visible pores and is prone to breakouts.
  • Dry skin often feels taut, slightly rough and tends to chap and flake.
  • Combination skin is oily at the T-zone (the forehead, nose and chin) and drier on the cheeks.
  • Sensitive skin is thin, delicate and easily irritated. It has a red and blotchy.

Natural Masks

  • Break two large bananas, toss into a blender along with half of the peel and one tablespoon of raw honey. Blend to liquefy, pat on, let dry for 20 minutes.
  • Mix equal proportions of honey, fresh cream, or oats and almond paste. Pat on, let dry for 20 minutes.
  • Peel and pit an avocado, liquefy in the blender with one tablespoon of raw honey. Pat on, let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.

Oily Skin Masks

  • Wash and core two crisp apples, but do not peel, liquefy the whole thing into the blender. Pat on, let dry for 20 minutes. Splash on with cool water.
  • Wash a big, ripe tomato and liquefy the whole thing in the blender. Pat on, let dry for 20 minutes, splash off with cool water.

Two nourishing masks for all skin types:

  • Blend two egg yolks, two tablespoons of honey, three drops of almond oil. Pat on, let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.
  • Grind half a cup of yellow mustard seeds, adding 2 litres of water in it. Also grind in a few rose petals. Apply on skin. Let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse well.

One Clarifying facial mask, good for all skins (to be used occassionally):

This does with gentle natural enzymes what skin-slouching creams, peelers and exfoliating lotions do with chemical – it removes dead, dry skin cells on the surface to expose fresh clear skin.
  • Peel a ripe banana and puree in the blender. Pat on the fruit, let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water.

Two cleansing and bleaching masks (for faded, end of summer tans as well as winter-drab or season-change sallow skin)

  • Add the juice of two lemons to one cup of buttermilk. blend, pat on, let dry for 20 minutes. Splash off with cool water.

  • Liquefy one whole lemon (washed, not peeled) and half an orange (washed, not peeled) in the blender, add one cup of plain yoghurt. blend, pat on, let dry for 20 minutes. Rnse off with cool water.

  • Here are a few more any-time masks

  • For a glowing skin, cucumber mixed with fresh coconut water gives remarkable results.

  • use mashed bananas and strawberries as a pack to freshen up the complexion.

  • For curing pimples, apply a mixture of haldi (turmeric) and sandalwood on the face.


  • Pimples can also be cured with a light massage of rose and sevti flowers extract. The extract is easily prepared by distilling a number of flowers in a distilling apparatus. The extract should be applied on the pimples three times a day

Sunny Tales for winter The soft chime of the Christmas bells the distant cathedral towers are already bringing in a touch of festivity to the short sunny afternoons that tend to melt away into cold evenings. The fun of celebration and the pain in bidding goodbye

Tips for Smooth Skin

Tips for Smooth Skin

Home beauty recipes and remedies have been around for centuries. Remarkable remedies were discovered purely out of necessity. Over a period of time, many home remedies have proven to be effective and natural, therefore healthy! Making your own beauty products costs a fraction of what you pay for over-the-counter preparations.

Keep in mind any allergies or sensitivity you may have to some ingredients; such as glycerin, lemons, strawberries, eggs, etc. Check with your doctor or dermatologist if you are not sure you can use certain ingredients.

Pamper your skin with these face packs:

1. This is an excellent remedy to get rid of those ugly acne scars. Blend the sandalwood paste and rose water and apply on the scars. Keep it overnight and then wash it off with cold water the next day. This does wonders to your skin!

2. Lemons also have exfoliating properties: rub half a lemon on your face with a hint of sugar granules to remove dead cells and lighten a tan. You can also rub on hyper-pigmented areas like elbows to lighten them. Mix with a little cucumber juice to make a natural astringent. Condition your hair with the juice of one lemon mixed with a glass of lukewarm water or get rid of dandruff by rubbing your scalp with hot oil and lemon juice.

Ways to achieve a Smooth Skin

1. Mash the bananas along with milk and then apply on your face. Wash it off after 20 minutes. This makes the skin smooth and supple.

2. Blend the egg white and honey well and then apply on the face. This makes your skin smooth and helps to reduce wrinkles.

3. Blend turmeric powder with milk and apply on the face. It removes the tan and helps to reduce the facial hair. Scrub it off with a good face scrub and then wash with cold water. You can also keep it overnight.

4. Mix oatmeal along with curds and tomato juice and apply on the face. Keep it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. It helps to remove the tan and lightens the skin.

5. Apply raw sliced potato on the face. Reduces blemishes and other scars.

6. Cucumber juice is an excellent astringent. Applying cucumber juice on the face tightens the pores. Wash it off after 15 minutes.

7. Applying turmeric powder along with limejuice removes the tan. Limejuice is a natural bleach.

8. Dried orange peels mixed with curds help reduce blemishes and scars. Wash it off after 15 minutes with cold water.

9. Honey makes the skin glow. It makes the skin soft and smooth. Helps reduce wrinkles.

10. Citrus face packs and sandalwood face packs are excellent for oily skin.

11. Rubbing ice cubes on the face tightens the pores and increases blood circulation.

Skin Care

Skin Care

Skin Care for Summers

This summer promise yourself that you will look fresh and gorgeous. Even if you are barefaced without a trace of make-up. All you’ve to do is be a true water baby. And by that we don’t mean just splashing in the surf during your holiday by the sea. Water can be your beauty Aid No 1, whenever, whenever you are – holidaying, sweating it out at your office or unwinding on a leisurely Sunday at home. Decide that you can’t do without water on your dressing table.

Aqua Skin

Moisturisation is the most important part of daily skin care, since skin needs more moisture (water) than it does color sheen or gloss. You may be surprised that your summer skin, which looked radiant throughout winter, suddenly looks dull, blemished and oily. "This is because, in winter your skin’s natural oils solidifies, whereas in summer it flows freely," explains Kristina McHugh, South African beauty specialist. Because of this, most people need a lighter moisturizer in hot weather."

Although you must, as a rule, buy a water-based moisturizer, work out your skin’s needs. Maybe just plain water works for you. Herbal beautician Shahnaz Husain says that flower-based lotions like rose water can be sprayed on the face to tone and refresh it. "A rose-based skin tonic or cucumber water (made by diluting cucumber juice with water) can be used to spray the face," she says. "Keep them cool in the fridge before use. Honey water helps dry skins more, because honey is a humecant. It dehydrates the skin.

Besides this, make a habit of splashing your face gently with water for instant freshness (try and use mineral water). You can splash as many as 20 times as long as you don’t use very hot or cold water on your skin (which can cause fine vein to appear on your face). Steam face regularly to release dirt (five minutes for dry skin and 10 minutes if it is oily). Pat dry with tissue and moisturize. Moisturizers should be used damp on the skin. This seals in the water and helps skin to hold the moisture better.

Soak Suds

Feet need TLC at the best of times, let alone in summer. And as they, unmanicured, peeling hands are a beauty sin! Blistering heat makes feet swell and sweat and sexy summer footwear means it’s all on show. So, keeping both hands and feet clean with a liberal use of soap and water (followed by a moisturizer) is a grooming must. "There’s nothing more off-putting than looking at cracked, dirty heels," insists Christina Fritzgerald of Sydney salon Smyth and Fitzgerald.

So there you are again, water is your only escape route out of unkempt hair and legs. Soaking feet and hands helps to get rid of fatigue, more so if you add a pinch of salt to the water you use. This softens the dry, dead skin around the your soles, easing its removal. Soak feet for 15-20 minutes. Shahnaz recommends hot and cold contrast soaks for the feet to help boost circulation. Soak your feet first in hot water and then in cold water for two minutes each. Do this for about 15 minutes, once a week.

Bye Bye BO

Have you thought how a small bottle with nothing but clean water in it can rid you of your nightmares? You can use herbal flower water too, to spray your armpits with. Add a few drops of cologne to the water, if you like, in the spray bottle. Earlier in the day, use a spray deo immediately after a bath on semi-damp skin. Water makes a better spray than strong cologne because some cosmetics block the natural and necessary process of perspiration. Spray twice or thrice a day.

The drink of life

Add more water to your life:
  • You know you should, but do you do it? Drink at least 15 glasses of water a day
  • Mix the fruit juice of your choice with mineral water for a healthy soda.
  • Is there a waterfall you can get under, or a brook to swim in? Don’t pass up the opportunity. Great for blood circulation.
  • Sinking into a bathtub has a tranquilizing effect on the mind. Throw in mineral salts if you can.
  • Use water as mouth freshener along with a sprig of mint, honey and lime.
  • Make a compress for dry, flaky, irritated skin using water. Use gauze dipped in tolerably cold water. Apply on affected area and leave on for 10 minutes. Instant relief.
  • Sebastian Keipp, who wrote My Water Cure, recommends using water as a healing power to cure disease. "Walk barefoot on grass or immerse your legs in cold water up to the knees. This increases resistance to illness."
  • With water, remember, more is always better.

Absolute hair highlight

The question that hair specialist Colleen Khan was asked most often at the 1999 Cosmo Show in Delhi was how often hair should be washed. "It is a total myth that you can’t wash hair everyday," says Colleen. "Clean hair is the best hair highlight. It is overshampooing that should be avoided."

Shahnaz Husain agrees. "In the summer months, hair collects more dirt and washing it regularly is necessary. Especially in cities where chemical and pollutants to cling to the scalp. In summer, hair should be washed three times a week or more, if needed. But use a small quantity of shampoo and choose a mild, herbal one."

Give your hair a cold rinse prior to turning off the shower-it closes follicles so locks in shine.

Bathroom Essentials & Body Bath

Bathroom Essentials & Body Bath

Bath Smart Good grooming and basic beauty care begin in the bathroom. Bathing can be fun, not a chore and can make you feel fresh and glowing. Personal freshness is essential for everyone. The bacteria on the skin attacking the sweat when it reaches the surface of the skin cause body odder. Perspiration odour doesn't start until about the age of 10, when the special apocrine glands develop. These are found mainly under the arms and between the legs
Once a week, take time to have a lazy bath night, and turn it into a beauty treatment. Make the bath water soft and sweet smelling by adding some bubble bath, bath salts or bath oils. Alternatively, you can soften the water with a large spoonful or borax or powdered water softener.

Your bath wont do you any good if you stay in it so long, as soaking will dry your skin, or if is too hot, as this too is very drying. Twenty minutes is the longest you should linger, and 38o C(100 oF) is the highest temperature you should have the water. If you are not washing your hair, protect it with a shower cap, as the steam will make curly hair more frizzy or straight hair lank.

Other things you might need for your beautiful bath are:

  • A loofah, friction strap or mitt
  • A sponge
  • A back brush
  • A nail brush
  • A pumice stone
  • Soap or body shampoo
  • Talcum powder
  • Body lotion
While you are in a bath, rub yourself briskly with a loofah, friction strap or back brush. This makes your skin tingle, improving your circulation and encouraging blemishes to disappear, but be careful if you have delicate skin.

Scrub your feet thoroughly, and follow the foot care routine. The hot steam of the bath will open the skin pores on your face. If you suffer from blackheads, you should be able to press them out gently with your fingertips and remove with a clean tissue. Or try the new blackhead removal strips that are available in the market.

While you are relaxing in the bath, this is a good time to apply a face mask- something you can do occasionally than every week.

If you are not giving yourself a face mask and have oily skin, wash your face with soap and water. If you have dry skin, spread moisturizer on your face and let your steam help it to sink into the pores. After your bath, rub yourself dry briskly with a fairly rough towel. Now is the time to deal with unwanted body hair. It is a matter of personal choice whether you get rid of on your legs and under your arms.

There are many ways of dealing with unwanted hair: shaving, using a depilatory cream or lotion or waxing. If using a depilatory cream, follow the manufacturers instructions carefully. They may advise you not to use it immediately after a bath.

Even if you are careful about the time you spend in the bath and the temperature of the water, your skin will still need help, after your bath, to re-establish its correct moisture balance. Use body lotion, and then dust yourself with talc.

After a bath, your nails are softened, and this is a good time to give yourself a manicure and pedicure.

Milk, Oil and Honey Bath

(To soften and moisturize your skin).

Ingredients: warm water, one cup of powdered skimmed milk, one teaspoon oil (baby or vegetable), two teaspoons clear honey dissolved in one cup hot water.

Duration: 20 minutes

Directions: add all ingredients to water, then lie back and relax for 20 minutes. Maintain the temperature by adding hot water as necessary. Donut dry too vigorously afterwards.

Sea salt Bath

(To cleansing bath for oily skin)

Ingredients: Warm water, two cups of sea salt, additional salt.

Duration: Ten minutes in all (five in the water).

Directions: Pour the two cups of salt into bath water to dissolve. Meanwhile, massage the additional salt over your body with the loofah or friction mitt. Get into the bath, rinse away the salt and soak for five minutes. Use plenty of body lotion afterwards.

Mint Bath

(To refresh and revive you)

Ingredients: Tepid water, two tablespoons dried mint leaves steeped in boiling water for one hour then strained so that only water goes into the bath.

Duration: Ten minutes

Directions: Add the mint infusion after running the bath. Donut have the water too deep as this will dilute the benefits. Lie back for the first few minutes. Wash briskly with the loofah or friction strap or mitt for the remaining five minutes.



Body Beautiful The fact that we enjoyed perfect velvety skin in our teenage years is not reason enough to enjoy it throughout. Sun damage is cumulative and can be seen on our skin a decade or two later. The skin on our body needs the same kind of love and care as our face. Dull, coarse and lifeless skin is a result of a generally toxic lifestyle, and healthy eating, proper exercise and body brushing can make a dramatic difference.

Grab the Veggies

Your diet supplies the nutrients needed by the cells to keep skin, hair and nails looking healthy. Therefore, it is important that you feed your body a well balanced diet. Vegetables are actually ‘longevity’ foods; they are clean burning, ‘high octane’ fuels that return the cells causing premature ageing. Veggies like tomatoes, carrots, broccoli and green leafy vegetables like spinach are packed with vitamin A and C, beta carotene and fibre. These nutrients not only make your skin glow, but even help in destroying cancerous cells and preventing heart attacks. They are also loaded with calcium – the mineral your body needs to keep your bones from buckling. Vegetables are rich in healthy carbohydrates and devoid of fat or cholesterol, making them good for the heart.

Poor eating habits can cause temporary hair loss, cracks in the corner of your mouth and brittle nails. Your skin can bruise easily, heal slowly and look dull, drab and ‘ashy’. A good diet, on the other hand will keep your skin looking healthy and toned, and sport a fine texture and colour. Besides, a healthy diet will keep skin diseases at bay. In fact, if you eat right, you wont need to take vitamin supplements. In short there is no substitute for veggies.

Fitness Goals

Exercise is surprisingly enjoyable, good for the self-esteem and carries significant benefits for the quality of our lives and our health. Be it yoga, aerobics or walking, and no matter how little of it, it is important for both physical and mental health. Exercise is a panacea for boredom, tension, anxiety and even PMS. Working up a sweat is natural and healthy, a vital requirement for a balanced, fulfilled life.

Exercise improves blood circulation, which helps in the reproduction of new cells, besides getting rid of all impurities to reveal radiant skin. But when you donut exercise enough, the blood circulation is sluggish and the skin receives less oxygen. As a result, your skin may look dull and sallow, one that lacks lustre. In fact, it might even aggravate acne.

It might take some getting used to, but once you get started, your body and mind will get accustomed to the exertion and actually hunger for it.

Simply Brush it Away

Body brushing is a good way to stimulate blood circulation. Because the skin is an organ of elimination (and the largest one in the body), many toxins can be eliminated if you stimulate the circulation and the lymph system by brushing the skin. Use a loofah or a body sponge and brush in circular motions to remove the dead skin cells. Pay special attention to the elbows, knees, shoulders, the back and thighs. Do this every day before bathing or showering. Also, keep the temperature of your bath water a little higher that of your skin so as to stimulate sluggish circulation.

Smoother skin is a spin-off of this toxin eliminating regimen, which leaves you feeling invigorated and truly bright-eyed.
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Indian Oil Baths
Indian oil baths are a centuries old practice used in southern India for any variety of specific reasons, with all of them directed at enabling good health. In past generations of the Indian culture, oil baths were thought to allow "cold" to enter the body through the head, ears and feet, lowering body temperature and assisting an individual to endure the warm climate. In today's modern world, Indian oil baths are still quite popular as important aspects of holidays activities such as Diwali, and are are frequently used on occasions of marriage by the bride before the wedding ceremony.

Indian oil baths incorporate the use of sesame or coconut oil most commonly, and the oil is often infused with medicinal herbs or fresh spices. The method of usage is simple - the oil is massaged into the skin on the head, hands, feet, ears and other appropriate locations, and is followed by a warm to hot bath. In some areas of southern India this is a weekly ritual for the entire local population and is afforded considerable respect as an important component of health and wellness.

In the area of actually improving general good health, the use of Indian oil baths helps to keeps skin and it's pores open and supple, and in reality does help cool the body temperature by allowing perspiration to flow freely. Oil baths have a similar impact on keeping hair manageable and healthy, and prevents dry skin build-up on elbows, knees, feet and hands. In many instances circulatory issues can be aided greatly by the use of Indian bath oils and massage in helping blood flow to extremities. It is also a very common practice in southern India for a woman following childbirth to partake of oil baths to calm strained muscles, and it is even believed to improve the amount of a nursing mother's breast milk.

Perhaps the greatest benefit attributable to those who use Indian bath oils lies in the tremendous benefit associated with the reduction of stress. The deep muscle massage combined with healing herbs and a warm bath provide an excellent source of relaxation, lowering blood pressure and enabling healthy heart rhythms. This aspect of using Indian bath oils also has a positive impact upon the ability to sleep soundly, allowing an individual to gain deep and restorative sleep patterns that may otherwise be beyond reach. This benefit of Indian bath oils is especially useful in those with ill health or suffering from chronic medical conditions.
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