Beauty and Personal Grooming

Women spend a lot of time and thought on ‘ personal grooming’ selecting dresses, cosmetics and accessories ever so carefully, yet intellectual grooming-being well-informed, knowledgeable and in tune with the times – is never given a thought as part of self improvement and grooming. Unfortunately, the education system in India, with its emphasis on degrees, diplomas, percentages on the mark sheets hardly leaves any room for creativity and self-development. It fails to project education as a lifelong journey in pursuit of information and knowledge. It is commonly seen that conversation among most housewives revolves around household chores, family, TV soaps, children and related problems and working women talk mostly about traffic jams, servant problems, crèches and problems at the workplace. For most women, marriage, career and getting out of educational institutions mark the end of intellectual pursuits. Though gossiping, backbiting and bitching are stress-busters , as claim...

Nature has provided us with a variety of medicinal herbs and shrubs to preserve health and beauty. Among these, Tulsi (Holy Basil) holds an important position. This wonder herb has bactericidal properties and from ancient times has had the reputation of being a bestower of health and beauty . Aroma emanating from Tulsi leaves is beneficial to health Early in the morning, after your bath , spread a mat in the proximity of a Tulsi plant and inhale the fragrance of the Tulsi leaves. Take deep breaths and allow the aroma emanating from the leaves to sink in and pervade your system. This fragrance has a great capacity of purifying the blood and correcting any unfavorable alteration in it. Your will feel refreshed and your face will acquire a radiant glow.

Teenagers normally have youthful glowing skin . The innocence of their age reflects on the skin. They shouldn’t go overboard and cover their baby soft skin with layers of makeup, just to look ‘hip and happening’. It will give them a clumsy look. No doubt they have the urge to follow the latest fashion trends, but while following these fads they should not use very bold and harsh colours which might make them lose the innocence of their age. In the daytime, a good sun bloc lotion and a moisturizer is ideal. A light touch of a lipstick is all that is needed, no need of outlining the lips. For a party in the evening, choose a very soft and light shade of translucent powder. It will give your skin a youthful radiance. For a dreamy effect use a good quality mascara. Curl your eyelashes with an eyelash curler. Apply a natural shade of shimmer lipstick. This much make-up is sufficient for an innocent youthful looking teenager. But for those who want more, can add a natural shade of blusher ...

To most people, the word Yoga is synonymous with the Asanas (Yogic postures) only. But since ancient times, Pranayama (yogic breathing exercises) has been practiced to control the body and the mind and make it steady and peaceful for achieving the pure consciousness stage (Samadhi). It was expounded by Patanjali , an ancient Hindu philosopher and yogi. Therefore, in all texts of yoga, Pranayama is highly spoken of and is called the gateway to meditation, as it strengthens the nervous system. There are so many techniques and varieties of Pranayama, through which body is purified and one can maintain good health.

The first grey hair that is seen peeping out of your lustrous black tresses will probably make you sad, thinking that your glorious days of youth are over. But relax other causes-ageing apart –could lead to graying. Check out the problem and keep gray hair at bay. Graying is a natural process when associated with old age. Graying is to hair what wrinkling is to skin. Both are signs heralding ageing . It is natural for hair to lose much or its body, volume and color with the passing of years. However, sometimes, young people, too, get grey hair and this gives rise to many psychological problems. Hair gets its color from the pigment just below its surface layer. The more pigment there is, the darker the color. Due to ageing or other factors, these pigment cells become inactive; the hair is not colored and turns white or gray. Some reasons: * Fright or great shock. * Severe illness * Cessation of breast feeding. * Infectious diseases like typhoid, scarlet fever, influenza. * Defective pi...

Cervical spondylosis is a disorder of the neck and back that restricts movements of the neck and causes pain.  Pic credits: Wikipedia

Cucumber and yoghurt mask: This has always been used to refine and tone the skin. Many cosmetics claim it as a vital ingredient. Ingredients: 1/4th cucumber 2 tbsp of yoghurt Method: Finely mash and sift the cucumber and mix it with 2 tablespoonfuls of yoghurt. By making a paste you can apply it on the face for 20-25 minutes. If you want something stronger you can try this. Ingredients: Juice of 1/4th cucumber 1 egg white 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp vodka Method: Mash and liquidize the cucumber, strain the mixture to give you the juice. Beat the egg white and slowly add the lemon and cucumber juices to it. Mix well and use it on your face. If your face is greasy , add the vodka. Apply this mixture on your face for 20-30 minutes and relax with cucumber eye pads on the eyes. Wash off with cold water and gently pat dry. Category: Home made beauty aids See also: Home facials / Beauty Masks for a glowing complexion / The whole body softening mask / Home facial foul-ups / Natural skin masks ...

Psychologists have found that many of the changes that take place in our bodies and minds are associated with ageing depend on our ‘ programmed expectations’ . In our society it is assumed for instance that at thirty the first wrinkles appear, at forty middle age starts and at seventy the mind begins to lose its clarity. But according to studies only 12 percent of the population has even the slightest predisposition to the kind of changes that result in senility; yet as people get older they become increasingly worried about it until they may work themselves into a kind of vicious circle of depression and anxiety which results in decline. How you age may have a lot to do with what you expect to happen. Change your expectation and that will help. Ageing and oxygen: Oxygen plays an important, positive part in protecting the body from age-related damage too. ‘ Maximum oxygen consumption’ is the way scientists measure your body’s ability to transport and make use of oxygen for cell me...

The term ‘anemia’ means lack of red blood corpuscles or of hemoglobin. Oxygen is very important for the maintenance and functioning of body cells, and this oxygen is carried from the lungs to different parts of the body through the red blood corpuscles. When there is a deficiency of hemoglobin or red blood corpuscles (RBC), the patient suffers from weakness and palpitations even after a non-strenuous work. There is evident paleness in the face as well as other parts of the body.

Here is a brief profile of a few oils which help to keep your skin soft and smooth. CASTOR OIL: An emollient oil pressed from the beans of the castor plant is rich and used in most of the hair-treating products. It is applied regularly on eye-brows , eye-lashes and hair to encourage hair growth . It also gradually darkens the color of the hair. Castor oil is said to cure warts, corns and even blemishes on the skin. Today’s most of the eye cosmetics include a certain percentage of castor oil.

To know if you have a oily skin refer the post Know your skin type . Skin that looks oily, feels greasy to touch and is prone to blackheads and pimples is known as oily skin. It is imperative to keep oily skin clean and to control the secretion of oil. A simple but regular skin-care program , coupled with well-balanced, healthy diet helps manage oily skin and minimizes skin-break-outs. * It is essential to cleanse your face twice a day, once in the morning and once at bedtime. Always use a mild cleanser. They help prevent clogged pores and reduce pimples. * Follow up the cleanser with an astringent as this removes all excess oil. It is best to avoid an alcohol-based astringent. Instead, it is advisable to use natural products. Alcohol-based products strip too much oil from the face. * If your skin does break out, do not touch or squeeze the pimples. Pimples, if squeezed , may leave permanent scars. Try out these home remedies for pimples . There are a number of effective pimple cre...

The beauty market is flooded with a plethora of cosmetics. Here are some precautions that you should exercise while using cosmetics. Stop using any product that causes an allergic reaction. Keep make-up containers tightly closed when not in use. Keep pressurized containers and aerosols away from heat, fire. Keep make-up away from sunlight to prevent destruction of the preservatives. Follow use-instructions on the product label. Do not exceed recommended applications. Don’t use eye cosmetics on infants and children Don’t use eye cosmetics in case you are suffering from eye infection such as conjunctivitis(pink eye). Throw away any make-up you were using when you first discovered the infection. Never experiment with the product by adding any liquid to bring back its original consistency unless it is written in the instructions. Adding other liquids could introduce germs that can easily grow out of control. Discard the product if you find change in color or odor. This might...

A busy housewife has very little time for exercises. “Where do I have the time?” she retorts when anyone pesters her to devote some of her time for exercising. Little does she know that in simple everyday movements, as she keeps her busy schedule, there are valuable hidden exercises.

Distension of the stomach and intestines due to wind is called flatulence.  Normally wind is formed during the process of digestion, but is passed out in the form of flatus. If not, or if formed in excess, this leads to distension of the intestine and stomach.  In Ayurveda , this condition is called ‘adhmana’. Due to distension, the patient experiences discomfort, loss of appetite, indigestion, breathlessness, headache and sleeplessness.  

Clever but not necessarily heavy eye makeup can improve the look of your bespectacled features, compensate for thick lenses and make sure your eyes aren’t overshadowed by showy frames. Eyeshadow: Lenses for short sight (myopia) are usually thinner in the centre and thicker around the edges, making the eyes look smaller and rounder. To counteract this, you need a positive touch-use two or three toning shades of eye shadow to add depth, don’t always stick to shades that match the color of your iris. Dark brown eyes, for instance, can look sultrier with deep green or blue shadows for shadowing, teamed with lighter, brighter, blue, green, silver or turquoise shadows used as lid highlighters. Gleamy eye shadows help emphasize small eyes. The long sighted (hypermetropia) lenses are thicker at the centre and thinner at the sides, making the eyes look bigger. Go in for subtle rather than striking shadows, and if you have large lids, avoid shades that are too shiny and bright. Take the middl...

To know whether you have a combination skin, refer to the post Know your skin type . Skin that is oily in some parts but dry or normal in others is considered as combination skin. The oily skin is concentrated on the T-zone , which is across the forehead, down the nose and chin. Whenever you wash your face, you may find that some areas of your face feel tight after washing; and that these parts look dull or feel dry and rough whereas the T-zone looks shiny, feels oily to touch and is prone to pimples and blackheads . Combination skin needs special attention because the dry parts of your face need to be nourished, whereas the oily parts need to be kept clean to avoid breakouts. Follow these simple tips each day and see what a difference they make to your skin. * Cleanse your entire face twice a day. Always use a mild cleanser to gently remove dirt, grime and make-up from your face. * The dry areas of your face need to be moisturized to prevent formation of premature wrinkles. Use a g...

Fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, seeds milk are some of the natural foodstuffs that can be beneficially used for their cosmetic value besides adding on to the health of a person. These are described herein in brief: FRUITS Custard apple(sitaphal): The seeds of custard apple have detergent properties. Their powder is used to kill lice and prevent dandruff . This powder also serves as a good hair wash when mixed with Bengal gram flour( besan ).

You are what you eat. A balanced diet is essential for maintaining good health. True, but what happens when that food is just anything? We rush to work as soon as we wake up in the morning without breakfast and grab foods like burgers, chaats, pastries etc instead of our lunches! We go out in the evenings which but of course includes a meal in the restaurant. However, the plush décor of the restaurants does not ensure good quality food neither do burgers and pizzas.

Our skin needs regular cleansing, toning and nourishing . Fragrant herbal soaps and cosmetic preparations cleanse the skin deeply, restore the natural pH and also nourish it deeply. Here is simple exotic, gentle and soft action soap. Use with warm or cold water only. Ingredients: 100 gm. Pears soap (or any simple, uncolored, unscented soap) 50 gm. Mint (pudina), neem and tulsi (basil) leaves. 200 ml. pure water. 1 tbsp. rose or sandalwood(chandan) oil Method: Coarsely, grate the soap into a bowl. Make a normal strength *infusion of herbs . Add the soap shreds and cook on a very slow heat till the soap melts and whisk hard until smooth. Remove from heat and beat in oil. Pour into waxed paper cups. When cool, cover with butter paper and leave it in a warm, dry place for about 2-4 weeks until firm. *How to prepare infusion of herbs? The first basic knowledge required is the preparation of herbal infusions. For a weak infusion, use half a handful of fresh herbs. For normal strength use ...

Permed hair has become very popular these days. Perming makes all types of hair look attractive. Though it suits long hair more, even short hair can be given a unique look by perming. Let us know about some new permed hairstyles.

A lot of eye problems in later life are due to a loss of tone in the eye muscles. These muscles become rigid and the loss of elasticity reduces the ability of the lens of the eye to focus at different distances. Take your posture: While doing eye exercises, check on your posture. Is your spine erect? Hands on the knees? Body relaxed? Head straight? That is how you should always remain while doing eye exercises. The whole body must be motionless; nothing must move except the eyes. Raise your eyes and find a small point that you can see clearly without straining, without frowning, without becoming tense and, of course, without moving your head. While doing this exercise look at this point each time you raise your eyes. Next, lower your eyes to find a small point on the floor which you can see clearly when glancing down. Look at it each time you lower your eyes. Exercise 1 Move your eyes upwards as far as you can, and then downwards as far as you can. Repeat 4 more times....

If you have an allergic reaction to a cosmetic , you should stop using all cosmetics until your doctor will try to determine which ingredient, or combination of ingredients, has caused the problem. It does not mean that you should not use the cosmetics at all. Serious problems from cosmetics are rare, but sometimes problems may arise with specific products which may cause you discomfort. It is dangerous to use aerosol hairspray near heat, fire, or while smoking as it can ignite and cause serious burns if not fully dry. Fires related to aerosol hairsprays have caused injuries and deaths. If inhaled, aerosol hairsprays or powders can cause lung damage . Scratching the eye with a mascara wand should not be done, as it is the most common injury from cosmetics. It can also result in eye infections, ulcers on the cornea, loss of lashes, or even blindness. To play safe, never apply mascara while riding in a car, bus, train or plane. Sharing cosmetics can also lead to serious prob...

Application of masks is an age old remedy to stimulate the skin. Apart from the commercially available masks, you can opt for some of these masks, available right inside your refrigerator and with a few minutes of effort you will be rewarded with a glowing skin.

“Calcium” , and most of us think of kid who are still cutting new teeth and growing in height. Adults hardly ever think of taking calcium supplements themselves. Actually, we never really outgrow our need for plenty of calcium. Calcium is important for you, no matter what your age or sex. Before birth: Yes, even unborn humans need a steady supply of calcium to lay down a normal health skeleton, particularly the spine. No wonder pregnant women absorb calcium at twice the normal rate. Childhood: A person who did not have enough calcium in childhood can be spotted a mile away, simply by his bow-legs and knock-knees. Calcium is what gives hardness and similarly, calcium is the major component of teeth. Shortage of calcium reduces the rate of teeth growth. Adolescence and young adulthood: Calcium needs reach a peak because at this time the body goes through its final growth spurt. It is also now that it will build its maximum bone density that must be going to last a lifetime. Shortage o...