Beauty and Personal Grooming

Eyes are one of the most expressive features of the face and naturally thick, long eyelashes enhance their beauty. Most women are keen to know about the products, natural or otherwise; which can make their lashes grow longer.

It’s a known fact that high levels of cholesterol, especially LDL cholesterol in the blood contributes to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries in the heart). Compared to other races, Indians are found to be genetically more predisposed to heart attacks. Hence all health conscious people should try and maintain normal cholesterol levels to prevent the risk of heart attacks. Not all cholesterol is bad. Normally LDL (Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol) cholesterol is referred to as bad cholesterol and HDL (High-density lipoprotein cholesterol) as good cholesterol.

Wheat is an excellent source of iron and phosphorous. The outer layer of the barn provides fiber which gives bulk and regulates the absorption and excretion of nutrients from the body. The germ contains riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin E and trace minerals such as zinc, copper, iron and magnesium. Wheat is the best nourishing food which can be easily given to patients and even babies.

Read through Make-up-Initial steps Choose your foundation according to your skin type: * an oil-free base for oily skins which help control and absorb the excess oil secretion and keep the skin oil-free and glowing for hours. * a moisturizing foundation for dry skins and * a water-base pigment for the combination skin . The color of the foundation you choose should be as close to your natural skin tone as is possible. Shades that are much lighter than your skin tone, or foundations with a pink tinge, should be avoided. Foundations are available in different forms: 1. Liquid foundation, 2. Cream foundation 3. Solid foundation in stick, block or cake form. Before buying test the foundation on your face and on the back of your hand. Concealer: A bit of concealing is sometimes necessary to cover up dark under-eye circles, scars or pimple blemishes. Concealers are available in stick or cream form. Remember: A skin with wrinkles or pimples must avoid heavy foundations a...

Blemish: You are all set to go for an exciting outing or an important meeting when suddenly a red sensitive blemish pops out on your face overnight, much to cover your consternation.

Cough is a reflex mechanism to expel any irritant from the trachea or wind pipe. Coughing can be due to number of conditions like cold and flu and more serious conditions like chronic bronchitis, asthma and whooping cough. Coughs must not be suppressed and should be allowed to run its normal course. In fact ‘coughs’ are good for the lungs. The phlegm should be expelled out.

Tired, stressed-skin is quite a common and frequent problem. All you need to liven-up tired; sagging skin on your face and neck is fresh cucumber and tomato!

It’s time for Diwali , the festival of lights. Lighting lamps and diyas in your surroundings is not enough. Your eyes , being the windows to your soul too need to be made to look bright and attractive. Let them come alive this festive season with a touch of shadow on the lids. Here are a few steps to help you select the right shades and tips to enhance your eye: Steps: * Shop for shades that complement your skin and eye color. Look for colors that softly contrast with the shade or your eyes – not those which match your eyes exactly. * Choose simple, natural shades. If you opt for bright or trendy colors; be careful; they can look unnatural unless balanced with other suitable tones, and may go out of style as fast as they came in. * Buy colors that blend well together. You want your eyes to get attention, not any marked lines caused by your shadow. * Keep in mind that, dark colors will minimize your eyes, while light shades will make them stand out. * Accent dark brown and black...

Read all about pranayama first before proceeding to read about Anuloma-viloma pranayama. Anuloma-Viloma is also called Nadishuddhi pranayama. Method:   *Sit in any comfortable meditative pose like Padmasana(lotus pose) or Vajrasana(thunderbolt pose) ; keeping the spine erect and balanced. Those who are unable to sit down can sit on a chair and do the breathing exercises. However sitting down in a proper yogic posture is more beneficial.

There are many simple exercises that can keep you in fine fettle. Exercise improves blood circulation as body areas are stressed. Regular exercise will actually develop tiny blood vessels to deliver extra oxygen to the body and remove wastes materials. Muscles trained by exercise develop into greater stores of energy. As muscles grow larger and stronger, lung function improves and heart turns healthier.

Some women experience sudden mood swings, tenderness in breasts, a bloated tummy, headache, depression and many other symptoms a few days before their menses. For some it may start as early as 2 weeks before and continue during the period itself. In depressed women, it manifests in its worst form. If this sounds familiar to you, then you are one of those women who is suffering from PMS or Pre-menstrual syndrome , which affects nearly 1/3rd of women in their reproductive age.

One of my friends just hated using soap because even a mild soap made her face always taut and dry. No amount of creams could rectify this dryness that would occur after using soap. She did try using face wash; but the result was not up to her satisfaction. Then one of her friend’ mother suggested a simple home-made face wash recipe. She was delighted with the results after using it. Here is that simple, inexpensive but a sure and effective recipe which she has shared with me.

Just after the teens when a woman finds herself on the threshold of the 20s, her skin is almost a marvel. It is beautiful, firm, plump, with a healthy glow because of abundance of collagen and elastin . This is certainly not the time to worry about wrinkles. But hey don’t relax, all is not hunky-dory. Some in their 20s may still be plagued by adult acne and the ugly scars which it leaves behind. Acne in the 20s is indicative of hormonal problems and for an acne prone woman, outside factors like cosmetics, friction, heat and sunlight can aggravate the condition. Consult a dermatologist for your acne problems and also take proper medication for any possible hormonal imbalance . Though most women do not show the signs of wrinkles at this age, signs of premature ageing can be present if proper skin care routine is not followed. Use a sun block to protect your skin from being overexposed to the sun’s rays. Sun’s rays cause the skin to age faster. Permanent freckling and a roughening ...

Read through the post Make-up is an art before reading this post. This post is a continuation of that post. Before you start applying make-up, it is important to prepare your skin by cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Once you have followed the 3 steps of your skin care program, your skin is now prepared to receive make-up. Before beginning your make-up, ensure that there is sufficient light falling on your face from both sides. Incandescent bulbs (between 60 to 100 watts) are best. CLEANSING Apply cleansing milk soaked in a cotton swab on the face and neck area using upward and outward movements using circular movements. TONING: Astringent for oily skin and toners for dry skin should be used on moist cotton pad to remove the left over cleansing cream and thoroughly cleanse the face. MOISTURIZING Suitable moisturizer for the type of skin should be used. Moisturizer helps in two ways. It forms a barrier between the skin and the make-up so that make-up particles do not block the por...

Hair loss is a common problem. It would be incorrect to attribute hair loss to hereditary factors alone. Hereditary factors may be a cause for hair-loss only to a certain extent. Just because the previous generations of a few families have experienced baldness , thinning hair and receding hairlines, it does not mean that their descendants are destined for the same.

Everyone has suffered from fever sometime or the other. Just a few days ago, I was suffering from cold and a slight fever and that reminded me of a few home remedies which my grandmother used to suggest for minor ailments. Instead of rushing to a doctor, I tried out some of these remedies and it gave me relief. My fever was a mild one, but you all exercise caution. A doctor’s consultation is a must to know the exact diagnosis on the type of the fever, especially in case of children, as they may develop convulsions. Try out these simple remedies only in mild cases of fever or along with the doctor’s treatment. However remember that these home remedies are not a substitute for a doctor’s treatment, they just provide relief and protect you from the side-effects of the pills. Home remedies for fever 1. Tulsi (Holy Basil) is a well known home remedy useful in all types of fevers like viral, bacterial or malarial. A decoction can be prepared by adding 10 gm of fresh leaves and 2 gm of b...

The fragrant mint has a distinct aroma liked by all. This wonder herb does more than just emit good aroma . The name mint originates from the Greek word ‘mentha’. One of the reasons mint is favored is because of the presence of menthol, which facilitates good digestion . It is also said that the Chinese used mint to combat spasms and cure upset tummies . The modern world is not oblivious to the health benefits of mint. Mint for health and beauty 1. An infusion of the leaves is used in doses of 1-2 tsp thrice a day in condition of indigestion and tastelessness. Ayurvedic physicians recommend mint tablets for stomach pains caused by indigestion.

Making up your face is an art, with clear definite steps. Follow them don’t simply slap on the cosmetics. Read more about the necessity of using make-up in Why is make-up essential? The technology of make-up has changed in step with the pace and style of our modern world. Whatever your style, image, age or face, there are plenty of ways to add that make-up magic to glamorize your looks. Choose your cosmetics taking your skin type and skin-color into consideration. The climate one lives in also matters a good deal. A woman’s make-up, for instance stays on for many hours in a cool climate but in a hot humid one, it wears off quickly and needs to be repaired, very often. Women who are young can get away by using several cosmetics for creating a dramatic effect, but as one gets older, the less make-up one uses, the better it is. Also the colors which suited you in the teens or in your 20’s might not be right at 40. Analyze your flaws and assets, and after a few trial and error s...

Chamomile mask: Ingredients: Dried chamomiles Honey Oat meal Method: Take a handful of dried chamomiles. Strain them after 20 minutes and use the stuff after mixing it with honey and oatmeal. Apple mask: Ingredients: ½ apple, peeled and sliced 1 tbsp honey 1 tbsp ascorbic acid 1 egg yolk 1 tbsp cider vinegar 2 tbsp oil. Method: Put all the ingredients into a liquidizer and blend until completely smooth. After making a paste, apply it on the face. This is a most effective for all skin types . (Also refer the posts on Dry skin , oily skin , combination skin , Normal skin .) Vinegar restores the acid mantle and the apple contains pectin, which is soothing. The ascorbic acid contains vitamin C and prevents the apple from turning brown. Honey, egg and oil are all highly nutritious. See also: Home facials / Beauty Masks for a glowing complexion / The whole body softening mask / Home facial foul-ups / Natural skin masks / Cucumber yoghurt mask / Herbal Beauty care products form home-1 / H...

Ayurveda is India's oldest living medical heritage. It is a science based upon the observation of living beings and their actual response and reactions to their environment. Apart from medicines, Ayurveda also includes special diet and a definite daily routine for warding off diseases and better mental health as well. Some of them are mentioned here: 1. Waking up: This should be at Brahmi muhurtha i.e. around 4:30 a.m., since the atmosphere is clean, fresh and rich in oxygen . 2. Cleaning the face: As soon as one gets up, one should wash the face with cool water. This helps in cleaning of the dirt accumulated in the eyes, nose and mouth during night helps ward off any drowsiness giving a fresh feeling. In winter, lukewarm water can be used. 3. Brushing teeth: Ayurveda recommends brushing with twigs of neem, babul etc instead of a toothbrush. Brushing should be followed by gargling, inhaling of fumes of tulsi(basil), hing(asafetida) etc. 4. Daily massage: Til or Gingelly(...

Most Indians equate beauty with a fair complexion , which is absolutely wrong. This craze for a fair complexion can be seen on television channels which feature a plethora of fairness creams ads and also in matrimonial columns which stress on the fair complexion of the bride (never mind if the groom is dark-complexioned). When we see around us, we see so many beauties with a dark or a wheatish complexion and they just look so gorgeous. A blemish free clear face with sharp features is any day better than a dry, pale and sallow skin. The quality of the skin is more important than its color.

Here are some home remedies as well as ayurvedic remedies for treatment of minor wounds. 1) Boil aloe leaves and take the fleshy part of the inside of the leaves to use as a poultice over wounds. 2) A most popular remedy to arrest bleeding in fresh wounds is to plug the site with some turmeric (haldi) powder. Quick lime can also be added to turmeric to hasten the effect. 3) The fine powder of the Black Plum (‘Jamun’ in Hindi) bark should be sprinkled on the fresh wounds for quick healing and to arrest bleeding. 4) Camphor (‘Kapur’ in Hindi) is powdered, pasted in ghee and applied over the affected area to relieve pain and inflammation. 5) Application of old coconut oil (not fresh oil) heals wounds and burns quickly. 6) Tie the ripe, clean leaves of banana onto the wounds, to clear it from pus foul odor. Change this dressing twice a day. 7) Make a fine paste of garlic cloves and apply on wounds to rid them of worms. Roll the paste in to a ball and leave it on the wound. 8) Make a decoc...

Most women start putting on weight over the age of 35 years. Scientific fact proves that it is harder to lose weight the older you get. This is because your metabolic rate declines slightly from the age of 25 which means your body burns off calories at a lower level. This helps explain why 40% of women over the age of 40 are overweight. Tackle it now before it takes hold. Yoga and aerobic exercises are a very effective way of keeping off the pounds. It also makes you supple and serene or even just a brisk 30 minute walk everyday should be enough to stop you gaining unwanted kilograms. You can also buy an exercise CD and play it and do the workout along with the CD. It is mandatory that you should get your physician’s approval before you start on any exercise program.