Beauty and Personal Grooming

Which is the oldest and most recurrent advice offered when you are angry? Obviously the answer would be - Count to 10, before you speak. Simple it may sound, but this age-old advice does work. But when you are angry, it may seem to be the hardest tip of all. With the adrenaline flowing and the blood starting to boil, it takes a real effort of willpower to do it. But do try and try hard, every time. But counting up to 10 before you open your mouth is rarely much good. To 50 is better. Some situations may need even 100!

A blush highlights the cheekbones and lifts up the face in no time. But to use it on a regular basis or not is up to you. The kind of profession you are in, the circles you move in, the kind of personality you want to project etc. – all these things must be considered before you think of using a blusher on a regular basis, more so in the Indian milieu. But don’t hesitate to use it for outings, parties, functions, and the stuff. A pinkish shade for the day and a slightly darker one for the evenings is a standard choice. Check your shade in both natural and artificial lights and then make a choice.

The muscles of the back support it much like a tent pole that is supported by ropes. Any slackening in the ropes and the pole tilts. Our lifestyle also plays a detrimental role resulting in many young people suffering from low back pain. Prolonged periods of working with the computers at the workplace, incorrect postures, lack of physical exercises, long hours spent in driving - all these factors contribute to backaches. Here are a few ways to keep backaches away.

The Handbag is undoubtedly the most important accessory for a working woman. A lot of things have to be considered for the correct choice of handbags – the person’s preference to color, style, as also nature of work, not to mention pocket. Select a bag with an adjustable strap which when slung across the shoulder, sits firmly. Also advisable is a bag with a zipper on the outside. This ensures that one need not remove the main flap/zipper for small transactions like taxi and public transport fares. A good handbag must have at least two main pockets as well as a secret pocket. Leather, Rexene, or buff satin finish bags are the most popular among working women as they are durable as well as maintenance friendly.

An orange is one of the most common citrus fruits liked by one and all. It is widely grown in warmer climates, and distributed worldwide. The best part about an orange is that it is a predigested food and is thus readily absorbed in the blood. It produces heat and energy in the body immediately after use.

Asanas are certain (yogic) body postures which bring stability of body and mind. The body should be firm, yet relaxed without experiencing any discomfort while performing the asanas. By regular practice of certain asanas, one can develop lightness, steadiness and maintain good health. Asanas mainly work on the endocrine and the nervous system which are inter-related with other systems of the body. So whatever effects are produced on these two systems, get reflected on other systems. Thus they rectify the imbalance of the physiological system.  

Powder: Once you have finished applying and blending the foundation and concealer, you can now apply powder . Use a good compact or transclucent powder to ‘set’ in. Use a soft velvet puff and apply gently all over and take special care over the bridge of the nose, under the eyes and below the mouth. Many women forget the nose part and then complain of a shiny nose! Since the powder is used to the keep the foundation in order, use a shade same as the base or maybe, a tint lighter but never darker as sweating may make it look patchy. The right powder helps create a flawless finish for all skin types. Blusher: Blusher, when applied properly, adds beautiful color to your face. There are 3 types of blushers. 1. Gel blushers: Gel blushers have a transparent effect. For best results, apply over moisturizer or light foundation. Do not apply gel blusher over powder. 2. Cream blusher: Cream blushers should be blended over your cheekbones on a foundation base. Powder can be applied ov...

Dull face Sometimes our face simply refuses to brighten up or even to look clean. It is caused by dead skin cells clinging to the skin surface. Unless you shake off these dead cells, fresh cells will not come up and your face will continue to look dull, dirty and patchy. You need oat meal grains to whisk away dry dead winter withered cells and embedded grime. It is an old time skin exfoliater which gives amazing results. Gently rub a handful or flaky oat meal grains over pre-moistened skin, rub for about 10 minutes and wash off. Now run your hand over the skin to experience the soft ‘n’ silky touch. Unsightly nose: Our nose is ever eager to collect dust, smoke, oily fumes and what not! Result? Large grimy pores and rough skin. Make a paste of one egg white and a few drops of lemon juice. Apply it over your nose with a soft brush (use your blusher brush). When the first coat is about to dry, put another coat over it. Let these dry completely and wash off. Keep the left...

A woman stepping into the 30’s can look vibrant, radiant and as youthful as she was in her 20’s, particularly if she has pampered her skin properly during her 20’s. While some superficial wrinkles may appear, the correct use of skin care products can work wonders, keeping the lines and creases at bay.

Hair-loss- a useful remedy If you are losing hair excessively on your scalp then try out this remedy. Ingredients: Brahmi(Asiatic pennywort) powder Gokshur (Tribulus Terestris) Butter-1/2 tsp Honey-1 tsp Method: Take equal quantities of brahmi powder and Gokshur along with butter and honey. Mix thoroughly all this in a glass of warm water and apply this mixture to the scalp and hair-roots. Let it stay overnight. Wash your hair the next morning. Do this at least once in a week. It is considered as one of the best remedies to prevent hair fall. See also: Prevent hair-loss part 1, Prevent hair-loss-part 2 Hair oil for beautiful hair   Ingredients: Fresh juices of ‘maka’ – 100 ml Sesame oil – 1 kg Method: Boil these ingredients on a low flame for at least 15 minutes. After it cools off, filter carefully and fill it in a bottle. Use this oil daily for 3 months. This oil is the best hair-tonic for making the hair long, dark, healthy, silky and beautiful.

What to do when your tooth aches? Besides analgesics what helps? Grandma and naturopaths recommend: 1) Tulsi (basil) leaves ground with a little pepper to paste and placed between affected teeth or cavity. 2) Rub teeth and gums regularly with a thick paste made from a little powdered alum and honey- a remedy against bleeding gums and toothache.

A French manicure is one of the best and most versatile looks your nails can carry off. It is clean, sophisticated, looks natural and goes with any look or make-up. In this type of manicure, the tips of nails are painted white. And you can easily have your French manicure at home.

While water is vital for the internal functioning of your body, it’s also of great value when used on the outside! Did you know that water can actually be used for treating insomnia and to provide relief from headaches? Read on to find out!

Simple everyday face packs for different skin types are given here: For dry skin : ½ tsp milk powder ¼ tsp sandalwood paste a pinch of turmeric 2 to 3 drops of glycerine Rose water to mix paste For oily skin : ½ tsp fuller’s earth (multani mitti) ¼ tsp sandalwood paste ¼ tsp neem powder Rose water to mix paste For combination skin : ½ tsp oatmeal powder ¼ tsp milk powder ¼ tsp sandalwood paste Rose water to mix paste Method: Mix the ingredients for your relevant skin type and apply it evenly. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash away with tepid water. Dab on an astringent afterwards.

For most of us, mornings are the most hectic hours. We are so much bitten by this ‘hurry sickness’ bug to get our chores done that we don’t mind skipping breakfast, the most important meal of the day. The very term ‘breakfast’ says it. We have breakfast after a gap of nearly 10 hours after the previous night’s dinner. No other meal of the day has so much time preceding it. Breakfast is the first chance the body gets to replenish its energy levels after 8-12 hours without a meal or a snack.

Indigestion is also known as ‘dyspepsia’ and is a Greek term indicating indigestion or difficulty in digestion. It is a vague term very often quoted to describe any discomfort in the upper abdomen brought on by overeating. Most people suffer from it in day to day life, and it is often no more than a sign of overindulgence. Very rarely it represents a serious problem. The occasional mild indigestion does not require treatment and will be automatically relieved in a couple of hours. Causative factors: Over eating, eating repeatedly, eating too much of rich, fatty or spicy food, which can irritate the stomach lining. Other causative factors are pregnancy and stress. Occasionally, indigestion is a symptom of some other problem like peptic ulcer, gallstones or hiatus hernia.

Once you have followed the initial steps of cleansing, toning and moisturizing, your skin is ready for the application of foundation. Choose your foundation carefully. Read through the post Choosing the right foundation . Which foundation you prefer to use is a matter of personal preference, but no matter which type, always pay special attention to blending. * If there are any blemishes on your face or dark circles around your eyes, a concealer with a shade lighter than your skin color – should be patted on them and the color blended in well with the fingertips. * Next, use the foundation of your choice, preferably with a piece of slightly wet sponge with outward strokes for an even and smooth application. Or you can apply dots of foundation over the face and neck. * For a more natural effect, mix the foundation with some water if you want the make-up to be very light. Make sure you leave no demarcation line. See also: Make-up is an art / Powder for perfect makeup / Makeup...

Here are a few simple tips for skin care which will give you a beautiful skin:

Try out these simple, safe and effective beauty aids to prevent and remove wrinkles and roughness that make their appearance on ageing skin .

Sound health is the basis for happiness. And the following are the useful hints of Ayurveda for attainment of perfect health and good conduct. The following tips assure you good health, the fountain of happiness.  

People who are exercising to lose weight or just look trim often wonder whether exercise makes them lose weight on the face too. Unfortunately, the answer is ‘yes’. The fact is that exercise melts fat from all over the body. But since the face is most exposed, people tend to notice it and remark “Your face looks so haggard. Have you been ill?” This remark in itself may wean many an exerciser from exercising.