Beauty and Personal Grooming

Here are some of the best and the most popular posts of the year 2007. Enjoy! Skin and body care How to apply cream bleach Bleaching tips. The luxury called oil bath An oil massage before a bath can rejuvenate the skin; especially recommended for ageing persons and during winter. Toe-nail care Caring for your toe nails. Hair removal Shaving hair Shaving does not make your hair grow faster and thicker. Health and beauty from your kitchen and garden 11 things you can do with olive oil Olive oil is not just meant for Italian cuisine… Honey for a smooth skin Get the goodness of honey on your skin. Sugar as beauty aid Sugar for exfoliating dead skin, for waxing… . Sandalwood (Chandan) and Red sandalwood (Rakta Chandan) for health and beauty The pastes from the bark of these rare, valuable trees soothe the skin .

If you had believed all along that women were the only ones negatively affected by idealized body images portrayed in the media, then you are highly mistaken. TV images of hunky male physiques affect a man’s body image as much as they do to a woman’s. In a study, it was found that even a brief exposure to media images of muscular men affects a man's view of his body. Those who viewed more prime-time TV and music videos felt worse about their looks. A recent study has revealed some very interesting facts - Most women, and large numbers of men, are interested in seeking recourse to cosmetic surgery to enhance their looks.  David Frederick, a UCLA psychology graduate student and lead author of the study said, “The majority of women expressed some interest in cosmetic surgery, and more than one-third of men expressed some degree of interest, which I found really surprising.  We know there is tremendous pressure for women to be thin and have a certain appearance and ...

You already know about BMI (Body mass index) and the fact that if you have a high BMI, you are obese. But how much do you know about BMR (Basal metabolic rate)? BMR is defined as the number of calories your body burns at rest to maintain normal body functions. In other words, BMR shows the number of calories your body needs to operate when you are not engaged in any activity. It is sometimes called as the resting metabolic rate (RMR), the rate at which you use up energy when at rest. As we all know, metabolism varies from person to person. BMR changes with age, weight, height, gender, diet and exercise habits. A person’s BMR is based on body functions such as respiration, digestion, heartbeat and brain function. BMR is much greater in childhood than in adulthood. Additionally, regardless of gender or other factors, some people naturally have slower metabolisms, and others have higher BMRs. As a very rough guide, the average person’s BMR is about half a calorie per pound of body...

Lemon/lime is a well-known, commonly used fruit in almost every cuisine. Though lime and lemon are spoken of in the same breath, they are actually a bit different from each other. Lime is smaller in size, has a thin smooth skin, sweet smell and contains less juice as compared to lemon. Both are excellent sources of free citrus acid, natural sugars, vitamin C, calcium and phosphorus.

Here are some easy do-it-yourself recipes to make your own hair conditioners. These are suitable for hair types and you can get equally superb results as you would by using well-known, expensive hair conditioners. Sunflower oil hair conditioner Ingredients: Wheat germ oil 5 tbsp Sunflower oil 5 tbsp Procedure: Mix the two oils and warm the mixture. Massage it on the head and wash off with lukewarm water to which 1 tbsp of lemon juice has been added. Cider vinegar hair conditioner Ingredients: ½ cup cider vinegar 2 pints of water Procedure: Mix all the ingredients together and leave on hair for 2 minutes. Rinse off. It gives your hair plenty of bounce and sparkle. Avocado hair conditioner Ingredients: Avocado paste ½ cup Olive oil - tbsp Egg yolk- 1 egg Procedure: Beat the egg and mix avocado paste, add olive oil and blend well to get a smooth consistency. Apply this for 30 minutes on your hair and then wash off with lukewarm wat...

Most people strongly believe that cold winter air causes colds . But research has already ascertained that there is hardly any link between cold weather and catching colds. But, then why is winter referred to as the running nose season? And why are colds so common in winter? Could be, because, people are more lik ely to congregate indoors, making the spread of virus easier. Also, the cold virus thrives in low humidity.

Are you the lucky one with normal skin ? Then here are some terrific scrubs to gently exfoliate and whisk off those dead cells from your face and make it appear fresh and glowing. They are neither too harsh, nor too mild. Just the right ones for your skin type . Use them once in a week or twice a month. Oatmeal face scrub Ingredients: Oatmeal 1 tbsp Almond oil 1 tsp Method: Mix these ingredients well and apply it to your face. Let it sit for 10 minutes. Before it dries up, gently start rubbing with your finger tips in gentle circular motions. Then wash off with lukewarm water, followed by a splash of cold water. Orange peel face scrub Ingredients: Dried orange peel powder 2 tbsp Oatmeal 2 tsp Any cold cream 2 tbsp Method: Mix all the ingredients to get a paste and apply it on your face. When it slightly dries up, gently start scrubbing your face without tugging at the skin. Wash off with lukewarm water and ri...

A good night’s sleep refreshes us mentally and physically. Insufficient sleep or long term sleep deprivation is detrimental to one’s health. Nothing new - almost everyone is aware of this fact. Insomnia is by far the most talked about and discussed sleep disorder. Tons of information is available on this topic and countless remedies are suggested by all and sundry to overcome this problem. Comparatively, excessive sleep and its effects on health rarely get so much attention and this issue hardly finds a place in the conversation of laymen. Although the average amount of sleep for a person is 8 hours, individual needs may vary. It all depends on our inherited genetic need, the internal body clock , environment, one’s activities during the day, quality of sleep, bedtime habits and so on. We have to figure out our own optimum sleep hours. If we can carry out our daily chores without feeling too sleepy, cranky or fatigued then most certainly we are getting enough sleep. Anyt...

This inspiring, thought-provoking piece of writing was forwarded to me by e-mail; I just couldn’t resist sharing it with you all. To laugh is to risk appearing a fool; To weep is to risk appearing sentimental; To reach out for another is to risk involvement; To express your feelings is to risk exposing your true self; To love is to risk not being loved in return; To live is to risk dying; To believe is to risk despair; To try is to risk failure; But risk we all must, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing; The people, who risk nothing, do nothing, have nothing; They may avoid suffering and sorrow, but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live; Chained by their attitudes they are slaves; they have given away their freedom; ONLY THE MAN WHO RISKS IS A FREE MAN

Besides lemon , milk , sugar , aloe , turmeric , sandalwood and honey , olive oil is another household item that has multifarious uses as a beauty aid. It is a mild, non-irritant, antibacterial oil that is rich in antioxidants; hence is ideal for the skin. Here are a few things that you could do with olive oil .

The effect of stress on our health is such that there is hardly any disease or condition (physiological or psychological) that is not directly or remotely connected to it. Teeth grinding or bruxism, is one such condition. We all use teeth to chew and grind food. But when one starts gritting and gnashing teeth for no particular reason, it is referred to as bruxism . It is often triggered by psychological and emotional stresses, over-anxiety and sleep disorders, apart from jaw discrepancies, an abnormal bite or teeth that are missing or crooked. Both children and adults can be affected by it.

Women’s legs have a naturally smoother and rounder appearance than men’s as they carry more subcutaneous fat. A pad of fat on the inside of the upper thigh is, for instance, a female characteristic. The length of legs, their shape, bone structure and several other subtle characteristics are, to a large extent is decided by the inherited genes. But often, lumps and bulges tend to accumulate to give the legs a flabby appearance. Though we cannot physically alter the shape and size of the legs that we are born with, surgical procedures notwithstanding, we can do our bit to enhance their appearance. A proper massage, followed by exercise, together with judicious dieting , will help reduce fat and make the legs look lean, lithe and lovely. Regular massage, at bath times , with a rough mitt or oil will work wonders in decongesting and breaking down the fatty deposits. Take coconut oil or any suitable body lotion in your palms and massage your legs the way you knead dough by rhythmically...

Changing your eye color has become as easy as changing one’s clothes or jewelry these days – all thanks to modern-day ophthalmology. If you are bored of your natural eye color and want to experiment with your looks, all you have to do is wear colored contact lenses.  It just takes a few seconds and you will be amazed at the results. This tiny pair of lenses in your eyes literally brings about a dramatic transformation in your looks. 

We often make use of expressions “Why, I never thought of that! Why didn’t it occur to me?”, when a person having limited resources achieves something remarkable just by exercising his/her common sense. Common sense is the one attribute that will carry mankind through all complexities of life, more than anything else. Like a delicate plant, common sense needs to be nurtured well so that it bears fruits at all times. To develop common sense the following qualifications are indispensable: Ability to grasp situation Ability to concentrate the mind. Keenness in perception Exercising of the reasoning power. Power of approximation Calmness Self control. Developing these qualities will make a person see things as they are and do things as they should be done. In a layman’s language ‘common sense’ is all about “keeping the eyes and ears open.” Many people gifted with common sense, but deprived of ordinary intelligence, have amassed a fortune. A ...

Have you have been neglecting your hands lately? Don’t… By not pampering your hands , you might be adding your bit to hasten the natural ageing process. There is still time to make amends.   Nourish and moisturize your hands as often as possible. If you don’t want to splurge on expensive hand creams and lotions , then try making one at home. Here are some easy recipes for homemade hand lotions and creams for hands, obviously! Their usage is all the more necessary now as you have to protect your lovely hands from the merciless, moisture robbing winter air.

You desperately want to get rid of those offending glasses and also do away with those bothersome contact lenses . The desire to see the world with eyes, that are unaided by external crutches is so intense in you that even your phobia for any kind of surgery isn’t quite capable of holding you under its sway. So you have seriously contemplated LASIK to get that perfect 20/20 vision. But is laser eye surgery or LASIK as effective as it is hyped? And what of the side-effects that might occur later on? Are you sure that you will be able to cope up with dry eyes and poor night vision? You have to weigh all the pros and cons associated with laser eye surgery or LASIK and have realistic expectations of the aftermath before going in for it. You may be having beautiful eyes and large pupils, which dilate attractively as you speak. And as some studies suggest, men are in fact, attracted to women having large pupils. But, having large pupils, especially, can be a bane if you are ...

Do you lead a sedentary lifestyle? Are you a couch potato and spend most of your time lazing cozily in your favorite armchair? If so, your risk factors of counteracting diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and obesity are too high. The International Osteoporosis society reports that women who sit for more than 9 hours a day are 50% more likely to break a hip than those who sit less than 6 hours a day. Health concerns and occasional guilt pangs about your lifestyle might probably drive you to reserve a fixed period during the day for some kind of exercise. But is this enough to ward off the various risks involved with your inactive lifestyle? New research shows that it is a misconception that actively exercising is the only way to make a healthy difference in an otherwise sedentary lifestyle. The researchers have found that physical inactivity throughout the day stimulated disease-promoting processes, and that exercising, even for an hour a day, was not sufficient to reverse the ef...

Sandalwood (Chandan) is highly efficacious in the treatment of pimples. Its antiseptic and germicidal properties make it ideal for treating acne and stubborn blemishes and spots . Sandalwood paste to treat adolescence acne Very few adolescents can escape from some kind of acne or spots in their teenage years. So for teenagers here’s a mask which help to dry those pimples. Ingredients: 2 tablespoonfuls of gram flour ( Besan ) Rose water Listerine -1/2 tsp Water – 2 tsp Sandalwood paste – 1 tsp Method: Mix all the ingredients well. Apply on face with a swab stick. Let the mask dry on the face. Moisten it by splashing cold water on the face. Then, with eyes closed, remove it with a wet face towel and wash off thoroughly. Another simple way to smear sandalwood paste mixed with a pinch of turmeric. Allow it to dry off and then wash it off. This will dry and heal pimples quickly. Other masks and packs with sandalwood to treat acne # Face pack 1 I...

Hydrating masks or water based masks are ideal for winter. As your skin gets too dry , flaky and itchy this season, you need to do away with all those hardening clay masks and instead switch over to water based ones which help retain the moisture from the skin and prevent further moisture loss. These homemade masks do just that. They contain ingredients such as natural fruit juices, plant extracts and glycerin which act as soothing balms on parched winter skins. Papaya mask Ingredients: Papaya fruit pulp Method: Just mash the papaya pulp and spread it all over your face and neck. After 15 minutes wash it off with cold water and watch your face glow. Aloevera gel mask Ingredients: Aloe pulp Method: Slit open a fresh juicy aloe leaf and extract the thick pulp. Mash it well. You might also mix a tsp of glycerin in this aloe gel for getting an extra lubricating mask. Apply it to your face and neck and leave on for 10-12 minutes. Some people are allergic to fresh alo...

The day dawns beautifully for those who have had a night of good sleep. But the same day drags on for those who have spent a disturbing, sleepless night. Sleep is a biological necessity even as eating and drinking are. Sufficient sleep renders a person normally sociable, lively and high-spirited. It’s a nature’s way of rejuvenating the person for the next day. Realize all this, and make sleep a physiological habit. The consequences of long time sleep deprivation can be very grave. Lack of sleep takes its toll on the skin and hair. It causes acne-breakouts and makes one look aged and haggard beyond years. Experts opine that during sleep as our metabolic rate falls, blood goes to those areas which need the most repairing. This also steps up the production of collagen and keratin, which aid the regeneration of skin cells and help resist premature ageing. So for a younger looking and a problem free skin you need to have a good quality of sleep every night.

Another affliction which can affect some people in winter is chilblains. According to Wikipedia , chilblains are painful, red, itchy swellings on the skin which are caused when the skin is exposed to extreme cold, dampness and humidity. They usually affect toes, fingers, face, nose, and earlobes. Chilblains shouldn’t be confused with frost-bite states the article at Mayoclinic . It mentions that in some cases this even results in blisters and open sores. It goes on to add that chilblains usually clear up within seven to 14 days and suggests that affected persons should avoid or limit their exposure to cold and extremities of temperature change. Treatments suggested: * Keep your hands and feet warm. Wear gloves and socks when venturing outdoors. * Another suggestion is to warm-up with exercise before going out, so that there is proper blood circulation to the affected parts such as feet. * Soak your feet (if they are affected) in warm, not very hot water for a few minutes. Wi...

Winter air wreaks havoc on the tresses, it dries them considerably. If your hair type is naturally dry , then the drying effects are much more profound. If you find your hair becoming extra dry during winter then cut down on frequent washing . Restrict it to once a week and avoid harsh shampoos . Oily hair types can rejoice a bit as they get some respite from that usual greasy, lank look, as the drying effects of the cold winter air makes their mane look less oily. But nonetheless, it is imperative that everyone should exercise some restraint and care and not allow the vagaries of the harsh winter air to take their toll on the mane. Treating hair with an oil massage once or twice a week is something which one should never forget.Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap towel around your head. Keep it on for 5 minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap three or four times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. (Read Oil massage for the hair .) Pure or ...

Normally all types of skins are prone to dryness during winters. Patches of red, scaling skin look ugly on the cheeks and lips. So, one should start tending to it as soon as winter sets in. Read Skin care in winter . A rich nourishing and emollient night cream on the face, arms and other vulnerable parts of the body will help to prevent and heal dry skin in winter. Here are some recipes to make such nourishing creams at home. Rich lanolin nourishing cream Ingredients: Lanolin – 1 cup (10 tbsp) Witch hazel – 2 tbsp Almond oil – 2 tbsp Method: You have to melt lanolin using the double boiling method. Blend witch-hazel and almond oil and beat it so that they mix well. Combine this with lanolin. Store this in an airtight container. Olive oil nourishing cream Ingredients: Olive oil – 3 tbsp Coconut oil – 2 tbsp Beeswax – ½ tbsp Borax – ½ tsp Water – 3 tbsp Method: Heat the oils slightly. Boil water until it is quite warm but not too hot. Add borax to it and...

Yes, you knew all along that breakfast is the most important meal of the day, too little of it or skipping it can prove to be detrimental to your health in the long run. Read Breakfast and your health . But did you know that eating your breakfast everyday can keep tooth decay at bay.

Cracked heels and rough scaly skin on the feet are usually the result of years of negligence towards feet care. This condition is still more aggravated by exposure to chilly winter air. Cracked soles or feet are painful and many a times they bleed. Such feet feel like sandpaper against towels and bed sheets, indicating an immediate need for treatment. At weddings, functions and parties, one tends to notice that beautifully attired women in expensive sarees , displaying sizeable gold ornaments, and wearing costly footwear, have cracked feet that look dry, dirty and extremely ugly. Yes, there are many creams and lotions available in the market promising us soft, smooth feet in just two or three days. But for those who have used it, they know that the results are not as magical as it is hyped nor are the results everlasting. Prevention is surely better than cure. So if you take care of your feet religiously so that it becomes a part of your daily routine, you will have beautiful, proble...

Pamper your oily skin with an at home facial once in a week. Exfoliate your skin with these facial scrubs . Cleanse, tone and moisturize and treat yourself with some of these do-it-yourself face packs. # Lemon (lime) juice and egg white face pack Ingredients: ½ cup cooked oatmeal 1 egg white 1 tbsp lemon juice ½ cup mashed apple Method: Blend all these into a smooth paste. Apply to face and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water. # Cabbage mask Ingredients: 1 cup shredded cabbage 1 tsp of brewer’s yeast 1 tsp honey Method: Make a fine paste of shredded cabbage in a blender, add brewer’s yeast and honey and mix well. Apply it on your face and neck and at the same time dip 2 cotton wads in rose water and place it over your eyes. Wash off after 15 minutes. This pack especially helps skin which is prone to blackheads . For extremely oily skins, a multani mitti (fuller’s earth) or this sandalwood face pack work wonders. Here are some more ...

You can make your own terrific hair rinses with some of the herbs and ingredients from your kitchen. All you have to do is make a basic infusion by boiling 4 tbsp of these herbs with 900 ml of water. After the water has boiled let it simmer for around 15 minutes. Remove from heat, keep it covered for around 3-4 hours. The herbs will settle down at the bottom. Strain and store it in a bottle. While washing your hair, after you are done with shampooing and rinsing, just put 2 tsp of any of these herbal rinses in a tumbler of water and pour this water on your head as the final rinse. All types of hair benefit with the usage of these hair rinses. But if you have oily hair which tends to become lifeless in a day or two of washing, then you should not forget to use any suitable after shampoo hair rinse. It will give your dull, limp hair shine, smoothness and luster and make them look bouncy. # Mint after Shampoo Rinse Ingredients: 4 tablespoons of mint (pudina) leaves 900 ml bo...

One of the things recommended by cosmetologists to keep your skin looking young is periodic exfoliation. Using scrubs to mildly exfoliate the upper layer of the skin of dead cells works quite well to improve the texture of the skin. Dead skin buildup over a period of time often results in a patchy looking skin. Scrubbing will help to even out such skin discoloration, to some extent. Oily skin needs more scrubbing than other skin types . However, do not use harsh, abrasive ones and don’t scrub your skin too vigorously. Here are some excellent homemade facial scrub recipes for oily skins. A tired, sluggish face will brighten up instantly after using these. Carrot scrub Ingredients : Grated carrot – 2 tsp Lime juice – 1 tsp Honey – ½ tsp Brewer’s yeast – 1 tsp Almond oil – ½ tsp Method: Mix all the ingredients well and apply all over your face, leaving the under eye area and the area around the mouth and massage gently with your fingers in circular motions. Leave on f...

Some pain and discomfort during menstruation is quite common and natural. But excessive bleeding, unbearable painful cramps, intense pain in the abdomen, backaches, extreme mood swings etc. – all these don’t seem so normal. In medical parlance, this is called as dysmenorrhea . If you are in the throes of such extremely severe symptoms during those days of the month, and home self-care measures don’t work for you then you should seriously think of consulting a gynecologist.

Exercise is great. It’s good for your physical, mental as well as your emotional well-being. But exercising outdoors is not as healthy and as safe as it used to – especially in cities where pollution is rampant. Recently it was mentioned in the Daily Mail that air pollution caused by diesel exhaust fumes could cause heart attacks and strokes. So experts have advised people with known heart conditions to exercise away from traffic, to be on the safer side. People living in cities with high pollution levels should be extra cautious about exercising outdoors as the possible damage to health far outweighs the benefits from exercise.  Air quality is something which everyone should be concerned about. Don’t assume that all this advice is meant for only sensitive persons and those with asthma, heart disease, dust-allergy and other lung problems.  Breathing dirty air can affect anyone, says the American Lung Association ( ALA ). The American Council on Exercise (ACE...

One fine morning, when you casually glance at your face in the mirror, you happen to see tiny wrinkles and fine lines forming at the outer corner of your eyes called crow’s feet and this can disturb you tremendously.  Ageing and excessive dryness around the eye area need not necessarily be the only factors responsible for the formation of these crow’s feet. When you are expressing yourself with the eyes by smiling, the corner of the eyes wrinkle up character lines and over time they are etched permanently.  Also, if most of the time you are out in the bright sun without protecting your eyes with suitable eyegear, chances are that you will be squinting. This repeated action also eventually causes crow’s feet. And these lines become more prominent when you laugh or grimace.  Eyes, being the most expressive parts of the face and ‘windows to the soul’ are the first to be noticed by people. And getting dark circles or having premature wrinkles and crow’s feet around the eye ...

Do you have the habit of fasting occasionally, that is, once in a month, or so? Then there is good news for you. You might be doing it to give rest to your already overburdened digestive system or as a customary religious practice, but you will stand to gain by this. Results from a recent survey have shown that those who fast for full 24 hours in a month have a lower risk of heart diseases. This bit of news should goad at least a few Indians, if not all, to go on a fast once in a while. As studies have shown, Indians, have a genetic predisposition of heart attacks, this risk being further enhanced by today’s sedentary lifestyle and consumption of unhealthy, junk food. Alarming statistics have revealed that nowadays people as young as 30 are falling prey to heart diseases. Only fasting once in a month might not reduce your overall risk-factor. You have to correct your erratic lifestyle, eat healthy food and exercise regularly also. So make amends before it is too late.