Beauty and Personal Grooming

You need not ban sugar from your life completely. In fact, there are certain good things about sugar for you to consider. For instance, aloe-sugar syrup works as a good antidote for pre-menstrual syndrome ( PMS ) and delayed periods . If you are still keen on avoiding sugar in your diet, then why not consider using it as a beauty aid . 

A face with too many freckles is not a pretty sight to behold. These appear as light or dark brown spots beneath the surface of the skin, particularly on the cheeks and the nose. Uneven distribution of melanin pigment is the cause of freckles. Unprotected and prolonged sun-exposure can make them more conspicuous. If they are few in number and not so prominent, it is not such a big deal, you can either ignore them or camouflage them with makeup. But if they are dark brown, too profuse and are very striking to others, then it can bother you and affect your self-esteem . You can then opt for a laser treatment to tackle them.

As we all know, generally, hair is classified into three types: oily, dry and normal. Those of you who possess normal hair are very lucky, for this type of hair is easy to manage. Oily hair goes lank within 2 days of washing whereas dry hair looks brittle as it is not sufficiently nourished by the natural oils from the scalp, not to mention the problem of split ends . But there is another type of hair which is a combination of oily and dry hair . In this case the hair near the scalp is greasy while the ends are dry. After shampooing, hair looks good except for the ends. This type of hair is really very tricky and laborious to manage. Those unfortunate ones with this type of hair not only have to deal with the limpness of greasy hair but the brittleness of dry ends as well. The ends are difficult to set smoothly, split and lighter in color than the roots. Tips for maintaining combination hair * Wash as soon as you feel your head itchy and dry. * Use a shampoo meant for oily ha...

No one can deny the fact that eyes are a mirror of general health and the most expressive features of the face. Modern lifestyle wreaks havoc on them and robs them of their luster. They need to be weaned away from television and computer screens forcibly and exercised once in a while to loosen the surrounding strained and contracted muscles to ensure that they get adequate blood circulation and nerve force. This can be achieved by including a few eye exercises in our daily routine. Read about these in Eye-Yoga . Simhamudra or the lion pose is another good exercise for the eyes.

The fact that an unhealthy mouth indicates an unhealthy body is so very true. Losing your teeth is not the only eventuality associated with gum disease and other dental afflictions. Experts claim that it specifically puts you to the risk of heart diseases . “ Brushing and flossing your teeth could save you from a heart attack. Doctors found that those with the worst blockages in their arteries had the most severe gum disease. It is thought that bacteria released from the infected gums are the key, which enter the bloodstream where they may activate the immune system, making artery walls inflamed and narrowed .” Improper dental hygiene over the years also decreases your jaw structure and makes you look aged beyond years. So maintaining good oral hygiene at home by paying more attention to brushing and flossing, together with periodic visits to the dentist for cleaning is a must. This will not only prevent unpleasant oral conditions and decrease the risk of heart diseases but is...

Lice infestation is such a bothersome, distracting and embarrassing problem. Surely everyone harbors them at one time or the other. It is usually common among school children but soon spreads to other members of the family. Contrary to popular belief, it is not a sign of poor hygiene, as lice are not fussy whether they lay their eggs in clean or dirty hair. But yes, a dirty scalp can well serve as a perfect breeding ground for these tiresome creatures. Lice get transferred easily from child to child owing to the close contact of heads, during play, while sitting together or by sharing caps. Though there are many chemical and herbal over-the-counter preparations to remove lice, it is better to refrain from using them for they might also remove a good bit of your hair, while others could have a drying effect on the hair.  There are many home-remedies which do work well but the age-old method of regular combing with a close-toothed comb on all counts, is the most eff...

We all have faced instances when we are out on the streets wearing our favorite pair of leather sandals and a sudden shower from the skies drenches us completely from head to foot. After wading through the puddles and muddy waters, we somehow manage to reach home with difficulty. And a quick glance at the state of our sandals will leave us squirming with pain. But all is not lost. Instead of cursing the nature’s fury which chose to strike you on that particular day, you can try this tip. First wipe the sandals with an old cotton towel. Then get a couple of sheets of newspaper or paper towels and cut them roughly in a shape that will fit into your wet sandals almost perfectly. Thus stuffed with paper, leave them near a fan to dry. The paper will absorb the moisture and also help maintain the shape of the straps as they dry. Pic credits:amazon.com

Quite a few women clumsily slather on some hurriedly prepared pastes on their faces, messing the hair and getting some of it into their eyes. Impatiently, they keep it on only for a couple of minutes and wash it off quickly and then expect to see a radiant, glowing face in the mirror. Obviously, the end-result will not be up to their expectations. So they force themselves to believe that the mask is ineffective and swear never to use it again. They then catch hold of a different recipe and repeat the same shoddy process of application. In spite of trying out dozens of such masks, the outcome is the same and they are back to square one. Slapping on masks just for the sake of applying defeats the whole purpose of using masks to beautify your face. An instant, quick fix for the face cannot be achieved that instantly, and certainly not, if you apply it so sloppily and carelessly. You should always think of pampering yourself with masks and packs only when you are free, when your min...

We all have heard of the risk of ‘drug-drug-interaction’ when people are taking more than one medication for different ailments. Most of us are also aware that taking herbal supplements in combination with allopathic drugs is hazardous . But only a few people know that there are certain, potential food-drug combinations, which clash each other, reduce the effectiveness of the drug and cause adverse reaction and complications. So keeping a close watch on the foods and drinks that you tend to binge on would be ideal in such circumstances. Discuss it with your doctor. If you know which foods to avoid with your medications, you can receive the maximum benefits of your prescription while avoiding harmful complications. Check out this link as well; they might help you to know which foods to avoid with your prescribed medicine.

Most cuisines of the world would have been incomplete without this small black ball called ‘Black Pepper’ which has a world of spice in it. With a huge list of medicinal properties, pepper plays the home doctor in many Indian homes. Its aroma is a treat to the senses and it is so commonly used that we can almost say that all dishes have a sprinkling of pepper in one form or the other.

As a part of your nightly skin care routine, you have to nourish and feed your skin with rich and heavy nourishing and moisturizing creams. Here are the recipes for 2 such homemade creams and here’s a step-by-step procedure for taking care of your skin at night . Also using night creams will give you a softer and smoother looking skin in the morning. Almond night cream Ingredients: Whitewax 30 gm Almond oil ½ cup Rose water ¼ cup Sodium benzoate ½ cup Method: Mix whitewax and almond oil over a very low flame, and then add rose water constantly stirring all the while. Allow it to cool. Then add sodium benzoate. Let it set. After a day this almond night cream is ready to use. Nourishing cream with cocoa-butter Ingredients: Cocoa butter 2 tablespoons Emulsifying wax 2 tablespoons Bees-wax 1 tablespoon 4 tablespoons sesame (til) oil 1 teaspoon almond (badam) oil (You can get all these at the chemist's shop) Method: Mix...

Though our feet have to bear the brunt of carrying our entire body-weight, we neglect them and take them for granted. Usually, we become aware of their presence only when they ache or if an infection or a swelling starts brewing trouble. As we have to be up on our feet always, it is crucial to exercise them and spend some time fussing over them. Foot-care should compulsorily be a part of our grooming. Here are some tips and suggestions: *Walk barefoot on grass in the morning. * If possible, walk barefoot on a sandy beach. * A bi-weekly abrasive treatment with a pumice stone is also a must. * To keep feet smelling fresh a deodorizing talcum powder should be applied each morning after washing. * Soak the feet in warm water to which Epsom salt is added. This can be very soothing. Read Pamper your feet . * Weekly pampering for the feet: A pedicure once a week can help relieve itchiness and can also take care of your feet. * To avoid fungal or bacterial infections , after wa...

Do you have a dry skin ? If you want to use face packs and masks, choose the ones specially meant for your type of skin . The effects of other masks can be very drying on your already parched skin. Here are 2 such dry skin masks which can be made with readily available ingredients from your kitchen. Mint face pack for dry skin Ingredients: Yoghurt 1 tbsp Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) 1 tbsp Mint (pudina) powder 1 tsp Method : Soak multani mitti and mint powder in yoghurt for half an hour. Then mix them thoroughly by using an egg beater. Apply on face for 15 minutes and leave it to dry. Then wash off with luke warm water followed by a cold water rinse. Egg face pack for dry skin Ingredients: Honey ½ tsp Egg yolk -1 Milk powder - 1tsp Method: Beat the egg yolk, mix the milk powder and honey in it. Beat again. When you get a paste of medium to thick consistency apply it on your face. When it is dry wash off with luke ...

Water, the best of all natural resources not only refreshes but also heals, purifies and cures. Just because it is cheaply and readily available, don’t disregard the powers of this nature’s bounty. Acquaint yourself with its healing properties and other benefits and use it to your advantage. These remedies might come in handy for your ills and ailments . * Inadequate hydration sometimes leads to aches and pains. Before popping a pill or rushing to a doctor, make sure that you are drinking sufficient water. Hydrate yourself well and you will be rid of niggling pains and aches. Read Drive back-pain away by drinking enough water . * Gargles with warm salt water can cure sore throat and can save your from tonsil pains and cold . * Does sleep evade you each time your head hits the pillow? Then a bath in luke-warm water just before going to bed might just be the antidote to transfer you effortlessly to slumber-land. Read Water to cure insomnia . * Water as a wake-up aid ? Now what...

If your hair is thin, sparse and greasy, no need to get disappointed. If you have to go out suddenly and your hair looks greasy and lifeless then you can adopt the following method: Take a nylon sock, put in some talcum powder and then pick up your hair brush. Now pull the sock over the hair brush and grip it near the handle of the brush. By doing this the bristles will come out a little through the sock. Now brush your hair with this till all the talcum powder is used up. Now take a clear brush and shake off the excess powder from your hair. By doing this the hair will look full-bodied and dense. Wash your hair after coming home with a lemon-based shampoo. Here are some hints to make dull, limp hair look shiny and crackling with life.