Beauty and Personal Grooming

Eczema is a skin affliction that affects children and adults alike. Recently the dermatologists at the Chinese University of Hong Kong have found that a cocktail of herbs - Japanese honeysuckle, peppermint, root bark of tree peony, underground stem of the atractylodes herb and bark from an Amur cork tree used by the Chinese for thousands of years had a remarkable effect on atopic eczema sufferers' by reducing their need for conventional medicines and by improving the quality of life. It is thought the herbs reduced the effects of four proteins and cytokines believed to cause eczema. Similar reading: Dustmites and cockroaches can worsen eczema

If you are thinking of going in for laser hair removal to get rid of your unwanted hair permanently, be aware of the pros and cons of the treatment as well as the risks involved. Lasers can be extremely dangerous in wrong hands. Getting a laser treatment at an unlicensed clinic and under people with no medical training can be very risky. Two women Paula, an investment banker from London and Sinem Morgan, a software manager from London were left with second-degree burns, blisters and excruciating pain after undergoing a few such sittings at a laser clinic. Some skins are just not suitable for lasers. If used on the wrong type of skin, lasers can cause serious burns and lasting pigment damage. They can also damage the eyes and cause blindness. Lured by eye-catching advertisements that promise a permanent hair-removal, people flock to such unscrupulous clinics only to be return dissatisfied with the results not to mention the exorbitant expenses involved. In most cases, the hair r

Undoubtedly, breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But new studies have revealed some more interesting facts. The study involved 740 healthy pregnant women – they were required to fill a detailed questionnaire regarding their food habit in the year prior to conceiving. Using this data, the researchers determined that women who ate the most calories around the time of conception delivered more boys, with 56% giving birth to male babies, compared with 45% of women who ate the fewest calories prior to conceiving. Of those who reported eating breakfast cereal every day, 59% gave birth to boys compared with 43% of women who reported rarely or never eating cereal for breakfast. The findings in no way prove that what a woman does or doesn't eat prior to conception influences her baby's sex.

Though ageing is an inevitable process, it’s the desire of every woman to look beautiful even in her advancing years. There’s nothing wrong if she resorts to a few external aids to preserve her looks and retain the elasticity and firmness of her skin. While these homemade anti-wrinkle masks help rejuvenate her skin, some of these anti-wrinkle creams might help postpone a few lines and wrinkles on her face. Besides, these creams can be prepared from the comforts of one’s home; the ingredients used are also not that expensive. Instead of spending a fortune on those over-hyped anti-wrinkle creams, these homemade creams seem more viable. Lanolin anti-wrinkle cream Ingredients : 2 tablespoon Lanolin 2 tablespoon Almond oil ½ tsp honey Method: Melt lanolin and oil by the double-boiling method. Add honey. Blend well. Apply on face and wash off after 15 minutes. Anti-wrinkle cucumber cream Ingredients: Cucumber (grated) 3 tbsp Lemon juice – ½ tsp Brandy – 1 tsp

Rosacea is a common but little-known disorder of the facial skin that affects mostly fair-skinned people. It’s often mistaken for acne. While the cause of rosacea is unknown and there is no cure, today medical help is available that can control the signs and symptoms of this potentially life-disruptive disorder. Some symptoms include redness on the cheeks, nose, chin or forehead, small visible blood vessels on the face, bumps or pimples on the face and watery or irritated eyes. Britain ’s leading nutritionist Jane Clarke has some terrific advice for treating rosacea. She advocates the use of zinc pills (zinc sulphate) as it has been found that people given large doses of zinc supplements (upto 300 mg) have experienced an improvement in their condition. But as large doses of zinc supplements can cause side-effects and stomach problems such as cramps , indigestion and diarrhea , she advises that it is always better to seek an expert’s opinion about the suitable dosage. She also

If you have been suffering from bad breath lately the reason could just be your lackadaisical attitude towards dental hygiene and not an indication of something severe. So before rushing to try those over-the-counter medications or resorting to home-remedies , just make sure you are not neglecting your mundane regimen of brushing and flossing teeth twice a day. A 28 day study carried out on 14 adults with chronic bad breath has found out that brushing twice daily with an antibacterial toothpaste containing triclosan and scraping the tongue surface completely eliminated the problem of halitosis. At the beginning and end of the study, researchers measured mouth air levels of odor-causing bacteria and analyzed tongue scrapings for 20 species of bacteria known to cause bad breath. Almost all participants eliminated their halitosis after using this triclosan-containing toothpaste and a tongue cleaner.

If you have an oily and acne-prone skin, clay based face packs will work wonders for you. Himalaya Neem Face pack is one such face pack that is highly recommended for pimple-prone skin and in summers . It contains ingredients like neem , turmeric (Haldi) and Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) – all of which are exceedingly beneficial for the skin. While anti-bacterial Neem and Turmeric effectively help to eliminate acne-causing bacteria and prevent recurrence of pimples, Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) has the ability to draw out the impurities and excess sebum from the pores and soothe the skin. 

I have never had to deal with ‘super dry skin woes’ at any point of time in my life as my skin is extremely oily . It’s only in winters that I really pamper my skin with a luxurious pre-bath oil massage , heavy moisturizers and lotions. This winter , I used Skin MD Natural Shielding lotion and it has worked for me. Recently I got an opportunity to try another shielding lotion ‘ Gloves in a bottle ’. Now I do moisturize my skin minimally during other seasons as well; usually after a shower to lock in the moisture and prevent ‘after- bath dryness.’ So instead of using any other moisturizer, I applied this shielding lotion all over my skin specially concentrating on my neck , elbows, ankles, knees and heels . And a week’s usage has left my skin smooth, soft and glowing . The lotion itself isn’t too thick and gets absorbed into the skin within a matter of seconds. so, you don’t have to use too much of it – just a little goes a long way. Besides this, it is almost odorless, hypoal

There is some scary news for those who turn to Botox as a quick fix to get rid of their forehead wrinkles or crow’s feet. Botox , as we know, is one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances in the world. It is derived from a toxin produced by the bacteria which causes botulism, a lethal food poisoning. Pic Credits: Flickr photos

A list of best posts from the past three months (January-March 2008). Enjoy! Beauty My winter skin and hair care routine Ease razor bumps with this terrific cucumber-yoghurt soother 12 beauty uses of baking soda When you run out of hair styling cream Pore shrinking mask recipes from home Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: Review Mint-sugar sole softener Coconut oil for beauty Alternative uses of lipgloss Homemade Anti-wrinkle face masks Cover your gray with touch-up sticks Terrific soothers for your feet 4 temporary fixes for your problems The bizarre snake-spa of Israel Health Home Remedies for nose bleed Vicks VapoRub for nail fungus Black pepper may cure vitiligo Healing powers of French clay and its cosmetic uses Mehendi (henna) tattoos and allergy Why scratching an itch provides relief and home remedies to relieve itching Swimming in over-chlorinated pools can have adverse effects on your skin, hair and teeth Blue eyed people may have

Short people who yearn to be tall can now become a couple of inches taller through head implants. A cosmetic surgeon in Spain has reportedly developed a new way of adding up to two inches to a person's height by inserting a silicone head implant. According to Dr Luis de la Cruz of the Clinica La Luz hospital in Madrid , the operation takes 90 minutes during which an incision is made in one side of the head and then the implant is squeezed in between the skull and the scalp. The cost of the entire operation is roughly 4000 pounds and it is usually performed by local anesthesia. Patients are released from the hospital the subsequent day. Dr de la Cruz, has successfully carried out the operation on 17 patients, who are delighted with the results and the positive difference that it has made in their lives. This operation is a much better and simpler procedure compared to the other traumatic and difficult one involving lengthening of the leg bones. The Clinica La Luz in Madrid