Beauty and Personal Grooming

I’m not too fond of store-bought shampoos, not even the herbal ones. By and large, I prefer washing my hair with homemade herbal shampoos ; preferably the ones with Amla , Shikakai and Reetha powder -- these have helped me a great deal in keeping my hair healthy and also in preventing hair-loss . And oh! How can I forget those wonderful homemade after shampoo hair rinses ? Especially the decoction that you get after boiling fruit pieces of amla ( gooseberry ) works out to be a great hair rinse . So never forget to use after shampoo hair rinses after washing your hair – they impart bounce and shine to your hair. You might try some of these conditioners also.Still, when I do run out of these dry shampoo powders I go and purchase one of those herbal or chemical shampoos, I happened to try Pantene Sleek and Shine Shampoo with conditioner a few days ago and it wasn’t bad. Nyle Herbal Nourishing Shine Shampoo. (with Shikakai and Apricot extracts)

Improved standard of living and better medical facilities have certainly made the world a better place to live.  Our life span has increased; we are outliving our ancestors and the overall quality of our life has improved significantly since last few decades, but everything’s not hunky-dory. 

From ancient times water has been called as an ‘elixir of life’ and not without reason. It has been found that drinking water helps . Not only does it cure hosts of diseases but waters from certain springs are believed to have astounding powers ranging from anti-ageing effects to curing several skin diseases . Now when everyone seems to be in pursuit of the eternal fountain of youth, this topic has gained enough relevance and several researches are being conducted to test the potency of these ‘ miraculous spring waters ’. A recent research has found that that the pure waters of the Pannanich Wells in north-east Scotland could help hold back the hands of time . Experiments conducted by scientists show that the spring water, bottled and sold as Deeside Water, mops-up dangerous molecules that have been linked to ageing as well as a host of diseases. The water was also found to beat other brands in hydrating the skin, making it appear more youthful and smoothing away wrinkles . If...

I came across some thought-provoking ‘ quotes on life’ that are worth remembering. Just paste them at a conspicuous place at home and reflect on them periodically. Life is what happens to you while you're working for your future. Unknown Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow. - Mahatma Gandhi Desire is half of life, indifference is half of death. - Kahlil Gibran Love is life . And if you miss love, you miss life . -- Leo Buscaglia You only live once, but if you work it right, once is enough. - Joe Lewis You owe it to yourself to be the best you can possibly be - in baseball and in life. - Pete Rose Don't sacrifice your life to work and ideals. The most important things in life are human relations. I found that out too late. - Katharinde Susannah Prichard Australian Author There are three ingredients to the good life ; learning, earning, and yearning. - Christopher Morley Love absolutely everything that eve...

There’s a way to get the pleasant aroma of sandalwood and rose petals in your bathroom ( now don’t reach out for that room freshener with a rosy perfume, it poses a health risk and is believed to cause electrical fires also. ) and on your body too! Just switch to Mysore Sandal Rose Soap . With pure natural ingredients such as rose extracts and sandalwood oil together with moisturizing agents like lanolin, bathing with this soap is sheer bliss; it not only nourishes and moisturizes your skin to make it smooth and radiant but also leaves behind a mild, lingering fragrance of freshly plucked roses and sandalwood oil on your body that persists throughout the day. What is more, it’s quite inexpensive, does not contain animal fats and is good to your skin (does not cause allergies) as well.

Dear Readers:

What do you do of those hair clippings after you cut your hair? Some salons collect this unwanted pile of hair and send it for making wigs. But most of the time it is just tossed in the trashcan without giving a thought to the fact that it can be put to some use. Few months ago, The Daily Mail cited that researchers from North Carolina had discovered a way of extracting keratin from human hair and turning it into a gel to repair damaged nerves . For laymen, a way of recycling this unwanted spawn of follicles/human hair clippings is to sprinkle them around your garden; this deters snails, slugs and other unwanted pests from your vegetables/flowers as these creatures don’t like anything pricking their tender undercarriages. If you have birds nesting in your garden, you can leave this hair for them to use as a building material . Same goes for pet hair . And if you stuff hair in pincushions, the natural oil will stop the metal needles from rusting. An article from msnbc mention...

Here are some amazing beauty quotes for you to mull over: Beauty is all very well at first sight; but who ever looks at it when it has been in the house three days? - George Bernard Shaw She was a beauty in her youth a fact which she alone remembers. - Benjamin Constant Time may be a great healer, but it's a lousy beautician. - Unknown Beauty Parlor: A place where women curl up and dye. -Unknown There is certainly no absolute standard of beauty. That precisely is what makes its pursuit so interesting. - John Kenneth Galbraith If you're considered a beauty, it's hard to be accepted doing anything but standing around. - Cybil Shepard Beauty is an ecstasy; it is as simple as hunger. There is really nothing to be said about it. It is like the perfume of a rose: you can smell it and that is all. - W. Somerset Maugham By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower. - Rabindrath Tagore Joy is the best makeup. - Anne Lamott

Total Moisture Dry Skin Lotion, with Vitamin E, 10 oz Vaseline Intensive care - Total Moisture Dry Skin Lotion seems to be a good product. I’ve used it and it has certainly worked to my advantage. Especially in winter when my skin becomes a bit rough and dry, I need to apply a good hand and body lotion several times a day and this came in handy. Though it’s a little sticky, it does get soaked into the skin fully. Mildly scented and enriched with vitamins E & A and other essential minerals it nourishes dry skin on hands and legs considerably well, leaving it smooth and silky. You can see the effects within 4-5 days of application; just move your hand over your skin and you can feel that smoothness instantly. Ideal for dry skin and in winter.

Glaucoma is a dreadful disease that affects the eye's optic nerve and results in vision loss and blindness. Glaucoma occurs when the normal fluid pressure inside the eyes slowly rises and damages the optic nerve. One of the leading causes of blindness worldwide, glaucoma has been rightly nicknamed the "sneaky thief of sight" because the loss of visual field often occurs gradually over a long time and may only be recognized when it is already quite advanced. As the disease progresses, a person with glaucoma may notice his or her side vision gradually failing. They would not be able to se things from the corner of the eye and in due course, without any treatment they will slowly lose their peripheral (side) vision. They seem to be looking through a tunnel. Over time, straight-ahead vision may decrease until no vision remains. There is no complete cure for this disease but with early diagnosis and treatment, one can protect the eyes against serious vision loss. Kno...

Everyuth Cream Face Wash I simply can’t do without cleansing my face at least twice a day; it’s a must for me or else my face ends up looking dull , tired and oily . This practice is continued even in winter when my skin tends to become quite dry. But I do avoid certain strong , anti-bacterial face cleansers meant for zit-prone, oily/greasy skins and my winter skin care routine does include frequent application of a good moisturiser to keep my skin well nourished and hydrated . Last winter, I preferred a gentle face cleanser like Himalaya Gentle Face Wash Cream over other harsh ones. This winter, though, for some reason I used Everyuth cream face wash for dry skin and it isn’t bad either. Specially formulated for dry skin, this 100% soap-free face wash contains rich, natural moisturizing ingredients like peach and aloe along with wild cherry which helps to rejuvenate and refresh the facial skin. Highly recommended for dry skin and in winters.

Have you been neglecting your hands lately? You are not alone; most Indian women do – all that household work of cleaning, swabbing and doing the dishes takes a toll on their hands. Their hands take more abuse than just about any other external part of their body; they lose that youthfulness and look rugged and aged beyond years. Their palms especially are more vulnerable and become rough and hard over a period of time. The skin on the hands, as we know, is protected with a coating of oil/sebum. This is what keeps it moist and prevents dry skin. Constant immersing of hands in water, repeated washing with soaps and contact with harmful chemicals in detergents and floor-cleaning liquids (there is very little awareness in third-world countries) make the hands dry and cracked and often causes eczema (also known as housewife’s eczema) and some people are more prone to develop hand eczema than others are. And if this repeated exposure continues, hands also become red and inflamed.

There are quite a few posts from the year 2008 that I have handpicked for your reading. Hope you find them useful, informative and interesting. Any feedback, suggestions, ideas and guest posts from you all are most welcome. Incidentally, the most notable event of this year at least for me was the mention of this blog in the prestigious WE magazine and recognition of this kind can be very encouraging. Thank you WE magazine . I look forward to a new year of blogging with renewed enthusiasm and have many ideas and plans in store which I hope to implement in the near future. Products and reviews: Skin MD Natural Shielding Lotion: Review Dabur Vatika Hair oil: Review Cover your gray with touch-up sticks . Garnier Naturals’ Deep pore Exfoliating face wash:Review Bindi Mint Eye Mask to relieve puffiness Juara Skincare Milk and Red Sandalwood Mask Himalaya Neem Face Pack UNIL InfraShine Ceramic Flat Iron : review Himalaya Gentle exf...