Beauty and Personal Grooming

We all know the benefits and rewards of exercising :  it helps to keep body weight under control and to maintain a shapely figure; it promotes sound sleep , controls blood pressure and diabetes; it improves the free flow of blood thereby preventing arthritis and it even improves brain functioning. In general it promotes health and happiness and slows down the process of ageing.     Exercising has so many health benefits However, most of us adults would prefer to sleep in or to sip a hot cup of tea watching a morning TV program rather than to sweat it out to get rid of some extra calories. The end result is fine but the process of exercising is such a bore that many of us give up soon after we start on an exercising program. That is, unless we manage to make exercising fun!

If you overwind your body like a clock it will start to run down. Perhaps, you overwind yourself everyday – if you dash around a lot, work hard to meet impossible deadlines and stay on top of your job, deal with problems at home, and have a demanding schedule. Some degree of stress can be beneficial and enjoyable and enrich your life, but when it runs dangerously out of control and you can no longer cope with its fall-out, it may lead to physical and psychological problems. Many illnesses are psychosomatic triggered off by some stressful situation or our inability to cope with our everyday pressures.

Smriti asks: I am an 18 year old girl. Whenever I put Mehendi (Henna) tattoos I get small rashes on the back of my wrist and palms. Why does it happen? Should I not use Mehndi at all?

Backache has become such a common ailment that one can hardly find a person who has not suffered from it. It can affect both the young and the old. One of the reasons why it has become so common now-a-days is the excessive luxury of our everyday lives with few people doing any regular exercise. How many of us put equal weight on both legs while standing, even if we have to stand for just a few minutes? What we do is, either lean against something or constantly shift our weight from one leg to the other. A labourer carries heavy weights on his head throughout the day. Tiring work isn’t it? But in spite of it he walks gracefully and erect at the end of the day. On the other hand, an executive, who has spent the day sitting on his comfortable cushioned chair, is seen slouching and walking with stooped shoulders.  Does he not look even more tired than the labourer?

The skin consists of 3 layers, namely, the cutis, the dermis and the epidermis which is the outermost layer. It takes roughly 28 days for the cells of the dermis to travel upwards to form the new epidermal layer. Of course, this growth of cells depends on a variety of factors such as sunlight, age, skin disorders, etc. which can accelerate or retard the process. The adult skin covers an area of about 18, 000 sq cm and weighs around 3.2 kg in women as compared to 4.8 kg in men. Isn’t that quite a sizeable proportion to look after and more so when it has to face the winter breeze?

Nothing captivated the world in 2011 like the exuberance surrounding London's royalty . Middleton-mania has swept throughout Europe and into the U.S., where young women in big cities like New York and Chicago are tripping over each other to replicate the demure and sophisticated London look.  Whether you are looking for a way to spruce up your look for your next big Chicago holiday , or you just want to add a little European class to your everyday appearance, we are offering up our top picks for recreating that famous London look.  

Things your require:  

Just because you had fun cutting and styling your dolls’ hair when you were a kid doesn’t necessarily mean you’re cut out to own and operate a high-end salon or spa retreat.  But if you’ve long had your sights set on running a beauty business and you have a passion for the field, there’s no reason you can’t take the steps to prepare for such a career in order to make your dreams of business ownership into a reality.  So if beauty is your bag, here are a few helpful guidelines to get you on track to reach your goals.

Whether you’d like to cut, dye, and blow dry hair, apply makeup professionally, do manicures and pedicures, or dole out mud baths, seaweed wraps, and other skin treatments at a high-end spa; you might have to get a cosmetology license to do it.  Although you may be able to obtain certification in specific areas of beauty treatments, most salon owners will require that all of their staff obtain a license to practice, generally because it is the law.  Of course, you may be able to train as an assistant until you get your license, but you’ll earn a lot more money once you have your license in hand.  So if you’re wondering how to get there, here are a few tips to help you on your way.

You’ve got a lot on your mind with all the planning that needs to get done before your wedding day.  Most brides get started a year before the big day, but still you’ll find yourself running around like a chicken with its head cut off as you try to sift through samples and make your final choices in a timely manner.  This is why wedding planners exist!  Unfortunately, not everyone can afford them.  So if you’re stressing hard enough to suffer from breakouts (most brides do) but you simply don’t have it in your budget to obtain the services of an esthetician and a makeup artist before the wedding, here are just a few skin and makeup tips to help you look spectacular on your special day.

If you’re a woman living in the modern world, chances are pretty good that you have more than a passing interest in the beauty industry.  And why shouldn’t you?   You deserve to look and feel your best, and if a little makeup, moisturizer, and hair cream can give you that, why wouldn’t you want to use them?  Of course, it does take a little education, some time spent comparison shopping, and an ongoing desire to try new products.   But with so many beauty websites providing the tips and tools you need, it’s easier than ever to get on board with a beauty regimen that suits your lifestyle.   And here are just a few sites that can help you out in the coming year.

Although the smorgasbord of holiday spending is over, it’s never too early to start planning for the many birthdays that will pop up during the calendar year.  And considering how many retailers are blowing out stock with massive post-holiday sales, this could be a perfect time to start thinking about the gifts you will need in the coming year.  Plus, it no doubt fits in with your New Year’s resolution to stop waiting until the last minute to purchase and send cards and presents to your family and close friends.  And if there are a lot of ladies in your life that favor the beauty aisle at the drug store (and let’s face it, most do) then here are a few great ideas that will appeal to the biggest beauty enthusiasts in your life.

Many women feel that the higher the price tag when it comes to beauty products, the more miraculous the transformation that will occur when they use it.  But pretty much everyone who has shelled out beaucoup bucks for high-end products from department stores or exclusive beauty retailers has probably wondered just what all the hype is about.  While plenty of celebrities and beauty experts will tout the amazing qualities of pricy lines like La Mer, Chanel, and Orlane (just to name a few) to turn back the clock on aging, the truth is that no product is a miracle cure.  And yet, more expensive options may contain the rare and exclusive ingredients that work to slow the aging process.  So how can you tell whether or not it’s worth it to splurge?

While the biggest celebrity weddings of 2011 featured brides with strong, sexy, smoky eyes, soft, nude lips, and minimal blush or shimmer (see Kate Middleton and Kim Kardashian for reference), 2012 is shaping up to be a bit different when it comes to trends for bridal makeup.  Of course, most brides choose to avoid flash-in-the-pan fashions that will make their wedding photos look dated over time, opting instead for a natural look that plays up their features and inherent coloring.  But if you like to be on the cutting edge when it comes to style and you’re keen to show the girls in your bridal party how it’s done, here are just a few upcoming trends that you may want to try out for you wedding this year.

Sure, the holidays are touted as being the best time of the year to spend hours on end with friends and family, spend outrageous money on gifts, get a few in return and bake cookies with Grandma. But, what really matters during the holiday season is stepping out in style. And, not only stepping out in style, but doing it alongside your slightly less stylish boyfriend. You can't have him stealing your thunder, after all. Even if you missed the boat this holiday season, it isn’t too late to improve both of your style! So, what should you wear to ensure that you arrive at all of your functions looking like a bedazzled winter dream? And what should your boyfriend wear to look like a bedazzled winter dream's boyfriend? You both want to look good without overdoing it, but it's hard to tell when you've gone too far. Check out these tips for how you and your boyfriend can roll out in style, without going overboard.

Acne leads to a lot of emotional upheaval. Whether you can call them zits,  pimples, whiteheads , blackheads , pustules or cysts, acne is hardly a laughing matter to the millions of people who suffer from it. Acne is almost considered as a normal part of growing up. While it affects majority of teenagers, it can also appear later in life. 85% or adolescents develop acne. Among adults, 12% women and 3% men have acne. No doubt, you have to get yourself treated by a dermatologist but medications and ointments alone won't do the trick. Along with the treatment, you should also follow these skin care tips and do's and don'ts to keep acne under control .

After a long hard day at work, when you return home the first thing you would want to do is wash your face. And why not! The dust, grime and grease accumulated on your face in the course of the day due to pollution and other factors weighs you down and you just want to get rid of that muck once and for all. The gentle splash of cold water on your face and eyes does the trick and  perks you up to feel clean, refreshed and relaxed both physically and mentally. Now when you are tired and eager to wash your face , concocting a DIY recipe would be the last thing on your mind and you would naturally reach for that store-bought face wash, cleanser or soap. But then the results would not be as dramatic as the below mentioned yogurt one or this tried and tested homemade face wash . (The latter one can be prepared well in advance and stored for months together.)