Beauty and Personal Grooming

Shruti asks: I'm 16 years old. I have a quiet and unassuming nature. My friends find in me a good listener and a sensitive companion.  But I secretly envy the personality of some of my classmates who are exuberant and outgoing, They, in comparison to me, seem to be so full of life.   Sometimes, I too force myself to laugh and joke loudly and I pretend to be a big extrovert. But the effort always drains me.  I feel like a hypocrite too. I don't enjoy being something which I am not. What do you advise?

Looking through designer handbags online, I noticed that the best accessory a woman can actually have is herself. No matter what you wear, or how you keep up with the trends, if you look good there is no need for a lot of extras. A fresh clean look is something that seems to go with everything. Unfortunately, not all women are born with good skin or perfect hair. In fact, most rely on beauty products to cover flaws and enhance their looks. Although there is nothing wrong with this, it can be good to be able to step out without using so much commercial products. It does not take too much to look good naturally. In fact, there are more than a handful of do-it-yourself beauty recipes that can be used. It takes just a few minutes to whip these up in your own kitchen. Best of all, it doesn’t cost half as much as the commercial products you’ll find in stores.

For a while now, neutral colors have been worn to job interviews, work or for any other occasion when a person wants to be inconspicuous or subtle in some way. Women who wore them have been considered humble and even boring. Today, we seem to aspire to wear everything in bright colors or to add a pop of color to every outfit, and use neutrals only for some basic pieces. But, we are mistaken in many things about neutrals; neutral color clothing doesn’t always have to look uneventful. Here, we’ll give you a short guide on how to wear neutrals and still look chic, stylish and fashionable.

Image Courtesy: Shutterstock  For as long as I can recollect (basically since I knew the alphabet by heart), I have been fascinated by braided hairdos. I remember during my early childhood, my mom used to braid my long tresses every day, and I’d plead her to add new and interesting variations to it each time. Along the years, my liking towards the world of beauty and fashion grew stronger, and I began embracing newer trends and styles. One thing that remained unchanged, however, was my love for braids. The fact that they exude femininity and class along with being so versatile make them a favorite among global trendsetters. This season, especially, braids ruled the ramps of New York, Milan and Paris and I couldn’t be more thrilled about it. Here are the top five braided hairstyles that you must try (and no, you don’t need the skills of a trained hairstylist to perfect them):

Indu asks: I have noticed that my complexion has become dark since we shifted to our new house. There is a factory near out house that emits black smoke. Does the smoke have any darkening effect on the skin? Please suggest a preventive measure.

Dieting is a process as much to do with the mind as with the body. When you body is to be reshaped, remember that many of your attitudes, ideas and thoughts have also to be reshaped. Some facts have to be learnt, some realities faced, some myths discarded and some new attitudes adopted. First, while dieting, it is important to remember that it is always appetite and not hunger that has to be controlled. What is the difference between the 2? Suppose someone offers you your favourite sweet or ice-cream when you have had a full meal and you jump at the offer. Here it is your appetite that tempted you and not your hunger. Hunger is when you have missed a meal or it is much delayed and you’re feeling very weak and beginning to hear your stomach rumble demandingly. Hunger refers to this basic need of the body – so don’t try to ignore it.

The great scribe Seneca says: “If you wish another to keep your secret, first keep it yourself.” How apt is this piece of advice, abounding in wisdom! Of course, if you cannot keep your own secret, how can you expect others to keep it! The secret disclosed to someone with a “Please, don’t tell anyone” request often gets circulated around with a little bit of spice added to it. And when it comes back to you, most of the times, it is totally distorted and beyond recognition! But why in the first place one divulges one’s secret to others? Is it in order to earn sympathy, to seek advice, to make sure whether you dealt  with a difficult situation in a right manner or not, or is it merely because you cannot digest your own secret and just have to tell someone to take it off your chest?

M. Asks: My problem is the darkening of the inside areas of the thighs near the private parts. I have tried to scrub this hard but in vain. Can you please suggest some remedy?

Health is wealth. Leading a happy life is as important and even more significant than leading a luxurious or famous life. What is fame or wealth when one is neither healthy nor physically fit enough to enjoy the riches of life? In the mad rush of the modern world, we tend to forget the true meaning of life. A peep into any household in the mornings could serve as an eye-opener.

The cosmetic industry makes over 50 billion dollars a year in the United States. Almost 30 percent of that is spent on facial skin care. Aging gracefully and comfortably is something that most people, especially women, worry about. The good news is that there are exciting new beauty and anti-aging products that deliver what they promise. Below introduces five new beauty and anti-aging products that will change your life.

“You have the right attitude towards it. Summers, have become an unwanted and a much-maligned guest in India. No one seems to want them or like them,” laments Shobha who has reasons to enjoy the winters as well as the summers with equal fervor. She continues, “Have you ever seen a child ever cribbing about the summers or winters? It is always the mother who is complaining, “ Arey, thand lag jayegi ” or “ Garmi lag jayegi ”. Of course, with a little planning, you can have fun even in stuffy and sultry days of summer.”

Your gorgeous necklace looks a bit filmy? Your engagement ring is tarnished by the everyday wear? Or maybe you need to freshen up the classy pearls you haven’t worn in a while? Forget about the fancy jewellery cleaners. You can bring back the gleam of your gold and the sparkle of your silverware with the everyday products you can find in every household. Let’s take a peek in your kitchen cupboard and find that grime – busters and super cleaners.  

Having long thick eyelashes is a dream come true for any girl. However, even if you are not naturally lucky to have long lashes you can still work on getting them. There are many tips that can be followed in order to get long, thick lashes. Using castor oil or olive oil on your lashes can help them grow fuller. A healthy diet is essential; make sure you are consuming all the vitamins and minerals required for healthy hair. You can buy eyelash serums from the market for eyelash growth as well. Keep your eyes clean; remove the makeup as soon as possible to avoid the lashes from breaking.