Wednesday, June 26, 2013

Beauty tips for perfect eyebrows

If you have light eyebrows, you may need to draw over them or shade them.

For this, you will need to choose the right shade of eyebrow pencil. If you choose a colour that's too dark, your eyebrows will look unnatural and stand out and if you use a shade that's too light, it simply won't help. So choose a colour that will suit your skin tone and features. Ideally, the shade must be two shades lighter that your actual hair colour — this way it will blend and still stand out.

While using an eyebrow pencil on your brows, remember not to colour outside your hairline. Stay within your boundary line. Also, always start with light strokes; if your use harsher strokes, the colour will be dark. If you make your eyebrows too dark, it can clash with the rest of your eye make-up. Never press the pencil too hard on your brows, especially the tip. Keep a light hand.


Keep the pencil down on your eyebrow — avoid using the pencil along the top end of the brow. Since the top arch of your eyebrow is thinner than the rest, keep the pencil as away as possible from this section.


Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Simple way to say bye bye to PIMPLE

Keep your skin clear of any make-up and wash your face with water as many times as possible to get rid of pimples.

And never pop the pimples as these would lead to scars. Pimple marks are the scars that result after an acne breakout. They are often difficult to remove and take time to fade. There are commercial and homemade treatment options available. Surface skin blemishes can often be removed by these methods. However, if the skin blemishes are deeper, cosmetic procedures may be needed. Some cosmetic procedures are microdermabrasion, chemical peels, and laser resurfacing.



One can try for homemade solutions to get rid of pimples mark;




- Sandalwood powder paste can be applied on your face to fade marks.




- Honey is also good for fading marks. Apply a small amount of honey on the marks daily. Rinse with water after about five minutes.




- A milk and oatmeal face mask can also be used to remove scars. Apply the mixture for about ten minutes and then rinse.




- An egg white face mask can also be used to fade marks. Apply only the egg white carefully onto your face. Allow the egg white to dry and rinse with water.




- Make-up expert Aniruddha Chakladar says, "Neem paste mixed with sandalwood powder is the best way to get rid of pimple scar mark."

Friday, June 21, 2013

Pamper your face with a face massage

Face massage is something that you must indulge in as it has multiple benefits. For a glowing skin, it is essential to get a face massage done at least twice a month.

Health benefits

Massaging techniques can be traced back to ancient civilisations of India, China, Egypt, Rome, Greece and Mesopotamia. However, it has evolved over time to offer more benefits.

Face massage comes with an array of exhilarating health benefits as it helps to reduce stress, increase blood circulation and also helps to cure sinusitis and headaches. The lymph nodes present in the chin and jawline areas need stimulation to release lymph fluid that can detoxify the facial area.

Indulging in the luxury of a face massage is a stress-buster and alleviates the mood. A good massage, which ideally lasts up to 20 minutes, can also help strained facial muscles to loosen up and relax, thereby reducing wrinkles.

How is it done?

A face massage involves forehead, eyes, nose, ears, mouth, chin, jawlines, neck, behind the ears and, at times, scalp too. Since facial skin is delicate, massage your face by applying soft strokes. Use the index, middle and ring finger to massage, especially for feather strokes. Additionally, make sure you do the strokes in an upward motion, which can revitalise the facial muscles.

Exfoliate your face with a good exfoliating pack and cleanse it before starting the massage. Start with eyebrows, followed by nose, cheekbones, under the eyes and nose bridge. Make sure you run and pat your fingers in a circular motion. Next, work on ears and behind the ears, and finally the neck.

Before you start off

Firstly, you need to set up an ambience where you can fully enjoy the massage. Dim and soft lights with soothing music in the background can make the experience all the more relaxing. Aromatic oils such as avocado oil, evening primrose oil, rose geranium oil, lavender oil or German chamomile oil are the best choice. Massaging using a good moisturiser can hydrate the skin and can also act as a good lubricant while working on the face.

Ice cubes for a glowing face

Why waste money and time on expensive skin care products when you can achieve the same benefits by applying ice on your face?

And the best part is, no matter what the season is, you can always try this facial therapy - even during the rains. It helps minimise open pores, refreshes your skin and makes it glow.

Applying ice is an instant way to give your face a fresh and dewy look without wearing makeup. It improves blood circulation and gives your face a healthy glow. Ice also prevents premature ageing and wrinkles.

Ice reduces large pores and minimises the production of excess oil. Tie two cubes of ice in a cloth and massage it on your face every night before you go off to bed. Also, to make your makeup last longer, try rubbing an ice cube on your face before you begin applying your makeup.

Place an ice cube on acne and you'll find a considerable reduction in redness and swelling.

Note: Do not use ice cubes directly. They can cause the delicate capillary under your skin to break. Wrap them in a clean cloth before you use them

Thursday, June 13, 2013

5 Natural tips to prevent hair loss

It's better to use natural products to stop hairfall than to go in for expensive parlour treatments, that may not help the problem.

Try the following easy tips at home and see how effective they are in reducing hair loss!

1. Hot oil treatments: Take any natural oil - olive, coconut, canola - and heat it up so that it is warm, but not too hot. Massage it gently into your scalp. Put on a shower cap and leave it on for an hour, then shampoo your hair.

2. Natural juices: You can rub your scalp with either garlic juice, onion juice or ginger juice. Leave it on overnight and wash it thoroughly in the morning.

3. Get a head massage: Massaging your scalp for a few minutes daily will help stimulate circulation. Good circulation in the scalp keeps hair follicles active. Circulation may be improved through massage by using a few drops of lavender or bay essential oil in an almond or sesame oil base.

4. Antioxidants: Apply warm green tea (two bags brewed in one cup of water) on your scalp and leave this mixture on for an hour and then rinse. Green tea contains antioxidants which prevent hair loss and boost hair growth.



5. Practice meditation: Believe it or not, most of the times, the root cause for hair loss is stress and tension. Meditation can help in reducing that and restore hormonal balance.

Monday, June 10, 2013

10 cosmetics that can harm your skin.

Various cosmetics and skin care products are widely available in stores and salons. With these products it is easier for women (and men) to achieve a healthy, smooth and beautiful skin. However, even though these products are effective, not all of these are safe.

Cosmetics are supposed to help women look beautiful, but these products are often so full of harmful synthetic chemicals that they could leave you with unsightly skin conditions. Yes, most makeup products and cosmetics are terribly harsh on your skin and numerous studies report that they are carcinogenic. Moreover, cosmetics and makeup can inhibit your skin from breathing and can harbour bacteria and help external impurities causing skin problems.

So...we give you a list of 10 cosmetic and makeup products that can cause significant harm to your skin and body - the list is by no means complete; it is just the tip of the iceberg!

Lipstick

Lipstick dries the moisture out your lips; whereas, lip balms are better.Therefore, if you want bright colour lips use lip-balm first then put lipstick on top. Some lipsticks and lip- glosses contain oils and chemicals that can damage your lips rather than help them look beautiful.Lead is sometimes found in harmful amounts in red lipsticks. Health problems associated with lead ingestion are brain damage and behavior abnormalities Many of lead's side effects are irreversible. Mineral Oil found in lipsticks acts like a second nonporous skin, blocking the real skin's pores, and can interfere with skin cell development and proper functioning.

Moisturisers

It is a fact that, sun damage and pollution ruin your skin so it is good to wear a 'good' moisturiser to block the UV sunrays and harmful pollutants away from your face.

Nonetheless, moisturisers and creams that contain mineral oil and paraffin have been shown clinically to damage the skin barrier and increase moisture loss from the skin.

Virtually all the popular cosmetic moisturizers and emollients sold by skin care companies contain high concentrations of detergents and detergent-like chemicals that damage the skin and degrade the skin's natural protective function. The frequent use of moisturisers by most of us (in order to obtain a smooth radiant and young-looking skin), results in the body absorbing and assimilating the harmful synthetic chemical ingredients of these products that can damage the skin, exacerbating skin problems instead of enhancing the skin's beauty and health.

The solution is to purchase products that contain vegetable oils. Particularly oils high in gamma linoleic acid that effectively suppresses inflammation.A good moisturiser should be made of water, hydrosols, plant oils, and emulsifiers. Using natural products, you can maintain the beauty of your face for longer.

Kajal

Kajal and Surma are traditional Indian cosmetic preparations used to makeup beautiful eyes. However, kajal can have numerous adverse effects on the eyes; for example, development of chemical, toxic and infective conjunctivitis, uveitis, glaucoma, dry eye and conjunctival discoloration. Hence, it is best to avoid use of kajal and surma or any makeup that goes inside the eye. No eye makeup should be used during any eye infection, injury, surgery, etc. Furthermore, the tissue around the eyes dries out as you get older; rendering the eye shadow as the worst offender!

Nail polish

You must be wearing a lot of heavy, darkand shimmering nail polish on your nails, because you love to decorate your nails and get that glamorous look. Nevertheless, you must be wondering if it will ruin your skin and nails in any way. The answer is - if you use harsh colours like red or black, also if you wear it every day - all the time, then YES they'll be ruined. Dark polishes could stain your nails and turn them yellow. Furthermore, when your nail polish has acetone it means that it is more likely to weaken and damage your nail strength because it is a harsh chemical.

Talcum powder

The chemical ingredients in talcum powder, like silicates talc is not only a potent carcinogen, it also causes allergies and infection in lungs. Talc absorbs moisture and so we use talcum powder to avoid perspiration. But this causes much damage to our skin. Talc particles are asbestos like, capable of moving through the reproductive system. They get embedded on the lining of the ovary, if applied in large excess. This finally results to ovarian cancer.

Bleach creams

Skin bleaching is popular with darker-skinned people to obtain a fairer and even skin tone. Hydroquinone cream, the most common type of skin bleach can result in undesirable effects and significant skin damage. Hydroquinone is a fairly caustic substance with known adverse effects on the skin including redness, peeling, a rash, dryness and burning where you've applied the cream. Strong chemical bleach breaks down the oils that are supposed to keep your skin soft and supple and prevent formation of wrinkles.

On the other hand, whitening can actually be healthy for your skin provided the skin lightening and brightening products contain natural ingredients; such as, organic herbal extracts and essential oils.

Waxing

Waxing for hair removal has its drawbacks; some people experience ingrown hairs, red bumps, and minor bleeding. Waxing on face causes the skin to sag earlier than it normally would as it pulls your skin and is harsh.Facial skin is very delicate and waxing will only damage it. Waxing with waxing strips can be painful when the strip is removed from the skin and can cause infection if the skin gets bruised. The wax strip may disturb hair follicles, causing hair to begin to grow in different directions.

Hair colours and hair dyes

Before colouring your hair, it's important to know that allergic reactions to dyes can cause hair loss, burning, redness, itchy scalp, facial swelling and breathing difficulty. There are many chemicals in hair dyes that are known to be dangerous to human health. One of the worst chemicals found in hair dyes is P-Phenylenediamine, which is known to pose the following dangers: cancer, reproductive toxicity, neurotoxicity, allergies, immune- toxicity, irritation of skin, eyes, and/or lungs.

Deodorants & antiperspirants

Scientific studies have shown that ingredients in deodorants and antiperspirants are harmful for your skin and body. It is a fact that deodorants cause irritation (because of alcohol) and redness which leads to itching and eventually pigmentation of the skin. The harmful effects of antiperspirants are greater than deodorants due to aluminum compounds in antiperspirants that block the sweat glands and can lead to conditions like contact dermatitis and allergy. Sweat glands discharge the waste from our body as sweat and if the waste is not being discharged from the body, it is unhealthy.

Fragrance



It is important to be informed that there are dangerous chemicals in cosmetics.Fragrance chemicals present in fabric softeners, laundry detergents, perfumes, personal care products, air fresheners and many other products contribute to health and environmental problems.

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Look younger than you are!!

Eating right can take years away from your face.

Is it only genes that make some people look younger than their real physical age? Research and studies have shown that people who eat mostly plant-based foods look younger than their actual age. Including such food in our daily diet can stave off wrinkles, show an increase in our skin elasticity and reduce the obvious effects of ageing.
These anti-aging foods are just natural foods rich in selenium and powerful antioxidants such as Vitamins C and E.
Here is a list of some anti-aging foods to help you look younger. They are not very difficult to find as they are all available in the city hypermarkets and stores.

Avocados
Avocados are nature's best moisturisers. Avocados are loaded with anti-aging nutrients such as Vitamin C and E, and Omega 3 fatty acids. Though a medium-size avocado has 30 grams of fat, all of it is healthy monosaturated fats that lower cholesterol and protect the heart.
Want to look younger? Eat an avocado a day to stave off wrinkles and keep your skin looking soft and supple.

Lemons
Lemons are a Vitamin C powerhouse, an antioxidant vital for healthy skin and gums. One medium size lemon contains more than 45 per cent of the daily recommended intake of Vitamin C. Lemons are the body's natural internal cleansers which aid digestion and remove toxins; leaving our skin clear and radiant.
Waking up in the morning to a luke-warm glass of water with lemon juice or lemon water will help your skin look younger.

Almonds
Almonds are an anti-aging food that is excellent for healthy skin, hair and nails because of their high content of Vitamin E. Our body requires this vitamin to protect our cells from the onslaught of free radicals that is generated by peroxides, air pollution and ultra violet rays.
Eaing ten to a dozen almonds in one day will help. A quarter cup of almonds a day provides about 45 per cent of the daily-recommended intake of Vitamin E.

Sunflower Seeds
Sunflower seeds are a remarkable anti-aging food and a Vitamin E and selenium powerhouse with very effective youth-enhancing qualities.
Eating a handful of sunflower seeds a day will help you look younger, stave off wrinkles and improve skin elasticity. In fact, a quarter cup of sunflower seeds will provide most part of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin E.

Blueberries
Look younger by eating a handful of blueberries for your daily dose of anthocyanin, an anti-aging antioxidant that increases the potency of Vitamin C, one of nature's best moisturisers and a collagen-stimulating nutrient for the skin.

Cucumber
Whether you eat it as a cucumber salad or make it into a cucumber cleanser, cucumbers are an excellent anti-aging food for improving tired, dehydrated skin. This reason is cucumbers are high in water content and contains high amounts of silica, a necessary mineral for smooth and glowing skin.

Brazil Nuts
Brazil nuts are a very rich source of selenium, a mineral that works well with Vitamin E to stop oxidative stress and cell damage caused by free radicals; thus, slowing down the aging process. They are a powerful anti-aging food with a high fat content and so you should not have more than two Brazil nuts a day for younger skin.