NATURAL REMEDIES FOR SKIN GLOW

Normal skin

~ Extract the juice of half an orange or tomato, mix with two teaspoons of curd. Lightly massage onto your face in an upward direction. Let it dry. Then, wash your face with cold water and wipe dry. This will give your skin a nice glow.

~ Rub the inner part of the skin of a papaya on your face. Let it dry. Then, wash your face with cold water and wipe dry. This will give your skin a nice glow.

Whenever you cut a papaya to eat, save a small portion of the peel for this purpose. You can store the peel in an airtight container for about two days in the fridge; however, it is preferable to use it fresh.

~ Grind 50 grams (around half a cup) of cabbage and extract the juice. Apply this on your face. After it dries, wash with cool water and wipe dry. This helps tighten your skin and prevents wrinkles.

~ Grind one small carrot and squeeze the pulp to remove the juice. Apply the juice on your face and let it dry. Then, wash with cold water and wipe your face dry. This helps to rejuvenate your skin.

~  Whenever eating an apple, do not discard the skin. Use it as a skin cleanser.

Just rub the inner side of the peel in an upward direction and let your face dry. Then, wash with cool water and pat dry. This helps tighten your skin.

~ Take an ice cube and rub on your face. Then, pat dry. This helps to improve blood circulation and keeps your skin healthy.
Variation: Boil some lemon grass in a small container of water and cool. Pour it in the ice tray and freeze. Later, rub the ice cube on your face.

~ Beat the white of one egg and apply on your face in an upward direction. Once it dries, wash with cold water. It helps tighten your skin and delays wrinkles.

• 6 steps to beautiful skin

Oily skin

~ Make a paste of 2 tbsp of wheat flour using as much water as needed. Apply on your face in an upward motion. Leave to dry. Then, wash with cool water and pat dry. This helps remove excess oil from your skin.

~ Mix two teaspoons of raw milk, around the same quantity of cucumber juice and few drops of lemon. With a cotton ball, apply the solution on your face and leave to dry. Then, wash with water and pat dry.

~Soak two to three teaspoons of methi (fenugreek) seeds overnight. Grind into a paste, then rub on your face. Once it dries, wash with cool water.

The granular effect helps remove blackheads. Methi also helps remove excess oil from your skin.

The excess paste can be stored in the refrigerator but should be used within a week.     

~ Soak two to three teaspoons of whole masoor dal (red gram) overnight. Grind into a paste and apply on your face. Once it dries, wash your face with cold water and pat dry. It gives the same effect as methi. 

The excess paste can be stored in the refrigerator but should be used within two days.

~  Grind half a cucumber and squeeze to remove the juice. Apply the juice on your face and leave to dry. Then wash with water and pat dry.

It helps refresh and tighten your skin. 

• Say goodbye to dry skin

For dry skin

~ Mash half a ripe banana, add a teaspoon of honey and make a paste. Apply on your face. Once it dries, wash with cold water and pat dry.

This acts as a moisturiser and helps in tighten your skin.

~ Soak khus khus (poppy seeds) overnight. Grind it with just enough milk to make a paste. Apply on your face. Once it dries, wash with cold water.

The natural oil present in khus khus helps to moisturise your skin.

~ Just before boiling milk, remove two tablespoons. Massage it lightly on your face in an upward motion. Leave to dry, then wash with water and pat dry.

This helps to keep your skin supple.

Variation: Add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the raw milk and follow the same process. However, avoid doing this if you have pimples on your face.

~ Make a paste of 2-5 tablespoons of raw peanuts with milk. Add ¼ teaspoon of honey to it. Apply on your face. Leave to dry. Then wash with cold water and pat dry.

The natural oils present in the peanuts help moisturise your skin.

~ Make a paste of one teaspoon of malai, a pinch of turmeric and four to five drops of olive oil. Apply on your face, leave to dry. Wash with cold water and pat dry.

Malai acts as a natural moisturiser and turmeric and olive oil helps rejuvenate your skin.

MAKEUP PROCESS

Complete Makeup Process

Makeup is an art and an artist must know what he/she wants in the end. You may choose for naturally beautiful look, bold and exotic nightclub look or a high-profile dinner party look, depending on the occasion and place, where you are heading. To look beautiful, you need to understand your face, your best facial features, which can be your eyes, lips, cheeks and/or eyebrows and what suits you the most. Coordinate your colors beforehand and remember, bolder colors are for exotic looks only and can play havoc on your face, if not used expertly. The basic list of products that any makeup-conscious lady needs, includes:

• Blusher,
• Eye Shadow,
• Eyebrow Color,
• Eyeliner,
• Face powder,
• Foundation,
• Lip brush,
• Lip liner,
• Lipstick,
• Mascara, and
• Moisturizer.

We will define the steps for daily or simple makeup here. For details, you can refer to our article for that particular product:

• Moisturize your face, especially people with dry skin.
• Apply foundation that matches your natural skin tone for a smooth skin effect.
• Apply powder for that flawless look to your face and matte down any shiny areas on your face. Gently tap the powder pad on the back of your hand before applying it on the face to shake off any excess powder.
• Blush adds color and freshens up your face instantly. See 'Applying Blush' for more details.
• Pluck your eyebrows, apply eye shadow, eyeliner and mascara and do eye makeup very very carefully. If you are not confident, leave this part out completely.
• Classic, tried and tested natural/neutral color combinations are best for eyes, unless you are quite an expert.
• Define the lips using the lip liner and fill up the lip color using the brush.
• You may use lip-gloss too for a sexier look.
• A tinge of shine powder can instantly transform you for that evening party.

It is always good to be aware of the latest trends and fashions in makeup and being innovative and creative to have a distinctive style of your own helps too.

MAKE UP TOOLS

Makeup Tools

Remember using those tiny sponge applicators with play makeup when you were a kid? It's time to ditch those wee makeup brushes and wands that come packaged with compacts and eyeshadow palettes. Sure, they'll work in a pinch, like when you're running late for work or need a quick pre-date touch-up, but to get the most out of her makeup collection, a girl really needs the right tools for the job.

Brushes

To create a work of art, whether on canvas or your eye crease, artists will often reach for a brush. Specialized makeup brushes exist to help us apply and blend colors to create different makeup looks. When it comes to makeup brushes, hoard them like pirate treasure! Buy as many different brushes as you can comfortably afford. You'll use your brushes every day, and you won't regret having a variety from which to choose.

Makeup brush design varies across brands and according to function. Brush heads may be made from natural fibers like squirrel (yes, squirrel), goat, sable, or horse hair, while others are made from synthetic fibers. Don't be afraid to experiment with a variety of brushes made from different fibers. There's no better way to find your ideal brush, but be aware that some people are allergic to certain animal hairs. Try to use just a single new brush or beauty product at a time, and limit its use initially. That way, if your skin does react, you'll know which product to blame.

Face Brushes

We use 'em to apply foundation, concealer, powders and blush.

Foundation Brush: Used to apply foundation to the face and typically made from synthetic fibers. Most foundation brushes have a small, rounded brush head shaped like a tiny spatula.

Concealer Brush: Concealer brushes look like mini foundation brushes. Being smaller than foundation brushes makes them better suited for covering blemishes or for applying liquid concealers in hard to reach places like the corners of the eyes.

Powder Brush: With a large, fluffy brush heads and soft bristles, powder brushes are ideal for applying loose powder to the face.

Blush Brush: They resemble smallish powder brushes with either a sloped or rounded tip. Great for applying blush or bronzer to cheeks.

Eye Brushes

There are lots of eye brushes to choose from, which is a blessing for brush hoarders like me (I own over 30, yikes) but a curse for makeup newbies. Start your collection with the essentials.

Eyebrow Brush: Eyebrow brushes have firm, angled brush heads like the tip of a marker. Use them to apply powders, creams or waxes to brows.

Eyeshadow Brush: Not as stiff as an eyebrow brush, eyeshadow brushes have square heads used to evenly apply both powder and cream shadows to eyelids. I reach for this brush so often that I might as well have it permanently attached to my hand! Expect to use these a lot.

Blending Brush: Like the name implies, blending brushes are used to blend different colored products and to wipe out harsh lines. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Not as firm as eyeshadow brush heads, the heads of blending brushes are usually tapered. This will be your second staple brush (behind your eyeshadow brush).

Concealer Brush: Used to cover blemishes and imperfections on the face, concealer brushes have a thin, pointed tip, much like a fine-tipped paintbrush.

Crease Brush: Fluffy and soft, crease brush heads come in several different shapes, from thin and tapered to round and fluffy. The shape you choose will depend more on personal preference than anything else. Look for a brush head that feels soft against your eyelid and fits into the hollow of your eye.

Lip Brushes

At one time or another, most of us have applied lipstick straight from the tube. As much as I love my brushes, I have to confess: I do this all the time! Let's face it, applying lipstick straight from the tube is much easier than reaching for a lip brush, and sometimes you just don't have the time. However, when you feel like rocking a deep, dark scarlet or a bright matte fuschia, a lip brush is the only way to go. It provides more control and precise lipstick application than a tube. Like concealer brushes, lip brushes have a firm, thin tip. For on-the-go lipstick application, look for a covered lip brush, which comes with a cover to protect the brush head while you're traveling.

Choosing the Right Brush

Brushes range from budget-friendly (less then $10) to uber-expensive ($250, ouch!). Save for 'em and cough up the dough, girlfriend, because they'll get plenty of use. Buy the best brushes you can afford. MAC Cosmetics brushes have a good reputation, but shop around. Sonia Kashuk, sold at Target stores, is another good brush brand for the money.

How to Clean Your Brushes

Regularly cleaning makeup brushes extends their useful life. Some makeup lines sell liquid brush cleaning solutions, but baby shampoo and water also work well. Antibacterial wipes provide a quick way to clean brush heads in the car or wherever water would make a mess. After cleaning your brushes, reshape the brush heads with your fingers and line them up on the edge of a shelf or sink to dry.

Short- Versus Long-Handled Brushes?

Brush handles come in different lengths and weights, and which one you choose depends on your personal preference. Small hands might prefer short brush handles.

How to Store Your Brushes

For cheap, easy brush storage at home, stand them up in a glass (brush heads up). When you're on the road, use a brush roll, which is a folding bag with slots for each brush. It rolls up like a sleeping bag.

11 SKIN CHANGES DURING PREGNANCY

11 Common Skin Changes During Pregnancy

1. The "pregnancy glow." The glow that others notice (though you may not) isn't just a sentimental old wives' term. This facial shine actually has a biological basis. The increased volume of blood causes the cheeks to take on an attractive blush, because of the many blood vessels just below the skin's surface. On top of this redness, the increased secretions of the oil glands give the skin a waxy sheen. The flushed face on many pregnant women is similar to the one non-pregnant people experience when they are excited, cry, or do anything that increases their heart rate (which pregnancy does constantly).

2. The pregnancy mask. Sometime during the second trimester you may find yourself gazing at a different face in the mirror. Brownish or yellowish patches called chloasma (also dubbed the mask of pregnancy) can appear anywhere on the face, but are seen most commonly on the forehead, upper cheeks, nose, and chin. The pregnancy hormones estrogen and progesterone stimulate the melanin cells in the skin to produce more pigment, yet because these cells do not produce extra pigment uniformly, your facial skin may acquire a blotchy tan. (If you have ever taken oral contraceptives, you may already have experienced this particular hormonal side-effect.) Brunettes and darker-skinned women may notice darkened circles, resembling eye shadow, around their eyes. Chloasma cannot be prevented, but you can minimize the intensity of these blotchy, darkened areas by limiting your exposure to ultraviolet light (i.e., sunshine), which further stimulates melanin production.

3. Acne. You probably thought your pimple days were over. While the acne of pregnancy is rarely as severe as that of adolescence, you may need to return to some of your teenage cleansing rituals. Fortunately, pregnancy is much shorter than adolescence; the bumps and pimples will subside shortly after delivery. Avoid abrasive scrubs or exfoliants; pregnant skin is too sensitive for these. Milder, oatmeal-based facial scrubs (available at nutrition stores) can help unplug the oily pores, and are much kinder to sensitive skin. Because of the risk of birth defects, the anti-acne prescription drugs Accutane and Retin-A cannot be used during pregnancy.

4. Linea nigra. Many women normally have a faint linea alba (white line) running from their navel to the center of their pubic bone. It is barely visible before pregnancy. (You may not have even known it was there). Sometime in the second trimester a linea alba becomes a linea nigra, a dark line that is much more noticeable. In some women the line extends upward from the navel as well. The linea nigra is darker in darker skinned women and disappears several months after delivery.

5. Dark areas become darker. Little moles and freckles that existed prior to pregnancy may now become bigger, and brown spots or birthmarks become browner. New moles may also appear. (Consult your doctor or dermatologist if these moles seem particularly raised, dark, or have irregular borders.) The areola and nipples of your breasts will become quite a lot darker; unlike other areas of your skin, which return to their original color after pregnancy, your areola will probably always be somewhat darker than they were before you were pregnant.

6. Red palms and soles. Even as early as the second month of pregnancy, the insides of your hands and the bottoms of your feet may itch and take on a reddish hue, called palmar erythema. The increased color is nothing more than a curiosity of pregnancy.

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7. Spider veins. Those much-discussed pregnancy hormones, along with increased blood volume, cause those tiny, squiggly red or purple capillaries just below the surface of the skin to branch out and become more visible during pregnancy. It's also common for spider veins (they resemble a small spider web), to pop out on the face or on the sclera (white part) of the eyeballs during delivery; intense, red-in-the-face pushing can break tiny blood vessels. Known as nevi, these burst vessels can be camouflaged by the appropriate use of make- up. Nevi take longer to disappear than many of the other skin problems of pregnancy, some spider veins on the legs or torso may not go away on their own. A dermatologist can remove them using injections if you feel that's necessary.

8. Skin tags. Some pregnant women develop tiny polyps, called skin tags, in areas where skin rubs on clothing or skin rubs together. Commonly found under the arms, between neck folds, or under bra lines on the chest, skin tags are caused by hyperactive growth of a superficial layer of skin. They disappear a few months following delivery, but can be easily excised if they bother you.

9. Heat rash. You may think that only babies get prickly heat rash, but pregnant women do, too. Caused by the combination of an already overheated pregnant body, dampness from excessive perspiration, and the friction of skin rubbing against itself or against clothing, prickly heat rash is pimply and slightly irritating. It is most common in the crease between and beneath the breasts, in the crease where the bulge of the lower abdomen rubs against the top of the pubic area, and on the inner thighs.

10. Itching. Many women enjoy a good "scratch down" at the end of the day. Some areas of your skin may itch because they are dry and flaky, others may itch because of a prickly rash, as mentioned above. Many women find the itching is most bothersome in the skin that stretches, mainly over the abdomen, but also on hips and thighs.

11. Pimply eruptions. Around one percent of pregnant women experience itchy, red, raised patches on their abdomen, thighs, buttocks, and extremities. This condition is called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (dubbed PUPP). It tends to come and go during the second half of pregnancy and nearly always disappears shortly after delivery. Treat this the same as any other itchy skin eruption.

5 Problems in summer

1. Sunburn & Melasma:

Listen to your mother and lather up that sunscreen! All of our experts stressed sun protection and not just to prevent sunburn.  Shannon Morrow, Physician Assistant at Dermatology Associates of LaGrange, Illinois, says women in a high estrogen state (for example, those on birth control or pregnant) are more susceptible to melasma, a patchy brown pigment that appears when the face is exposed to sun.

To prevent: Tina Capiello, top esthetician from Miami Beach Plastic Surgery Center, advises using Sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 that also includes either Zinc Oxide or Titanium Oxide.  Dermatologist Debra Jaliman specifically recommends EltaMD sunscreens, “EltaMD are very pure, do not contain parabens and are with zinc oxide. Also, they are very light and do not block the pores.”

To fix: Susan Anderson, a consultant to skincare product lines including Inspired Skincare and Rodan & Fields, suggests applying hydrocortisone cream as soon as possible to soothe sunburned skin. 

Dr. Jaliman suggests treating a sunburn by taking an anti-inflamatory medication by mouth and then using a compress of skim milk and water to eliminate redness. She also suggests an over the counter cortisone cream or aloe vera for extra relief.  

2. Summer Rashes:

Contact dermatitis is caused by common summer plants like poison ivy and appears as an itchy hive-like rash.  Morrow suggests wearing long clothing and gloves when working in susceptible areas and use of the over the counter product Ivy Block as a preventive measure.  If you notice a blistering rash, see your dermatologist.

Interigo is a rash that occurs in skin folds when the weather is hot, causing you to sweat more.  Using a daily powder can reduce moisture and a basic anti-fungal cream can sometimes cure the rash.

3.  Razor Burn:

Those annoying and painful red bumps on shaved zones like the legs, armpits and bikini area.

To prevent: Morrow suggests changing your razor blade frequently to avoid using a dull blade that may increase the chance of rashes, and using a gentle shave gel. 

To fix: Morrow recommends the product Tend Skin to reduce the appearance of bumps.

4.  Acne and Bacne:

Ugh… back-ne and those annoying hairline pimples!

To prevent and treat: Anderson suggests wearing a non-comedogenic sunscreen (an oil, lotion, or skin cream that does not block pores.  Also, pay extra attention to cleaning the hairline and back during typical washing, as these areas are extra susceptible to sweat in the summer. 

Cappiello also recommends a skin regimen of a salicylic acid based cleanser for the morning and evening, and a benzoyl peroxide during the day to both cleanse and kill bacteria.

5.  Dry Skin:

Dehydration, air conditioning and excessive sun exposure all lead to dry skin. 

To prevent: Drink more non-caffeinated beverages and try a hydrating, anti-aging skincare regimen that includes a hydrating night renewal cream. 

Chlorine in swimming pools also strips skin of its natural protective barrier. Cappiello suggests using a barrier creating lotion, which will help prevent the skin from absorbing too much chlorine.