~ Face and Skin Care ~

[MysteRy]

Quick Herbal Tips

Down the ages, Indian women have used simple, effective home-made remedies to look after their skin.

Skin Cleanser:
Found in your own kitchen is a simple, chemical free cleanser good ol unboiled milk. All you need to do is dip a piece of cotton wool in milk and wipe your face with it. It also cleans unseen dirt and goes down into your pores. Another fine cleanser is almond oil, especially effective in protecting the delicate skin under the eyes.

Skin Moisturizer:
For normal skin care, you can take 1 cup of yogurt, 1 tablespoon orange juice and 1 tablespoon lemon juice and mix it into a paste.  Apply it on your face as a mask and keep it on for 15 minutes.  Then clean it off with a wet tissue watch your complexion glow.  For dry skin, you could use a mixture of cooked oatmeal and honey; it will not only help moisturize the skin but also acts as a good cleansing agent.

Skin Nourishment and Bleach:
For nourishing your face try a protein mask.  You can prepare this mask by first soaking 1 tablespoon urad dal and 4 almonds in water overnight and then grinding them into a paste. You can then apply this protein mask to your face and wash it off after half an hour. This exceptional protein mask will not only nourish the skin but also bleach it.

Wrinkle Prevention and Softer Skin:
To prevent wrinkles and soften your skin, you could try pure castor oil; it is known to slow down the aging process of the skin.

Skin Conditioner:
Another simple and excellent skin conditioner that can be made out of 1 tbsp. honey blended with 2 tbsp. cream (of milk). Leave it on for a few minutes and wash it off. It works like magic.

Skin Blemishes:
For skin blemishes, you can try rubbing a raw potato on your face.

Sun-Protection Lotion:
It's summer time. Time to cool off. So let's wind up with a good home-made sun-protection lotion. Take cucumber juice and equal amounts of glycerine and rose water and make a concoction. This should be refrigerated. Try it, it's really cool.

[MysteRy]

Skin Care through Eating Healthy

A healthy glowing complexion is the most important attribute of a natural beauty. Beauty care starts with the skin. The first step, then, would be to take care of what you put on the inside, because it shows up on the outside!

Did you know that scaly skin is a result of fluorine deficiency? Fluorine is the anti-resistant element of the human body, the absence of which creates problems in the blood and spleen. Since cooking and heating foods destroys fluorine, it is better to eat uncooked raw fruits and vegetables. Other foods rich in fluorine are goat milk and cheese, rye flour, avocados, sea plants and cabbage, cream whey and cottage cheese.

Sodium deficiency causes skin to become sticky and makes it wrinkle faster. Cucumbers are ideal for combating and preventing sodium deficiency because they are not only high in sodium, but also help in keeping the body cool, a great summer's treat.

Skin rashes are the result of silicon deficiency. To avoid pus and rashes, eat plenty of sprouts, alfalfa, barley, tomatoes, spinach, strawberries and figs.

Chlorophyll supplements that are found in wheat grass and other green leafy vegetables are excellent to combat skin eruptions.

Always remember that most skin problems start with the kidneys. So flush out your system with plenty of water and eat foods with high iodine content like carrots, beetroot and leafy vegetables. An ideal way to start your day is with a glass of water with a twist of lime and 1 tsp. honey.  Drink at least 10 - 12 glasses of water the rest of the day; it not only improves digestion but also clears out toxins from your body.

[MysteRy]

Identifying your Skin Type

Buying toiletries and cosmetics today can be a bewildering experience. The bug of super-specialization has bitten even the world of beauty. Everything from moisturizer to soap to face wash to sunscreen to cleansers and toners is classified according to the type of skin you have. When you buy beauty products, you have to know whether you are a dry, normal, oily or combination skin, just like you have to know whether you are a small, medium or large when you buy clothes.

In the looking glass
Normal mirrors and soft lighting can be quite deceptive. The first step in pinning down your skin type is to get hold of a magnifying mirror to see what's really happening with your skin. Now brace yourself, because in most cases, this is not a pretty sight. A magnifying mirror highlights every blackhead, whitehead, pimple, crater and wrinkle. But if it's any consolation, most people's skins don't pass the magnifying mirror test with flying colours.

Tissue test
The next thing to do is to check on the glandular activity of your skin. As complicated as that sounds, it's actually a simple procedure that just requires a paper tissue. Press the paper tissue to your nose and forehead for a few seconds. Do not rub it over the surface of your skin. Then remove the tissue and examine it.

If your glands are working overtime, the tissue will have greasy marks on it. If the tissue is spotless, don't get too excited. It's not a good sign. It means that your skin lacks lubrication. If the tissue is hardly soiled, you are one of the lucky ones with perfect skin.

The pH factor
This may sound like something out of a science fiction novel, but the pH factor is actually a measure of the acidity of your skin. pH is a measure of hydrogen particles, which, in excess, cause 'alkalinity' and if deficient cause 'acidity'. If the pH factor has a value of 7, it is neutral and represents perfect balance. When the figure is above 7, it is alkaline and when it is below 7, it is acidic.

To determine the acidity or alkalinity of your skin, you have to apply litmus paper to the surface of your skin. First clean your face thoroughly. Then wait for an hour before you apply the litmus paper so that the test result is not affected by the remnants of soap or cosmetics. Keep the paper against your skin for one minute and then remove it.

If the paper remains blue, your skin lacks acidity and will be prone to infections. If the paper is a rosy-lilac, your skin is sufficiently acidic. But if the litmus turns a pinky-red, your skin is too acidic as a result of which is delicate, sensitive and likely to show the effects of age prematurely.

Skin can be broadly classified into 5 categories:
Normal
Dry
Extra dry
Oily
Clogged

Normal skin:
It's ironic, but normal skin is a rarity. It's the kind of skin you have as a baby and which rarely survives the ravages of puberty and pollution into adulthood. This type of skin leaves only faint traces on the tissue and turns litmus paper pink. When you squeeze it, the skin is smooth and you don't see any pores.

Dry skin:
 This type of skin leaves no traces on the tissue paper and turns the litmus paper red. It is a delicate kind of skin that wrinkles and burns easily under the rays of the sun.

Extra dry skin:
The skin is drab and dull and has a flabby texture. It wrinkles prematurely and its acidity varies from day to day.

Oily skin:
 A shiny nose is typical of oily skin. It is not prone to developing wrinkles and has enlarged pores. It leaves very visible traces on the tissue paper and usually lacks acidity.

Clogged skin:
The skin is rough, thick, flecked with blackheads and whiteheads. It tends to be high on alkalinity and leaves no traces on the tissue paper.

You will notice that different areas of your skin exhibit different characteristics. For instance, your cheeks may be really dry, but your nose is always shiny and your forehead is a field of blackheads. In that case, you will have to care for each area of your skin as is required.

[MysteRy]

Orange Peel Skin

No, this is not a food article. These phrases are popularly used to describe the dreaded phenomenon of cellulite. Dimpled knees only look cute on babies. If you're way past the baby stage and you have dimpled fat below your waist level, you've got cellulite!

The pinch test
Pinch your skin between your thumb and finger or between the palms of your hands. If it is just plain old fat, the pinched skin will appear smooth. However, if the pinched skin has ripples or bumps similar to an orange peel, it's cellulite.

Skinny people have it too
Cellulite can affect any age group and there is a depressing statistic that claims that 99% of all women develop some cellulite after 30. However, men can also have cellulite around their necks and stomachs. As you may have guessed from the title, it definitely appears on the thighs. It also settles around the buttocks, the hips, the stomach, the ankles, the upper arms, the upper back below the shoulders and the lower back. That seems to cover most of it. The most astounding fact is that you don't have to obese to have cellulite. While overweight people are more likely to have cellulite, even skinny people face the problem.

There are two kinds of cellulite. The hard variety, which appears, believe it or not, in more active people, is harder to detect, as it is not so easily pinched away from the muscle. Soft cellulite is associated with poor muscle tone and is more noticeable as the skin is loose and it sags.

Who's the culprit?
While some researchers would like to believe that cellulite is all in the genes, it is more likely that what parents do pass on are bad habits. Cellulite formation is linked to poor eating habits, a sedentary lifestyle, build-up of toxins in the body and poor circulation. Cellulite may also develop after pregnancy or as a result of taking contraceptive pills due to excessive estrogen levels.

The orange peel or cottage cheese effect is the direct result of the malfunctioning of the waste removal system and the build-up of toxins in the body. When this happens, the connective tissue surrounding the muscles become filled with fluid that hardens into hard pockets making your skin look like the peel of an orange.

[MysteRy]

Daily Skin Care

Your skin is not a part of your body that you can forget about (like an appendix or a kidney), assuming that it will look after itself. It is a high-maintenance part of your body, which is sensitive to the slightest changes in your health, emotions and environment. You binge on chocolates and your face becomes a mass of pimples; you don't get a good night's sleep and dark circles appear under your eyes; you're out in the sun a lot and you get burnt or develop freckles. The list is endless. So let's take a look at skin care regimes for different kinds of skin.

Dry skin
Use a rich cream cleanser instead of soap and water. Avoid astringents, as they will further dry your skin. Instead, use a mild skin toner after cleansing your skin. Apply a good moisturizing lotion in the day, before sleeping, before applying make-up and after removing make-up.

Once a week, wash your face with the juice of a melon. You can give yourself a weekly facial by mixing a yolk of an egg with two tablespoons of milk and half a tablespoon of honey. Apply this on your face and leave it on for about fifteen minutes. Then wash with lukewarm water. If you're out in the sun a lot, milk mixed with melted butter helps soften the dry skin.

Lanolin, apple juice, peach juice, sour cream and crushed almonds are also helpful for dry skin.

Oily skin
You may not believe it, but oily skin actually has some advantages. As a result of excess lubrication, wrinkles do not form prematurely and skin is not much affected by wind and sunlight. However, oily skin is a magnet for dirt and grime and thus a good and regular cleansing regime is a must. If oily skin is not cleaned thoroughly and regularly, the dirt will clog the pores in the skin and blackheads will appear.

People with oily skin should wash their faces with medicated soap and water. The use of astringents is advised as they have a tightening and drying effect on the skin. Buttermilk or beaten egg whites also have a drying and tightening effect. Parsley juice mixed with honey and a few drops of lemon or ginger is good for an oily skin. This mixture controls the secretion of oil.

Fuller's earth (Multani mitti), oatmeal, almond paste, or lime juice or vinegar mixed with water are excellent cleansers. Steaming opens up the clogged pores and you can push out blackheads and whiteheads and prevent pimples.

Avoid rich fried foods and load up on green vegetables instead. Take two tablespoons of lecithin granules (a by-product of soyabeans) daily.

After washing your face, soak a towel in hot water and press it to your face. Repeat this process two or three times. Next wet the towel in ice-cold water and repeat the process two or three times to close enlarged pores.

Cucumber, parsley, cabbage, tomato, yoghurt and lemon are natural aids for an oily skin.

Combination skin
If you have an oily nose and forehead, but dry cheeks and chin, you will have to treat each area of your face separately depending on whether it is dry or oily.

[MysteRy]

Sunny Side Effects

People tend to look upon the sun in a friendly way. It is what gives us warmth and life. It is associated with good times and cheer. Yet the sun can affect your skin in a distinctly unfriendly fashion. Ask anyone who has stretched out under the fiery rays on a beach in search of the perfect tan and got burnt instead; or someone whose face is a mass of freckles. None of them could be very happy with what the sun has done to their skin. Here are some practical ways of coping with the effects of the sun. 
 
Freckles
If your skin has a light smattering of freckles, pat some lime juice or buttermilk onto the freckles and then leave it on till it dries. Radish is also useful in combating freckles. A combination of four tablespoons of grated radish and a few drops of vinegar makes a good bleaching paste. You can also boil grated horseradish in milk to make a mild bleach. Fresh green beans boiled and then mashed can be applied as a poultice. Rum is also helpful, but the idea is not to drink it, but to mix two ounces of lemon juice to one ounce of rum and then apply this mixture to your freckles.

If you need to use something stronger for those stubborn freckles, a stronger bleach can be prepared by boiling an ounce of horseradish in half a litre of butttermilk for about an hour. Strain the solution and then apply on your freckles. Another strong bleaching agent can be concocted by mixing sixty grains of borax powder with five ounces of lemon juice. Apply this paste at bedtime.

A good tip to keep in mind is that any fruit or vegetable that contains Vitamin C can be used to bleach freckles. 
 

Sunburns
Excessive exposure to the sun's rays makes the pigment in the skin come up to the surface in order to protect the skin from burning. This is the reason your skin becomes darker. 

The phrase cool as a cucumber is not completely baseless. Cucumbers are very useful in soothing sunburns. Peel and grate a cucumber. Then take out the juice and mix it with half a teaspoon of glycerine and half a teaspoon of rose water. Pat this solution onto your skin and experience the cooling effect. You can also soak some pieces of cucumber in a cup of milk for a few hours and then apply the milk on your sunburn. A mixture made of equal parts of lime water and linseed oil is also a good alternative. Cod-liver oil, potato juice and even a solution of ordinary tea can have a cooling effect. A homemade face mask constituting one egg-white mixed with a little honey and witch hazel is also very effective in dealing with sunburn. 
 

Darkened skin
For some people a fair skin is of utmost importance. Here are a few simple home bleaching ideas. Mostly all the sunburn remedies also have a bleaching effect. However, they are more suitable for oily skins as they also have a drying effect. So if you are going to use these remedies, remember to follow them up with some nourishing cream if you have dry skin. 

Those with dry skin who would prefer not to use the above remedies, could try soaking one slice of lemon in one cup of milk. Then strain the milk and apply it on your face. This serves as a mild bleaching agent and does not dry the skin as much. You could also substitute a pinch of bicarbonate of soda for the lemon.

Grapes are gentler on the skin than lemon juice. What you need to do is to wash a bunch of grapes thoroughly. Then sprinkle them with alum powder and salt. Next, wrap them in aluminium foil or brown paper and bake for 20 minutes in an oven. Finally, squeeze out the juice and wash your face with it.

[MysteRy]

Skin Care Secrets

Did you know that there's a beauty parlour hiding in your kitchen?
Working women have it tough. In between rushing to work and back, juggling car pools, co-ordinating with baby sitters, cooking and house-keeping, they scarcely have time to take a deep breath. As far as visits to the beauty parlour are concerned, they are at the bottom of the priority ladder! But fear not, help is at hand.

Take a look around your kitchen shelf. You'll be surprised at what you find. Did you know that tomato and lime are excellent bleaching agents? And this is just the tip of the 'ice' berg.
 Find out more as you read on.

1. Unboiled milk is an excellent cleanser. Dip a piece of cotton wool in a little cold milk and rub it gently on your face. You will see a lot of dirt on the cotton. Keep cleaning your face in a circular upward movement until the cotton comes out completely clean.

2. Ice-cold water is an excellent astringent and skin freshener and serves to close the pores that have opened while cleansing. It also tones the skin.

3.Cream or 'malai' is a very good moisturizer and it needs to be applied to replace the oils that are lost while cleansing and toning. It will keep your skin supple and young.

4. Equal quantities of corn flour, jowar flour (atta) and cream (malai) can give you an instant facelift. You need to make a paste and apply it on your face. Wash it off after it dries. While jowar atta will remove the dead cells, corn flour will tone up and tighten the skin and the cream will moisturize it.

5. Cabbage juice mixed with a little yeast and a tablespoon of honey is an excellent remedy for dry skin. Leave a thick paste on your face for about 15 minutes for best results.

6. Lettuce juice mixed with an equal quantity of rose water and a few drops of limejuice is an excellent remedy for oily skin. It should be applied for at least 30 minutes for best results.

[MysteRy]

Beauty secrets from the kitchen

Some more easy-to-implement body care tips. 
 

1.Watermelon juice clears the skin of all its blemishes leaving it fresh and lovely. Grate a watermelon, squeeze out the juice and apply it on your face for 15 minutes. Now wash it with hot water and then splash on cold water.

2. Fenugreek leaves (methi) cure pimples, blackheads, dryness and early appearance of wrinkles. Make a paste of these leaves and apply it every night. Next morning, wash off with warm water. This improves your complexion.

3. Tea leaves and lemon juice helps prevent hair fall. They also lead to soft and shiny hair. You need to boil the leaves in water and strain out the tea. Add a little lemon juice to this concoction and wash your hair with it. Rinse your hair thoroughly.

4. Bengal gram flour (besan) mixed with curd can be applied daily on your face and hair! It will not only give you a glowing complexion, but also long and lustrous locks.

5. Orange juice is great for an instant glow. All you need to do is dip your fingers in the juice and pat your cheeks, chin, neck and forehead. Wash off after ten minutes. 

Your kitchen shelf has been secretly storing all these beauty secrets for years.
It is up to you to discover more.
And when you do, don't forget to share them with us!

[MysteRy]

Look Beautiful

Everybody's in a hurry. Rushing to college, to a party, to a meeting, to pick up the kids, or to office. You grab your breakfast as you rush out of the house, brush your hair in the car, and if you have the time, you swipe a tube of lipstick over your lips. There. You're all set.
Or so you think.

Most women go through life with looks bordering on average, never realizing their true potential.

Then on the other hand there are those women who do take time out to apply make-up, but somehow they don't reach their beauty peak. They just don't get it right!

It may come as a surprise to know that you could look at least 40 percent better than you do, if you take the time, and make the effort.

Here are a few tips to get you looking your gorgeous best.

Apply foundation
Not only does foundation even out your skin tone making you look fresher, it also protects your skin from the heat, dust and pollution. Mix your foundation with a drop or two of water, or better still, apply it with a damp sponge, so doesn't coat your face heavily. Foundation should be completely invisible.


Target lips or eyes, not both
There should be one area of focus on the face: lips, or eyes. Either apply a heavy eyeliner, or a dark lipstick, not both. Indian women usually have beautiful eyes, so make the most of them by lining them with kohl and layering on the eye shadow.


Apply mascara
Apply a quick coat of mascara to your upper and lower lashes. It opens up your eyes and makes them stand out some more.


Thread your brows
If you think you do not need to thread your eyebrows, think again. Clean, sharply defined brows really bring out your eyes, so if you have never threaded them, it is time you started. Keep a tweezer handy so you can clean them between threading sessions.
Stay away from bright colours during the day

Save those blood red and maroon lipsticks for after nightfall, and stick to pastels or neutral shades during the day. Light pinks and glosses look great in the day.


Get rid of fuzz
It never fails to amaze me when I see women walking around sprouting a moustache, when getting rid of upper-lip hair is so easy. Always, always remove fine hair on your upper lip, by waxing or threading it off. You could bleach it too, but this does not leave as neat a result as waxing or threading does. Similarly, if you have hair under your chin, remove it. If you have very few hair on your chin, pluck it instead of threading it.

Wax or shave regularly, to get rid of all unwanted body hair.


Groom your hair
Wash your hair three times a week to keep it clean and healthy. If your hair is dry and damaged, wash it less often, perhaps just once a week depending upon the extent of damage.

Keep frizzies at bay by applying a frizz-ease, or by applying 2-3 drops of oil to wet hair.
Choose a hairstyle that complements your face cut, and trim it regularly.

Untidy hair draws from your looks, so keep a brush handy.


Experiment, experiment
Don't be afraid to experiment. Keep trying out different looks and hairstyles. You'll never know what looks good till you try it out. Checking out hairstyles on your photograph on some computer screen isn't as good as the real deal. You have to get out there and try it out for real.


Don't stick to a look
So you found a great hairstyle or lipstick shade, and feel that this is THE one for you. Well, you could be surprised. Maybe it looks good, but then again, maybe you still have to stumble upon something that looks better! So even if you are happy with your present look, after a while, opt for a change.

[MysteRy]

Lip Sync   

Your lips are the most exquisite and sensual part of your body. Make the most of them.Your lips. They're undoubtedly the most exquisite and sensual part of your body. They provide pleasure, and they provide function. You talk, eat, pout and kiss with them. And best of all, they can smile and brighten up a room.

Lips are delicate, sensitive and are the first to show signs of bruising. So if you chew them, lick them and pick at them just to amuse yourself, stop now. Here's how to treat them with the care they deserve.

LIP TIPS

1. Add brushing your lips to your morning ritual. Apply Vaseline to lips and brush lightly with a soft toothbrush to get rid of dead skin. Follow up with another coat of Vaseline or lip balm.

2. Apply a generous coat of lip balm before turning in for the night. If you've run out of lip balm or Vaseline, a great substitute is eye cream.

3. If you're gonna be out in the sun, apply a moisturising lipstick with sun-block. Just because lips don't tan doesn't mean the sun's rays don't harm them.

4. Turn your old lipsticks into new pots of lip-gloss. Simply scrape lipstick out of the tube and place it in a tiny box. Add an equal amount of Vaseline and microwave it for about 30 seconds. Stir until it's smooth, let it cool and apply your lip-gloss.

5. Every once in a while you'll notice that while applying lipstick, tiny vertical lines show up. Simply apply lipstick vertically instead of horizontally to make these lines less noticeable.

6. Do you hate the dry-lips feel you get when you've applied matte lipstick? Try this: apply your regular moisture-rich lipstick and top it off with a lip pencil.

7. Similarly, if you want your lipstick to last longer, first coat lips with a liner and then apply your lipstick.

8. If your lip pencil is hard, simply apply lip balm before applying the pencil.

9. Chill too-soft pencils in the fridge for about half an hour. This makes them easier to sharpen and apply.

10. Do you stay miles away from red lipstick? And are all those tubes just lying and rotting at the bottom of your dresser drawer? Pull 'em out! Applying a touch of brown lipstick to red lip colour plays down the red, and looks great. Experiment a little with reds and other shades. You'll be surprised at the results!

11. Carry some lipstick with you and keep reapplying during the day. Colour on your lips brightens up your face like nothing else can.

12. If you're plagued by dark, almost black lips, here's what you could do: Mix equal amounts of almond oil, glycerin and honey with rose water, shake well and apply.

Do your thin lips have you down in the mouth? Cheer up! Here's how to fool Mother Nature.

13. Apply a light shade of lipstick (darker tones make lips appear smaller). Define lips with a pencil, but for heaven's sake, do NOT go outside your natural lip line. Apply the liner to the outermost edge of your lips and fill in with lipstick.

14. Drawing a line with brown pencil on the center of the upper lip, and then applying your lipstick will also make your top lip look fuller. Glossy lipsticks and frosty shades make lips look fuller, while matte shades make lips look thinner.

[MysteRy]

Beauty - The Egyptian Way   

While we are definitely more concerned with our looks than the previous generation was, we still have a long way to go before we actively try to make the most of our looks. Look around you. Most of the women we see have their hair pinned up away from their face, with minimal make up, and a few - or quite a few - extra pounds packed around the waist.
However, to be fair, we are getting more and more fitness conscious here in India. A few years ago there must have been a maximum of 5 gyms throughout the country! While now there are about 50 in each city. A good sign, but we still have a long way to go.


Ancient Egypt
No other country or culture was so concerned with beautification as was Egypt. Cleopatra the VII has also written a book of beauty secrets. Even today Egyptian glass perfume vials decorate many a classic dressing table and the herb Aloe, so ingrained in ancient Egyptian beauty treatments, is still a vital ingredient in most skin-care creams.


Body Oil
If body oil is not a daily part of your bathing ritual, perhaps its time you made it so. The heat, dust and pollution of our times plays havoc with our skin. Ever wondered why Egyptian women were renowned for their alabaster skin Records show that all women, from the richest to the most destitute used body oil in huge quantities. In fact, sufficient body oil for daily use was often issued as part of wages!


Egyptian Anti-wrinke cream recipe
1 tsp sweet almond oil
2 drops of Frankincense essential oil or Rose Attar.

Mix these ingredients together and you have an excellent anti-wrinkle cream. Cleanse your face and apply this to your face at night. Massage it in your skin gently for about 5 minutes, and wash off the next morning.


Almonds
Bitter or sweet almond oil were the most common ingredients of Egyptian cosmetics, and are excellent for the skin. Use pure almond oil as an under-eye cream and keep crows-feet at bay. Almond oil is also excellent for your hair. Mix almond and coconut oil to your hair and wash it off after an hour, for excellent results.


Body Oil
Try this:
After bathing, pour a teaspoon of almond oil into a mug of water and pour it over your body as a final rinse.

[MysteRy]

Lipstick Lore   

Choose the right colour
With so many lipstick shades available at every departmental and cosmetic store, it can be hard to decide which one to pick up. Just because you like a particular shade, does not mean it will suit you. So how do you find out which colours are best for you?   
 

As a rough guide, remember: 

- Fair skin tones are flattered by blue-undertone reds, light pinks, honey, mocha and beige with pink undertones. 
 
- Medium skin tones look good in rich reds, brownish pinks and medium browns from mocha to caramel.

- Darker skins like brownish reds and plums, sheer pinks, pink-glossed beige and virtually any shade of brown.

Once you've found the colour that's bang-on target, you're almost done - but not quite! The trick lies in the application.
Read on, and get ready to knock 'em dead! 
 

Too Thick?

Play them down!

Lips can never be too fat. Well. almost never. So if you feel you've got more than your share of lip, here's what you can do:

- Define your lips with a lip pencil by lining them just inside the natural lip line. 
 
- Fill in with the same colour lipstick as your lip pencil. It is always advisable to use a lip brush.

- Use a dark, matte lipstick as these make lips appear thinner. Glossy lipsticks give an illusion of fullness, so stay away from them. 

- Dab your lips with a little bit of powder, to tone them down. Et voila! You're all set for a night on the town!


Too Thin?

Play them up!

So who said too much sex appeal is injurious to health? If you're looking to get hot, in-your-face lips that really stand out, here's what to do: 

- Apply lip liner just outside your lip line or at the outermost edge. Whatever you do, don't try to make lips look thicker by drawing on an artificial outline that's outside your natural lip line.

- Follow with lipstick. The shade could be lighter than the lip pencil. This gives the illusion of depth.

- Use frosted shades, and load on the gloss. Stay away from matte lipsticks, or follow with a touch of gloss.

[MysteRy]

10 Beauty Tips

1. Brushing Up
Make body brushing a part of your daily routine. Scrubbing out dirt and grime is the least of its advantages. Body brushing tones and stimulates skin, helping with the natural drainage of the lymph glands. It also helps combat cellulite. When brushing, work towards the heart, up from your legs and thighs, and down from your neck. Oh, and remember, skin should be dry while body-brushing, so make sure you have a soft brush - you don't want abrasions that are hard to explain!   
 

2. Banana Rama
For a great homemade face softener, try this: mash a banana and apply it to your face. Leave on for ten minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Your face feels like satin. Plus, it puts those over ripe gooey bananas to good use!   
 

3. Pearly White
Ever looked in the mirror and felt that your teeth were going from white to off-white to yellow? Take a hard look at your habits. The biggest culprits in the teeth-yellowing process are tobacco, coffee, tea and red wine. So if you must indulge, brush your teeth afterwards whenever possible, or at least rinse with water.   
 

4. Shades Of Summer
A snazzy pair of sunglasses not only looks great, but also delays the onset of crow's feet (wrinkles on the sides of the eyes) which are accelerated by squinting in the sun. 
 

5. Peaches And Cream
Great looks come with great skin, so get crackin' on that epidermis. Dirt and oil blocks pores causing blackheads and pimples, while dirt, grime and pollutants are drawn to oily skin like moths to a flame. So wash your face as often as possible, and cleanse at least twice a day. 
 

6. Instant Glow
So you've just reached home after a nerve-wrecking day at the office and have to leave immediately for a dinner party thrown by your husband's most revered business client. How to get that glow in a flash? You could cheat and layer on the blusher, but a better option would be to try this: simply mix equal amounts of lemon and honey, apply it to your face and wash off after ten minutes.   
 

7. Luscious Locks
Nothing improves the quality of your hair better than getting a regular oil massage. Get it done at home once a week if you have a husband or mother-in-law that dotes on you, or visit your neighbourhood parlour.   
 

8. All Steamed Up
After applying oil wrap your hair in a steaming towel for twenty minutes. Give your hair this steaming treatment at least once a month. Steaming hair after applying oil helps it soak deeper into the follicles.   
 

9. Fun In The Sun
The sun's warmth may make you feel good but it's ultraviolet rays over time cause at best, dry wrinkly skin and at worst, skin cancer. Don't step out without loading on that sunscreen. In the summers, avoid stepping out between 12:00 to 2:00 when the sun is at its peak.   
 

10. Water, Water Everywhere
You can never drink too much water. It flushes out your toxins and is great for the skin, liver and just about every conceivable body organ! It keeps you cool and feeling fresh, reduces dehydration and rejuvenates your body cells. Drink at least ten glasses of water in a day. Bottoms up!

[MysteRy]

More Beauty Tips

Eyes Right
If eyes are the window to your soul, make sure they stand out. Instead of applying that same jet black liquid eye liner on the upper lid of the eye, try something different. Invest in a dark blue eye pencil and line your eyes all around with it.   


Water Water
Want to lose weight but just can't seem to stop eating? Try drinking at least 2 glasses of water before your meal. Drinking subdues the appetite and tricks your stomach into feeling satisfied with less. You're definitely not starving yourself, and neither are you overeating. Perfect, isn't it? 


Steamin'
Steam your face once a week to open pores, so it can be cleansed more effectively. Add a few herbs like basil (tulsi) for extra advantage. Don't steam face directly over the burning stove - too hot! Instead, remove the boiling water from the stove and form a tent with your towel.


OOOO!
Though you can't prevent those tiny lines from forming around your mouth and eyes, you can certainly delay their onset. Try this simple exercise. Stretch your mouth into a wide grin and say 'eee' and then into a circle saying 'ooo'. Oh, and do this in the privacy of your room if you don't want to be shipped to the funny farm.


Soft And Silky
For a deep, moisturising skin treatment apply olive oil to your skin once a week. Let it soak in while you take a steamy shower, and blot out the excess with a tissue. 


You Better Not Pout!
Lipstick applied to dry lips does not last long. Moisturise lips with lip balm or Vaseline and let it get absorbed before applying lipstick. For a final touch, add a bit of glitter to lips. It's dynamite, but do keep it subtle! 


Cheating Mother Nature
The general rule of thumb is that light colours bring things forwards, while dark colours make them recede. So hide that prominent jawbone by brushing a dark shade over it. You could also brush a dark colour in the hollow of your chin for a flirtatious cleft! Who said you needed plastic surgery? 


Ice Ice Baby
Keep skin looking young and fresh by splashing your face with ice-cold water. This rejuvenates the skin and delays the onset of wrinkles. (Don't try this if you are prone to broken capillaries.) 


Lime N' Lemony
For a great shine to hair, squeeze the juice of one lemon into a mug of water and give your hair a final rinse with this mixture, after shampooing. You could also use a tablespoon of vinegar instead of a lemon.


AND SO TO BED
Never, ever go to sleep without washing off your make-up. That's a surefire step to a disastrous complexion.

[MysteRy]

Pimple S.O.S

The rude shock in the mirror

You wake up in the morning, stumble to the basement and wash your sleepy face. As you wipe it dry with a towel, you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror, and let out a loud groan. No, you're not having a bad face day. It's something much worse than that. It's the (shudder!) biggest darned pimple you've ever seen in your life! Ugh! Where did you go wrong?


What causes a Pimple?

A number of things can cause a pimple:

- An improper diet that includes too many soft drinks, spicy and fried food and snacks with high iodine content
- Pores clogged by dirt or pollution
- Stress
- Hormonal changes due to menstruation
- Genes - blame it on the folks


Prevention is better than cure:

Wash Right
Wash your face regularly, not more than 3 times a day, unless you're living in a highly humid and/or polluted city which requires more washing to unclog pores. The best way to wash the face is to first lather your face-wash in your hands, apply it to wet skin and rinse. Pat dry. Scrubbing only aggravates the skin and causes further problems.


Cleansing Routine
Cleanse, tone and moisturise your face twice a day. Don't skip the moisturising step even if you have oily skin - just use an oil-free moisturiser.


Exposure to the elements
Avoid exposing your skin to the harsh elements. If you are going for a long drive, roll up your window slightly, so your face doesn't get plummeted by the wind, especially in polluted towns.


Water
Drink plenty of water to detox your system. Impure blood and poor circulation is one of the primary causes of acne.


Eat Right
Unless you are allergic to certain foods, eating junk food doesn't lead to the formation of pimples. But overeating certain foods, especially heating foods like chocolates and mangoes, can lead to an overnight zit congregation.


Get rid of that zit - ice ice baby!
No! Don't burst it! That's the worst thing you can do! It may solve your problem temporarily so you won't go to that dinner with a large white bud blossoming on your mug, but the scar will remain for a long, long time. Instead, try wrapping an ice cube in a thin muslin cloth and place it for about three minutes on a pimple that is just forming. It kills the growth of the pimple. Believe it, it is true.
If a pimple does burst accidentally (or intentionally!), wash the area with soap. Then reach for a lemon slice and squeeze ten drops into a cotton ball. Keep it on the burst pimple for about 10 minutes. The scar will vanish.


Lime n' Lemony
Lemon maintains the pH balance of skin, and it is a good idea to give your face a rinse of lemon water once a day. Just squeeze half a lemon into half a mug of water and splash it on your face. Rinse off the residue with regular water.