How to Avoid Tan This Summer

Wear SPF: Don’t step out of your home without sunscreen. In India, we don’t need higher SPF. However, anything less than 30 SPF is not acceptable, if you want to keep the tan at bay. You should wear SPF shield on the whole body, be it your hands, fee, face or neck. You can easily get sunscreen lotion/cream/gel for body and face.

Use umbrella: Whenever you go out, use an umbrella to keep your body in shade. It will not only protect your skin but add to your style.

Use scarf, covers-ups: If you can’t use umbrella, use scarf or cover-ups to avoid direct contact of sun rays.

Use sunglasses: The skins around the eyes are very sensitive and tend to get tanned quickly. To protect those tender skins, you should make a practice of using sunglasses when stepping out.

Wear SPF on lips: A number of lip balms and lip sticks are available with SPF. You should rely on those SPF versions of lip products in the summer months to avoid lip darkening.

Use anti-tan face wash in summer: You should switch to anti-tan face wash in summer months when sun is cruel to your skin.

Exfoliate: Scrub is very important in summer days. The exfoliation process removes the deposits from the skin and avoids tan. You can find many anti-tan scrubs in the market formulated especially for summer months. However, usual scrub or home made exfoliation mixture would also serve the purpose.

Avoid sun: The best way to avoid tan is to avoid sun.

Also read:

How to Get Rid of Suntan

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Use Water for Perfect Makeup

How to Get Rid of Suntan

Curd curbs tan: Apply curd on tanned skin and keep it for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with normal water. Follow it religiously to get rid of even the stubborn tan completely. You will start noticing the difference in a week time.

Buttermilk is better for tanned skin: Mix three parts of buttermilk and one part of oatmeal, mix them well and apply on tanned surface. Keep it for 10 minutes and then massage in circular motion for 4 to 5 minutes. Afterward, wash off with plain water. This remedy is very good for skin as it not only fades away tan but also it makes skin texture younger.

Cabbage is miracle for tanned skin: Cabbage leaves act as a miracle therapy when it comes to tanned skin. Apply few cold cabbage leaves on the affected areas and let them rest on affected skin for 15 minutes. You can also make paste of the leaves, store them in refrigerator for some time and apply on skin. You should repeat it twice a week for immediate effect.

Rose water + Cucumber juice + Lemon Juice: Lemon juice helps reduce the tan, while rose water and cucumber work as cooling agents. Take one part of rose water and cucumber juice & half part of lemon juice for preparation of mixture. Apply this mixture once a day and follow religiously to see the result. You can add few drops of honey to the mixture for better result.

Apply Vicks: Apply little amount of Vicks on the sunburn areas and massage gently. People with excessive and stubborn sunburn should use twice a week for quick result and others can use once a week to fade away the tan.

Ice is boon for your skin: If you have excess sun burns, apply ice on the affected area to get relief. Don’t apply ice cubes directly on to the skin, it may hurt you. You should wrap the cubes in a muslin cloth (you can use wet tissue cloth, I use itJ) and apply gently to the tanned skin.

Lentil paste (masoor daal paste): Soap a tablespoon of lentils overnight. Make a rough paste of it, add equal amount of tomato paste and aloe vera gel to the paste. Apply on the affected skin and let it stay for 20 to 30 minutes. Wash it off with cold water with gentle massage in the process.

Bottle gourd juice (lauki juice): If you feel, you tan is in worst stage, go with bottle gourd treatment. Apply the juice of bottle gourd on the tanned skin 4 times a day to see the difference.

Apply cold milk: Take a spoon of milk and apply it on the affected area with cotton. Follow it religiously. You can also add lemon juice and rose water to it. 

PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE. LET US KNOW 
How to Avoid Tan This Summer

Remedy for Dry and Cracked Skin around Nails

Hands are the most used body part of a human being. Our hands deal with many irritating substance and situation. So, we should take extra care of our hands in order to make them presentable and healthy. Dry skin around fingernails is very common. It can be both unaesthetic and painful. Here, we will go through the tips to fix that dry and cracked skin around nails.

• Soak your hands in lukewarm water every night if skin around nails is excessively dry and cracked.  Give overnight treatment with heavy moisturizing oil/cream or petroleum jelly to the skin around nails. You can put a pair of cotton gloves on your hands.
• Apply moisturizer/hand lotion to your hands with concentration on skin around nails after every hand wash. Massage the lotion into your cuticles and nails as well.
• Massage yogurt/curd over hands with special attention to dry and cracked areas near fingernails. Let the yogurt/curd sit on hands for 10- 15 mins. Rinse off with lukewarm water and apply lotion. You can do this treatment once or twice in a week.  
• Massage cuticles with olive oil or coconut oil twice in a week to avoid peeling of skin around nails.
• You should wear dish gloves while cleaning utensils or doing similar tasks that involves detergent. Harmful chemical in detergent irritates hands’ skin.
• Don’t bite skin around your nails. If skin is peeling, use a nail clipper to trim the skin out. 

Why Hand Care is Important for Your Overall Beauty?

Keep Skin Around Your Eyes Healthy and Glowing

Home Remedies for Swine Flu

Keep Skin Around Your Eyes Healthy and Glowing

• Remove eye makeup properly at night. Makeup residue should not be left onto the skin. Wash your face with special attention to the area around your eyes.
  
• Apply toner. You can use rose water. This will close/reduce the opened pored. 
• Apply a thin layer of almond oil on your lids, lower lash area, and corners of the eyes. You can wash it off after 20 minutes. If your skin is not oily, you can leave it overnight twice in a week. It will make your eye skin healthy.
• Use used green tea bags for puffy eyes: Cool the used bags for some time and then put them over your eyes. Green tea contains polyphenol particles known as tannins. Tannins are an astringent and are able to shrink skin; making them appear fresh and tones. The cool tea bags will reduce the swelling and tighten the skin around your eyes. 
• Dab eyes with cotton ball dipped rose water to get rid of the puffiness
• Place sliced cucumber or potato to reduce under-eye bags and dark circles.

Natural Body Scrub Recipe for Everyday Use

Here are few recipes of simple yet wonderful body scrubs for everyday use. These scrubs can be made in a little time and are easy to use. 

Coffee, sugar, olive oil: Mix 2 tablespoon of used coffee grounds, 1 tablespoon of finely grind sugar, and 2 tablespoon of olive oil. Massage the scrub in circular motion onto your body while taking shower. Concentrate on cellulite rich areas: elbows, knees, knuckle, feet, and other fry areas of the body. You will experience amazing difference in few days. You skin will become soft, tender, and velvety.

Gram flour (Besan), curd/raw milk: Make a paste with 4 tablespoon of besan and 2 tablespoon of curd or raw milk. You can add 2-3 drops of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric for added result. Massage the paste gently all over the body while bathing. You will get soft, fresh, and clear skin after few days of application. Your complexion will also enhance with this natural scrub.

Rice flour, raw milk: Mix 2 table spoon of rice flour with raw milk. Massage your body with the paste for 1-2 minutes and rinse off with water. 

Also read: 

Sugar Lip Exfoliating Scrub

Coffee for Beautiful Hands

Morning Beauty Ritual for Your Face

Cleanse your skin: Cleansing removes dirt, oil, and bacteria from your skin. It stimulates the blood circulation in face, making them look fresh and rejuvenated.

Option 1: Simply wipe your face with raw milk in the morning using a cotton ball. You can add cucumber juice in the milk for better result. Rinse your face with cold water after 2 mins.

Option 2: If you don’t have sensitive and redness prone skin, you can use ice cubes every morning on your face to freshen and rejuvenate the skin. Simply rub the ice cube on your face for 1-2 mins. Isn't it simple way to get glowing face all the day?

Option 3: You can go for skin cleanser suited for your skin type. You can find variety of skin cleaner in market today.

Tone your skin: Many people skin toning routine in the morning, which is not at all good. It is very important step; toner balances the pH of your skin.

Dab toner onto a cotton ball and apply to your face and neck. Let the toner dry on its own. Don’t wipe them with towel or cotton. You should prefer alcohol free toner.  

Moisturize your skin: It help skin stay soft, smooth, and hydrated.

Use a moisturizer according to your skin type. White moisturizing, pay special attention to the area around your eyes and lips, which can get excessively dry. If you have oily skin, pay little more attention in selecting a moisturizer for your skin. Companies are offering a wide range of oil-free moisturizer these days.

Homemade Beauty Tips for Dry Skin Beauties

Cleanse your body from inside:

Drink a glass of warm water with the juice of half lemon each morning. This morning ritual cleanses the system, boosts your immune system, and balances pH levels. They are also abundant in vitamin C, which is vital for healthy and glowing skin. 

Also read:

Tips to Tackle Oily Skin

Used Green Tea Bags for Beauty Benefits

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Blackheads and Whiteheads

Coffee for Beautiful Hands

My hands are ugly. Yes, you read it right. My hands are dry, dull, and unappealing. Recently, I gave a try to coffee grounds and I can see the difference. Coffee grounds are natural exfoliator. Caffeine helps reduce calluses and banish dry, rough skin. Exfoliation with coffee powder removes dead and dry skins from the skin surface. If you follow the process religiously, your hand’s skin will look healthy and glowing.

Here a recipe: Mix coffee grounds with olive oil (you can use other oils such as coconut oil, almond oil, etc) and massage it onto your hands. The duration of massage should be 7-10 mins. Use circular motion to massage the mixture so as it gets absorbed into the skin. You can let the mixture sit for 5 mins more for added result; else you can rinse your hands with lukewarm water.

Follow this, twice in a week. This will soften hands, making them look wonderful.

Also read: 

Why Hand Care is Important for Your Overall Beauty?

Lip Care Regime for Pink and Soft Lips Naturally

Tips to Tackle Oily Skin

Consistent face wash schedule:

If you wash your face too frequently, your facial skin will dry out. It will cause your body to try and compensate by creating more oil. If you don’t wash your face at required time, it will cause old oil to build up

So, follow a consistent face wash schedule to tackle oily face. Wash your face twice daily – in the morning and before going to bed.

Use right face wash or face soap:

Use face wash/soap that is made especially for oily skin. Don’t apply very harsh soap on your face. It will destroy natural oil and will damage the skin.

Wash your face with water at right temperature:

Using hot water will break out the oil. It will also open the pores and clear out the excess oil. Always remember to splash the face with cold water at the end; this will close the pores and tightens the skin.

Apply toner:

Toner is a must have for oily skinned beauties and gentlemen. It closes up the pores and dries up excess oil when applied after face wash. Put few drops of toner on a cotton ball and dab onto face after washing.

Exfoliate with baking soda:

 Mix a tablespoon of baking soda with little water so as to form a paste, and scrub your face for 1-2 minutes. Rinse off with cold water.

Apply fuller’s earth (multani mitti):

Fuller’s earth is boon for oily skin. Mix a tablespoon of multani mitti with required amount of rose water to form a paste. You can also add 2-3 drops of fresh lime juice. Apply the paste on face and let it sit for 15-20 minutes. Rinse off with cold water. You can follow it twice or thrice in week to keep excess oil away.

Take steam:

Take boiled water in a broad mouthed bowl. Hold your face over the steaming water and cover the head with a towel. This will open the pores and cleanse the impurities such as dust and oil build up from the face.

Eat right:

Avoid oily foods. Include salads and fresh fruits in your fruit. Nuts can also cause oiling on your face.

Keep your hair away from the face:

Scalp oil for the hair can easily transfer to your face. Some hair oil and shampoo also creates oil in hair. Oil from hair will worsen the condition of your oily face.

Use blotting paper to remove excess oil:

Whenever you feel excess of oil on your face, blot the oil using blotting paper. A single-ply tissue paper will also absorb the excess oil effectively.  

Use clean pillow cover:

Wash your pillow case every week. Else, the dirt and oil on your pillow cover will get transferred to your face. Cotton pillow case is safe for oily skinned people. 

Used Green Tea Bags for Beauty Benefits

We all know that green tea is the healthiest beverage. It is high in antioxidants and nutrients that can improve various functions of your body including: brain function, fat loss, lower risk of cancer, and many others. It is interesting to know that sipping green tea is not the only benefit you have; you can utilize the used tea bags to enhance your beauty as well.

The green tea bags can be used for various purposes and in various ways, you will find the following points useful:

For puffy eyes: Cool the used bags for some time and then put them over your eyes. Green tea contains polyphenol particles known as tannins. Tannins are an astringent and are able to shrink skin; making them appear fresh and tones. The cool tea bags will reduce the swelling and tighten the skin around your eyes. 

For sunburn treatment: Studies have shown that green tea helps in protecting the skin from sunburn and skin cancer, when applied directly. Place the cooled tea bags on affected area to get relief.

As face scrub: Green tea is full of potent antioxidants; it slows down the process of skin aging by neutralizing the free radicals. Also, it tightens skin. Tear the bag and take out the green tea leaf. Keep the leaf in a small bowl, add granulated sugar and water. Scrub it on your face for an incredible glow.

As hair mask: Put 4-5 used tea bags in boiling water and let it boil for 20 minutes. Leave it overnight. The next morning strain the tea bag from water. Pour the water now on dampen hair and let it sit for 10 minutes. Rinse it off.

Relief from acne: Green tea flushes out toxins from the skin, helps heal acne and blemishes. It contains catechins - anti-bacterial agents that suppress acne-causing bacteria. Take out the green tea from the bag and grind it with honey and baking soda to make a paste. Apply on face and wait for 10 minutes before rinsing.

For facial steaming: Boil the water with some tea bags and pour it in a bowl. Hold your face over steaming water and cover your head with a towel so that it creates a sort of tent.  Steaming opens your pores so you can cleanse away impurities from skin. Green tea steam will detoxify, hydrate, and refresh the skin.

Read:

Health Benefits of Green Tea

Sugar Lip Exfoliating Scrub

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Blackheads and Whiteheads

Homemade Beauty Tips for Dry Skin Beauties

Dry skin is one of the most difficult skin types to deal with. It needs regular moisturizing with oil rich moisturizer to satiate the thirsty skin else the skin will dry-up soon, making it appear dull. The problem doubles up in winter, when the skin dries and dead layers flake off from the surface.

If you are dry skinned, here are some cost-effective homemade beauty tips for you:

Honey pack: Honey is boon for dry skin. Apply honey of face. Let it sit for 10 minutes and wash off. It leaves skin silky and soft. Also, it smoothens out wrinkles.

Egg yolk mask: Separate egg yolk from the whole egg. Take the egg yolk and mix it evenly with rose water, olive/castor/almond oil. Let the mask sit for 10 minutes and wash off.

Gram floor pack: Gram floor (besan) hydrates skin. Take 2 tablespoon besan, pinch of turmeric powder (if it suits your skin), 1/2 spoon honey and little milk. Make paste and apply on face. Wash off with lukewarm water for better result.

Curd pack: Take two spoon of curd and mix it with honey. Apply on face and leave for 30 minutes.

Chironji pack: Soak 1 teaspoon chironji in 1 teaspoon full cream milk 5-6 hours or overnight. Grind the ingredients in a mixer and add a pinch of turmeric. Apply the mixture all over your face and let it dry for 15-20 minutes.

Use cleansing oil: Take 2 parts of olive oil and 1 part of castor oil. Apply on affected area. Let the oils sit on your skin for at least 30 minutes. You can warm the oil for easier penetration. After that, take a towel soaked in lukewarm water, spread it on oiled area to absorb the excess oil. The process will make your skin smooth and shiny.

You should know: 

• Castor oil penetrates the skin up to three layers. It repairs damaged skin very well.
• Chironji provides natural oils to the skin and improves the overall texture of the skin.

Read:

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Blackheads and Whiteheads

Lip Care Regime for Pink and Soft Lips Naturally

Lip Care Regime for Pink and Soft Lips Naturally

Lips define your face and expressions; they give your face the ultimate appeal.  So, you should take care of your lips on a daily basis. Without care, they can become dull, dark, and crack; while a proper lip care regime can give your lips a natural pink hue.  Here are few tips on lip care:

Scrub your lips using a soft toothbrush every morning. This will remove the dry and charred skin from the lips and will keep them soft.

Massage your lips every night with almond oil and lemon juice this will lighten the dark color of your lips. Honey and lemon juice is also helpful in lightening lips.  

Apply glycerin and lemon juice in equal quantity on lips.  This keeps your lips soft and moisturized.

It is very important to keep your lips hydrated and moisturized. Dry and chapped lips look dark and unhealthy. You can use a good lip balm to keep them moisturized. You can go for fresh milk cream to nourish them when you are at home. Select a lip balm with SPF if you stay outdoors for longer duration.

Never lick your lips. Some people have this tendency of licking their lips when they feel their lips are dry. Instead of giving any relief this worsen the condition of lips, leaving them more dry and dull. 

Sugar scrub is very useful in making lips soft and pink. Take a half spoon of olive oil, little sugar, and honey. Mix them well and rub lightly on your lips. You can leave the mixture for 10 minutes, and can follow this procedure once in a week.

Slice a lemon in two halves. Apply on lips in a circular motion for 5-7 minutes. This helps in reducing the pigmentation on lips. Apply a lip balm after washing your lips. This routine can be followed twice in a week.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Blackheads and Whiteheads

Hair Spa at Home: Steps Explained

Why Hand Care is Important for Your Overall Beauty?

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Blackheads and Whiteheads

When dead cells accumulate, they block pores and lead to blackheads and whiteheads. Blackhead and whiteheads are found mainly around the nose and the chin. Regular exfoliation of face keeps them at bay. Here are some DIY remedies to remove them at home with ease:

Steam: Steam your face for five minutes. Steaming opens up pores and makes it easy to remove them.

Squeeze: Pat your face dry and use a blackhead remover to squeeze them out. Don’t be harsh; else they can give you permanent scars.

Scrub:  Use a gentle scrub to remove dead cells regularly. You could use homemade scrub as well.

Moisturize: Apply a moisturizer after patting your face dry. 

How to make good scrub at home?

Sugar scrub:  Take fine grains of white or brown sugar and vegetable oil. Mix them in 2:1 ration (for every spoon of oil you have to add 2 spoons of sugar). It is preferable to use olive, coconut, or sweet almond oil.  

Salt scrub: It is suitable for oily and breakout prone skin. Mix sea salt and olive oil in 2:1 ratio. Add a slice of fresh ripe pineapple. 

Baking soda scrub: Mix water and baking soda to make a thick paste and use as scrub. You can replace water with coconut oil. 

Clay scrub: Make a paste of multani mitti and rose water. Apply on area prone to blackheads and whiteheads. Keep the paste for 10-15 minutes. After the paste dries: splash water on face and scrub the paste for 2-3 minutes to remove dead cells. Rinse with water. 

How to scrub correctly: Splash water on your face. Take a tablespoonful of scrub and gently massage on face and neck. Don’t scrub more than 2-3 minutes. Don’t apply too much pressure. You may apply little pressure on T-zone area.

Why Hand Care is Important for Your Overall Beauty?

Your hands add a lot to your persona. You should take proper care of your skin all over the body – be it your hands and or your foot. So, let’s see how we can take care of our hands, so that we are able to use them with confidence. 

Here are some tips for your clean, soft, and glowing hands: 

Keep hands clean: Wash your hands as and when required. Clean hands carefully after eating. Check, if the residue of food is not stuck in the nails and cuticles. They will make your hands appear ugly and unhygienic.

Moisturize: Moisturizing your hands keeps them soft, glowing, and beautiful.  Use a good moisturizer on back of your hand. You can use your body lotion to moisturize your hands and make them look beautiful. A large number of hand creams and hand lotions are also available in the market these days. You can choose one that suits your hands the most. I recently bought a Fab India lemon intensive hand cream that I found quite promising. The cream gets absorbed quickly and makes the skin soft. You can check the product review here:http://makeupandbeauty.com/fab-india-lemon-intensive-hand-cream-review/

You can apply olive oil on your hands for overnight moisturizing treatment. You will wake up with a soft and supple hand. 

Exfoliate: Exfoliate your hands at least once in a week. When you exfoliate your hand, you get rid of dead cells, which make your hands’ skin look dull and rough. So, exfoliation is must. A number of hand scrubs are available in the market. You can also use body scrub or face scrub instead of a dedicated hand scrub. Homemade scrub can also serve the purpose; brown sugar yields amazing result.

Manicure: You should follow a manicure routine to get sparkling hands. Visiting a beauty salon is an easy option; but it may pinch your pocket. You can give yourself a professional manicure at home as well.

Here are simple manicure steps:

Step 1: Remove current nail polish

Step 2: Clip and file nails

Step 3: Push back your cuticles

Step 4: Exfoliate your hands

Step 5: Moisturize your hands

Step 6: Apply nail polish

Look and feel great with simple and effect hand care regime.