Feel fresh with Tulsi (Basil) leaves

If you prefer steaming your face to open up the pores before the application of a mask, then consider using the leaves of Tulsi or Holy Basil in the water. From ancient times women have used this wonder herb for beautifying themselves. As it has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, it is marvelous for the skin. Its efficacy in curing various skin diseases is also quite well known. Here’s how you can use Tulsi as a beauty aid.

Steaming your face with Tulsi water flushes out the dirt and toxins, leaving the skin soft and glowing. Also works wonders on acne-prone skin and other blemishes.

The method:

Take some water. Squeeze half a lemon into it. Now add a fistful of Tulsi leaves, a handful of mint (pudina) leaves and boil it. Remove from heat when it starts emitting steam. Secure your hair with a band, take a thick towel over your head and bend over the vessel with your eyes closed so that your face is fully exposed to the steam emanating from the water. Take the steam this way for around 3-5 minutes. Afterwards you can apply a face pack. If not, splash cold water on your face or gently rub an ice cube wrapped in a hanky to close the pores.

See also:
Tulsi for inflammation and itching of the eyelids
Get rid of your skin's oiliness with clay masks


An instant tip to make greasy hair look better

Just as clothes retain the pungent odor of perspiration so does the hair. Our hot tropical climate aggravates the problem. Oily and combination hair tend to be more affected by this. Frequent shampooing is the only solution during such times. But when you are in hurry and when it is just not possible to wash your hair, then you will have to look out for some quick solution to get rid of the greasiness from your scalp and avoid a bad hair day. Here’s one such method to make the hair not only look less greasy but also appear dense and full-bodied.
Another trick is to take a piece of cotton wool, soak it in eau-de-cologne and gently rub along the scalp. The stickiness and oiliness from your limp hair will disappear making it look bouncy and manageable. And you will look presentable instantly. However, don’t overdo it. It can dry your hair considerably. This tip is not supposed to be a substitute for your regular shampooing/washing; so don’t try it frequently.

Is stretching before or after exercise useful?

man doing stretching exerciseBefore you embark on a rigorous exercise regimen, you are normally advised to follow certain pre-exercising instructions scrupulously. One of these instructions stresses upon doing stretching exercises and light warm-ups before the actual strenuous work-outs. The idea is to flex your body with such light exercises before going in for the big one. And while terminating your session, you have to stretch all over again. This is also supposed to prevent stiffness and soreness or any injury during exercises. But recent studies have shown that stretching before or after exercise has little or no effect on muscle soreness in young healthy adults. The researchers do, however, believe that there is a need to see whether stretching can have an effect on people in the community who have reduced levels of flexibility.

Related reading:

Exercising errors


Homemade facial scrubs for dry skin

applying scrubWhether your skin is oily or dry you need to exfoliate it once in a while to get rid of dead cells. Harsh abrasive scrubs are not suitable for extremely flaky, dry skins. Dry skins need mild scrubs such as these. The presence of yoghurt in these scrubs makes them gentle and less coarse on dry skins. Use them once in two weeks (a month if your skin is too dry) and watch your face glow.

# Scrub 1

Ingredients:

Dry Orange peel powder 1 tsp
Dry Lemon peel powder 1 tsp
Yoghurt (curds) 2 tbsp

Method:

Mix the dried peel powders and add yoghurt to it. Blend well. Gently massage it onto you skin or 2 minutes. Leave on for 5 minutes and then wash off.

# Scrub 2

Ingredients:

Oat meal powder 1 tsp
Yoghurt 2 tsp

Method:

Blend the two ingredients and massage the paste onto your face. Keep it on for 5 minutes and then wash off with cold water.

See also:

Face packs for dry skin
Exfoliating masks
Fix your dull and tired skin with masks and complexion scrubs


Pic credits:fotosearch.com


Breast Cancer Awareness month

pink ribbonOctober is Breast Cancer Awareness month. As we all know, besides cervical cancer, cancer of the breast is one of the main forms of cancer that is particularly known to affect women, and if detected earlier on there is a 98% survival rate. The only way you can detect the cancer in its initial stages is by doing a regular breast self examination or BSE. BSE is a woman’s first line of defense against breast cancer, and all women above 20 should do a monthly BSE to check for lumps. Don’t be under the impression that an annual examination from your family doctor is sufficient; cancerous lumps can develop slowly undetected over a period of time. And when the time comes for the next annual checkup it might be too late. So realize the importance of BSE and act now. Don’t know how to self-examine? Then hop on to this site.

Pic credits:fotosearch.com

Happy Dussehra/Dasara



Celebrating the victory of good over evil on Vijaya Dashami. Happy Dussehra/Dasara to all of you.

Home remedies for corns and calluses

tight shoesWe all have faced this problem of corns and calluses at some point of time or the other. During such times, we find it uneasy to stand properly or walk gracefully. As a result we tend to shuffle our feet too often and this attracts people’s attention to the sorry state of our feet though encased in beautiful footwear. This does not augur well for us and makes us cut a sorry figure in public.

A woman with such problem feet can never look beautiful and graceful. So it is imperative that she attends to it at the earliest.

How are these corns formed?

Often these corns are formed as a result of wearing ill-fitting and inappropriate footwear. Corns are made of hard dead skin and they emerge as a protection against friction or pressure. They are easily recognized by the raised central core and red cuticles.

Corns are generally small and are formed on the toes, while calluses are bigger and generally develop on the soles of the feet and sometimes on the palms. These may or may not be painful at first, but there is always a danger that they may become painful at a later stage. Instead of using those over-the-counter corn-plasters which might result in blisters and ulcers and harm your skin, why not consider some of these simple and effective home remedies.

* No amount of clipping and hacking is going to make the corn go away if the pressure is still there. The reason for the hard skin must be found and the cause removed. Only then will it go away. This can be done by changing your shoes, if they are the culprits, or by using replaceable pads to wear inside the shoes which will help to keep pressure away.

* If you have a callus or a ridge of hard skin around your heels, you can soften the skin with warm water after a bath and use a pumice stone or a foot scrubber to gently rub it away. Remember to cream the area afterwards with Vaseline (petroleum jelly) or lanolin to make the skin supple. You can also try a gentle exfoliation with almond scrubs.

* You can also consider a gentle application of castor oil, coconut oil or olive oil on these spots regularly 3 to 4 times a day to soften them.

* Papaya fruit pulp or its juice can also be applied on the corns.

* Alternatively, dip a cotton bud into pure, undiluted lemon juice and keep on the corn. Saturate and rub gently a couple of times.

* Turmeric (haldi) powder which is known for its antiseptic properties should be mixed with honey or neem oil and applied on these corns.

* If they are probably bothering you too much then you might consider removing it professionally.

* Walking barefoot on sand sloughs off the dead cells and hardened masses of skin from your foot naturally. A regular walk at the beach might as well prevent the formation of corns or calluses. To conclude, let foot care be an integral part of your beauty routine to keep your feet looking good and healthy.


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