Beauty and Personal Grooming: 2007-11-04

Should you fast sometimes?

Do you have the habit of fasting occasionally, that is, once in a month, or so? Then there is good news for you. You might be doing it to give rest to your already overburdened digestive system or as a customary religious practice, but you will stand to gain by this. Results from a recent survey have shown that those who fast for full 24 hours in a month have a lower risk of heart diseases. This bit of news should goad at least a few Indians, if not all, to go on a fast once in a while. As studies have shown, Indians, have a genetic predisposition of heart attacks, this risk being further enhanced by today’s sedentary lifestyle and consumption of unhealthy, junk food. Alarming statistics have revealed that nowadays people as young as 30 are falling prey to heart diseases. Only fasting once in a month might not reduce your overall risk-factor. You have to correct your erratic lifestyle, eat healthy food and exercise regularly also. So make amends before it is too late.

Shubh Deepavali

Face packs for normal skin

Just because you are blessed with a normal skin doesn’t mean that you can take it for granted. Read all about normal skin care. Here are some more great do-it-yourself face packs, especially for your skin type:

Potato face pack

Ingredients:

Grated raw potato – 4 tsp
Multani mitti (fuller’s earth) – 2 tsp
Rosewater

Method:

Mix grated potato and multani mitti with enough rose water. Spread it on your face and lie down for 10-15 minutes. Then wash off with warm water followed by a splash of cold water.

Jasmine-yoghurt face pack

Ingredients:

Handful of Jasmine petals
Yoghurt – 4 tsp

Method:

Squeeze jasmine petals in yoghurt and apply the paste all over your face. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes and wash off with cold water.

Cucumber-milk face pack

Ingredients:

Cucumber juice – 4 tsp
Milk – 1 tsp
Egg white – ½ tsp
Besan (chickpea flour) – 1 tsp

Method:

Mix cucumber juice, milk with egg white and thicken it by adding besan to it. Spread this thick paste on your face. Leave on for 15 minutes. Then wash off with cold water.

The luxury called oil bath

Agreed that in the hurly-burly of life today, it is not convenient for us to have a proper bath and as a result our daily baths are usually hurried affairs. But you can reserve at least a few days in the year to pamper yourself zealously by spending quality time in bathing.

In most south Indian homes, a luxurious ‘oil bath’ is mandatory on Diwali day. However, we take this ritual of ‘oil bath’ very causally without realizing its significance on our health, well-being and beauty. Diwali eve coincides with the onset of winter and hence a thorough body massage with coconut oil followed by a long luxurious bath rejuvenates the skin and acts as a barrier against dry, moisture depleting winter air for several weeks.

In some communities, an oil bath for the bride on the eve of the wedding, is not only a part of bridal beauty-care but is ritualistic too. Then there is this ritualistic post-natal bath that a woman is given few days after childbirth for about 1½ months. Before this bath she is subjected to a meticulous body massage with special herbal oils by a trained maid. This hot oil bath helps to alleviate the muscle strain of labor and childbirth, is good for cellulite reduction and works wonders on stretch marks. It is also believed that oil massage helps the uterus to shrink to its original size and encourage the flow of breast milk.

While we are in our teens and the early twenties, sebum, which is secreted by the sebaceous oil glands, lies as a protective film over the skin helping to delay moisture loss. But as the skin ages, the activity of sebaceous glands decreases; they secrete less sebum and aren’t able to prevent the rapid moisture loss from the skin. That’s why as years pass by, the skin gets drier and flakier. Hence, oil bath is an excellent beauty and health routine for the aging body. Coconut oil is the best; it is natural, effective and inexpensive.

Even Sushruta, the ancient physician who lived in 6th century B.C, advocated the use of oil for a bath. His words:

“It is immediately absorbed, subtle, spreading, viscous and fluid. It is conducive to the nutrition of the skin and the softness of the muscles. It is beneficial to the eyes, promotes luster, strength and vitality.”

Modern beauty science also agrees with the fact that a combination of water and oil keeps the skin smooth, soft and health-looking. The application of oil, followed by a bath does have a beneficial effect as it nourishes and protects both the body and hair. A massage, following this oil application, improves circulation of blood, relieves muscle stiffness and tiredness, muscular spasms and tension and encourages sound sleep by relaxing the muscles.

For those who are too busy to enjoy an oil bath, putting a few drops of oil in a mug and splashing it all over the body, after the bath, and then patting dry with a towel, gives almost the same result, for it immediately spreads a thin layer of oil evenly on the whole body. Read Aromatic oils in the bath and also learn how to make a rich bath oil at home.

Beauty and health magazines create such hype over the benefits of ‘steam’ or ‘sauna’ baths offered at expensive spas but hardly stress upon the benefits of an ordinary oil-bath which can be had in the privacy and comforts of one’s home. Water and oils as tools for health and beauty were given great importance by our ancestors and it follows that we too should do the same. The secret behind the smooth dusky complexion and luxurious black tresses of the Keralites lies simply in their love for oils and baths.

Hibiscus hair oil

Are you losing sleep over hair problems like premature graying, excessive hair-loss and split ends? Raving and ranting over your misfortune or indulging in self-pity isn’t going to take you anywhere. As a matter of fact, constant worry, stress and its byproduct insomnia can worsen your problems. Instead, work towards finding a solution the herbal way. For centuries, several herbs, flowers and herbal oils have been used successfully to restore the grandeur of the crowning glory. Quite a few of these herbs and flowers are in fact, right in front of you and staring at you from your garden just waiting for your green signal to offer their invaluable service. Go and grab them.

Amla (gooseberry), for instance is proven to work wonders in preventing and treating premature graying of hair. Aloe-oil promotes hair growth and prevents split ends. The herb ‘Brahmi(Asiatic pennywort)’ has a cooling effect on the scalp and prevents hair-loss. If you are losing hair excessively, then this herbal remedy with brahmi is for you. Hibiscus (jaswand) flowers for long have been used in hair packs and hair-oils to condition the hair and resolve the problems of premature graying and hair-loss. And in spite of all the care and attention or as a part of the inevitable, natural ageing process, if you do see a few grey strands here and there, then you can use this Home-made henna (mehendi) hair dye to streak them to a beautiful auburn color. So now that you have realized the goodness of herbs, here’s the procedure to prepare hibiscus hair oil at home.

Hibiscus hair oil

This age-old ayurvedic herbal oil using hibiscus flowers works wonders on your hair. Before using it, slightly warm it and massage it gently onto your scalp with your fingers. First, read the correct procedure of oiling your hair and massaging it.

The recipe:

Ingredients:

600 gm coconut oil
200 gm fresh petals of red colored hibiscus
25 gms curry leaves
25 gms khaskhas (poppy seeds)
Milk
Buttermilk
Tender coconut water

Method:

Pour 600 g coconut oil in a mud pot. Take the hibiscus petals, add milk and grind it into a paste. Likewise, grind separately, curry leaves with a little buttermilk and poppy seeds with tender coconut water. Add all the three pastes into the pot and heat on a low flame till the mixture loses its moisture content. Strain the concentrated oil in a container.

Application:

Once in a week, apply this oil and wash off, using either shikakai or gramflour (besan) or some of these dry shampoos. Also if you find it difficult to grab a peaceful shuteye each night, you might consider applying it daily on your scalp and then shampoo off the next morning. It has a soothing effect on your scalp and will ensure that you get sound sleep. This oil is recommended for use only under normal conditions, that is, when you are healthy and not suffering from sinus problems, asthma, cold or fever. It is a highly effective herbal hair oil.