Skin care-follow these 5 golden rules

Following are the five golden rules for basic skin care: 
Cleansing: Mere washing the skin with a soap or face will only remove the dirt and impurities on the surface. Impurities such as bacteria, excess sebum, stale make-up are lodged deep into the pores of the skin So in order to make the skin breathe freely, the pores must be cleansed in the morning and evening properly. Cleansing your skin at night will nurture your skin, repeating the procedure in the morning will remove the impurities that accumulated in the pores at night and your skin will be fresh for the application of makeup. For cleansing, use cleansing milk on a damp cotton wool and wipe your face using upward movements i.e. from neck to forehead.

Make-up tips for summer

Summer is the time when make-up doesn’t stay on for a longer period of time or the way we want it to be. So make-up in summer should be kept to the bare minimum. Too much of make-up & foundation tends to smudge and run with heat. It also prevents the facial skin from breathing properly, leading to various skin-problems like acne. 
* Dab on an astringent lotion to seal off your skin pores, if you have a problem of excessive perspiration, for your make up to stay longer.

* If you really need to even out your skin tone, apply foundation using a damp sponge so that it spreads evenly and does not cake up after some time.

*Apply powder type rouge or a blush-on to cheeks, chin & forehead. Keep the color soft and ‘feather’ it off carefully at the edges.

* Try to avoid matte and powdery lipsticks and go in for transparent, pink or fruity colors. Avoid dark colors.

* Eyeliners & eye shadows are best avoided this season. But if you can’t do without them then at least use water-proof ones. For eye-shadows use earthy shadows; avoid elaborate shading. Try a pink eye shadow to give a look-alive sparkle to tired eyes.

* Does your hair feel grimy and you have no time to shampoo it? Then try this tip. Sprinkle a few drops of eau de cologne on your scalp and brush thoroughly. Your hair will become glossy and fragrant again.

* Avoid elaborate and fussy hairdos. Tying hair back with a silk scarf or tucking it into an elegant net can look very attractive. Pony-tails, French plaits and chignons are the best ways of managing long hair at this time of the year.

* If you prefer you may style your hair in short gamin cuts, wedges styles or blunt cuts, which will not only keep you cool but make you look cool & stylish.

Cool ways to beauty in summer

Summer is often dreaded by women. They have horrifying pictures about themselves suffering from prickly heat & boils, a face breaking into pimples, blackheads & smelling of sweat. But today’s beauty products and well-documented beauty secrets along with a few changes in the daily routine promise to make anyone a luscious beauty even at the peak of summer.

Know your skin type!

Skin is one of the largest organs of the human body. It is always in the process of renewing itself. The skin ages inexorably through time, the process begins at birth and the clock can never be turned back. However, a proper skin care regimen will make it tick more slowly. That is why it is a must to know your skin type for choosing the right skin care routine. There are basically 4 types of skin.

Normal skin: A healthy normal skin is unblemished, velvety, smooth and supple, with no enlarged pores or flaky dead cells. Sebaceous (oil) and sudoriferous (sweat) glands are working in perfect harmony so the oil and water balance is perfect.

Dry skin: There is oil and moisture deficiency. Skin is dry to touch and feels sometimes like parchment. Pores and follicles are tightly closed and inactive. Skin chaps easily, inclined to be sensitive.

Oily skin: Sebaceous(oil) glands are over active and secreting too much sebum. The oil deposited on the face makes it look shiny and dirty, especially on the nose. The pores or opening of the follicles are usually enlarged (open pores), with a tendency to form blackheads.

Combination skin: Treat this skin as two individual skins. This skin is usually dry on cheeks and greasy on center panel i.e. along the forehead, nose and chin (T-zone).
A simple way of determining your skin type:
Wipe your face with a dry tissue early in the morning soon after you are up from bed. If there is oil in it, you have a greasy skin. If you have grease only in the center panel, then you have a combination skin. If there is no grease on the tissue at all, you have either dry or normal skin. To check a dry skin, wash your face with soap and water. If the skin is left feeling stretched or too tight, shiny and parched, it is dry. If the skin feels smooth, supple and elastic, it is normal.

See also:
Simple ways of acquiring a clear & blemish free skin /The ache of acne
Lemon as beauty aid/Milk for health & beauty

Some tips for summer

1) Drink at least 12 glasses of water or diluted fruit juices in a day. It is very important to drink water because your body needs water to prevent dehydration during warm summer days & also to keep the skin moisturized and clean.

2) Avoid too many aerated drinks, or too much tea and coffee as these are diuretic and will cause water loss to the body.

3) Bathing twice a day is one of the ways or looking and feeling cool in summer.

4) If excessive perspiration is your problem, then use deodorants to sweat-prone areas.

5) Wear light, preferably white, loose fitting clothing to help you stay cooler.

6) For morning walkers: Complete your walking routine by 8 a.m. Or walk in the shade. Do not drink water immediately after a brisk walk or jogging.

7) Maintain your energy level by limiting your intake of fat and sugar; focus on carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables. Avoid greasy fried food, fish & meat. If possible turn vegetarian in summer or keep meat dishes to the minimum.

8) Buttermilk is a cooling beverage that supplies nutrients to your skin and helps to keep it from drying out. Sweet or salted lassi made of thinned buttermilk is an ideal summer refreshener.

9) Know your body. If you are feeling ill, see a doctor. Many people either have sunstroke or die due to extreme heat conditions, especially the old and frail.

10) Get plenty of quality rest each night. Keep your bedroom cool, dark and comfortable and sleep on cotton or linen sheets.

11) Avoid over exposure to the sun. Protect your head with a cap or any other material. Do not expose the back of your neck to harsh and direct sunlight.

12) Use a sunscreen to protect your skin.

13) Use sunglasses to protect your eyes. Do ensure that you are using a reliable brand so that you do not harm your eyesight.

14) Every evening splash lots of cool water on your eyes. When you can, soak some cotton pads in cool water and place them over closed eyes for 10 minutes.

15) Rest during the hottest parts of the day (especially middle of the day)

16) Avoid heavy shoes and socks as far as possible. Wear sandals and slippers which will keep the feet well-aired.

17) Hair is best worn tied back or secured under a band during summer.

Sunscreen-the neccessity of summer

People indulge in a lot of travel, sports and outdoor activities in summer. But few of them know that it could have a devastating effect on their skin & eyes. The harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun have the potential to cause ageing of the skin, DNA damage and skin cancer. Scientists are of the opinion that both UVA & UVB can damage the skin. A sun-tan is the proof of the fact that the skin has suffered because of UV rays. (A simple home remedy for removing sunburn or a tan is buttermilk.) The strength or UVA rays remain the same throughout the year, whereas UVB is the strongest in summer months. So it is always better to play safe- always use a sunscreen or sunblock. It is simply a means of putting a barrier between the sun’s rays and your skin. 

Body odor

Does your body odor repel others? The ultimate social disaster, a bad body odor may take your confidence to its lowest level. “Do I smell bad?” could be the most embarrassing question you may have to ask. But is preventing unpleasant body odor difficult? Sometimes yes, a shower or a body spray may not do the trick. 
Facts:Basically, body odor is due to sweat. Everybody perspires, so everybody has a particular smell of his own. Perspiration in itself contains very little smell. It is only when bacteria from the skin get to work on it that it grows offensive. And this happens mostly when it becomes stale. Hence, the obvious solution is not to allow it grow stale and cultivate a hygienic personal habit like a daily bath and some additional care during menstruation in women. Keeping the feet wrapped up in socks and shoes for most part of the day, makes it emit a characteristically different smell than any other part of the body. So feet too need special attention.

Voice Improvement

A woman can improve her hair, make-up and dress but if she doesn’t improve and modulate her voice, her grooming would be considered incomplete!

There are various kinds of voice-nasal, shrill whispery, little-girl voice, and a well-modulated voice. Here are some techniques to improve our voices.

A High Pitched voice
A high pitched voice can be lowered by speaking clearly and forcefully and dropping your voice on each succeeding syllable. Put a hand just under the collar bone, to feel the vibrations. If no vibrations, a low pitch hasn’t been achieved. Repeat the phrase – “Low, low” and practice will make you attain a low pitched voice.

Inner Beauty

Everyone is today concerned with physical health and beauty. Let us consider some hints for making ourselves beautiful from the inside too. Follow the following steps for a complete ‘inner’ make-up.