Caring for your hair in summer

During summer, it’s not just the skin on the other parts of your body which sweats, even your scalp does. So you need to wash your hair more frequently. Use a good shampoo and conditioner. If you have oily hair then the problem is even more severe. However don’t overdo this washing business. A hair-wash once in two days will suffice even for the oiliest of scalps. Too much of washing and shampooing will do more harm than good.

And when you are out in the sun for longer periods, the rays can give your hair an unruly, straw-like, lusterless look. Of course, dark hair is much more resistant to the sun than any other hair color. All the same, keep your head covered with a towel or scarf if you intend staying out in the sun for long periods. Hair is best worn tied back and secured under a band during summer. If the ravages of the sun have mercilessly assaulted your hair, consider giving it a hair-spa treatment, which will breathe life into it and resurrect it to its original glory.

Olive, coconut, castor or mustard oil applied to the scalp overnight helps to keep your head cool. So do this at least once a week.

Remember to wear a swimming cap while you are in the water, be it in the sea or the swimming pool. Otherwise, the excess of salt and chlorine can cause damage to your hair. Always wash your hair immediately after swimming in chlorine-treated water to ward off itching sensation. You could even apply this hair mask with cucumber, specially effective in tackling chlorine damage to your hair.

Get rid of your skin's oiliness in summer with clay masks

In summer there is a tendency for increased secretion of the skin’s natural oils. So one ends up looking oily and sticky. And as a consequence of this one is likely to develop blackheads or has to cope up with a flare up of acne. At any time, it is bad for skins to have blemishes, spots, or sport an uncared-for look. More so, in summer, when the world probably sees rather more of you than is normally displayed.

How to counteract this? A scrupulous cleansing regimen to prevent a grease build-up on the surface of your skin. Besides washing your face more than twice a day with a suitable cleanser and dabbing astringents to tighten your pores, you need to use a clay mask once in a week or twice a week if you feel too sticky. Why clay mask? Simply, because unlike harsh astringents, clay masks don’t interfere with the moisture-producing glands that naturally lubricate your skin. Besides, masks pull embedded grime and impurities from your pores, then tighten them.

But before using any suitable clay mask like a multani mitti mask, you must make the pores of the skin to open up to release their slime. How do you do this? Prepare a bowl of hot, steaming water and set it on a flat surface. Drape a towel over your head, close your eyes and lean over the bowl so that the edges of the towel fall just outside the rim of the vessel. Let the steam dilate your pores for at least 5 minutes, and then apply the mask. Keep it on for 15-20 minutes till the mask dries up and it begins to tighten around your skin. Then wash off with cold water, taking care not to rub the skin vigorously while patting it dry with a towel. And voila, you will feel so fresh and clean. Your dull, oily face will brighten up instantly and your skin will feel smoother. It has worked wonders for me; there is no reason why it shouldn’t work for you.

So go ahead and try this multani mitti mask this summer to get rid of that grease sticking on to your skin..

See also: Oily skin care / Face masks for oily, greasy skin

Excessive perspiration in the feet: Home Remedies

This excessive sweating of the feet is not necessarily a problem faced during the summer. In some the sweat glands do not function well. The sweat combines with bacteria and decomposition sets in. But whosever has this problem has to face a lot of discomfiture because the foul smell and the strong odor emitted makes everyone around to turn up their noses in disgust. In summers almost everyone is susceptible to it. Moreover as the feet are covered up by footwear most of the time, the sweat gets trapped and has no escape. After a long walk or traveling in the hot and humid weather, the feet are almost soaked in perspiration and hence start reeking of sweat.

* Take footbaths often. (See here.) Soak your feet in warm water to which epsom salt is added. Then add either boric powder or alum to the water. This footbath is not just good for perspiring feet but also helps to overcome fatigue and also provides relief from headaches and mental tension.

* For smelly feet, use some essential oil in the footbath such as a few drops of rose, clove or lavender and on drying them rub eau-de-cologne.

* Always scrub and dry your feet thoroughly after washing it. Then dust it with using a suitable talc, anti-perspirant or alum powder.

* You could try applying this home-made antiperspirant on your feet. However, always use anti-perspirants on freshly-washed and dried skin.

Ingredients:

6 tablespoon of alum powder
4 tablespoon of borax powder
2 tablespoon of lemon juice
2 1/2 cups of water

Method:
Mix the first three ingredients to boiling water. Cool and preserve in a glass jar.

* Take a few drops of neem oil with milk internally for your problem. Also, rubbing the sole with neem oil is beneficial. Neem oil with its antibacterial properties is ideal for smelly and sweaty feet. This oil could also be used for sweaty palms too.

* You could also crush amla and extract its juice and then smear this juice over your sweaty palms and soles.

* Avoid using closed footwear. Always wear soft and flexible open sandals to keep your feet comfortable and cool.

* Last but not the least, do Sitali Pranayam regularly. It is very effective in tackling this excessive sweaty problem and in keeping your body cool.

In case you suffer from abnormal sweating from certain body parts or ‘Hyperhidrosis’ then you can get some help over here.

Exercises for your wrists

How many of us care to think of our poor wrists? Our work at the desktop abuses them like anything. 

So we must ensure that they get as much attention as other parts of our body and a proper exercise as well. Exercising stimulates the circulation of blood in those parts and prevents the stiffening of the wrist joints making them more flexible. 

Relieve burning sensation in the feet / soles and palms with these remedies

Some people experience a burning sensation in their feet on hot summer days. No need to panic or resort to medications in such cases. These simple cures will help counteract this problem.

Honey as an eye nourisher

Continuous late nights, lack of sleep, excess of sleep, fatigue and strain take their toll on the eyes, resulting in puffy eye lids and dark circles. Extreme hot weather, dust, wind, smoky rooms, can leave eyes red and strained. Our eyes are an index of general health and lusterless, strained and puffy eyes clearly indicate ill health and overstrain and do not portray us in a good light.

Take extra care of your eyes. Use a clay pad once in a week to soothe your tired eyes. To reduce puffiness and contours around your eyes try this effective eye nourisher using the good old, sweet, and versatile honey.

The method:

Prepare a decoction of chamomile tea in boiling water. Strain and set aside to cool. Then blend cucumber, aloe vera gel and honey so that they mix well. Add chamomile tea. Blend until smooth. Apply gently under eyes using ring finger. The ring finger being the weakest does not exert much pressure and hence it can be comfortably used for massaging the delicate skin around the eyes.

Store in glass dish covered with plastic wrap in refrigerator upto one week. Best applied chilled.

See also: Medicinal uses of honey

Home-made shampoos for your hair

Thinking of changing your shampoo? For a change, try one of these 2 simple home-made shampoos on your hair. They require the minimum possible ingredients and are very easy to make. You will be amazed at the good results. Shikakai has been used since ancient times to wash one’s hair. Methi and moong not just cleanse the hair, but have a conditioning effect as well.

Methi Shikakai Shampoo

Ingredients:

Methi seeds(Fenugreek) – 250 grams
Shikakai – 1 kilogram
Dried orange/lemon peels – handful

Method:

Crush all the ingredients to a fine powder and store. Use this powder shampoo to wash your hair as you would do with others. However, remember to soak this powder in ½ cup of boiling water 2 hours before using it on your hair.

Methi-Moong Shampoo

Ingredients

Moong (Green gram) – 1/4 kilogram
Methi seeds – ¼ kilogram
Hibiscus leaves
Rice Kanji water

Method:

Combine the first two ingredients and make a fine powder of it. Store well. Just before using it on your hair, make a paste of hibiscus (Jaswand) leaves. Add extracted water from cooked rice to make a paste of dropping consistency. Use it as a shampoo.

Home remedies for prickly heat

The scorching summer heat is at its worst in May. These long languorous days of humid and hot weather resulting in excessive sweating are a sheer torture for some of us, especially if our skin has a tendency to break into prickly heat rashes. Those red rashes can affect almost any part of the body. Itching and burning sensation that follow can cause a lot of discomfort.

How is this prickly heat caused?
Quoting from this source:

It is caused by bacteria or dead skin cells blocking sweat glands. The rash particularly affects areas where sweat is trapped and cannot evaporate, such as the feet for instance. People who often have prickly heat also tend to be susceptible to heat stroke.

Home remedies for prickly heat

The following home-remedies and tips may provide relief from prickly heat.

* Eat grapes or consume plenty of grape juice everyday.

* Drinking cool frothy butter-milk (Chaas) also does good.

* A cold infusion of coriander (dhania) seeds twice a day also works wonders.

* Sattu mixed with water and a pinch of sugar gives immediate relief.

* And how can one forget ‘tender coconut’ water which has lots of goodness in it. Just go for it and drink gallons of it.

* You could also extract juice from a pineapple, dilute it with coconut water and drink it.

* Cool your skin – treat the affected area by sponging with cold water.

* Make a paste of sandalwood powder with rose water and apply to affected parts.

* Combine cumin seeds (jeera) powder with coconut oil to obtain a thick consistency. Apply an hour before a bath.

* Take 10 grams of sandalwood paste, 5 grams of ground poppy seeds (Khuskhus) and three tablespoon of rosewater. Combine together and apply.

* Boil neem leaves and use this water to bathe.

* Don’t sit in stuffy rooms. Get plenty of fresh air.

* Wear cotton clothes; avoid synthetic clothes and such garments which do not absorb sweat.

* Sprinkle prickly heat powder all over the affected parts of your body after a bath. You could even use sandalwood-powder for this purpose.

* Bathe twice a day if you feel too sweaty and unclean.

See also: Cool drinks for summer / Keep yourself cool with Sitali and Sitkari Pranayams

Medicinal uses of Hing (asafetida)

Asafoetida, commonly called as ‘Hing’(or ingu in kannada) is indispensable to Indian cuisines. Any prosaic dish can be turned tasty by adding heeng to it. Its persisting and penetrating flavor is acceptable to those who are used to it from childhood; few others may not prefer it. This aromatic condiment is not merely confined to adding zing to the food, but has a plethora of medicinal properties to its credit. 

Don’t go into a panic attack every time a member of your family coughs or sneezes. Just head towards your kitchen, which is supposedly a storehouse of alternative medicines. And fully exploit this highly valued ingredient of the kitchen, the good old ‘heeng’ to your advantage. 

Take a look.

Sunglasses according to the shape of your face

So you need to buy a pair of trendy sunglasses. And why not? The harmful UV rays of the hot summer sun can play havoc on your delicate eyes. Besides, it’s highly recommended by ophthalmologists that one should go in for some form of protective eye-gear during summer, especially if one has to spend long hours in the sun. You do want your eyes to last you for a lifetime. Don’t you? Moreover when one is out in the sun, one tends to squint and screw up the face to avoid the glare and over a period of time this grimacing etches out fine lines around the mouth, eyes and forehead. So one should wear sunglasses, if one wants to avoid premature ageing of the skin.

Homemade packs for darkened neck

The beauty of the neck is often flawed by dark patches and spots around it; especially the nape of the neck is more prone to darkening.

This could be due of pigmentation, dead cells clinging to the surface of your skin, dirt and grime which gets embedded in the skin because of dust and pollution and neglecting neck care.

Skin allergy caused by constant wearing of ornaments around your neck could also be the culprit. It is all the more embarrassing if this discoloration is too distracting. And if this marked difference between the skin colors of the face and the neck makes you overtly self-conscious, don’t just sit back, do something about it.

A crepey neck can be improved by regular cleansing, and by scrubbing with a soft nail-brush (try the plastic bristled ones) to work away dead skin and improve the circulation. Also cream it lavishly for softness and smoothness .You could also bleach the skin around your neck to improve its color.

Want to try your hand at some home-based treatments for your darkened neck? Then treat it with some of these packs made from mundane household items from your kitchen and bathroom.

* Dip a towel in hot water. Wring the towel to squeeze out excess water. Now dab this towel over the darkened areas so as to give steam to your neck, almost like a sauna.

Repeat several times. This not just lightens the skin discoloration but also slightly melts the fat around your neck.

* Grind fenugreek (methi) leaves to a fine paste and extract its juice. Mix this juice with besan (gram flour) or powdered sprouts of your choice. Apply liberally on your neck and let it stay for 15 – 20 minutes. Then wash off.

* Apply Rice Kanji water over darkened areas of your neck for about 15 minutes. You could even apply this to any of your darkened areas such as armpits, under your thighs etc.

* Using light strokes with the palms of your hands, massage your neck with fresh, preferably home made butter for 5 minutes at least once in a week. Use upward movements and don’t pull or stretch the skin unnecessarily.

* Mix vinegar with a coarse powder of wheat grains. Apply for about 15 minutes and then wash off.

* Take the squeezed half of a lemon and sprinkle table salt and turmeric over it. Rub this lemon over the darkened areas of your neck.

* Mix multani mitti (fuller earth) with rose water and apply it on your neck and wash off after 15 minutes.

Pic credits:fotosearch.com

Happy Mother's Day

Make-up tips for a dark complexion

For those beautiful maidens with a dusky complexion here are some makeup tips.

* Before applying make-up, rub a piece of ice gently on your face. Pat dry with a soft towel. Use a concealer cleverly to camouflage blemishes and scars if any.

* Use a small quantity of a dark colored liquid foundation cream (see to it that the foundation cream is not too lighter than your skin color.) If it is too thick, add a few drops of plain water and then spread it gently over your face and neck.

* Check carefully to see that the foundation cream has blended on your skin, without leaving patches.

* Touch your cheeks, chin and forehead with a small quantity of blush: powder blush for an oily skin and cream blush for the dry skin. This should be used very carefully, or else it can change the skin tone to crimson. Select any dark shade; never use light pink.

* Use dark-colored compact for your face with a very light hand. Avoid applying too much powder, specially around the eyes. Always dust off the excess powder with a clean dry sponge.

* Eyes are probably the best assets of a dark skin. Clear white eyes with dark black irises look vivid and beautiful against a dusky skin. Accentuate them with proper make-up.

* Do not forget to shape your eyebrows regularly as straggling, thick eyebrows look awful on a dark skin. Shape your eyebrows with light feathery strokes to avoid harsh lines over the eyes.

* Use dark eye-liner to paint your eyes. You can even paint your eyes with soft eyebrow or kohl pencil. For evenings, select bronze or sea-green eye shadow. Avoid very light colors, though. Use roll-on mascara to give your eyes a dreamy look.

* Select dark shades of lipstick and nail polish. There are many colors in red, maroon and chocolate shades which will suit your complexion. Light, pink or mauve should be avoided.

Highly Effective Indian Home remedies For Delayed Periods

Delayed periods or Irregular menstrual periods have become very common these days for a lot of women in their reproductive age and they suffer great agonies when their period does not come on time. A delay of 4-5 days may be fine but if it exceeds 8 days, then it's certainly a cause for concern.

In this post, I'll be sharing highly effective Indian home remedies for your delayed periods.

I'd been a long sufferer of irregular periods during my teenage to early twenties. I've tried most of the recipes here, along with Kapalabhati pranayama, yoga poses, mudras and other lifestyle habits.

Now my periods are extremely regular like clockwork; not a day less or more than 28. When I look back, I'm surprised how I managed those years of anxiety and fear about my late periods. 

Quick remedy for dandruff flakes and other tips for cure

When you see those thick, scaly, white flakes’ dropping on your dress you know you have that itchy, annoying skin disorder of the scalp called dandruff. It is all the more embarrassing when people point out this to you. The feigned sympathetic looks on their faces and a concern which almost seems to mock you is even more exasperating. You mumble something and try and manage the situation by changing the topic but inwards you fume and fret and curse yourself for wearing a light colored dress that day. And you fervently wish that you could really do something about this evil flaky nuisance.

Here’s an easy remedy to make those white flakes fall off quickly- Right before you go to bed, dampen your scalp with a little warm water and then rub a little baby oil, (slightly warmed olive oil will also do) into your scalp. When you wake up, shampoo as usual. The oil will penetrate the scalp and help soften and loosen up the dandruff scales, so they fall right off in the shower the next morning.

Try these tips and remedies over a period to time to cure your scalp of dandruff.

* Best way to control dandruff is washing. Depending on the severity, wash hair daily, alternate day or twice a week.

* Expose the scalp to sunlight for a while, being careful not to get sunburnt. Don’t try this in very hot sun and during summer.

* Brush your hair everyday to improve circulation and remove flakiness.

* Follow, strict hair hygiene by washing your combs, brushes, pillow covers and towels in an anti-septic lotion. Never lend or borrow a comb or hairbrush.

* Antibacterial mouth wash like Listerine should be mixed with 50 percent distilled water and rubbed on the scalp after shampooing. This keeps the yeast level down and the chances of getting dandruff becomes less!

* Mix two tablespoons of vinegar and six tablespoons of hot water. Dab with cotton into the scalp, parting the hair with a comb apply all over the scalp. Preferably it should be used at bedtime. Tie a scarf over the hair to avoid staining the pillow. Next morning wash the hair with shampoo. After the hair is thoroughly cleansed pour over as a last rinse a mixture of three tablespoons of vinegar and one cup of hot water. Then dry the hair thoroughly. This should be done twice a week for three months. For more home remedies on dandruff click here and here.

If you suffer from stubborn or persistent dandruff, you may need to see a dermatologist who can prescribe stronger treatments and identify which works best for you.

How to massage your hands

Pamper and nourish your hands on a regular basis for smooth hands. Neglected hands can give away your age any day. Once in a week, you must give a good massage to your hands with a good cream. You can use homemade almond hand cream or satin hand cream, which do their job as efficiently as those expensive hand creams and lotions. Follow the routine given here.

* Rub the cream on your hands thoroughly and then, one by one, massage each finger between the sides of the first finger and the thumb of the other hand, always working from the nail end towards the hand.

* Now massage with the thumb in between the fingers, reaching over to rub the knuckles, too.

* With the tip of the other hand’s thumb, massage each nail with a little lanolin or petroleum jelly.

After massaging your hands apply a hand mask. It works wonders for your hands.

Never go out into the sun without applying a good sun protection cream or lotion to prevent tanning. If you are out for a long time, wear long sleeved dresses or long gloves to prevent tanning. Always remember to clean your hands thoroughly.

Home remedies for sore throat

Sore throat is a common malady that each one of us faces sometime or the other in our lifetime.  That scratchy, dry and abrasively painful feeling at the back of the throat that you experience is so very discomforting!

There are many ways to relieve that scratchy and painful, infected throat. Sore throat home remedies are many and varied and range from the folk ones to the medically tested and proven ones. 

With this common recurring condition many sufferers have their own favourite sore throat treatments that seem to work for them.

Sore throat is one of the ailments which responds very well to home based remedies, so there is no reason why one should hesitate to try out these invaluable tips which have been handed over to us by generations of yore. 

After all these remedies have negligible side-effects and so there is no harm in trying them. And you can always rush to a doctor if they don’t work for you. 

Sitali and Sitkari Pranayams to cool your body in summer

Blame it on anything – ecology, industrialization or global warming – summers are getting hotter and hotter. No longer is intense heat confined to tropical countries like India and desert regions, it is becoming universal!

Remember last summer? It was like being baked in an oven! Is it any different this year? Nah! In fact, it is worse. More gruesome days are yet to come.