Beauty and Personal Grooming: December 2008

Quarterly roundup of best posts

Since I was burdened with personal problems, I couldn’t come up with too many interesting posts this quarter (October-December 2008). Nevertheless, here are some posts that have received the maximum pageviews. Enjoy!

Acai Berry Fruit Facial Mask

Let me tell you about a remarkable acai berry fruit facial mask that I often use to pamper my skin and this has the same effect on your skin as one of those 100 dollar clay facial masks that you get at your day spa. The amazing little acai berry that comes out of the rain forests of Brazil has antioxidants. And antioxidants are known to prevent free radicals that produce harmful oxidation and oxidants that tend to speed up the aging process. Now let’s talk about Green French clay. This clay has enormous cosmetic and health benefits. Read all about the beauty uses of green clay here. A combination of these two ingredients makes an amazing mask that works like charm on skin that feels like burlap due to the harmful effects of pollution, stress, lack of sleep, poor diet, exposure to sun, tobacco smoke etc.

Merry Christmas!

Dove Beauty Bar Pink/Rosa:Review

I’ve been using Dove Beauty Bar Pink/Rosa to protect my skin from the perils of winter. I chose to buy this beauty bar after my friend raved about its virtues and since I had already used their Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash before and loved the way it left my skin feeling exfoliated, soft and smooth, I decided that I should also try this particular Dove product. Further it was also mentioned on the cover that it contains a good amount (one fourths) of moisturizing lotion and doesn’t dry the skin like any ordinary soap, also Dove soaps are known to be pH neutral and non-alkaline; so without much ado I purchased it. Besides as I love the color ‘pink’, pink/rosa seemed a better choice compared to the other white Dove beauty bar.

Dove Beauty Bar, Pink-Rosa Eight 4.25 oz. Bars (Pack of 2)

Dry winter hair-Tips

Experts say that the sebaceous glands in the scalp which produce oil to lubricate the hair are less active in cold weather. They also slow down with age. So you should get them working by stimulating your scalp; this can be achieved by brushing your hair few times in a day. Furthermore, the frosty winter air and dry indoor heat can also leave hair frizzy and split. To get it back into shape they recommend an intense conditioning treatment. This can be done as follows. Comb in a conditioner from root to ends. Then slick hair into a ponytail or pile it under a cap and head out for a walk or run. The conditioner will penetrate your hair as your body heats up.

(Guest Post by RJ)

Did you know?

Did you know some recent studies have revealed that-

women have a greater variety of bacteria on their hands than men do.
women carry an increased risk of miscarriage if the father is over 35.
women are up to three times more likely to develop serious heart disease if they live the mother-in-law.
women feel they are sexiest at 34.
women get more cavities than men.
soothing music reduces stress, anxiety and depression during pregnancy.
women are more virtuous than men, as per the survey conducted on more than 20,000 people by Times Online.
bigger and taller baby girls have greater risk of breast cancer in adulthood.
smoking puts women at a high risk of miscarriage.
girls who feel they are unpopular more likely to get fat.
working moms happier than homies.
Hormone replacement therapy could double a woman’s risk of breast cancer.

Ward off frequent colds this winter

Common cold is so common in winter and here’s the reason for it. Moreover if you have a tendency of catching colds too frequently, then you need not worry as there are several ways to stave off this malady. Incidentally there was a brief mention in ‘The Daily Mail’ that there is a sharp rise (up to 50%) in cold and flu infections this week and this is quite likely to blight the Christmas break. So if don’t want the cold/flu bug to ruin your Christmas week, see to it that you follow these precautions scrupulously and yes, prevention is always better than cure.

Frequent Handwashing:

Hand washing has long been touted as a way to prevent a cold during cold and flu season, and experts agree that is wise. But here's the newest twist: Paying attention to where you put your hands - and scheduling your hand washing around where your hands have been, rather than the clock - appear to be important, too. That's because cold viruses may linger on surfaces longer than suspected, according to Hendley and other University of Virginia researchers.

Gargle daily:

Japanese researches say gargling might stop viruses from attaching to throat cells. Most certainly it’s not a very pleasant task and you may feel embarrassed in front of your family members each time you start making weird noises while gargling but that shouldn’t deter you from trying it.

Breathe steam:

Steam liquefies and loosens mucus, allowing clearance of the airwaves that can relieve coughs and nasal congestion.

Nonetheless, in spite of all these precautions, if you do catch a cold, then try some of these home-remedies for relief.

Stress can make your skin to itch

Several factors can cause itching and the urge to scratch your itching skin is a natural phenomenon and some of these sure-fire home-remedies are bound to help. But did you know that even stress can contribute and aggravate your itch? A new study has found that stress can activate immune cells in your skin and cause the familiar yet irritating sensation. Immune cells in the skin over-react resulting in inflammatory skin diseases. Though it is not clear how stress aggravates skin diseases, researchers led by Petra Arck of Charité, University of Medicine, Berlin and McMaster University in Canada, hypothesised that stress could exacerbate skin disease by increasing the number of immune cells in the skin.

Interesting facts

Did you know that some new studies have found that -

women who regularly attend religious services may reduce their risk of death by about 20 percent.
having a bad boss is bad for the heart.
women prefer men with deep voices
sipping three cups of green tea a day helps to reduce weight.
a substance found in red wine could help to mend damaged backs.
meditation 'as effective as medication' in treating depression.
sleeping pills 'double' risk of having car crash the next day.
a new plague which jumps from rats to humans has been discovered by scientists.
women who have one healthy pregnancy experience lower blood pressure that can last until their firstborn enters university or even beyond.

Doy care Aloe Vera Soap

Doy Care Aloe Vera Soap

Aloe Vera is an awesome herb with innumerable medicinal and cosmetic uses. Pure Aloe Gel’s moisturizing, healing, anti-inflammatory, revitalizing and rejuvenating properties together with the fact that it helps with acne and blemishes make it an ideal ingredient for use in skin care products. In fact, it’s scientifically proven that it soothes burnt skin quickly and effectively. So like me, if you are a big fan of Aloe Vera and love all things ‘aloe’ then you might give Doy Care Aloe Vera Soap a try. Doy Care Aloe Vera with glycerine is a beautiful translucent green skincare soap containing genuine Aloe extracts which provide you with all the benefits of Aloe Vera, keeping your skin beautiful, fresh and glowing around the year; be it spring, summer, monsoon or winter.DoyCare AloeVera comes in two sizes: 75 g. and 125 g.

Homemade nourishing creams

If you have read the post “Winter Skin Care” thoroughly, then you maybe on the lookout for rich nourishing and emollient creams for your face, arms and skin on other parts of your body. Some of these night-time homemade creams claim to do just that and will definitely help you to nourish and heal dry skin in winter. Do read Skin care at night in detail before proceeding further.

Marigold nourishing cream

Ingredients:

Marigold flowers 500 grams
Spirit of wine 500 ml
Vegetable lard 500 gram
Essenceq.s
Tincture of benzoin 1 tsp

Method:

Place marigold flowers in a large glass jar and cover them with spirit of wone. Leave it in the sun for a week’s time. Shake the jar everyday. Heat vegetable lard and when it melts stir in essence. Add tincture of benzoin to preserve it. As it starts cooling pour into a jar slowly and mix thoroughly. Good for oily skin.

Almond nourishing cream

Ingredients:

Sweet almond meal 2 tbsp
Yoghurt 100 gram

Method:

Mix almond meal with yoghurt. Apply on the face and neck and leave it on for an hour. Rinse off with lukewarm water. Specially for dry and blemished skin.

Homemade Glycerine nourishing cream

Ingredients:

2 tbsp glycerine
2 tbsp lemon juice.

Method:

Mix both the ingredients and use it as a night-time nourishing cream.

Lanolin nourishing cream

Ingredients:

6 tbsp of lanolin (PURE LANOLIN, 100% Pure Australian Anhydrous Lanolin Pharmaceutical Grade 2 oz.)
1 tbsp of honey
2 tsp lecithin (Lecithin Granules 16 oz (454 g) Granules)

Method:

Mix together the ingredients and melt using the double boiling method. Add 7 tbsp of warm water to it. Whisk continuously until it cools.

Inspirational quotes for this weekend

Awesome collection of inspirational quotes from some great, articulate minds who have put forth their thoughts on life so lucidly. Hope some of these inspire and motivate you.

We can not direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails.
-- Author Unknown
Your work is to discover your world and then with all your heart give yourself to it.
-- Buddha
Seek freedom and become captive of your desires. Seek discipline and find your liberty.
-- Frank Herbert, Dune Chronicles
Pick battles big enough to matter, small enough to win.
-- Jonathan Kozel
Don't look where you fall, but where you slipped.
--African Proverb
Life is what happens, while you are busy making plans.
--John Lennon
Never explain. Your friends do not need it and your enemies will not believe it anyway.
-- Elbert Hubbard
There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.
-- Albert Einstein
The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.
-- Elbert Hubbard
The difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra.
-- Jimmy Johnson
Remember, if you’re headed in the wrong direction, God allows U-turns!
-- Allison Gappa Bottke
Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.
-- Carl Sandburg

Himalaya Kajal Herbal Eye Definer

Wish to define your eyes? Try Himalaya Kajal herbal eye definer. It’s a gentle blend of herbs like almond oil, castor oil, camphor and Triphala that makes your eyes look fresh and bright. It also has Damask rose that cools your eyes. Himalaya Kajal herbal eyeliner thus brings out the best in your eyes Naturally!

Details about Ingredients:

Himalaya Kajal Herbal Eye Definer

Fish oil for a younger looking skin

Kirkland Signature Natural Fish Oil Concentrate with Omega-3 Fatty Acids

No doubt fish oil keeps your heart healthy but did you know that it keeps your face young too? When scientists at Seoul University treated human skin with EPA, an Omega-3 fatty acid in fish oil and then exposed the epidermis to ultraviolet light, there was a 75 percent drop in the proteins that destroy collagen, the substance that gives skin its elasticity and strength. However don’t go overboard and slap fish oil on your face twice a day, instead saturate your skin from the inside out by swallowing fish oil capsules.

Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque: Review

A few months back, one of my friends gave me a mask called Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. And I must admit that it is simply fabulous and is extremely effective on my oily, acne-prone skin. Designed to dry up acne/pimples, scrub off blackheads and shrink enlarged pores, it certainly lives up to its claims. It has a strong mint smell, which you may find rather pleasing, if you love minty fragrances. And when you apply it to your clean face and neck, at first you experience a cooling sensation and then a slight stinging feeling which disappears as the masque firms and hardens to draw impurities from your pores. Even if your oily/combination skin does not break out and is otherwise problem-free, this masque is still great for you as it also acts as a refreshing ‘facial’, making your face feel very tight, thus relaxing your tired muscles and easing tension lines on the face and neck. You can then wash it off using a warm wash cloth and your skin is left feeling fresh and clean which is maintained for a couple of days.

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