Beauty and Personal Grooming

Pears Oil-Control Soap – it’s being promoted in a big way these days. But that’s not the reason why I picked up this soap. With the goodness of lemon flower extracts that are supposed to have astringent and oil-control properties, I felt that it’s a soap that would be just right for my acne-prone, oily skin. And indeed it is a wonderful product; I have been using it for several weeks and I love it. The soap itself is transparent and pale-greenish in colour; the aroma is quite pleasant and soothing to the senses and lingers on for quite sometime. And the best part - despite having astringent qualities, it didn’t dry my skin. And as claimed, it only cleared off excess oil from the skin while retaining the natural moisture and my skin felt fresh and clean after bath . For just Rs.24/- for a 75g bar, it’s a good buy. You can also purchase expensive ones  from Amazon, Pears Oil Control Bathing Bar, 75g or it's equivalent Pears Oil Clear Hypoallergenic - Non Comedogenic Soap 125 gm (...

Spent too much time in a smoke filled room? Spray on a hydrating mist , ideally one, which is brewed with free-radical fighting green tea to add moisture and refresh a dull-looking complexion. Right after spritzing, apply a gel-based moisturizer ( Avon SKIN SO SOFT Original Moisturizing Shower Gel Original , Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel 1.7 oz Tube or 4.2 oz Pump or Shiseido Pureness Moisturizing Gel (Oil Free) 50ml/1.7oz ) to damp skin (it will adhere better) for an energised glow. (Guest post by Smitha)

Get your lip liner facts right! Tips from a well-known aesthetician: * Pick a liner that matches your lips and not your lipstick – it’s more natural and won’t leave the dreaded ring when lipstick starts fading. * Don’t apply liner all the way to the corners of your mouth; stick to the area that need definition; like the bow and the lower arch. * Never ever line glossed lips – it will never look natural. (Guest Post by Smitha)

Is it necessary to use shampoo and conditioner by the same company? This question keeps bugging us, usually as shampoo tends to finish before the conditioner. Pros say that it isn’t really essential to use shampoo and conditioner of the same brand, you can go ahead and mix and match different shampoos and conditioners to see what works for your hair. Chris Gummer, a researcher at Procter & Gamble, England  however advises: “If you do mix brands, try to find products with ‘complementary technologies’. For example, if you have dry hair, you want extra moisture all around.While it’s true that a same brand combo gives you that conveniently, hydrating formulas from different labels work fine too."

Use the skin on the inside of your wrist to see which nail-paint tone suits you best. If your skin has a bluish tinge, polishes with cool undertones work; if it has yellow tone, opt for warm colors. Sheer shades are the most user-friendly. Choose pink/clear for a pinkish tone and beige/peach for yellow skin tones. Give your nails a four-day breathing break each month. (Guest post by Smitha)

* For acne: Drink lime, papaya and cucumber juice to cleanse your system. * For heartburn : A combin ation of carrot and cucumber juice to cleanse your system. * For asthma : Try juice of apricot, lemon, pineapple, peach, carrot, radish and celery. * For obesity : Lemon, grapefruit, orange, pineapple, papaya, tomato and lettuce juice are recommended. * For detoxification : Wheatgrass juice removes toxic metals from the body and restores vitality. (Guest post by Smitha)