Beautiful hands...

We often forget to pay proper attention to our hands and nails. Here are a few tips to keep your hands and nails healthy....

Starting from exfoliation to massage give yourself a manicure...

1. Salt exfoliator:
6 tablespoons sea salt (use normal salt if sea salt is not available)
2 tablespoons cooked oatmeal
3 pinches baking soda
few drops of tea-tree oil

Mix all the ingredients, add enough water to make thick paste. Rub this on your hands gently. Massage for 5 min and wash off with warm water.

2. Cuticle cream:
1 teaspoon any natural clay like Fuller's earth (Multani mitti)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 drops of lemon oil (optional)

Mix all the ingredients and make a paste. Store in a clean jar. Apply this on nails before you soak your hands in water.

3. Milky hand soak:
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons moisturizing lotion or olive/vitamin e/ almond oil
1/2 cup water

Heat water, bring to boil then add milk. Boil milk for 5 min then add moisturizing lotion or any oil. Stir it well. Add sugar. Make a thick consistency, allow it to cool. Put this mixture in a large bowl of warm water. Soak your hands in this soak for 15 min.

4. Nail hardener:
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon rose water

Mix all the ingredients together. Apply it on your nails after you soak your hands. Leave it for 5 min and massage your nails. Wash off with warm water. Use this twice in a week.

5. Nail whitener:
1 tablespoon whitening tooth paste
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
3 drops lemon oil (optional)


Mix all the ingredients and make a paste. Apply this on your nails. Leave it for 5 min. Wash off with warm water.

6. Massage oil:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon almond oil or vitamin e oil
2 drops lavender oil and lemon oil

Blend all oils together. Warm it up little bit and massage your hands for 5 min.

Some tips of manicure:

1. Remove old nail polish.
2. Apply exfoliator (see no.1) and scrub your hands. Wash off with water.
3. Apply cuticle cream (see no.2). Push back the cuticles and cut them properly with a cuticle cutter.
4. Soak your hands in warm water (see no.3) for 15 min. Wash off with warm water.
5. Apply nail whitener (see no.4). Brush nails with a soft nail brush. Wash off with warm water.
6. Apply nail hardener (see no.5) Wash off with warm water.
7. Shape your nails with a filer or emery board. Do not file in a sea-saw motion. Buff your nails with buffer.
8. Massage your hands with massage oil (see no.6).
9. Cover your hands with a warm towel.
10. Apply the nail color you desire.

You can apply same procedure to do pedicure as well.

Lip Care

Get luscious, soft lips.....

For chapped and black lips:
1. Honey cure
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Castor oil or vitamin e oil

Mix all the ingredients. Spread the mixture on your lips and leave on overnight.

2. Cream solution
1/2 tablespoon fresh milk cream
1/2 tablespoon honey

Mix cream and honey together. Apply it on your lips to get soft lips.

3. Butter lip gloss
1 teaspoon shea butter
1 teaspoon almond oil
1/2 teaspoon beeswax

Melt the wax, shea butter and oil together over medium heat with a double boiler technique. Pour the melted mixture in a clean cream container. Let it cool completely till it becomes solid.
Rub into your lips when needed.

Check out the below site for shea butter and other beauty essentials:

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com

4. Flavored glycerine solution
1 teaspoon glycerine
1 teaspoon almond oil
Few drops of vanilla or orange oil or flavored extract of vanilla or almond.

Mix all the ingredients in a dish. Use it regularly. Recommended for black lips.

5. Vanilla lip cure
1 tablespoon beeswax
1/2 teaspoon coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vitamin e oil
Few drops of vanilla oil or vanilla extract

Place beeswax, coconut oil and vitamin e oil in a double boiler and melt it. Stir in the vanilla oil or extracts. Pour in a container and let it cool completely. Rub into your lips.

6. Glycerine and honey for sun protection
1 teaspoon glycerine
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon rose water.

Mix all the ingredients. Apply it on your lips to get rid of blackness.

7. Honey exfoliator
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Mix honey and sugar. Apply it on your lips. Rub gently with the toothbrush. Wash off with water. Apply any lip cream.

8. Olive oil exfoliator
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sugar

Mix all the ingredients together. Apply with the toothbrush and rub gently. Wash off with the warm water.

9. Lemon exfoliator
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon honey

Mix all the ingredients. Rub onto your lips. Leave it for 3 min. Wash off with warm water. Apply almond oil or vitamin e oil.

Causes, precautions:

1. Dehydration can cause dry lips. Drinking too much coffee, alcohol dehydrates body. Drink good amount of water. Drinking too much of coffee also one of the reason of black lips.
2. Try to avoid licking your lips, this dries them out more.
3. Make sure that you don't have a deficiency of vitamin A, B and iron. These are also one of the causes of dry and black lips. Eat carrots, tomatoes, spinach, egg to get these vitamins and iron.
4. In winters regularly apply lip balms which has bees wax, butter (no 1,2,3 and 5 are ideal for winters). In summers lip balms which has glycerine ( no 4 and 6 are ideal for summers).
5. Exfoliate your lips once in a week to remove dead cells and dry skin.

For Acne free and fair n flawless skin...

The most common problems are acne, dull and lifeless skin. Here are some natural remedies which are much easier than you think.

Make your own recipes to get acne free and flawless skin..


For Acne:

1.Nutmeg pack
1 tablespoon nutmeg powder
1 tablespoon milk ( its great solution to remove redness of the skin)

Make paste and apply this pack only on pimples.
Let it dry completely and wash off with the cold water. For remarkable difference, use it 3 times a week. This also removes black marks on the skin.

2.Honey pimple zapper
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

Make a paste and apply this on pimples in the night before you go to bed. Wash off in the morning with warm water. Repeat application for minimum two weeks. The pimples will disappear gradually.

3. Tea-tree oil mask
1 tablespoon thick curd
6 drops of tea- tree oil

Mix curd and tea tree oil and apply this on your face for 20 min. This reduces oiliness of skin. Repeat applications will make skin acne free.

4. Basil pack
1 tablespoon basil leaves paste. ( Boil some water put basil leaves for 2 min and make a paste)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder.

Make a thick paste of basil and turmeric powder by adding some water. Apple this on pimples. Wash off after 20 min.

5. Garlic solution
1/2 teaspoon garlic juice ( crush the garlic flakes to extract juice)
1/4 teaspoon honey

Apply this on pimples and wash off after 15 min. You can also apply only garlic juice but for thick consistency add honey.

6. Neem pack
1 teaspoon neem leaves paste if not available dried neem powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

Make paste of neem and turmeric with some water. Apply this pack on face for 20 min. Wash off with cold water.

7. Mint pack
1 teaspoon crushed mint leaves
1 teaspoon curd

Mix curd and mint leaves. Apply this pack on face for 25 min. Wash off with warm water.

8. Sandalwood pack
1 teaspoon sandalwood powder
1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder
rose water.

Mix sandalwood powder, turmeric powder in rose water. Apply this pack on face for 20 min, wash off with cold water.

9. Scrub for pimples and sensitive skin
1 teaspoon oatmeal
1 teaspoon honey
5 drops tea-tree oil
3 tablespoons water.

Mix all the ingredients together with water. Apply it on your face, allow to sit for 10 min. Dab some warm water and gently rub your skin. Do not rub it very hard. Wash your face with warm water.

10. Spot solution
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon glycerine

Apply this mixture on your, specially on pimple marks. This reduces black spots on skin. This also helps to reduce tanning of skin.

How can you control acne?
By following a healthy regime and avoiding some common mistakes you can prevent acne.

1. Wash your face 2-3 times a day with a mild face wash.
2. Drink a good amount of water to insure that your cells are hydrated.
3. Don't pop your pimples. Popping your pimples makes acne worse by depositing dirt and bacteria.
4. One of the popular myths is that by scrubbing hard you can clean your skin and get rid of acne. Wrong, scrubbing your skin too hard irritates the area around the acne and makes it worse.
5. Take multivitamins tablets.
6. Exercise regularly.


For Glowing skin:

1. Cucumber milk mask
1 cucumber
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon honey

Blend cucumber, milk and honey together. Apply this mask on face and neck for 30 min. Wash with warm water.

2. Almond oat mask
1/2 teaspoon almond powder
1/2 oatmeal powder
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon honey

Mix all the ingredients together. Apply this mask on face an neck. Wash off after 30 min with warn water.

3. Egg mask
1 egg white
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix all together well. Apply it on face for 30 min. Wash your face with cold water. This mask removes tanning of the skin.

4. Glycerin solution
1 tablespoon glycerine
1 teaspoon rose water
1/2 teaspoon honey

Apply this on your face and neck for 1 hour. Wash off with warm water. Use this twice a week.

5. Milk cream mask
1 tablespoon milk cream
1 teaspoon honey

Apply this mask on your face and neck. Wash off after 30 min with warm water. Repeat applications will make your skin glowing.

6. Egg almond mask
1 egg
1 tablespoon almond oil
1/2 teaspoon honey

Beat the egg . Mix almond oil and honey. Apply this mask on face and neck for 20 min. Wash off with warm water.

7. Cucumber, avocado mask
1 avocado mashed
1 cucumber mashed
1 egg white
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 teaspoon honey

Mix all the ingredients well. Make a smooth paste and apply it on your face for 20 min. Wash off with water. This mask is good for tightening up your skin.

8. Toning mask
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 egg yolks
1 tablespoon curd

Mix all the ingredients and apply it on face and neck. Let it dry completely, dab some water and start scrubbing your skin. Wash off with warm water.

9. Clay mask
1 teaspoon fuller's earth or any natural clay
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Mix a paste and apply it on your face and neck. Let it dry completely. Wash of with cold water.

10. Herbal pack
1 tablespoon natural clay or fuller's earth
1 teaspoon tomato juice
1 teaspoon cucumber juice
1 teaspoon curd
2 crushed mint leaves

Mix all the ingredients and make a fine paste. Apply this pack on face and neck. Let it dry completely and wash with cold water.

Dark circles

Almost all women suffer from dark circles (under eyes) at some of point. Here are a few natural and easy to prepare remedies to alleviate this problem....

1. Apply almond oil whenever you are relaxing. Massage in circular moments and put rose water cotton pads for 5 to 10 min.

2. Take a Vitamin E capsule, cut it and take the oil and apply under your eyes. This not only helps you getting rid of dark circles, but also reduces puffiness around your eyes. Use vitamin e oil if capsule is not available.

3. Take a 1 tsp of tomato juice, few drops of lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder. Make a paste and apply this under your eyes. Wash off after 10 to 15 min.

4. Apply cucumber juice mixed with honey once a week.

5. Every morning after washing your face, apply equal parts of tomato juice and lime juice around your eyes and over the eye lids. Wash your face after half an hour.

6. Make paste of nutmeg with milk. Apply it around eye are and over eye lids. Leave it for 15 min. Wash off with warm water. This also gives cooling effect. Good for tired eyes.

7. When ever you have time, dip cotton pads in chilled rose water and relax for 15 min.
This gives refreshing and cooling effect to your eyes.

8. Cut cucumber/ potato slice. Cover your eyes with the slice for some time.

9. Take honey, glycerine in equal parts. Apply it around eyes and over eye lids. Massage for 5 min. Leave it for 1 hour, wash your face with cold water.

10. Take 1 teaspoon almond oil, 1 teaspoon vitamin e oil. Massage around eyes every night. This will make a remarkable difference.

Hair care

Healthy hair is a crucial part of woman's beauty.

Everyone desires beautiful, long, healthy and problem free hair. We try a lot of new shampoos, conditioners and hair masks. Instead of trying synthetic methods, I am suggesting easy and natural ways to keep your hair healthy and problem-free.

1.Olive, egg mask for healthy hair:
3 big spoons olive oil, 1 egg.

Mix oil and egg properly and spread it on your scalp. Massage your scalp for 5 min. Then wrap a warm towel around your head for 30 min. Wash your hair with the regular shampoo.

2. Honey almond mask for dry hair:
2 teaspoon of honey, 1/2 cup of milk, 1 teaspoon of almond oil.

Mix them all together. Apply it on hair till the ends. Massage your scalp for 5 min. Wash your hair after 30 min.

3. Rum conditioner for Shining hair:
3 tablespoons of rum, 1 egg.
Mix the rum and egg together.

After shampooing, pour the mixture into your hair. Massage for 2 min and leave it for 5 min. Rinse your hair with lukewarm water.

4. Jojoba oil and beer conditioner:
1 cup warm beer
1 teaspoon jojoba oil.

Mix beer and oil together. Make sure the beer is warm or the oil will turn hard (jojoba oil is similar to wax). Pour the mixture over your head, massage your scalp for 5 min. Wash your hair with the regular shampoo.

5. Dandruff control treatment:
2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoon water, 2 tablespoon olive oil.

Mix all the ingredients together and massage into your scalp. Leave it for 30 min and wash your hair with mild herbal shampoo. If you have dry scalp please use anti- dandruff shampoo. I suggest Ginger Anti-dandruff Shampoo from Body Shop.

6. Healthy hair oil:
1 teaspoon almond oil, 1 teaspoon castor oil.

Mix oils together. Warm it up a bit and massage your scalp for 10-15 min. Apply the oil on hair till the ends. Wrap a warm towel for 15 min or take steam.
Wash your hair after 2 hours.

7. Henna pack for deep conditioning:
1/2 cup henna powder, 2 tablespoon honey, 1 egg, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 3 tablespoon curd.

Mix all the ingredients and make a smooth paste. Put some water if needed. Apply this pack on hair. Wrap your hair with a plastic cap. Leave for 30 min. And wash off with warm water.

8.Oil for hair loss:
Castor oil 1 cup, 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds.

Boil castor oil with fenugreek seeds for about 20 min. Let it cool. Use this hair oil for hair massage.

9.Avocado, banana mask for damaged hair:
1 tablespoon almond oil, 3 tablespoons of both ripe banana and avocado pulp.

Mix all the ingredients. Apply this paste on your hair till ends for 20 min. Wrap your hair with a cap. Wash your hair with warm water.

Recommendations for hair care:
1. Never wash your hair with too hot or too cold water. Use lukewarm water to wash your hair.
2. For healthy hair eat a lot of vegetables which has iron like spinach, broccoli, radish. If you eat non-veg then chicken liver, pork liver, shrimps are the best source of iron.
3. Avoid blow-drying everyday.
4. Avoid too much of highlighting, straitening of hair.
5. Avoid oily and spicy food.
6. Clean your combs, hair brushes twice a week.
7. Do not change your shampoo and conditioners every now and then.
8. Do yoga and regular exercise.
9. Wash your hair at least 3 times a week and dry them properly.
10.Do not do hard massage and scrubbing on your scalp.

Some easy steps to natural beauty

1. Get plenty of rest.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Drink lot of water. (At least 8 glasses of water everyday)
4. Eat healthy food including lot of fruits like apple, orange, banana, kiwi and peach.
5. Take care of your skin and hair by doing some home made remedies twice a week.
6. Give your self monthly facial and total body treatments.
7. Use sun protection.
8. Use natural beauty products like Body Shop, Boots botanical range, Logona.
9. Wash your face twice a day and nourish your skin with rich moisturizers.
10.Smile... :)

Skin care

Here are some natural, quick and home made remedies for healthy, glowing and gorgeous skin...

For oily skin:
1. Fuller's earth pack
1 teaspoon of fuller's earth powder (multani mitti)
Rose water, few drops of lemon.

Mix all the ingredients together. Apply it on your face and neck. Wash off after 15 min with warm water.

2. Tomato pack
1 teaspoon of tomato juice
Few drops of lemon juice

Mix it and apply on your face for 10 min. Wash off with warm water.

3. Cucumber pack
2 teaspoons cucumber juice,
1 teaspoon fuller's earth.

Mix them together, add some rose water if needed. Apply this pack on face, specially on excessive oily parts of your face. Let it dry completely. Wash off with warm water.

4. Papaya orange pack
1 big spoon of papaya pulp,
1/2 teaspoon of orange peel powder.

Blend the ingredients well. Apply it on your face. Let it dry completely. Dab some water and start scrubbing your skin gently. Wash off with warm water.

5. Lemon and grapefruit mask
1 grapefruit
1 lemon
2 pieces of apple
1 egg white and 6 grapes Please use honey if you are allergic to egg.

Put all the ingredients in a blender, blend them properly to make a paste. Apply it on face and neck. Wash off after 15 min with warm water.

Recommendations for oily skin:
1. Drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday.
2. Avoid oily and spicy food. Eat fruits like orange, grapefruits.
3. Keep one water bottle in a fridge and spray this cold water 3-4 times a day.
4. If you have oily skin, use cleanser which has lemon or orange extracts, followed by astringent.
5. Use orange, apricot scrubs twice a week for deep cleansing.


For dry skin:
1. Honey and cream mask
1 teaspoon of honey
1 teaspoon of cream
2 drops of olive oil.

Mix them together and apply in on your face and neck. Wash off after 20 min.

2. Mayonnaise mask:
Apply plane homemade or readymade mayonnaise for 15 min. Dab some milk and massage for 5 min. Wash off with warm water.

3. Hot almond and olive oil mask
1/2 teaspoon of both almond and olive oil.

Mix oils together. Warm it up little and apply it your face, neck. Massage for 5 min. Cover your face with a hot towel for 5 min. Wash your face with the warm water.

4.Curd and honey mask
1 tablespoon curd
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon almond oil

Mix all together and apply i on your face for 15 min. Preferably at night. Wash your face with cold water. Then apply some good quality of night cream. Vitamin E nourishing night cream from Body Shop is ideal for dry skin.

5. Milk powder pack
1 teaspoon milk powder
1/2 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon rose water.

Mix all the ingredients. Apply this pack for 20 min. Wash off with warm water.


Recommendations for dry skin:
1. Avoid strong soaps for washing face. Use soap-free, mild face wash. See cleanser for more information.
2. Avoid use of astringents.
3. Regular massage of almond oil will make remarkable difference.
4.Use regularly night creams which has Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA).


For Mature skin:
1. Egg and honey mask
1 egg white
1 teaspoon honey

Mix egg and honey together. Apply this mask for 20 min.
Wash off with warm water.

2. Milk cream, banana mask
1 teaspoon milk cream
1 teaspoon banana pulp

Blend cream and banana together. Apply this mask for 20 min. Wash off with warm water.

3.Vitamin e mask
2-3 vitamin e capsules or 1/2 teaspoon vitamin e oil
1 teaspoon almond oil
1/2 teaspoon fresh cream.

Mix all the ingredients. Apply on your face and neck. Wash off after 20 min.

4. Glycerin honey mask
1 teaspoon glycerine
1 teaspoon honey
few drops of rose water

Mix all together. And apply on face and neck for half an hour. Wash off with warm water. Use this mask twice a week to get better results.


Recommendations for mature skin:
1. Regular massage of vitamin e oil and almond oil can prevent wrinkles on skin.
2. Use creams which has wheat-germ oil or almond oil.
3. Daily apply anti-aging toners followed by rich night creams. Revitalift anti-wrinkle + firming Aqua milky toner from Loreal works well on mature skin.
4. Sleep for a minimum of 6 hours daily.
5. Do yoga and meditations regularly.
6. Go for professional facial once a month.
7. Do home facials (massage and natural face pack) twice a week.


Some more natural recipes to pamper your skin...

1.Strawberry acne mask:
2 teaspoons fresh strawberries pulp
1 egg white
1 teaspoon honey.

Blend all the ingredients well. Apply it on your face and neck. Wash off after 20 min with cold water.
For acne do not use hot water. Always wash your face with cold water.

2. Fresh carrot mask for winters:
1/4 cup fresh carrot pulp or thick juice
1 teaspoon fuller's earth
1 teaspoon milk.

Mix all the ingredients. Make a smooth paste and apply it on your face. Wash off after 20 min. You can restore the remaining mask in refrigerator up to one week.

3. Fruit gel mask:
For normal to dry skin: Use apple, peach juice.
For oily skin: Use tomato, grapefruit, orange juice.

According to your skin type take half a cup of juice or pulp, 1 teaspoon of gelatin (unflavored).

Combine the gelatin and juice in bowl. Heat gently to dissolve the gelatin completely. Let it cool. Apply this mask on your skin and let it dry. Peel of and wash your face with warm water.

4. Milkmaid mask:
1/4 cup thick buttermilk
1 tablespoon milk powder
1/2 teaspoon honey

Mix all the ingredients together well. Apply this paste on your face and neck for 15-20 min. Wash off with warm water.
Recommended for mature and dry skin.

5. Oatmeal mask:
Half a cup cooked powdered oatmeal, (to cook, heat water and add 3 big spoons of oatmeal and stir it well. let it cool)
1 egg white
1 teaspoon honey

Mix all the ingredients properly. Apply it on your face and let it dry for 20 min.
Wash off with cold water.

6. Sugar scrub:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup vitamin e oil
3 teaspoons almond oil.

Mix all the ingredients properly. Use it for body scrubbing, specially for hands and feet.