Natural Henna Manicure {Nail Care}

Ok, this is not a very welcome option for every one. But, still, I would like to put this up. You all know what Henna is what multitude of benefits it offers. So, did you know that henna is anti-bacterial and the smell of henna acts as repellant for mosquitoes and insects. That was one of the chief reasons of applying it on the body and of course, later on, it became famous for body art too. There is one more major usage of henna.

Henna when applied to nails makes nails strong, healthy and shiny. Yes, unfortunately, it stains the nails too so they become orangey in color and the nail has to grow out completely to get rid of that color. But, applying henna prevents the nails from any fungal and bacterial infections too. And, I happen to like henna on my nails though the nails look really bad when the color reaches the middle but it does keep my nails pretty healthy for at least a month or two. So, try applying henna next time to the nails too and you can always use the nail paints to cover the orange color. 

Btw, here, I am not talking of the commercially available henna cones. I am referring to the fresh henna leaves ground and then applied on the hands and nails. The henna available in the market have a load of chemicals mixed in them so I don't really like applying from henna cones. Instead, plucking tender leaves of the plant and drying them is a better option to keep an unlimited supply of natural henna at home for whatever purpose you want whether it is coloring your hair or for body art.

READ MORE - Natural Henna Manicure {Nail Care}

Salicylic Acid {Ingredient}

Yesterday, I talked about Salicylic Acid and its uses for people suffering from Acne and other skin disorders. But, I also mentioned its biggest disadvantage - hyper pigmentation. I am not sure if you have noticed but salicylic acid is always used int he concentration of 1-2% in the products available in the medical stores. The reason is that it acts best on the skin in those concentrations and any excess of usage of the acid causes many skin problems like sensitivity, irritation, peeling of the skin and likes of it. So, getting tempted to use it every day is really not a good idea unless a product has been recommended by a dermatologist.

Now, you might have read about the aspirin mask recipes and would have been tempted to try it. Many of you might have tried it too. But, these masks are concentrated and hence, harm the skin instead of helping. So, kindly refrain from that. Since 1-2% is the best concentration so we shall make the homemade Salicylic Acid solution for home remedies. Now, Salicylic Acid is not available commercially so we will make do with Acetyl Salicylic Acid which is a milder form of Salicylic Acid. As Aspirin was not available, I am using Disprin Tablets and they both are actually same,though, Disprin also has Calcium Carbonate and Citric Acid to enable to it to dissolve in water.

Ingredients

• 3-6 Disprin Tablets (3 is for 1% and 6 is for 2% concentration)


• 100ml Water (go for mineral water or distilled water)

Method 

Mix the tablets in the water and store the solution. Use the solution to make face masks or mix your cleanser with the bit of a solution and wash your face with it. Mixing your makeup remover with the solution and then applying on the face for a few minutes would be most beneficial in cleaning the skin.Or, the simplest way to use the solution is to apply the solution on your face with cotton and keep it on for 5-10 minutes and then wash off the face with cleanser or face wash. 

People suffering from acne and breakouts should do it daily till they see some difference. And, oily skin people should use it twice or thrice a week. Rest with normal to dry skin and sensitive skin can use the solution not more than once a week for proper exfoliation. 

Caution (Very Very Important)

Ok, so this is something everyone needs to pay attention to. When I say anything not to be done on the blog, please take it very very seriously coz its very easy to get carried away and trust me, I am saying this from my personal experience. For example, I have used concentrated disprin mask twice on my face (as if once wasn't enough) and trust me, my complexion became dark instantly!!! So dark that the person who said I had become fair a day before had commented about my complexion the very next day and this has happened both the times I used the mask. And, even my parents complained about it. So, it causes hyper pigmentation very easily and it takes some days to get back to your original complexion so please, please do not overdo these treatments. They are supposed to be done only under strict control. And, please take my cautions about anything very seriously in my past or future posts also coz maximum of the times, I speak from personal experiences or otherwise from proper research.

How I have calculated the ratio?

10mg/1ml = 1%

thus, 350mg/x(ml) = 1%

thus, 10mg /1ml= 350mg/x

thus, x = 350/10 = 35ml

thus, 1 Disprin tablet is 1% of 35ml water so calculating in the same proportion, 3 disprin tablets would make up 1% of 100ml water (approx. coz 35*3 = 105ml).

Thus, if you want to make the concentration 2%, use 6 Disprin tablets.

I hope the calculation is clear :)

READ MORE - Salicylic Acid {Ingredient}

Beta Hydroxy Acid {Ingredient}

You might have already been aware of Alpha Hydroxy Acid so I decided to do a small post on Beta Hydroxy Acid first. In any case, I will be doing a post on Alpha Hydroxy Acids too for the benefit of people who are unaware of them. Now, a little overview of both these acids - these are two acid compounds which have become really famous in the skin care ranges in the recent decade. Both of them are used in all skin care products from cleansers to moisturizers but the main usage comes in the various peels which are performed by estheticians. These acids are helpful in exfoliation and keeping the skin healthy in a nutshell.  

So, now starting with Beta Hydroxy Acid, the only one form of this acid is used for cosmetic purposes which is called Salicylic Acid. Yes, I am pretty sure you have heard of it and many you must be even using the products which contain this acid. Now, Salicylic Acid is also very commonly known as Aspirin. You might have read quite a few DIY recipes using Aspirin. The main usage of Salicylic Acid is for people who suffer from Acne but it also useful for other skin disorders like warts, corns, calluses, etc. The acid has quite a lot of uses - it weakens the bonds of the dead skin cells, cleans the clogged pores, kills the bacteria in the pores and also reduces the size of the pores and helps in the growth of new cells. Sounds awesome, right??? But, there is a very big disadvantage of Salicylic Acid - it causes hyper pigmentation and makes your skin photo-sensitive (sensitive to sunlight). 

PS: In the next post, I shall be discussing how to overcome the problem of hyper pigmentation due to the acid.

READ MORE - Beta Hydroxy Acid {Ingredient}

Hydration for Hair {Hair Care}

Rule 1 for Hair Care: Constantly hydrate your hair. 

One of the very basic principle of hair care is to keep your hydrated at all times. Dry hair is prone to damage and same goes with excessively oily hair. Oily hair is just excess in oil which is also harmful for the hair as it might cause excess buildup on the scalp and hair and of course, you need to wash your hair regularly to get rid of the grease. So, let us return to hydration of hair. If you want to keep your hair in optimal health, go for regular hydrating treatments. A hair spa is a good indulgence which will bring a lot of life to your hair too. And, whipping up various home remedies is also not such a bad option. Make it a routine to treat your hair at least once a week to a hydrating treatment whether its a hair mask from the brands or a homemade one.

READ MORE - Hydration for Hair {Hair Care}

Dried Rose Petals {Ingredient}

We all know the beauty uses of rose. I had even published a post on how to make Rose Milk at home which was a failed experiment but the result was great. Shall post the one which I was trying actually when I succeed. So, I just wanted to share this little thing. 

My mother has a very old habit of collecting the withered roses from the plant and dry them so I have a huge amount of dried rose petals. You could also try that out next time your garden is full of roses. My mom collects only red and maroon roses, btw, and sometimes pink. Well, you might be aware that only red roses are used for extracting rose oil or preparing its essential oil or even while making fragrances. So, collecting and storing dried rose petals are really beneficial coz you can use them in any DIY's and since these are dehydrated, you can also make oils and your own fragrances with rose infusions. Roses are among the very few flowers you can store otherwise most of them just rot if you try to dry them :( And, I love pressing roses in between the books. That seems romantic though it might be cruel for the flowers but the flowers look best in the garden and no where else.So, next time you see a withered rose, you might think of using it for your beauty routines.

READ MORE - Dried Rose Petals {Ingredient}

Why Besan works? {DIY}

Have you ever wondered how besan is able to clean the skin? The answer is very simple. It has high content of saponins - the same thing present in reetha or soapnuts. The very reason makes the mung dal or green gram dal which is a major ingredient of sunnipindi equally or even more effective than besan in cleaning the skin. So, washing skin with besan or sunnipindi regularly ensures your skin is receiving no harmful or harsh chemicals and the skin is cleansed effectively too. Mixing it with milk which has lactic acid makes the cleansing process even more effective ensuring your skin is on the same time getting AHA (very famously known as Alpha-Hydroxy Acids) which is mild enough to be used on the skin everyday and protects the skin from free radicals and other skin-damaging agents. 

READ MORE - Why Besan works? {DIY}

Turmeric for Acne {DIY}

A long time back I had done a post on home remedies for acne. So, I had a recent outbreak of cystic acne (I suppose coz it was painful and had a white head) and I decided it was better to suppress it before it became a fully blown acne which has to treated properly by a dermatologist. So, consequently, I tried the first remedy which came to my head - Turmeric. 

Ingredients

• Turmeric
• Water / Mineral Water

Method 

Mix them both so that it forms a smooth lotion and apply a layer on the spot of acne. Keep it on for a minimum time of 10 - 15 minutes or as long as you can. Wash it off. 

Results 

Well, I used this remedy once in a day before having bath. I kept it on for 10 - 15 minutes usually and then washed it off with face wash. I did this for around 2 days before it started showing any difference and after that, the acne started to dry up and subsided completely within a week. I used this as a spot treatment and the results were pretty good so next time you get an outbreak, you might want to test this one. Since turmeric has antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, it helps with problem skin.  

READ MORE - Turmeric for Acne {DIY}

Turmeric for Sore Throat {DIY}

Ok, so this is such an awesome and super quick remedy that I have become a big fan of turmeric now. As I told you that I am suffering from cold and I had this sore throat a few days back which I had to treat super quick, so I was just googling for remedies and then I came across this and tried out. And, it worked like a charm!!! So, if you get a sore throat ever, you should definitely try out this remedy before you go to anything else (even medicines and a doc). We have been trying out turmeric for skin, now try for sore throats.

Ingredients

• Hot water (preferably as hot as you can drink without burning your throat and blistering your tongue)
• Table spoon of Turmeric
• Honey (optional)

Mix all the three and drink as fast a possible. Or, better, take large gulps of the drink. Trust me, its not very tasty so I had put honey too and honey is also said to be good for throat. I had taken it twice - once in the night and another in the morning and I was sweating all night and in the morning, my throat pain was considerably better. I think this drink helps with fever too but I am not very sure but I was sweating really badly so guess you can try this for fever too. 

If you take my advise, I think one should take this drink the moment person feels the irritation in the throat which comes as a sign of cold. I think that would stop the cold then and there coz bearing full cold is really tedious.

READ MORE - Turmeric for Sore Throat {DIY}

Face Pack for glowing skin {Reader's Tips}

Hey All!!! I thought I would be doing an MIA silently but it seems I can't stay away from this platform long enough :) So, today, I am posting a recipe for glowing skin from Puspendu from Kolkata.

Use 2tbsp full of ata(wheat flour)+ 1-2tsp full of lemon juice + raw milk (as much required to make a paste) and 2tsp beetroot paste (boil the beetroot and smash it) now make a fine paste using all these ingredients and apply it on your face and neck, keep it for 5-10 minutes and wash off...do it everyday...after 7 days you will feel the difference....hope to hear from you guys......see you!!!

Thanks a lot Puspendu for your kind words. They have made my really bad day and trust me, bad was worse than horrible today :) So, thanks a lot!!! And, I would try to try out this recipe soon.

READ MORE - Face Pack for glowing skin {Reader's Tips}

Eucalyptus Oil for Cold {DIY}

Oh yes, I am most definitely ad very uncomfortably suffering from cold so you are suffering from a barrage of cold related posts. Yeah, I stick to Eucalyptus Oil during cold but I didn't try taking bath with it ever. So, try this out. Let out really hot water (which might make your skin dry), add a tablespoon of eucalyptus oil to a bucket of water (change the proportions accordingly) and take bath with it. Make sure you bathe in really hot water. It will give immense relief and the experience is even better when the water is steaming hot so it releases eucalyptus oil vapors. Your bathroom will smell of the oil for hours later on and it will give a little bit of relief surely. Otherwise, taking bath while having cold feels really tiring.

READ MORE - Eucalyptus Oil for Cold {DIY}

Lemon Juice and Honey to ward off cold {DIY}

Well, the season is changing and many of you might be suffering from cold, cough and fever. So, what is the best way to get rid of it. Ok, I am just prescribing something which might help along with your medicines and other things. So, what do you need?

Ingredients

• Lemon
• Honey
• Warm - Hot Water

Method

Squeeze lemon in the hot or warm water (enough warm that it should feel good while going down your throat) and add a table spoon of honey or to taste (depending on your preference). Keep drinking it in intervals.

Notes

I always felt that lemon aggravates the bad condition of the throat but nope, it in fact helps to improve the condition and get rid of the irritation which you feel while you have bad cough and cold. So, next time you get a cold, don't be afraid of lemons :)

READ MORE - Lemon Juice and Honey to ward off cold {DIY}

Scrub for the Back {DIY}

Have someone definitely help you with this :) Back is not very easily accessible and it needs to be cleaned now and then. So, here is a simple scrub to keep the back soft. 

Ingredients

• Masoor Dal (Red Lentil)
• Almond Oil

Method

Grind masoor dal till it is fine. Pass it through a sieve and separate out the bigger granules and softer ones. Mix the softer ones with almond oil and apply it to your back for 15 minutes. Scrub with a light hand and wash off. 

Results

The skin will be extra soft and clean. This will also prevent back acne.

READ MORE - Scrub for the Back {DIY}

Classic Face Pack Remembered {DIY}

Ok, so, I am not sharing anything new today. But, just reminding you all of the classic face pack which costs a zilch and the results are far better than any pricy product and this one has the simplest of the ingredients and is an answer to almost all the skin problems. 

Ingredients

• Multani Mitti
• Curd / Yogurt

Method

Mix them both and apply the pack on the face. Wait for it to dry. It might take long time, though but the wait is worth it. So, try this on a day when you can laze around. In the mean time, keep two chilled tea bags with you and apply them to your eyes and relax. After the mask gets dry, wash it off and rinse your face with green tea (warm or cold, anything). 

Results

A really fresh, hydrated and supple skin is revealed. It brightens the complexion in an instant, controls oil production and removes the dead skin cells. Multani mitti is great for oily skin and curd is great for troubled skin. But, this mask doesn't dry the skin at all. But, if you have dry skin, make sure to include honey as a precaution. But, even dry skin people should use clay masks once in a while coz it detoxifies the skin. So, a face pack which answers all the troubles of your skin and this can be done every alternate day by oily, combination and normal skin people and once in a week by dry skin gals (or guys!!!).

READ MORE - Classic Face Pack Remembered {DIY}

Homemade Body Polish {DIY}

I have used this once till today and the results have been better than any scrub I have ever used. And, at a pinch of a price. 

Ingredients

• Salt (preferably any Dead Sea Salt, Rock Salt or Epsom Salt)


• Sugar (preferably Cane Sugar or Jaggery)


• Honey

Method 

Mix salt and sugar in equal quantities enough for the entire body and mix them in honey to make a gooey paste. After your shower, scrub or polish your skin with this mixture until the salt and sugar dissolve which will take some time. If you still have time and mood on hands, leave it ont he skin for 15-30 minutes in a hot bathroom. Wash off and follow with moisturizer. 

Results

Amazingly soft skin and the difference is very much visible in one time. When I tried it out, my friend couldn't stop raving about my skin and asked me what did I do. I used this on the face too. And, my skin was glowing literally. And, as I am writing this, I feel like going and doing this again. 

Skin Type

Not for sensitive skin (might irritate) and for people suffering from breakouts. Also, make sure you don't have any wounds or cuts anywhere on your body coz you are using salt.Otherwise, all skin types can use this polish from dry to oily.

READ MORE - Homemade Body Polish {DIY}

Remedy for Sunburn {Reader's Tip}

So, Tanveer posted this remedy as a response to my post yesterday on "How to treat Sunburns?".

"I find applying either a 10% vitamin c soln or a zinc oxide cream brings down the redness inflammation quite rapidly"

You can read this post on how to make a 10% Vitamin C solution on Tanveer's blog and for a Zinc Oxide cream, she uses Rashfree by Pfizer which was recommended by a dermatologist so if you are suffering from any skin problems or are already on medication or something, you should consult a dermatologist before starting with any cream of drug grade.

Btw, just sharing what I know. Zinc Oxide is found in Boroline cream too but the quantity is only 3% so I am not really sure how much it helps with sunburns. Or, it is also found in Lactocalamine. Ok, not that these will help with sunburns but the two easily available products with zinc oxide in them. And, I have tried to get the powdered zinc oxide from the medical stores but it wasn't so easy. So, in case you might just ask them for a cosmetic graded zinc oxide.

READ MORE - Remedy for Sunburn {Reader's Tip}

Aloe vera Hibiscus Hair Pack {DIY}

This is a simple DIY hair pack which is extremely awesome. In many of my previous posts, I have repeatedly talked about aloe vera being so good for hair and also about hibiscus leaves and flowers. So, this hair pack has only these two ingredients.

Ingredients (enough for shoulder length hair):

• 1 whole aloe vera leaf (preferably thick and fresh)
• a handful of hibiscus leaves 
• 5-10 hibiscus flowers (optional)

Method: Extract the aloe pulp from the leaf and grind all the ingredients together. It will form a green gooey paste of a thick consistency. Do not dilute it. Partition hair into sections and apply the paste properly to the scalp first and then the body of your hair. Leave the pack on your hair for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Cover with a shower cap for better results. Wash off with water. It is good to follow with reetha-shikakai instead of using a shampoo, if possible.   

Big disadvantage with the pack is that it is really sticky and difficult to wash off so it needs patience with that. Otherwise, you will find green bits in your hair afterward while combing. They do come out then but it is better to wash them off properly. 

Results: I kept the paste on my hair for an hour or so and washed my hair with reetha. My hair was really soft. In fact it is soft even after two washes after applying the pack and the hair was noticeably shiny. 

The pack is also supposed to help with hair loss and promotes hair growth but I can't vouch for it coz I have used it only once. But, the ingredients are good for all the claims. But, the immediate results are amazing so give this one a try. A great break from the regular smelly hair packs having egg or curd. 

READ MORE - Aloe vera Hibiscus Hair Pack {DIY}

How to make green tea? {DIY}

I had once upon a time done a post on the beauty benefits of green tea. But, making green tea properly is a little tricky. Properly made green tea provides plethora of benefits but if not made properly, not only does it not give the benefits but also tastes horrible. If it tastes bitter or too bland, then you are not making it correctly.

Green Tea is the least processed tea leaves after white tea so the leaves are very delicate and can burn at higher temperatures. The optimal temperature of water for green tea is 75 degrees. Even a little bit more would spoil the leaves, burn them and cause the taste to turn bitter at which point you are not receiving any benefits from drinking the tea. So, how to make it properly?

Here's what I do. I don't take more than a tea spoon of tea leaves. I always use loose powder because the instant tea bags need to go more processing than the loose powder.I boil my water in electric kettle coz it happens faster. So, after it boils, I leave the kettle open for 15 minutes for the water to cool down. Then, after 15 minutes are over, pour the water over the tea leaves in a cup and stir it with a spoon for two minutes exactly (a minute more would make the tea taste bitter). Strain the tea and drink it. You can add honey as a sweetener but it tastes better without that or you can also add 4-5 drops of lemon for extra flavor. 

Instead of throwing the used leaves, I pour boiling water over the leaves and leave it over night. In the morning, I strain the leaves and use the liquid either as a toner, pour it in my bath water, wash my face or use it as a hair rinse.

I like the Tetley brand of green tea particularly. Heard that Twining is good but I have not used the Fab India one. But, I had used their Tulsi something tea which I didn't particularly like. And, there are a lot of flavors in the market in various brands. So, you can use any!!

READ MORE - How to make green tea? {DIY}

Acne Remedy {Reader's Tip}

This was submitted as a comment by Fozia. 

Take a tablespoon of tomato juice and add equal quantity of milk and lemon juice in it. Massage your face with this mixture and leave on for 20 minutes on your face. Wash off with cold water. 

Fozia says this remedy is really effective and its always given her 100% results. 

READ MORE - Acne Remedy {Reader's Tip}

Steam and Skin {Skin Care}

Of course, you must have heard that steaming is amazing for your skin. Well, yes, it is. Why? It deep cleanses the skin by removing the dirt from the pores. One can make the steaming process exciting by adding herbs to it like tea tree oil for acne prone skin, eucalyptus oil for people prone to headaches and cold or even tea leaves for a simple refreshing feeling or you can give yourself an aromatherapy session by adding essential oils to the water. Apart from just simply hydrating the skin, the essential oils would also work on your skin and provide various benefits depending on the ones you have used. But, there is a time limit for the steaming process too. 

Dry Skin: 1-2 minutes (at max 3)

Normal / Combination Skin: 5 minutes

Oily Skin: 10-15 minutes (depending on the dirt clogged in your pores)

Now, one more thing to remember is that steaming your face is not a routine work. It is a therapy and like all therapies, it should be done regularly for maximum results but not daily. 

Dry Skin: once in 2 weeks

Normal / Combination Skin: once in a week

Oily Skin: at max. twice in a week

The reason why I have combined normal and combination skin is because of the fact that combination skin has both dry and oily areas. So, if taken for less time, the dirt and oil in the clogged pores wouldn't clean well and if taken for more time, it will lead to patchy areas. 

Beware of taking steam more often than necessary. Why? Excess of everything is bad and excess of steaming will cause your skin to become dry and dry skin is more prone to aging. Regular steaming is advisable for clearer skin. So, stick to the time lines and be regular to reap the benefits. 

One more word of caution for people under 25 who think they have not yet reached the age of aging. Aging is a process and not an age. It can begin at any time depending on various factors like your hormonal balances, your diet, your skin care routines, medicines and supplements taken by you and finally on the environmental factors like sun, rain, wind, pollution, dirt, time spent in air conditioned environments and dependency on technology and gadgets. So, if you think that since your skin is not aging right now, a little deviation form the skin routine is possible. Think again. Everything you do with your skin will show once you reach the age of 35. So, it is best to start taking care of it at whatever age you are.

READ MORE - Steam and Skin {Skin Care}

Face pack for Blemished Skin {DIY}

Ingredients

• Tomato juice
• Sandalwood Powder

Method 

Mix them both in a bowl and apply on face and neck. Regular usage would help in the brightening of the skin, removes the tan and also the blemishes and dark spots on the skin. This face pack can be used everyday too. Tomato juice is mild enough and doesn't cause photo-sensitivity like citrus fruits. Sandal wood helps with acne and pimples too and controls the oil production in the skin.

Results 

A smooth fresh skin is revealed. It makes the skin supple and brightens the complexion. A good face pack to use before an outing.

READ MORE - Face pack for Blemished Skin {DIY}