CARROT FACIAL MASK

CARROT FACIAL MASK

Beauty ingredients

• 2-3 large carrots
• 4 1/2 tbs honey

• Cook carrots, then mash into a smooth consistency. 

• Mix the mashed carrots with honey, and apply to your face. 

• Leave on for 10 minutes before rising off with cool water.

Skin care benefit

• With roots in Afghanistan, carrots are known for their high potency of vitamin A, as well as vitamin C, folacin and potassium. 

• Carrot juice moisturizes and repairs skin tissue, while protecting it from sun damage and toning the skin.

KEYWORDS: CARROT FACIAL MASK

APRICOT AND PAPAYA FACE SCRUB

APRICOT AND PAPAYA FACE SCRUB

Beauty ingredients

• 1 tsp apricot kernel powder (finely grated) 
• 3 tbs apricot pulp
• 3 tbs ripe papaya pulp (peak season is beginning of summer; end of spring if you're lucky!)

• Mix all ingredients together and apply to your face and neck for 20 minutes. 

• Gently scrub while rinsing off. Leon Rao, natural skin care advisor and author of Leon's Anti-aging Beauty Secrets, advises, "If you don't have apricot kernel powder at home, you can substitute it with oatmeal powder or almond powder."

Skin care benefit 

• Apricots are high in beta-carotene and known for reducing problematic skin issues. 

• A mixture of sub-acids and sugar, apricots are great for gentle exfoliation and nourishment, leaving your skin soft and brighter.

KEYWORDS: APRICOT AND PAPAYA FACE SCRUB

STRAWBERRY DRAWING FACIAL MASK

STRAWBERRY DRAWING FACIAL MASK

Beauty ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries
• 1 tablespoon fresh milk
• 1 tablespoon rice flour or cornstarch

• Mash together all ingredients to make a smooth paste. 

• Spread over your face and neck, and leave on for 20 minutes. 

• Rinse with warm water and pat your skin dry. 

• Use twice weekly. 

Skin care benefit

• Strawberries contain natural antioxidants, which are known to repair skin and act as anti-aging agents, as well as protect your skin from environmental stress. 

• The salicylic acid in strawberries removes dead skin cells, unveiling the smooth, radiant skin below. 

KEYWORDS: STRAWBERRY DRAWING FACIAL MASK

AVOCADO BoDY MASK

AVOCADO BODY MASK

Beauty ingredients

•  2 avocados, thoroughly mashed into a paste
•  3 tablespoons sea salt or kosher salt
•  1/4 cup honey
•  Grated rind of two fresh lemons, along with the juice
•  1/4 cup organic coconut oil 

• Mix all ingredients together until smooth and creamy. (The consistency should be that of a thin sour cream.) 

• Apply to your skin for 10 to 15 minutes, then scrub off well with warm water. 

• Keep unused portion in refrigerator for two to three days.

Skin care benefit

"Avocados have a treasure trove of anti-aging attributes," gushes Dolan, including vitamins A, D and E, as well as proteins, lecithin, potassium and beta-carotene, a cancer-fighting ingredient. Dolan continues, "Avocados also are high in emollient qualities imparted by sterolins, which work to heal sun-damaged skin, scarring and reduce age spots."

Keywords: AVOCADO BODY MASK

SKIN-REVITALIZING ORANGE PEEL

SKIN-REVITALIZING ORANGE PEEL

Beauty ingredients

•  1 egg yolk
•  1 tsp honey
•  1/8 cup fresh citrus (lemon, orange or lime) juice
•  1 packet plain gelatin

Mix together thoroughly, and apply to skin for 20 to 25 minutes. 

Skin care benefit

• Navel oranges are a great source of AHAs and vitamin C, which are clinically proven to prevent wrinkles and fine lines. 

• In this creation by Dolan, "The egg yolk moisturizes and firms, the honey moisturizes and the citrus juice exfoliates the dead skin cells away, stimulating new cell production."

Keywords: SKIN-REVITALIZING ORANGE PEEL

8 Things That Might Happen If You Stop Washing Your Face with Soap

8 Things That Might Happen If You Stop Washing Your Face with Soap

You know the rules: Washing your face before bed is an absolute must. But a new movement says that using soap may be totally optional. (Said movement favors other, more natural products like face oil or micellar water.) We decided to do some digging to get the dirty truth about what might happen if you were to forgo the suds. Here, eight shocking possibilities.

1. You might stop breaking out so much. Yes, there actually is such a thing as over-cleansing your face (especially for those prone to acne). Your efforts to combat bacteria with soap can actually strip your skin, causing it to overcompensate and produce more oil. Facial oils are more balancing--they cleanse and moisturize at the same time without causing irritation.

2. Eventually, you might not need moisturizer at all. One of the best things about face oil (or rose water, etc.) is its hydrating properties. Over time, as your skin adjusts, you may be able to replace your moisturizer altogether (just don’t forget to apply SPF).

3. You could toss your makeup remover, too. Yep, face oil is the fastest and most gentle way to remove left-behind product residue, whether it’s your dark black eyeliner or red lip stain. Simply apply the oil and wipe your makeup away.

4. But your skin’s texture could change. Exfoliation matters. When you stop washing your face with soap, a layer of dead skin cells starts to build up on the surface. If you switch to oil, you’ll need to build twice-a-week exfoliation into your routine.

5. Your friends will compliment you on your dewy complexion. Face oils--which contain antioxidants and vitamins and have anti-inflammatory properties--will help restore moisture levels to your face. Hello, gorgeous.

6. But it might take you an extra five to ten minutes to clean your face. When applying oil, you need to be sure your skin is completely saturated to reap the benefits. Once you massage it into your skin, it’s best to leave it on for up to ten minutes to deep clean your pores.

7. You’ll need to give your skin a few weeks to adjust. Test a small patch before switching to oil, especially if you have sensitive skin. But be patient. You’ll need to give your skin time to detox and adjust to the new products.

8. Cleaning your face will feel like a trip to the spa. Especially since you can add essential oils like lavender or peppermint to your routine.

Keywords: 8 Things That Might Happen If You Stop Washing Your Face with Soap

Weird Hair Tricks That Really Work

Weird Hair Tricks That Really Work

Let’s be honest. We love learning new hairstyles, dyeing our hair new colors, and doing a DIY hair mask on a Sunday night, but when it comes down to it, the more shortcuts we can take with our hair, the better. That doesn’t mean cutting corners, necessarily, but simply learning the worthwhile tricks that really work. Along the way of talking to hairstylists backstage at Fashion Week and trading secrets with our best friends, we collect a ton of hair tricks, the 10 best of which we’re sharing with you below.

• Want subtle highlights for the summer but don’t want to empty your wallet? Squeeze out an entire lemon into a dish, dip a clean toothbrush into the juice, and gently comb it through your hair. Then, go sit in the sun for about 45 minutes to an hour (wearing SPF, of course!). Do this once every two weeks or so and the lemon juice will naturally lighten your hair in the sun.

• Get rid of static in your hair by using dryer sheets. With one sheet, smooth it over your entire head going from root to ends. To avoid getting static altogether, rub the dryer sheets on your brushes and combs before using them on your hair.

• Make your ponytail look fuller by using the hair clip trick. Pull your hair into a ponytail at the back of the crown of your head and secure it with a hair tie. Separate it into two sections (top and bottom), and with a small-to-medium sized claw hair clip, clip hair at the base of the ponytail, underneath the top section. Place the top section of hair over the clip and spray a bit of dry shampoo to get a fuller texture and hide the clip.

           MORE: Fake It Until You Make It: Longer Hair

• To remove all of the build up that can happen in your hair (oil and product build up can clog up your scalp and put a halt on your hair growing!) mix baking soda in water to create a paste, and use that to wash your hair. Rinse the baking soda out with a mixture of apple cider vinegar for a completely natural, clean head of hair.

• Baby hairs and cowlicks are incredibly annoying, but there’s a way to tame them. Spray a toothbrush with strong hold hairspray and comb down the baby hairs and cowlicks so they’ll sit with the rest of your hair.

• Sleeping on a silk pillowcase will help to prevent hair breakage and damage that can happen in the middle of the night as you toss and turn. Cotton and other textures mixed with your hair moving back and forth can create friction, which is what can cause the hair to break.

• A lot of the time, girls with brunette or red hair shy away from dry shampoo because of the white residue that is often left over. DIY your own dry shampoo for darker hair so that you can skip washing your hair! Mix 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder, 2 tablespoons of corn starch, and a dash of cinnamon. Apply at your roots and shake through with your fingers for a refreshed head of hair! 

           MORE: 10 Things No One Ever Tells You About Dry Shampoo

• If it takes you a very long time to straighten your hair, you may have the temperature setting on your flat iron too low, which means you need to go over the same pieces of hair multiple times, which can cause more damage. Instead, turn up the heat (to a mid-high temperature) so that you can go for a single pass and decrease damage.

• Protect your hair from chlorine in the pool by completely wetting your hair and saturating it in conditioner, leaving it wet. Your hair will soak up the chlorine-free water and conditioner instead of the pool water, which will prevent the damage and color turning that chlorine can do.

• Reduce frizz by drying your hair with a cotton t-shirt instead of a towel, then blow drying on the cool setting. Regular towels can cause a ton of friction which disrupt the cuticle and create frizz, so cotton t-shirts absorb water without causing friction. Make sure to squeeze your hair, not to rub it, while drying (which can, surprise, create more frizz-making friction). Blow drying on the cool setting to keep the cuticle closed, which won’t make as much of a frizzy mess as the hot setting.

Keywords: Weird Hair Tricks That Really Work

Makeup Hacks for Slackers

Makeup Hacks for Slackers

Why should makeup be time consuming? If you don't have time to go through a 37 step cosmetic routine, but still want to look reasonably attractive, these tips are for you. Skip the  makeup routines and get a natural, radiant look with these 12 makeup hacks:

• Hide under eye bags: Not enough sleep? No one needs to know. Highlight the crease of the bag under your eye with a shade lighter than your skin tone, then apply a darker tone between that and the eye to visually reduce the puffiness.

• Exfoliate the lips: If you don't have much time, just focus on the lips. Apply a gloss for a shiny finish or a stain for all-day color. If you exfoliate your lips with a baby toothbrush, it helps the lipstick last longer. Choose a shade that complements your skin tone.

• Tightline eyes: Apply your eyeliner straight in between your lashes and on the inner, upper rim. The look is more natural than lining above the lashes, but still give you a bit of definition.

• Curl lashes: If you're not using mascara, curling your lashes can give you the same effect. Anneke la Grange, lead artist from an online makeup course, says to heat your lash curler with the hair dryer for 3-5 seconds before curling to set the lashes into place.

• Hide blemishes: If you need to hide a blemish, instead of rubbing concealer all over it, take a thin brush and apply concealer directly (and lightly) to the blemish instead. The brush evenly distributes the concealer over the blemish.

• Conceal mistakes: If you are applying lipstick or eyeliner on the go (it happens) and you slip up, just take a bit of concealer and blend over the mistake.

• Moisturize without suffocating: Finding a tinted moisturizer will provide the color you need, moisturize your skin and let your skin breath better than heavy foundations.

• Low maintenance lips: If you're not a fan of lipstick, try using a tinted lip balm. It offers muted, subtle color while keeping your lips soft.

• Easy winged eyeliner: Winged eyeliner looks great when it's done right, but to all the women trying it freehand with an eye pencil: Use a spoon as a template by pressing the concave side against your eyelid and moving it around to create the angle of the wing.

• Quick smoky eyes: The smoky eye isn't for beginners--it takes lots of color application and precise blending if you want to achieve a professional look. To speed things up, draw a slanted hashtag on the outer corner of your eyelid with a deeper shade of eyeshadow and blend it in with the rest of your eye makeup.

• Dry shampoo tip: Instead of applying dry shampoo in the morning, apply it before bed. That way, it really gets worked around and creates tons of volume and absorbs extra oil.

• French manicure time saver: Unless you have surgeon's hands, doing your own French manicure makes it look like it was done by a 3 year-old. For a perfect line every time, wrap a rubber band on your finger where you'd like the tip, and then paint only the part above with white polish. Once it has dried, remove the rubber band and clean up with a cotton swab and some nail polish remover.

Keywords: Makeup Hacks for Slackers

Drink Water and Eat Well Hydrated Skin to Aid Removal of Stretch Marks

Drink Water for Hydrated Skin to Aid Removal of Stretch Marks

• No remedy will work effectively if your skin is not always hydrated and full of suppleness.  
• Drink enough water (if enough means 8-10 glasses for you, have at least this much!) Not only hydrated skin detoxifies your body but also restores the lost elasticity of the skin.

Eat Well to Remove Stretch Marks

• Apart from keeping your skin well hydrated, you also need to keep it well nourished. 

•  Lack of nutrients inside your body can never give you full benefits of creams, lotions, oils, masks or any other thing that you apply externally on your skin.

• Have a good amount of proteins daily. Beans, fish, egg whites, yogurt, nuts and seeds like those of pumpkin, squash, and watermelon seeds, peanuts, almonds etc. 

• have foods high in Vitamin C and E to encourage growth of skin tissues. 

• Peppers, guavas, dark leafy greens, broccoli, gooseberries, papaya, oranges, strawberries are high in vitamin C. 

• Spinach, nuts, kale, olive oil, tropical fruits like papaya and kiwi, wheat all are rich in Vitamin E. 

• Have seeds and nuts rich in mineral content (especially zinc) during your pregnancy. 

• This tones up your skin well. 

• Avoid saturated fats in your diet as they make you gain weigh and obesity can cause stretching of the skin giving you those ugly stretch marks.

Alfalfa to remove Stretch Marks

Alfalfa to remove Stretch Marks

Rich in amino acids, vitamins E and K, this herb, Alfalfa is used by many to fade the marks away. You may also give it a try as they are said to be great skin toners.

Get this:

• Alfalfa Powder- 1 tsp 

• Chamomile oil- few drops to make paste

Do this:

• Mix alfalfa powder with chamomile oil and mix well. 

• Apply the paste to your stretch marks. 

• Leave for 15 minutes.

• Wash off with water. 

• Do this thrice a day.

Keywords: Alfalfa to remove Stretch Marks

Egg Whites to Remove Stretch Marks

Egg Whites to Remove Stretch Marks

Egg white contains 40 different proteins. You can understand why it is so beneficial for skin health. Egg whites are also rich in collagen and vitamin A and thus can treat scars or burns too effectively. So go ahead with this remedy and apply egg white on your stretch marks. It’s as simple as this-

• Take out the egg white by separating the yolk from the egg. 

• Beat the egg white a little with a fork. 

• Apply on your marks. 

• Leave for 15 minutes. 

• Wash off with water. 

• Apply some moisturizer or oil (like olive oil) after you pat dry the area.

keywords: Egg Whites to Remove Stretch Marks

Cocoa- Shea Butter Homemade Cream to Remove Stretch Marks

Cocoa- Shea Butter Homemade Cream to Remove Stretch Marks

If you are fed up with all the stretch removal creams available in the market, make your own at home. You’ll be using some very commonly available ingredients for this home made cream- those that have been recognized as most skin friendly ingredients by all – cocoa butter, Shea butter and vitamin E oil. The natural antioxidants and emollient properties of cocoa butter lends it excellent moisturizing ability which penetrates deep and fast into the skin repairing it and removing stretch marks. The fatty acids of Shea butter, which has been used by Africans since ages, aids cocoa butter in repairing the skin further. As Shea butter melts at body temperature, it can be absorbed by skin very fast. Vitamin E in your cream is a powerful antioxidant which will penetrate through the layers of your skin and assist its natural wound healing process while removing the scars on it.

Get this:

• Cocoa butter- 2 tsp
• Shea butter- 2tsp
• Vitamin E oil- 1 tsp

Do this:

• Melt the Shea butter and cocoa butter.
• Add vitamin E oil to the melted butters.
• Mix well.
• Store in a container.
• The cream will get into solid state once it cools down.

• Each time when you apply this cream on your stretch marks, it will melt as soon as it comes in contact with your skin. 

• Apply this cream at least twice a day after having bath.

Keywords: Cocoa- Shea Butter Homemade Cream to Remove Stretch Marks

Lemon Juice to Remove Stretch Marks

Lemon Juice to Remove Stretch Marks

Lemons have been recognized as fine natural bleaching agents beyond doubt. The alpha hydroxy acids (AHA) and vitamin C in lemons can efficient;y remove the dead skin and make your stretch marks disappear fast.

Get this:

• Lemon- 1
• Warm water- to wash off

Do this:

• Cut the lemon into 2 halves.
• Take a half piece of lemon and gently rub it on your stretch marks.
• Feel it’s juice soaking into your skin.
• Do this for at least 10 minutes.
• Then wash off with warm water.

To make it a superfast remedy for stretch marks, you can mix lemon juice with other ingredients in equal quantities (for example 1tbsp lemon juice with 1 tbsp other juice):

• Lemon juice with cucumber juice
• Lemon juice with potato juice
• Lemon juice with tomato juice.

Keywords: Lemon Juice to Remove Stretch Marks

Potato Juice to Remove Stretch Marks

 Potato Juice to Remove Stretch Marks

This is the cheapest and one of the rapid home remedies for stretch marks. Potato is a super food due to its many components like essential fatty acids and a variety of phytochemicals, like carotenoids and polyphenols. It also has loads of vitamins and minerals including Vitamin-C, B-complex, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus and zinc. Because a potato is capable of stimulating collagen and elastin synthesis, it can effectively restore skin cells fading away your stretch marks.

Get this:

• Potato- 1 (medium sized) 

• Knife- to cut potato 

• Lukewarm water- to wash off

Do this:

• Cut the potato into thick sized slices. 

• Take a slice and rub it gently over your stretch marks. 

• Ensure to apply its juice all over your marks. 

• Leave it for 5-10 minutes. 

• Wash off with lukewarm water.

 Keywords: Potato Juice to Remove Stretch Marks

Oils to Remove Stretch Marks

Oils to Remove Stretch Marks

Natural oils are excellent emollients and they have these capacity to treat all scalp and hair problems as also skin issues including stretch marks. You just need to identify the right type of oil for the very purpose. You should ideally gently massage your skin having stretch marks with oil for about half an hour daily. However, just applying oils to the marks (something near to soaking them in oil) can also do wonders. If doing so, you need to apply oil for about three to four times a day. Olive oil, with all its antioxidant properties and loads of nutrients, is considered one of the best oils for removing stretch marks but there are many other oils that you can use. They too are good when it comes to curing stretch marks. Here is the list.

• Olive oil
• Lavender oil
• Rose oil
• Frankincense oil
• Myrrh oil
• Geranium oil
• Helichrysum oil
• Chamomile oil

The best thing will be to mix certain oils and then apply to the marks. Here’s the recipe.

Get this:

• lavender oil- ½ tsp
• Chamomile oil- ½ tsp
• Almond oil- 2 tsp ( you can use any other carrier oil like avocado oil, jojoba oil etc. in place of almond oil)

Do this:

• Mix lavender, chamomile oils with almond or the other carrier oil that you are using.
• Mix them well.
• Apply this oil mix to your stretch marks daily.
• Do this preferably thrice or four times a day.

Kywords: Oils to Remove Stretch Marks

Aloe Vera to Remove Stretch Marks

Natural Remedies to Remove Stretch Marks

Have you ever noticed the leather bag that you carry with all the stuff under the sun? It gets so stretched that it reaches the limit of its elasticity. It is then, when you see those wrinkle type marks on your old overused leather bag. You discard it and buy a new one. But you cannot do this with your own skin! Yes, your skin is composed of elastin which can be thought of as a soft elastic tissue. It is soft, supple and stretchable but it too has its own limits. Some situations exert extra pressure on your skin such as sudden weight gain or loss, pregnancy and even rapid growth of your body during teenage. Sometimes while exercising too, you stretch your body out of its limits. In such situations you get those thick red or purple lines on your skin which is popularly known as stretch marks. Gradually these lines do fade away and become white or silvery white in color but they don’t go away on their own. You have to put efforts to remove these stretch marks. Here are some home remedies to help you with your task.

Aloe Vera to Remove Stretch Marks

• Benefits of aloe vera are now very popular among the fans of home remedies. 

• This herb has in it the plant collagen which excellently repairs human skin too. 

• Use, as far as possible, the fresh aloe gel taken from the leaves instead of using store bought gel.

Get this:

• Aloe vera leaf

Do this:

• De-thorn the aloe vera leaf and remove its outer skin.
• Take out the sticky gel from the inside of the leaf.
• Apply this fresh aloe gel on your stretch marks.
• Now forget it for two hours.
• Wash off with water after this couple of hours.

Keywords: Aloe Vera to Remove Stretch Marks

Natural Remedies to Remove Stretch Marks

Natural Remedies to Remove Stretch Marks

Have you ever noticed the leather bag that you carry with all the stuff under the sun? It gets so stretched that it reaches the limit of its elasticity. It is then, when you see those wrinkle type marks on your old overused leather bag. You discard it and buy a new one. But you cannot do this with your own skin! Yes, your skin is composed of elastin which can be thought of as a soft elastic tissue. It is soft, supple and stretchable but it too has its own limits. Some situations exert extra pressure on your skin such as sudden weight gain or loss, pregnancy and even rapid growth of your body during teenage. Sometimes while exercising too, you stretch your body out of its limits. In such situations you get those thick red or purple lines on your skin which is popularly known as stretch marks. Gradually these lines do fade away and become white or silvery white in color but they don’t go away on their own. You have to put efforts to remove these stretch marks. Here are some home remedies to help you with your task.

Apricot Mask to Remove Stretch Marks

Many people use apricot scrub for rapid removal of stretch marks from their skin. However, I am giving you the recipe of a mask made from apricot that you have to apply on your stretch marks daily for at least a month or more.

Get these things:

• Apricots- 2-3
• Lukewarm water- enough to wash off your skin having marks.

Do this:

• Cut open the apricots and remove their seeds.
• Crush the fruits to get their paste.
• Apply this apricot paste on your stretch marks.
• Leave for about 15-20 minutes.
• Now wash off with warm water.
• Repeat everyday (you may initially do it twice a day) for a month.

Keywords: Natural Remedies to Remove Stretch Marks

Have Foods Rich in Phytoestrogens for Unwanted Hair Removal

Have Foods Rich in Phytoestrogens for Unwanted Hair Removal

When male hormones androgens and testosterone increase in women, the female hormone oestrogen level may go down. This hormonal imbalance causes hair to grow where they should not. You can neutralize this effect by having such foods that are rich in phytoestrogen. Phytoestrogen is a plant hormone similar to human female hormone, oestrogen. Thus, foods high on phytoestrogen may help reduce unwanted hair growth.

List of foods rich in phytoestrogen

• Soy and soy products like tofu and soy milk.
• Flaxseed
• Fennel herb and seeds
• Alfalfa
• Licorice
• Gotu kala or Brahmi herb

• Thus, include these foods in your daily menu.

• You may have herbal teas made of the above herbs like licorice, fennel and brahmi. 

• You may use flaxseed powder by adding it to your gravies, yogurts etc. 

• Chew fennel seeds after meals and have soy products frequently.

• Just remember, any home remedy for hair removal takes time to show results. 

• So, have patience while using these home remedies for unwanted hair removal.

Keywords: Have Foods Rich in Phytoestrogens for Unwanted Hair Removal