Tag: beverley lewis

Categories
Beauty

Six home remedies for puffy eyes

Wake up looking like you spent the night in a pub? Take our six-step home cure to treat your peepers.
by Beverley Lewis

Swollen eyes can not only alter your looks, but also cause others to misinterpret your lifestyle. A little insight, however, can help determine the cause for marshmallow eyes, and the six home remedies outlined here, can make them very simple to treat.

Bag ’em: Teabags can help soothe puffy and irritated eyes as they not only contain powerful antioxidants, but they also contain anti-irritant properties. To get rid of the puffiness, place moist tea bags over your eyes.

For this, first soak the teabags in hot water for a few minutes and then take them out. Allow them to cool down to a warm temperature. Then, lie down on your couch or bed and place the tea bags over your eyelids (as shown in cover pic) and cover them with a soft cloth. Leave on for about 20 minutes, after which you will notice that the swelling around the eyes has reduced a bit. Do this every day and watch the puffiness disappear.

Grab some H2O: The easiest way to get rid of puffy eyes is to drink enough water. Try and drink at least eight to ten glasses of water each day. When the body is well hydrated, there is less chance of water retention, which can cause your eyelids and other parts of your body to swell. Water will also help flush out toxins from the body. Along with increasing your intake of water, also try and reduce the amount of salt you eat and avoid sodas and coffee, as they cause dehydration. Coconut water is also a great for curing puffy eyes, as it keeps the body well hydrated and flushes out the kidneys.

Be cool: Chilled cucumber slices are perfect for treating puffy eyes. The enzymes and the astringent properties present in cucumber help reduce inflammation. Chill slices of cucumber in the refrigerator for about 10 minutes. Then, place the cold cucumber slices on closed eyes for around 10 minutes or until the cucumber becomes warm. Repeat the process several times a day. This remedy will also help you get rid of wrinkles around your eyes.

Mrs Potato head: Grate a mid-sized potato and place it in a clean cheesecloth and tie it up. Now place this makeshift eye pack on your eyelids and leave it on for 15 minutes. Do this several times a week and you will notice a marked difference.

Get egged: Egg whites have got skin-tightening properties that can help reduce puffiness. They are also good for preventing wrinkles. Place two egg whites in a bowl and whip them until they get nice and stiff. Next, add a few drops of witch hazel to the mixture. Witch hazel is not only good for reducing puffiness, but it also acts as a natural skin-tightening astringent.

With the help of a brush – or you could use your fingertips – gently massage this mixture under the eyes and allow it to dry before washing it out. This remedy will not only tighten the skin around the eyes, but it will also make them look less puffy.

Spooning works: Take five to six metal spoons and place them in your refrigerator for 10 minutes. Next, take out a cold spoon and hold the rounded portion against your eye for a few minutes until the spoon becomes warm. Then, quickly replace it with another cold spoon from the refrigerator.

Keep repeating this procedure until you go through all the spoons in the refrigerator. This will not only help to tighten the skin around your eyes, but will also help relax the blood vessels in the eyes and decrease puffiness.

Beverley Lewis has written for beauty magazines and has amazing tips to share. If she’s missed a tip you’ve tried for puffy eyes, tell her about it in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy hudabeauty.com, www.healthyskinsolutions.com)

Categories
Places

Haggis, hotels and holidays in Scotland

A Mumbaikar travelled to Scotland and visited its castles, got spooked in Edinburgh and revelled in Scottish food and drink. It’s a perfect holiday spot, she thinks.
by Beverley Lewis

Its magnificent skyline is dominated by the Edinburgh Castle and it is the perfect place to explore art venues and other Scottish staples. Renowned for literature, performing arts annual events such as the Edinburgh Festival and the city that inspired writer JK Rowling, I think it is the perfect place for a holiday.

I always wanted to visit Scotland ever since I heard the bagpipes as a little girl. When I was a student in England, I always came close to visiting Scotland, but never made it to the promised land. So, when I finally made it to Scotland eight years later, I got very excited and couldn’t stop smiling.

Ancient history
Your holiday in Edinburgh can start with a tour of the Edinburgh castle, a symbol of pride and spirit of Scottish independence, which has dominated the city since the 11th century, although over the centuries it has expanded and been renovated many times. The Edinburgh Castle houses the Scottish Crown Jewels, which includes the royal crown, the sceptre, the sword and the mysterious ‘Stone of  Destiny’, which, according to legend, came from the Holy Land. Before you leave, do not forget to pay homage to the statues of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, Scottish heroes of the resistance.

If visiting the castle is not your cup of tea, you can pay a visit to the Royal Museum of Scotland or you can stroll through the Old Town of Edinburgh. Try and visit the Royal Mile and the High Street, where you will find many historic buildings, including the ancient City Chambers. Since Edinburgh is considered one of Scotland’s most ‘haunted’ cities, and if you don’t mind getting spooked, take a walking tour of Mary King’s Close, the famous haunted street, or Grassmarket, the execution grounds. Also, do not forget to drink a pint at The Last Drop, the historic pub where the condemned were led to drink the last drop before they faced the gallows.

Festivals and food
Scotland’s capital plays host to an exciting array of festivals throughout the seasons. You can enjoy the largest farmers’ market in the country, which takes place on Castle Terrace every Saturday, while there are also many special foodie events on offer elsewhere in the area , particularly during the summer months. Taste of Edinburgh is now held annually in one of the city’s beautiful parks, bringing a vibrant atmosphere and plenty of eating, drinking and entertainment to the capital.

August will see the return of Edinburgh’s Foodies Festival in Holyrood Park where you can sip stylish cocktails, enjoy signature dishes inside the restaurant tents and gain some insider tips to take back to your own kitchen.

When in Scotland, eat and drink as the Scots do. So, although you may nurse frequent hangovers trying to keep up with them, you can do so with a Scottish breakfast. Scottish breakfast is very similar to its English counterpart, with the addition of potato scones and a few other regional variations depending on where you get it from. You sometimes get fried haggis, the national dish of Scotland.

Traditional haggis is a savoury pudding made from sheep’s heart, liver and lungs; minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally encased in the animal’s stomach and simmered for approximately three hours. However, modern commercial haggis is prepared in a sausage casing rather than an actual stomach. Obviously, not everyone can stomach this. For evening eating, you could try a restaurant serving traditional Scottish food, situated on the High Street. If you are a vegetarian or vegan, you can still enjoy the local fare as most restaurants offer vegetarian options.

Stay options
Hotels in Edinburgh can range from the youth hostels to luxurious five-star hotels. Wherever you stay in Edinburgh, make sure you are well rested to enjoy all the city has to offer, least of all its fabulous shopping, from Harvey Nichols and Jenners to small independent boutiques, there is something for everyone.

Getting there

One can take a direct flight to Edinburgh with a stopover at Paris or Amsterdam. The flight will cost approx Rs 65,500, per person. The best time to visit is during the summer months i.e. June to August.

(Pictures courtesy Beverley Lewis)

Categories
Beauty

The big bangs theory

Trimming your bangs is as easy as our 1-2-3-4-5 tutorial. Follow these steps to get the bangs without spending the bucks.
by Beverley Lewis

If you’re the kind of girl who chooses  ‘dare’ over ‘truth’ and has no problem talking to strangers, then you’ll have no qualms about grabbing a pair of scissors and trimming your own bangs. While we love the look of a full fringe, we hate how high-maintenance it can be.

Bangs have a tendency to grow out very quickly, so you have to make frequent trips to the salon to get them trimmed. But, what if you could skip the hassle of heading into the salon every few weeks and just trim your overgrown bangs at home?

We give you a step-by-step tutorial on how you can trim your unruly bangs.

Step 1: Tools of the trade: Comb and a pair of hair-cutting scissors

Step 2: Comb through: Tie your hair in a ponytail to get it out of the way, comb your bangs so they lay flat (see pic on right for reference). This makes it easier to focus on your fringe and helps you see where they need trimming. Always trim your bangs when your hair is dry. Otherwise, you may end up cutting your bangs shorter than you expected.

Step 3: Get trimming: Clamp the section with your index and middle finger and move it to either side to see how long you want the fringe to be. A safe length is under your eyes, in the centre of the nose. Place the comb underneath your bangs and pull it down before you start snipping away.

Step 4: Easy does it. Point the scissors into your hair and snip vertically (see pic on left for reference). This will give you a feathered finish rather than a flat one. Start low and work your way up to reach required length. It is best to start at the middle of your fringe and work your way toward the outer left corner. Then, trim the bangs toward the right side.

Step 5: Grand finale: Keep checking the length intermittently and even out the hair when you reach the desired length. If you want to go shorter, end under the eyebrows, but remember to leave the hair longer than the desired length because you will lose about an inch or half an inch as dry hair tends to jump up.

Beverley Lewis has been a writer for beauty magazines and has amazing tips to share. Have you ever given yourself a haircut? Tell Beverley about it in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy www.wikihow.com, www.hercampus.com,

Categories
Places

What lies beneath Paris

A Mumbaikar discovered Paris’ catacombs – those dark winding tunnels that hold the bones and skulls of about six million Parisians.
by Beverley Lewis

Underneath the bustling city of lights, you’ll find a maze of tunnels ─ the Catacombs. Like the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, Paris’ dark alter ego lies 30 metres underground and has a history of its own. Today, visitors can walk through the catacombs looking at the remains of human skulls and bones arranged in shapes like hearts and crosses. This ‘macabre’ exhibition, while chilling, makes for a fascinatingly unique look into the history of Paris, and is a must-see tourist attraction definitely not for the faint of heart.

Our destination on an early Saturday morning in Paris are the catacombs, the entrance of which is across the street from the Denfert Rochereau station, which is on both lines 4 and 6 of the Metro. As we make our way, we notice that the great avenues are silent, the shops closed.

From a bakery comes the scent of fresh bread. At a stoplight, a blur of movement draws my attention. A man in blue coveralls is emerging from a hole in the sidewalk. His hair falls in dreadlocks, and there is a lamp on his head. The man shoves the iron cover back over the hole and walks away, grinning, down the street. The line moves relatively quickly, even with nearly 25 people in front of us, we only wait 20 minutes. The entrance price is eight Euros.

Once paid, you descend 130 steps and then walk through tunnels for several hundred meters before reaching the catacombs themselves. The ceilings are low, the floors uneven and wet, and the temperature, cool. This is so great, a chance to delve into this rarely-seen aspect of French history and learn about lives cut short by horrific diseases, revolution and the razor sharp edge of a guillotine. If you’re planning a visit, a word of caution, though: after experiencing this dark underbelly of the city you may never look at Paris in the same light again.

What really are they?

At the end of the 18th century, Paris was an overcrowded city and so were its cemeteries. In an attempt to solve the growing real estate and public health problem, city officials decided to utilise the abandoned network of limestone quarries underneath the city for graveyards. In 1786, workers began transferring bones of the deceased into the underground tunnels. By 1860, some six million departed Parisians had found their final resting place in the Catacombs.

While they are an unlikely tourist attraction, the tombs began attracting curious visitors in the late 1700s. French royalty also had their curiosity piqued and were some of the first to descend into the depths to see the winding maze of bones stacked meticulously into macabre designs, some arranged in heart formations, others in crossbones. The French resistance used these tunnels during World War II, and rave parties flourished there during the 1990s. Victor Hugo used his knowledge about the tunnel system when he wrote Les Misérables. In 1871, it is believed that communists killed a group of monarchists in one chamber.

Officially known as the l’Ossuaire Municipal, the Catacombs continue to fascinate tourists and locals alike. Visitors must descend a spiral staircase twice as deep as the Metro to begin a 45-minute self-guided tour through the damp and dark quarters. At the entrance hangs a sign warning all those about to pass through, “Arrete! C’est ici L’Empire de la Mort (Stop! Here is the Empire of the Dead.)”. Today, the Catacombs are  home to urban explorers who use the tunnels as an art space, a music venue or even a clandestine meeting point for secret societies.

The Catacombs are located in the 14th arrondisement of Paris, accessible by the Denfert-Rochereau station. The museum is open from 10 am to 5 pm every day except Monday, though the last admission is at 4 pm. Price of admission is eight Euros. Check out their website before you plan on visiting because they are sometimes closed without warning or explanation.

Did you like this story? Tell us about a bizarre travel experience you’ve had in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy Beverley Lewis)

Categories
Beauty

The red carpet look

Get the low-down on achieving the perfect red carpet look through the season’s hot trends: bright eyes and dashing red lips.
by Beverley Lewis

Are you inspired to look like your favourite Hollywood or Bollywood hottie, especially after all the film award functions that recently happened? I mean, who wouldn’t want to look like the stunning beauties at red carpet events like the Oscars and the Filmfare Awards?

And guess what, it doesn’t take a stylist and a personal make up team to get the same look as these women – the trick lies in applying make up well, or facing the prospect of ruining your entire look, gorgeous gown, fabulous shoes, et al. To achieve your own stunning look for a big night on the town, follow these make up tips and you’re sure to dazzle.

Vamp it up
Classic red lips have made a huge comeback this season. Whilst the classic red lip look will always be a fail-safe option, a cranberry red or even darker red wine lip packs more punch. If you’re feeling a bit more daring, you could opt for plums, purples and rubies in matte and glossy finishes. If the thought of a full-on dark lipstick puts the fear of God in you, why not try a lip stain? It’s such a key trend for the new season that if you’ve never tried it before, you can give it a go right away.

Colour me bold
Look for cool pops of colour on the eyes and gorgeous pearl-toned peacock colours for this season’s brightest, most beautiful look.
Use eyeliners in bright colours. Apply strong shades of blue and green, drawing a full dash along the upper lash line with a strong final flick towards the temples, creating the winged eye.
Metallic and creamy eye shadows and long eyelashes in bright shades complement white, blue, green and pink eyeliners. So if you want to stay ahead of the fashion pack, go for the ‘bright-eyed’ look.

Holy smokes!
Smoky eye make-up is definitely a hit on the red carpet. Newer versions of the smoky eye technique have appeared at various red carpet events. A lot of celebrities are seen wearing graphite eye shadow, covering the eyelid from the outer corner to the inner corner of the eye, featuring a mix of greys, mauves and lilacs, and the eyebrows were well groomed and slightly filled in.

Eye this
Eyeliner takes centre-stage this season with bold, graphic looks ruling the catwalk. Branch out from classic black to experiment with bright blues, purples, reds and clear whites. Leave a small gap between the upper and lower flicks to set your look apart from the crowd.

Beverley Lewis has worked in beauty magazines and has fabulous beauty tips to share. Have a make-up tip for summer? Write to Beverley in the comments section of this article.

(Pictures courtesy makeupandbeauty.com, followhanne.blogspot.com, glowingfaces.blogspot.com, beautysalon.officialtips.com, www.dailymakeover.com)

Categories
Beauty

10 superfoods for super skin

Using expensive skin products but not taking care of your diet? Presenting 10 must-eat food items for super healthy skin.
by Beverley Lewis

What you put on your plate and in your mouth is way more important than what you apply on your skin. A diet rich in antioxidant vitamins and minerals (and plenty of water) will nourish your skin and give you a youthful appearance. So the next time you’re reaching for a slice of chocolate cake, you may want to think again.

Remember your mum telling you that if you wanted a clear, beautiful complexion, you would have to eat a lot of fresh fruits and veggies, and drink a lot of water? Guess what, like with most other things, she was right. Our skin is a direct reflection of our health, and as trying as it sounds, it is important for us to avoid eating food high in refined sugar, and salty and fatty foods.

So what should you eat for good skin? Just eat these skin-enhancing foods for a beautiful, glowing complexion:

Flaxseeds: These tiny seeds (in pic on left) contain omega-3 fatty acids, which erase spots and iron out fine lines. If you consume half a teaspoon of flaxseeds a day, your skin will be better hydrated, as the fat in these seeds attract water to skin cells and plump up the skin and reduce wrinkles. So sprinkle some flaxseeds on your oatmeal, veggies, salads, or even in a small pot of low-fat yogurt.

Green tea: When it’s hot, this brew releases catechins, an antioxidant with proven anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties, so drink it when it is hot. Studies indicate that green tea may reverse the effects of sun damage by neutralising the changes that appear in skin exposed to the sun.

Spinach: The folate in these veggies may help repair and maintain DNA by bolstering your cells ability to renew themselves. This also reduces the likelihood of cancer-cell growth. The added bonus to Popeye’s favourite food, the water in these greens penetrates cell membranes, which makes for plumper and less wrinkled skin.

Sweet potatoes: These underground veggies, not only taste delicious, but they are loaded with vitamin C, which smoothes out wrinkles. Vitamin C is essential to collagen production and the more collagen you have, the less creased your skin looks.

Tomatoes: Sure, they taste yummy in salads, but cook them and these plump little beauties can help save your skin. How? Lycopene, the phytochemical that makes tomatoes red, helps eliminate skin-ageing free radicals caused by ultraviolet rays. Just half a cup of cooked tomatoes has 16 milligrams of lycopene; along with ample sunscreen, that daily dose should help keep your skin smooth and wrinkle-free.

Oily fish: Oily fish contain a little secret: selenium. This nutrient helps preserve elastin, a protein that keeps your skin smooth and tight. This antioxidant is also believed to buffer against the sun (it stops free radicals created by UV exposure from damaging cells).

Carrots: Think of them as thick magic wands – good for your eyes and great for clearing up breakouts. The credit goes to vitamin A, as it helps prevent the overproduction of cells in the skin’s outer  layer, which leads to clogged pores. Vitamin A also reduces the development of skin cancer.

Dark chocolate: Dark chocolate has flavonols, which reduce roughness in the skin and protect it against sun damage. Try and eat dark chocolate with at least 60 per cent cocoa in it. A square a day will help keep sun damage away.

Almonds: They are packed with vitamin E, a potent sun blocker. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that helps to protect skin cells from UV light and other environmental factors that generate cell-damaging free radicals. So try and consume a handful of almonds a day, which amounts to about 12 almonds.

Water: Since skin cells contain mostly water, if you’re dehydrated, your skin will look and feel parched, too. So aim to drink at least eight glasses of water a day, and you will be rewarded with a dewy complexion.

Beverley Lewis has worked with beauty magazines and has amazing tips to share. Have a beauty question? Send it to us at editor@themetrognome.in or tweet it @MetrognomeIndia and Beverley will answer it for you.

(Pictures courtesy tumblr.com, everythinghealth.blogspot.com, thedailygreen.com, technyou.edu.au, niagarashoptalk.com, riceplex.com, verybestbaking.com, timepass.info, truedrawing.blogspot.com, geninv.net)

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