Tag: deepa mistry

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Beauty

Bad hair days, begone!

A bad hair day is a girl’s worst nightmare, but before you hit the panic button, try out these solutions.
by Deepa Mistry

A bad hair day rarely happens when we decide to stay home, but will mostly occur on that ‘very important’ day, like the first interview or a first date or a special day in college when you want to look your best but your hair decided not to. Bad hair days are like bad moods, they come and they go. Even men do have bad hair days, but luckily enough for them, their short hair saves them from the distress that women face.

But don’t let your traunting hair get you down. Try these tips:

Oily hair: The worst of all problems. You were supposed to wake up early and wash your hair and style it, but the alarm didn’t go off, leaving you with barely a few minutes to get your mane ready. Don’t worry, get a tin of baby powder.

Back flip your hair and just dust it lightly with some powder. The powder absorbs the oil and makes your hair look fresh. If you don’t have powder, you’ll be glad to know that oily, crimped ponytailunwashed hair makes a perfect base for one of the most popular runway looks – crimped ponytail (see pic on right). The style is most suitable if you have long and thick hair. Though crimping is little time-consuming, if you can spare a few minutes it is worth the try.

Hair colour gone wrong: Raise your hand if you think you spent a bomb on your hair colour this month at a salon or decided to go low-budget and ended up with a terrible hair colour. There’s a solution for this, too: wrap and fold a scarf on the top part of your head and let the bottom section show just like JLo did in one of her music videos. Another option would be braid your hair or use a simple black hair band or clips.

Split ends: Some girls have trouble saying goodbye to those long locks and so they avoid even trimming them off, leaving them with split ends. Unfortunately, by the time you realise the damage is severe, it’s quite late and you’re headed to an event, split ends in place. The answer is pretty simple – opt for a chic, perfectly polished bun, a hairstyle that looks best with the ends tucked in! But since the trouble continues and split ends make hair weaker, an advisable move is to trim hair every six months.

shampooFlat and lifeless hair: If you have flat and lifeless hair, the only solution is to change your shampoo. A lot of times we opt for certain brands because they’re the most popular, or are suggested by a friend or the advertisement for the product has a favourite actor. Don’t fall prey to such branding. Choose a shampoo that suits your hair best, and which is light and can be used on regular basis. Humid weather makes hair sweaty and frizzy all the time. Shampoo your hair on alternate days and try to mix one drop of tea tree oil and wash your hair with this mix. Tea tree oil will help absorb excess oil, sweat and dust and thus, make your hair look healthier.

Tangled troubles: If your hair tangles more than normal try this: after washing your hair, apply a hair mask or conditioner and instead of five minutes, let it sit on your hair for 15 to 30 minutes, then rinse. You will notice a tremendous difference in the way your hair looks and shines. Of course, you will experience less tangles, too.

Dry and rough hair: Due to cold conditions, hair tends to lose moisture making it look dry and lifeless. Don’t let the season ruin youroil massage hair. Styling products also leave your hair looking frizzy and dry.  Warm a little coconut oil and gently massage from the roots of your hair and leave it on for just one hour and wash with a gentle shampoo. Many people believe you should oil hair before going to bed and wash them the next morning, but the truth is, an hour is just enough for oil to work on your hair. You could use any other oil also as per your choice.

Shapeless and breaking easily: You’ve perfectly set and styled your hair, but by the time you reach your workplace, it’s gone haywire. Don’t panic; take a pea-sized drop of hair serum and rub it over your hair. With a thick padded brush, just brush them through and you’re set for the day. Blow drying on high heat for too long causes breakage. When hair is sopping wet, don’t blow dry it – wait for a while, lightly pat dry with a towel and then blow dry without keeping the dryer too long on one section.

Unruly curls: If you’ve gone to bed with a gorgeous hairstyle, it doesn’t mean you are going to wake up with the same the next morning. Yes that’s right, curls invite frizz and tangles and a whole world of other hair troubles. Comb the frizzy, poorly-defined parts to remove tangles, then run wet hands through them a few times to get them to be damp but not dripping wet. Apply a curl enhancing serum or leave-in conditioner for around 15 to 20 minutes and let your curls dry while you dress up and you’re ready to go!

Hope you find these tips useful and with that, give the bad hair days an off!

 (Pictures courtesy sheknows.com, inhabitat.com, makeup.com, www.stylecraze.com)

Categories
Beauty

Say hello to soft lips

As the winter approaches, everyone gets vexed about chapped lips. Here’s a simple tutorial to get soft lips this season.
by Deepa Mistry

As much as we love winter, chapped lips can be a miserable offshoot of the cold weather. Lips are the most sensitive part of the body and the cold winters, along with indoor heat, can dry skin very easily. We tend to take utmost care of our skin from head to toe by wearing warm cardigans, jackets, gloves, socks and caps but rarely pay attention to our lips, since the problem usually arises only during winters.

Healthy and soft lips are more attractive, so keep them moisturised and nourished with simple and healthy methods. Lips tend to lose more moisture due to dry and cold conditions during winters than usual, as skin on our lips is 10 times thinner than the skin on our face.

Here are some tips to follow:


lip balmUse lip balms: Lips balms or chap sticks are a life saver for us women, but we end up eating it as we tend to lick or bite our lips. Even though we survive on lip balms, not all are created equally.

Does your lip balm dry off immediately after applying? It’s time to change your balm. Opt for well-known brands and lip balms of good quality. Look for cream, petroleum-based lip balms with essential oils like almond oil, cocoa butter and shea butter and an added bonus is if it has an SPF built-in for extra protection.

Did you know that women who are habitual lip chewers eat four to nine pounds of lipstick during their life? Dump the lip gloss during winters. Try flavoured balms or tinted lip balms as they have the same amount of shine as lip glosses do. Petroleum jelly or Vaseline is best aid to avoid cracks; you could also massage using petroleum jelly on your hands and legs.

Exfoliate your lips: Yes, you heard that right. Lip scrubs (in pic below) help exfoliate your lips to get rid of the dead skin, leaving them soft and fresh. Rub sugar granules every day on your lips or exfoliate your lipssimply apply ghee or honey before you sleep every night.

Hydrate: Drink lots of water. Water helps regain moisture and during winters you must keep body hydrated all the time for a healthier skin.

Don’t lick your lips: We all have this bad habit of licking our lips when they are dry. It is a vicious circle, you lick, it dries up and you lick again. Biting doesn’t help either, as lips dry and sometimes bleed too. Avoid it and use the best remedies for your lips.

Stay indoors: Exposing your lips to the harsh winter weather may cause chapping. Pollution can also harm the lips so wear a scarf when out of doors.

If the condition gets worse, visit a doctor. But for now, just follow these simple beauty tips for well moisturised and beautiful lips.

(Pictures courtesy naturallyb.onsugar.com, www.wikihow.com)

Categories
Wellness

Take steps to control diabetes

Diabetes is the fastest growing long term disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Here’s how you recognise the symptoms.
by Deepa Mistry

Diabetes is a condition where the amount of glucose in your blood is too high because the body cannot process it properly. This is because your pancreas does not produce any insulin, or not enough, to help glucose enter your body’s cells – or the insulin that is produced does not work properly (known as insulin resistance). The term diabetes is the shortened version of the full name ‘diabetes mellitus’.

‘Diabetes mellitus’ is derived from the Greek word ‘diabetes’ meaning ‘siphon’ – to pass through and the Latin word ‘mellitus’ meaning ‘honeyed’ or ‘sweet’. This is because in diabetes, excess sugar is found in the blood as well as in the urine. It was known in the 17th century as the “pissing evil”.

diabetes careThere are two types of diabetes – Type 1 and type 2. Type 1 diabetes is called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and occurs at a younger age or childhood. In these patients there is complete lack of the hormone insulin that mandates external administration of the hormone regularly as treatment. Worryingly, many patients around the world and in our country are increasingly finding themselves in this category. Around 75 per cent of sufferers have type 2 diabetes mellitus. The reasons for this are poor nutrition, rising stress levels, an improper metabolism and lack of fitness.

Studies show diabetes is classed as a metabolism disorder. Metabolism refers to the way our bodies use digested food for energy and growth. Diabetes specialist Dr Runwal says, “Even though it is caused due to various reasons, one being hereditary, but the changing lifestyles and stressful lives that youngsters live in results in most of the patients being aged 25 and above are being detected with it at such an early age. It’s very essential to follow a healthy diet and exercising daily is a must. Diabetes is linked with many complications and people who suffer from it must be very careful with their eating and drinking habits.”

Type 2 diabetes was earlier termed non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or maturity-onset diabetes mellitus. In this, not enough insulin is produced or the insulin that is made by the body is insufficient to meet the needs of the body. Obesity or being overweight predisposes to type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes occurs in pregnant women who have never had the disease before but who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy. Gestational diabetes affects about 4 per cent of all pregnant women. After childbirth the mother may go on to develop type 2 diabetes.

The problem with the disease is that it causes complications in other parts of the body.

  • Eye complications – glaucoma, cataracts, diabetic retinopathy.
  • Foot complications – neuropathy, ulcers, and sometimes gangrene which may require the foot to be amputated.diabetes mellitus
  • Skin complications – people with diabetes are more susceptible to skin infections and skin disorders
  • Heart problems – such as ischemic heart disease, when the blood supply to the heart muscle is diminished
  • Hypertension – common in people with the disease, which can raise the risk of kidney disease, eye problems, heart attack and stroke.
  • Mental health – uncontrolled diabetes raises the risk of suffering from depression, anxiety and some other mental disorders
  • Hearing loss – patients have a higher risk of developing hearing problems
  • Gum disease – there is a much higher prevalence of gum disease among diabetes patients
  • Gastroparesis – the muscles of the stomach stop working properly
  • Neuropathy – diabetic neuropathy is a type of nerve damage which can lead to several different problems.
  • Nephropathy – uncontrolled blood pressure can lead to kidney disease
  • PAD (peripheral arterial disease) – symptoms may include pain in the leg, tingling and sometimes problems walking properly
  • Stroke – if blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and blood glucose levels are not controlled, the risk of stroke increases significantly
  • Erectile dysfunction – male impotence.
  • Infections – people with badly controlled diabetes are much more susceptible to infections
  • Healing of wounds – cuts and lesions take much longer to heal.

Don’t invite diabetes, start taking care of yourself today. Follow a simple diet daily, exercise and practice yoga to keep your body fit. A lot of people believe the disease is caused due to excess eating of sweets or you will get it if you are overweight/obese. This is false; it is caused when their immune system has destroyed the insulin-producing beta cells. A diet high in calories, which can make people overweight/obese, raises the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, especially if there is a history of this disease in the family.

Diabetes is serious – two thirds of patients die prematurely from stroke or heart disease. The life expectancy of a person with diabetes is from five to ten years shorter than other people’s. Many times we ignore minor symptoms, but always remember ‘prevention is better than cure.’ It’s never too late to visit your nearest doctor and get yourself examined.

Sources: Medical News Today, Diabetes- UK care. 

(Pictures courtesy tudiabetesmellitus.com, 036e79b.netsolhost.com, www.modernfamilyideas.com)

Categories
Wellness

Get rid of skin pigmentation naturally

If uneven skin tone, sun spots and blotchy skin are making you look old, we’ve got all the right solutions.
by Deepa Mistry

If you have been noticing a difference in your skin tone or patches, you might be suffering from hyperpigmentation.

pigmentationPigmentation can be of two types – Hypopigmentation and Hyperpigmentation. Hypopigmentation (a decrease in skin pigmentation) is a condition in which patches of skin become lighter or whiter in colour than the normal surrounding skin, while Hyperpigmentation is characterised by a darkening of an area of skin caused by the overproduction of pigment or melanin and is commonly known and usually a harmless condition. Pigmentation occurs in people of any gender, race and age.

Pigmentation is caused due to genetics, sun exposure, stress, hormonal changes during pregnancy or birth control pills, menopause, insulin resistance, damage to the skin due to injury or overly aggressive skin care treatment, or even the frequent use of hair dyes. Tattoos may also cause it.

Some people also suffer from post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation, usually noticed after an acne breakout.  Since the face is exposed to most of the harmful factors, especially over-exposure of the sun, hyperpigmentation doesn’t only affect the face but can occur on almost any part of the body.

It can be an embarrassing condition at times, though it is mostly harmless. However, if the condition is serious you must visit a dermatologist at the earliest. Various treatments are available, like creams and laser treatments, chemical peels and light treatments, as they are the most preferred and tend to work on the skin faster and provide early recovery. But if you wish to treat pigmentation naturally and effectively without recourse to harsh and chemical-laden products, you could try some of the following home remedies on a regular basis.

Try these:

– The simplest: a paste of milk and honey on the affected areas. You can also mix curd with it. Since milk and curd contain lactic acid, they peel off the affected skin after a period of vegetable juicestime, leaving skin beautiful. This cure works wonders on hyperpigmentation.

– Vegetable juices from tomatoes, cucumber and potato should be applied on skin. These lighten pigmentation and suit all skin types. This also leaves skin soothing and fresh all day. You could also try mixing lime juice with honey.

– Peel an avocado, mash it and apply the juice on pigmented skin.

– Vitamin E is a must in one’s diet as it is known as a skin Vitamin. Try massaging Vitamin E oil on pigmented skin as it requires more care than normal skin.

oatmeal face pack– Face masks can really work wonders over pigmented skin. Try these:

  • Oatmeal face pack: mix oatmeal, honey and milk. Apply and wash after it dries off completely.
  • Sandalwood pack: mix sandalwood powder and turmeric powder and milk. Apply on affected areas.
  • Orange peel: dry orange peel (powdered), cold raw milk and honey. Apply on affected areas and wash after half an hour.
  • Make a paste of mint leaves with a dash of milk and apply on affected areas. It soothes the skin.

– Use cocoa butter cream every day on skin.

– Aloe vera, olive oil and almond oil are the safest and most effective remedies for damaged skin.

– Last but not least, we recommend you apply sun screen before you step out. Direct exposure to the sun harms the skin and is one major reason for pigmentation.

– Practice yoga and avoid consumption of alcohol and cigarettes. This will not only help avoid pigmentation but also make skin look younger and glowing.

We hope our solutions help you solve your skin troubles and look beautiful again.

(Pictures courtesy foodtruthonline.com, www.stylecraze.com, www.beautyfrontline.com)

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Uncategorized

Get Navrarti ready!

Let’s get you and your man ready for the festival with some awesome tips on dressing right and looking great.
by Deepa Mistry

Navratri starts today and now’s the time to bring out the colourful chanya cholis, ethnic jewellery and accessories, apart from gorging on many tasty delicacies. But dressing right can get you all confused – but it’s not that difficult putting the ideal look together. Of course, both men and women should know the latest trends in fashion and colour to even get started.

So here’s how you can get your look together for Navratri:

Dress and jewellery:

neon is in– Neons are very much in this season! Every year we have changing trends in dresses and chanya cholis. Team up a neon-coloured ghagra (having a thick border) with a golden blouse and a net dupatta. You can opt for a neon green ghagra and a red or hot pink net dupatta or mix-n-match colours like green with yellow or purple. Orange goes well with pink.  A lot of neon chanya cholis are also available (see pic on left).

– TV serial-inspired outfits are in vogue this year. A three coloured combination is the newest craze among many. Pick a red ghagra, in cotton, velvet or net which has a little embroidery or a lace, along with a yellow blouse with sleeves till your elbow and a green net dupatta. Go for stylish cholis – backless or with fancy designs. You can mix and match with your own favourite colour combos.

– Go Indo-Western. Full length cotton skirts with sequins look great when teamed with a tank top or a singlet. Wear a stole around your neck and you’re ready for the night. Add a touch of glam with oxidised bangles or chunky traditional jewellery.

– Tailored chanya cholis are the best as per your own style, but nothing beats the beauty of a traditional outfit.chanya choli

– A traditional chanya choli never goes out of fashion. This year’s glamourous look is three-fourth length chanya cholis.

– Forever in trend are broad borders, rabari work, embroidery, multicolored panels, Kutchi print, traditional Leharia and Bandhani prints, beads and mirror work. Bright and beautiful colours with stones embellished will surely add elegance. Digital prints and colour blocking are very much in vogue this season.

– The trending jewellery this year is colourful wooden bangles or brass bangles, statement neck piece and simple tops. For a traditional look go for oxidized pieces of jewellery, which includes necklace, bracelets or kada, kamarband and nose rings. Kundan Navratri jewellery is also hot in this season.

– Men can opt for a traditional ‘Kedyu’, a typical Navratri outfit especially for men; they are available in a variety of colours. Or go for a nice kurta with jeans or chudidar.

 

Hair and accessories:

Braids are the best! While dancing, only braids will stay intact, so you could try a fishtail braid (see pic on right), top knot braids, side braids, four strand braids, rope braids etc. as they give comfort andfishtail braid fresh look.

– Opt for accessories which give an ethnic touch, like a maang tikka, earrings with loops to be pinned in the hair etc. But don’t overdo it, as chances are they may fall off while dancing.

– A traditional headband or Navratri cap with embroidered and mirror work goes well with the traditional chanya choli outfit. The caps are available for both men and women.

– Waist belts and arm bangles look exceptionally pretty with a typical outfit.

 

jootiesFootwear:

– The best footwear is flats. Avoid heels.

– Wear fancy Kolhapuris or mojris as they are available in various patterns and colours.

 

Grooming:

– Since cholis are mostly backless or have a low-cut back, try back polishing; it is a safe treatment also recommended by many doctors.

– For glowing skin, a lot of spas and beauty parlours offer special facials and other treatments for this season. Head and body massages are quite a rage not only among women but men also. You could book a couple package with your better half.

– Tattoos on the arm, back and ankle are the raging trend but only go for it if you are 100 per cent sure that you want it. Make sure you get it from a reputed tattoo studio. Temporary tattoos are good as well.

– Don’t go overboard with make-up. Pop tints, reds and glitter are in this season.nail art

– This is a good time to get a manicure and pedicure. A huge variety of nail art options are also available. Go funky this year.

– Men can try funky and cool haircuts, hair highlights or full colour, hair gels etc.

– Waxing and threading, face clean-ups and facials are no longer restricted only to women. Even men are opting for these treatments to look good during the festive season.

We wish you a Happy Navratri! So put on your dancing shoes and enjoy the nine days of this colourful festival to the fullest.

Do you have a Navratri dressing up or beauty tip to share? Tell us in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy Manoj Sunstar, en.wikipedia.org, zeenews.india.com, www.bellasugar.com, idiva.com)

Categories
Beauty

Must-haves for hair and skin

Here’s presenting a list of some mandatory hair and skin essentials that you must include in your daily beauty regime.
by Deepa Mistry

Do you tend to forget about taking care of your skin and hair, in the chaos of your busy life? Just a little extra care and planning will help you maintain healthy hair and skin every day. To help you make it easy, we bring you a basic beauty essentials checklist that you can refer to on a day-to-day basis.

For the skin:

aloe vera gelAloe gel: Aloe vera has massive amounts of beneficial properties, and has been used over the years for healing skin allergies, hair problems, insect bites etc. Aloe gel helps soothe pain and rejuvenate skin cells. Aloe vera gel can be used directly or combined with your skin cream for smooth and moisturised skin. Aloe gel applied for 20 minutes on the scalp helps reduce dryness and itchiness in your hair, giving you silky hair after each wash.

Moisturiser:  Even though Mumbai weather is humid, we tend to avoid applying moisturiser as it makes skin oily. But skipping the moisturiser dehydrates the skin. A good amount of moisturiser used on a daily basis is very essential as it will revive dry and dull skin. Apply a deep-hydrating moisturiser every night before going to bed. During the day, apply a light moisturiser before sunscreen if you have dry skin.

Sunscreen: No matter what the weather, exposure to the sun is common while outdoor. Sunscreen is a must every day, use sunscreen with minimum SPF of 30 and remember to reapply every three hours.

Lip balms: A must-have for every girl. A good lip balm is the best solution for chapped lips; also add a subtle lip gloss for shine and whichlip balm will help the balm stay on longer and more effectively. You should ideally opt for one with a mild SPF to protect lips from harmful UV rays that may tan your lips.

Wet wipes: Most of us are outdoors in the day. Our skin tends to pick up a lot of dust and grime. A pack of wet wipes is the handiest tool for each one to cleanse the face from time to time. These days, wet wipes come with various properties like cooling, moisturising, deep-cleansing, make-up removing etc. Pick the best suited to your need and skin type.

For hair:

Shampoo and conditioner suitable for the weather: Weather change can wreak havoc on your hair, which none of us would like, so ditch your regular brand and go with a shampoo and conditioner that best suits your hair in that particular weather.

hair careStyling products: We would insist on using as little hair styling products as possible, as they damage your hair a lot. But there are times when you might have to style your hair for a party or a wedding, or may be your latest funky hair cut requires daily styling. At such times, use products with mild chemicals. If you intend to blow dry or iron your hair, make sure you apply a hot styling product for heat protection, extra smoothness and shine.

Hair serum: A lightweight serum will help you maintain shine and control frizz. The second advantage is, it can also double up as a leave-in conditioner. Use a dollop twice a week on either dry or wet hair to maintain those beautiful locks.

Do you have a beauty tip to share, or a question to ask? Ask your question in the comments section below or write to editor@themetrognome.in and Deepa will answer it for you.

(Pictures courtesy aloeveraforliving.com, beautybeaucoup.blogspot.com, www.virginhairseduction.com, doctor.ndtv.com)

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