Saturday, December 7, 2013

You May Have Been Doing it Wrong: How to Apply cream on Face and Neck!!

The idea of this post is to let you know the basic method of applying face cream. I can't tell you how many people pull their skin while applying cream! If you apply too much pressure, you risk stretching your skin and getting wrinkles in the long run.

Step by Step instructions using your finger tips:

1) Put a coin sized drop of cream (or how much ever you need) on the palm of your hand
2) Place small dots on your cheeks, forehead, chin, nose, and neck.
3) Massage your cheeks in a circular way and spread the cream in a clockwise direction
4) Spread the cream on your nose in a circular motion and take your finger tips straight across your cheeks and massage your temples
4) Massage upward strokes to distribute cream on your neck (using both hands)
5) Massage your forehead in small & quick circles down to your temples
5) Apply a separate under eye cream using your ring finger- do not massage- just dab it in

When applying a thick night cream, you may mix a few drops of water with the cream so it evenly distributes it without pulling your skin.


That's it!




Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Chia Seeds- super nutrients

Please refer to my blog "Stronger Hair in 3 months" for the complete hair care info.

Chia Seeds are tiny dark versatile seeds that are packed with nutrients. It is the richest known vegetable source of Omega-3 fatty acids, it has 3x the antioxidants of blueberries, more calcium than milk, more iron than spinach, and a better protein source than beans or soy.



Several companies sell Chia seeds. How do you know you are picking an authentic one? Here is a small checklist for you:

1) Avoid chia seeds made in China.
2) Avoid seeds that are not 100% pure
3) Always choose certified Chia Seeds - guarantees good quality

Chia seeds are pretty much tasteless and will not affect the taste of your food if you decide to mix it in. Have one to four tablespoons of chia seeds a day. If you're not sure how to use it- well, this superfood in a seed can be chewed, sprinkled on sandwiches, added to soups, smoothies, breads, cakes, cereal or mixed with water to produce its special Chia gel.

Oh and one more thing, did you know that Chia seeds help you loose weight? :-)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Natural Oils for soft Hair


Hair oil is now the new hair serum. While it adds a glossy, swishy shine, a hair oil also adds protection and nourishment. The oil penetrates the hair to treat and condition at the same time. So what kind of hair oils should you use? I like to mix a variety of hair oils to create my perfect combination! If you have rough/coarse hair, perhaps a heavier mix would suit you. If your hair is smooth and you'd like a light hair oil, you should mix a larger quantity of the light hair oil. Here are the some suggestions:




Castor Oil (great skin softeners as well!), almond oil, and jojoba oil. For a thicker mix: 2 teaspoons of castor oil, and one teaspoon each of the other oils. Apply on scalp, massage, wrap a warm towel around your head or sit in a steam sauna, and wash off!

This particular oil below deserves special attention: Kerala Ayurvedic Hair Oil from Arya Vaidhaya Sala Ashram



The ayurvedic properties in this oil make it unique- it helps stop hair loss! Not only does it give the hair the nourishment it needs, but it reduces hair fall in 4-6 weeks- and the best part is there are no side effects!

I combine all hair oils in a small bowl and apply directly on scalp and hair. I prefer to make a heavy hair oil combination, but you may use extra almond and jojoba oil to thin out your combination. Coconut oil (keeps the frizz down) and olive oil (improves the strength and elasticity of hair) are used separately on my crazy hair days!


Milk Protein for Face



Two fantastic products I cannot live without! I absolutely love what they do to my skin and have been using it for over ten years now.

I don't break out too often since i have dry skin- but when the pimples decide to pop up, I use Himalaya's Acne-n-Pimple Cream and the bumps reduce in size in just a few days. The only problem i find with this cream is that it stays on your face until you wash it off- so you definitely don't want to put make-up over this. By the way, Himalaya sells herbal products (yay for natural skin care!)

The second product is a milk protein pack by Biotique. The scent is simply divine and it's used to smooth out wrinkles and give your face a nice glow:-) When i started using this product, it was never for wrinkles but for the way it made me feel- fresh, clean and it left my skin glowing every time. This product mentions that it's gentle on skin- and it's true- i never had any reactions till date!

Biotique has a variety of products you can choose from (you can find it on Amazon)- walnut skin polisher (cleanser), coconut milk cream (skin lightening cream), & clove oil and wild turmeric pack (anti blemish face pack for oily skin). Biotique is a pretty good company, but i must say that not all product lines work for me!

Friday, March 22, 2013

I GOT RID OF DANDRUFF! HURRAY!

Sometimes the most annoying, persistent and embarrassing hair problem is... Dandruff! It is stubborn, sheds all over your best outfits, your scalp itches like crazy and you notice your hair falling a lot more than usual. You can get rid of this problem before it's too late- and when i say too late i mean you don't want to leave people wondering whether you're scratching your head over a deep thought, or lice!

I have gone to a trichologist, dermatologist and after going nearly crazy - a psychologist and tried their remedies. A few included some scalp solution, the all famous Nizoral, and other shampoos. None of them worked. I wish i took a picture of the level of dandruff i had- i literally could peel out large pieces of dandruff(what looked like skin) from my scalp. Little did i know that all i needed was a natural solution: Apple Cider Vinegar. You can buy this along with an empty spray bottle from your local grocery store. Spray it on your scalp and leave in for 30 minutes. Wrap a towel around your head or wear a shower cap. I have to warn you- apple cider vinegar SMELLS, but the benefits far outweigh any kind of smell it has! Make sure you condition your hair after shampoo and spray apple cider vinegar on your scalp again and wait a few minutes before washing it all off! I hope this works for you!

The picture below was taken after one wash:



Thursday, March 21, 2013

Say No to Carbonated Drinks & Improve Your Skin!



Do you believe you have tried everything under the sun to treat your Skin, but you STILL have breakouts? Then maybe you need to cut back on one thing: Carbonated Drinks. Fizzy drinks have historically been associated with negative health effects including tooth decay, obesity and calcium depletion- but you probably already know this. What you may not be aware of is that fizzy drinks can cause breakouts! Growing up under the care of a successful beautician gave me immense knowledge about the various skin-hair related problems. One of which is fizzy drinks-breakout issue. Many of my mom's customers used to complain about the pimples on their faces- so they tried her advice and avoided fizzy drinks. And voila- a drastic change! Here is an excerpt from livestrong to support this matter:

"Sodas are leading sources of added sugar in the American diet. A high-sugar diet causes insulin levels to surge; insulin increases inflammation in your skin as well as oil and skin cell production. Keep in mind that it's oil and skin cells that clog pores, priming your face for pimples".

Instead of having fizzy drinks, substitute it with carbonated water, and eventually with fresh home-made juices.
You will certainly see a difference in your skin! Comments?

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

My skin improved in 10 days!

Before:

Have you ever woken up one morning to realize the face you see in the mirror is a dull one, full of pimples, rashes, new wrinkles, or even worse- patches?

After:




I cannot stress the importance of applying sunblock/sunscreen every single day you go outside. Regardless of whether it's raining, cloudy, or you're heading out for ten minutes- it is important to wear sunblock. It accounts for 90% of the symptoms of premature skin aging such as wrinkles and skin cancers. Applying sunscreen liberally, and re-applying every couple of hours will keep your skin from further damage.

If you do not have a shower filter, please get one! I had no idea the amount of damage water can do to skin and hair until i bought a shower filter. You can find one as low as $28- and it's super easy to install. You will notice an improvement within a week of using filtered water- your skin will be softer & hair more manageable.

Intake of the right food is more important than the external treatments. Honestly, even if you cannot do any of the other things mentioned in this post, please drink fresh juice every single morning for 10 days. It improved my skin in just over a week (see pictures above). I combined pineapple, 2 apples, 4 oranges, strawberries and a piece of ginger every morning. Lime and celery are optional. Make sure you drink 2 glasses of water first thing in the morning and wait a bit before you have a glass full of sweet juice!

Keeping your skin moist will not only give you a youthful appearance over a period of time, but it will help keep your skin bright. I apply oil of olay moisturizer throughout the day (3-4 times), and oil of olay night cream before going to bed. You can add aloevera to your skin regime if you have rashes. Regardless of which cream you would like to buy (whether its age defying, or regular moisturizer) make sure you get a day cream and a separate night cream- as the consistency is different in both creams. Don't forget to apply cream on your neck- as it ages along with the rest of your face:-)

Using the right face wash for your skin type is critical to having good skin. You may have oily skin that is prone to pimples, dry skin that is prone to aging, or you may be trying to get rid of blackheads- which ever one it is- please get something that you need at that time. Your skin needs will change periodically- and so must your face wash! Make sure you wash your face twice a day- once in the morning and once at night before applying cream. It will get rid of the dust/dirt/dead skin (you can add a teaspoon of sugar to your facewash) that has accumulated during the day. Also, applying moisturizer right after a hot bath will be ideal as your skin pores will be open and the moisturizer will absorb a lot faster.

Lastly- get a good night's sleep and try to de-stress with green tea, light exercise, or meditation. Don't forget to have your daily 9 cups of water- lack of water leads to dehydration and that isn't good for your body or skin! Having a 30 minute de-stress routine every morning will not only improve your skin, but it will help your mind focus for the day!

And don't forget to smile- it will make your skin smile too:-)

P.S- the above pics have not been altered in anyway.