GRANNY’S ‘CHEER UP’ TIPS!

No need to feel high and dry anymore. No need to suffer from rough and itchy skin every time the season changes. No need to feel miserable at the sight of rough shins, hands and face. Celebrate…Granny has some wonderful home-grown tips to pamper your skin this season.
Massage your face with a paste of 2-3 drops of rose water in 2 tbsp cream of milk. Keep it for 20 mins. before washing it off.

Egg yellow mixed with 3 tbsp of cream of milk is an effective face pack. Avoid the area under eyes, and wash it off your face with basin flour once it has dried.

Bananas have great food value, even for the skin. Mash a very ripe banana, massage on face for 5 minutes. Wait for 15 mins to allow the banana to work before washing it off.

Keeping a mixture of honey in milk cream applied to your face for an hour works well. Take care to wash off with warm water.

Milk is a natural moisturizer. Apply just one tbsp of milk daily on your face and neck before a bath to keep skin soft forever.

Add 10-12 drops of coconut oil in your bath water to add moisture and shine to your body.

A bedtime regimen should include applying cold cream to face and hands, and washing off after 15 mins.

Make a paste of fresh butter, besan and olive oil. Apply it to the face every morning and evening for at least a month. Wash off with warm water to witness the magic!

Dry skin has a natural antidote in avocado masks. Mash the flesh of avocado, add a touch of olive oil and apply on your face to feed your skin with minerals, vitamins and antioxidants.

During winter, go in for a mask of buttermilk, yoghurt & sour cream. Apply on face and neck avoiding eye areas. Your body will feel smooth, soft and fresh.

Beet root juice can be massaged on to your face for 5 minutes. Shower it off with a mild soap.
An exotic mixture of sandalwood powder, rose water and 4-5 drops of milk can be applied to the face and body. Shower after 15 mins with warm water.

Warm honey and lemon juice make a good mask. Let it dry and wash off subsequently.

Avoid hot water baths. Long showers remove dead skin effectively.

Grated carrot paste or a paste of turmeric and milk cream keeps skin glowing and breathing.

Cracked heels can be healed with an application of liquid paraffin wax mixed with mustard oil. Apply every night for smooth heels.

Drink lots of water and use a humidifier in room to balance loss of moisture in the air.

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Steal the scene with trendy stoles

There’s something enchanting about wintry afternoons. As the soft rays of the sun warm your soul and a hot cup of coffee recharges your body, just drape a stole around the body to make the scene picture-perfect.

A decorative history
Indeed, the stole or shawl was a mere add-on to one’s wedding finery in the past. They also formed an integral part of the trousseau for winter weddings. People were familiar with only one kind of shawl – the expensive Pashmina from Kashmir. The traditional shawl has diversified since then, but the Jamevar continues to be popular. In fact, all of India used the Pashmina shawl, leading to its huge demand in the early 90s. Cashmere Pasham was imported from China and blended with silk to make the accessories.

But today, stoles are a style statement by themselves!
Any time stoles
Parties and formal functions simply can’t do without a stole. Even a romantic date or wedding preparations seem so much more complete with a stole draped around the shoulders. Stoles denote style, luxury, comfort and even versatility. They go well with western outfits and look great with trousers, skirts and suits. For the traditional saree wearer, the stole is the perfect complement.

There is good news for the future as well. Stole manufacturers are coming out with an all-weather range that will suit both formal and casual wear. Young people find stoles easy to carry; specially the jamevar ones are a treasure of joys. Instead of embroidery, shawls carry jamevar designs teamed with sequins, beads and crystals. Eminent designers are of the opinion that the dupatta will be replaced by traditional shawls and contemporary stoles while incorporating the wedding trousseau. So all those doubts can be laid to rest!

Wedded to stoles
What’s the best stole for your wedding day? Check out the worth of the fabric rather than the glitter. Take the shahtoosh – a shawl so fine that it could pass through a ring. But being woven with the down hair of the Tibetan antelope has caused it to be banned, and its place has been taken over by the Pashmina. Such cashmere shawls have been woven in Kashmir and Nepal for many years, and can be tested for their warmth and feel. The production is done in handloom, and brings forth hand-crafted magic! The jamevar is a blend of wool and sometimes cotton with the brocaded part woven in silk or pashmina.

For two decades, the jamevar shawl has withstood time and trends – right from the Mughal period to now. Unlike stoles and shawls, capes and ponchos have lost their steam. Once the favourite of young girls and ladies, they have been replaced by shawls for D day attires.
There’s more in the offing as innovations make their way in. Designers are putting together a few shawls to make spectacular jackets, dresses, gowns, sarees and even bags! The any-season-any-reason range can make the wearer stand out in a crowd. Long coats and kurtas made from shawls can become cherished heirlooms for young women entering a precious relationship, as their detailed work makes them gorgeous to receive.

So come out, one and all, with your collection of shawls. For sheer luxury, elegance and comfort, nothing comes close to a stole!

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IS YOUR SKIN ON THE RIGHT DIET?

Ask any woman, and she’ll tell you that choosing the right beauty product for her skin is amongst life’s most difficult decisions. How do you decide what works best for your skin type? Start by knowing your skin and knowing the product you’ve decided upon. Although it is largely acknowledged that there are five skin types, changes do take place from time to time depending upon weather, hormonal changes, environment, eating habits, stress, alcohol and smoking.

Dry skin needs constant moisturizing. Since lack of oil causes flaking or peeling, one should apply plenty of petroleum jelly, Vaseline, glycerin or other oil-based creams.
Aids: Herb oils; shea oils; crushed almonds; carrots; honey; linseed seed; calendula oil; milk; coconut and seaweed extract – all of which help the skin to retain moisture.

Oily skin is most vulnerable to spots and pimples because of its greasy surface. To keep the open pores from producing excess oil, it is preferable to opt for oil-free and alcohol-free products. Plenty of water helps like nothing else!
Aids: Kaolin clay; grape fruit; willow, horse tail, witch hazel; apple; neem oil – these natural products can go a long way in deep cleansing, calming and disinfecting the skin.

Sensitive skin needs careful handling, since there’s no knowing which cosmetic, soap, alcohol or fragrance it might react to. Even sun exposure and environmental factors can cause redness, blotchiness and itching. So do a patch test on your skin before using any product, it could help you find the right product.
Aids: Plum nectar; stone crop, rosehip; algae; wild oat extract; rosemary extract; and vitamin E work great on sensitive skin. Stay away from cosmetics that have perfumes, dyes or chemicals as ingredients.

Normal skin types are the truly blessed ones! Since the skin is neither greasy nor dry, all you need is normal cleaning, toning and moisturizing. And voila, you’ll be the glowworm at the party!
Aids: Although you have no reason to worry, your chosen cosmetic would do well to have some of these: chamomile; tomato; evening primrose oil; odourless garlic; cucumber and strawberries. They have rejuvenating properties and nourish the skin.

Combination skin combines a greasy forehead-nose-chin area with dry cheeks-mouth-neck area. That makes the skin regimen slightly complicated…the oily T zone has to be kept dry and vice versa.
Aids: Aloe vera; red rose petals; green tea; water cress; rosemary extract and hazel are rich in properties that can cleanse, soften and soothe the skin.

With soothing skin dress yourself up with latest Indian clothing, matching footwear, accessories, handbags and lots more.

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