Iron it like Botox

God! What to do with this ‘crow’s feet’ around my eyes! I look so old now with my fading complexion! Tavie Sachdeva, 48, company secretary lamented, until she got to know about Botox, one of the latest modalities in dermatological treatment. With Botox shots, she has been able to iron crow’s feet.

There are many more developments in derma care like chemical peel, micro-dermabrasion and , etc. But, do they really work in the long run without side effects? And, can it be afforded by a conventionally middle class person too! Various questions related to skin treatments keep haunting the minds of today’s fashion and beauty conscious masses; be it man or a woman. This issue Guardian beauty throws light on Botox treatment and clears al your queries reagrding this treatment. Keep reading...

Botox Gyan
Feel the change with a slight “pin prick”. The main attraction to Botox treatment is the reason that it's a simple, non-surgical process that takes only 10-minutes. With just a few tiny Botox injections you’ll experience a noticeable improvement that can last up to 6 months. Dr. Shelly Kapoor, consultant, Medanta-the-Medicity informs, “The injections only feel like a slight “pin prick” and since they only take about 10 minutes to administer, you can get your Botox treatment during a lunch break.”

Am I the right candidate? Age and cost wise: Usually, people in the age group of 40-60 years are keen to go for skin treatments like Botox and face lifts. But, the people in the age group of 40-55 years are the right candidates for a Botox treatment when there is good skin elasticity and relaxing the underlying muscles produces a good effect. The cost of treatment depends on the number of units injected. On an average, Rs 300-400 per unit is the amount charged by experts, informs Dr. Shelly Kapoor, Consultant, Dermatology, Medanta – The Medicity, Gurgaon.

Which wrinkle types can get ironed? Botox is mainly done for dynamic wrinkles on upper face; horizontal lines on forehead and on crow’s feet. Bunny lines on nose and platysmal bands are also covered under Botox treatment.
So, now will all doubts clear, you too can plan pressing the creaches to get that even youthful skin.

Customise Your Makeup

We all put our lotions and creams, colours and glosses with the best of the intentions. However, at times when it’s all put together the result is just not right. Makeup is an art and like all applied arts, you got to learn it. When used with right tools and information, it can transform the look. Guardian beauty tells you how to avoid 10 such beauty bloopers.

1.Do you look older than your age? May be, your foundation is to blame. If you wear lots of foundation, your original skin doesn’t show and that’s not a good idea. And, if you are using mineral foundation on dry skin, chances are your foundation will accentuate your wrinkles too. Mineral foundation, though a rage is actually compressed powder and like all powders, it settles down in the creases of your skin.

2.Your lips are too pale. At times we all wear nude shades to get that professional look or to look natural, but we may end up looking washed out. Your lips need colour. There is no need to go for red or pink but dark shades like maroon, berry and brown also go well.

3.Do you wear too much mascara? Too much mascara makes lashes look hard as a rock. To prevent this beauty blooper, always work with mascaras that are new.
4. Blush went blotchy. Powder blush on dry skin will look blotchy. Use cream stains to get rid of it.

5.Is your makeup accentuating fine lines around your eyes? It will, if your eye makeup is powder based and you use shimmery colours like gold and silver. Powder eye shadow tends to settle down in the creases of the eye lids and it makes fine lines more visible.

6.Have you heard of reverse raccoon eyes? Dark shadows beneath the eyes call for the use of concealer. Make sure your concealer is not more than a shade lighter than your skin tone and do check if it contains zinc, which tends to leave white residue.

7. Your eyebrows are arched. If you’ve barely-there brows or have over-plucked then, you should leave them alone. Let them grow out and start again from scratch. If you feel like you need to touch them up, conceal the short regrowth hairs by plucking
them daily. If they are not growing back at all, semi-permanent make-up is an option.

8. Makeup cracking. However hard you try, it’s not possible to hide dry and dehydrated face beneath layers of makeup. Always wash, tone and moisturise your face, before you put on makeup.

9.Your eye makeup gave you panda eyes. Wearing eye makeup that runs at the signs of distress (read tears, rain) is responsible for it. Sometimes it may take trial and error, but finding quality mascara, eyeliner and eye pencils that do not smear, smudge, flake or run is the key.

10. Lipstick on your teeth. Crimson lips look dramatic, but traces of red colour on your teeth, can be a big put off. Makeup artists suggest a quick way to fix it. Apply lipstick, and blot. Next, rub a cotton swab across your teeth to remove any trace of pigment. Then dip the opposite end of the swab into petroleum jelly, and rub it over your front teeth. The barrier prevents color from sticking to your porous pearly whites.

Beat the Monsoon Blues

High humidity levels in this wet and sultry weather makes our skin, especially oily, highly prone to various fungal and bacterial infections, as airborne and waterborne microbes (that cause these infections) let loose under these conditions.

Regular baths go a long way in reducing the chances of infection. As fungus thrives on moisture, ensure the body is dried properly and moisture is retained in the body folds —Sprinkle some talc in armpits, neck etc, as it absorbs moisture from the skin surface. Do not share your towels, caps, combs and shaving blades with anyone. If someone in your family is suffering from a fungal infection, make sure the clothes of the infected person are washed separately.

Toner touch
Use of good anti-bacterial toners on the body is a pre requisite. Toners make skin less sticky, help tighten up the pores and prevent skin infections and eruptions. Anti-fungal soap or preferably soap free cleansers help ward off infections.
Use a mild cleanser to remove the dead skin and dirt from skin. Try ripe papaya pulp, it makes a good mild exfoliant.

Hair often becomes limp and lifeless owing to damp weather. Regular oiling with olive oil and daily cleansing with a mild shampoo would keep your hair healthy.

If you are afraid of going for the rain dance and getting drenched, we have the solution. Keep your makeup to the minimal. Rub ice on your face before applying any makeup as it helps to reduce sweat and allows make-up to stay on longer. Go in for light, water-based moisturizers during monsoons to avoid oily skin, acne and water loss due to perspiration. Opt for a water proof makeup and completely avoid wearing kajal or use kajal pencil to avoid smudgy eyes. Semi –matted lipsticks are a better choice.

Apply sunscreen when moving out. “Sunscreen is as necessary to apply in monsoons as it is during summer. Sun rays can reach you through clouds and harm your soft skin. Application of sunblocks or suncreen helps prevent those merciless UV”, advises Dr. Soni Nanda Sood, Dermatologist, Vasundhra Enclave, Delhi

Wash your feet with lukewarm water twice a day and keep them absolutely dry. Keep your shoes open and dry to prevent fungus.
Drink lots of water to keep your body hydrated. Water helps flush out the toxins and keep the skin healthy.

Keeping yourself dry, exfoliating your facial skin twice every week with a scrub and applying a good, preferably oil free moisturiser after drying off yourself are a few simple basics to beat the monsoon blues.

Home Remedies for Fair Complexion

All over the world dusky complexion has gained respect. But this isn’t true for India. May be it is the hangover of our colonial days, but we aspire to gain fair complexion and this sentiment resonates through out the country. Given the length and the breadth of the country, it is but natural that the complexion of the people will respond to the varied geographical conditions. You will find more fair skinned people towards the north and the complexion takes a lovely brown tan as you move towards the south. While it is impossible to change the skin colour there are many remedies available in your kitchen which help your skin tan fade, lighten hyper pigmentation of your skin and will improve your skin tone. We tell you more…..

1. You must have heard from your grand ma to clean your face with a cotton wool dipped in raw milk to brighten the complexion. The logic being that all remedies that work to remove tan will also lighten your complexion. Hence, sour yoghurt and cold milk used as face cleansers will lighten your complexion.

2. Apply mashed over ripe papaya pack on your face to fade away blemishes and to even out the skin tone.

3. Mix oatmeal with curd and tomato juice and apply on the face. Keep it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. It helps remove the tan and lightens the skin.

4. Pound raw turmeric and add drops of lime juice to it. They act as natural bleaching agents.

5. This summer grate tomato and cucumber. Extract juice and make a pack with fullers earth powder. Add drops of rose oil and put the paste on your face. Put slices of cucumber on your eyes. Rest for a while and wash your face later. Do it at least thrice a week. Your complexion will improve for sure.

6. Orange peel powder is an excellent product to enhance your complexion. Orange peel has volatile oil in it hence dry it in shade. When the peel gets crumb like structure pound it and add it to an cleaning agent, like gram flour, oatmeal powder or fuller’s earth. Keep the ratio 1:1. Make a face pack with sour yoghurt, tomato juice or rosewater. Orange peel has grainy structure and you have to scrub your face to get the pack away. This will help remove your black heads and even out the inconsistencies of your complexion.

Lifestyle Factors:

Diet–what you eat reflects in the status of your health and your complexion. Although there are no particular foods that will lighten your skin instantly, a balanced diet definitely helps by giving your skin a healthy glow. Emphasise on fruits and vegetables for a radiant complexion. Drinking 8-10 glasses of water to hydrate your skin and keep it blemish free.
Sunscreen—Wear sunscreen when you go out, minimum of SPF 15 to protect your skin from the unforgiving rays of the sun.

Keep Your Skin & Hair Healthy after a Colourful Splash of Holi

Planning to make a colourful splash on Holi, and also little scared assuming the ill-effects of colours on your skin and hair!! No need to worry. By taking little precautions while selecting the right colour and by following some beneficial skin care and hair care recommendations of derma experts, you can enjoy Holi, submerged in different shades of gulals, water colours and pastes of your choice.

Holi can be enjoyed in a most lively manner with great vigour and fervent only if we remain cautious towards post Holi effects on skin and hair, in advance, says Dr. Sachin Dhawan, Director, Clinical & Aesthetic Dermatology (Artemis Health Institute, Gurgaon).
On the request note, Dr. Dhawan has suggested some of the most effective skin care and hair care tips to enjoy a safe Holi.

In a questionnaire organized by us, Dr. Dhawan gave his expert overview on the below mentioned queries.

We asked: ‘What precautionary steps should be taken to protect skin & hair on Holi?
Dr. Dhawan stated: “Protect your hair by applying oil before playing Holi. For skin care, apply a thick coat of vaseline petroleum jelly or coconut oil all over your body to avoid harsh effect of Holi colours. Also, use good sunscreen to safeguard your face and hands, as Holi is mostly played in open. Avoid use of highly toxic permanent colours which contain heavy metals like lead, arsenic and mercury that have tendency to cause allergies. Instead, use natural colours made out of flowers, turmeric, and indigo.

Along with skin and hair, we must also take proper care of our eyes and nails. For protecting nails, Dr. Dhawan suggested, “Coat your nails properly with nail enamel before playing Holi.” For eyes, he recommended, “Be cautious that colour does not get into your eyes and cause problem. If, in any case, colour does get into your eyes, wash them repeatedly with clean water and if the irritation still persists, see a doctor.”

On our query regarding, ‘How to pamper our skin & hair after Holi?’ Dr. Dhawan suggested some easy steps to revitalize skin and hair after Holi. He added, “Using natural home based skin care remedies helps a lot in removing Holi colours from skin. While for cleaning hair, we should select some mild shampoo followed by a good conditioner.”

A step-wise ways to make your skin supple and smooth & your hair shiny and healthy is detailed below:

• Wash the Holi colour off using besan and malai instead of strong soaps and detergents.
• Apply paste of besan and yoghurt pack as it is also highly effective in removing colour and revitalizing skin.
• Follow it up by a deep moisturizing agent like almond oil or a moisturizing cream.
• Use a mild shampoo to wash off hair colours and condition them using a pH balanced conditioner.
• A hydrating and detanning facial is also a good option to pamper the damaged skin, post Holi.
• Go in for a manicure and pedicure to cleanse the colours off the nails.
• If possible visit a dermatologist post Holi to get a microdermabrasion or a peel treatment done to strip off the damaged layers followed by a hydrating mask to make the skin soft and supple.
• Mesothreapy (Mesoglow) is another option to regain the lost charm of skin. In this therapy superficial injections of vitamins and other skin brightening agents are imbibed in the skin with a gunshot.

As Holi ushers during severe climatic change so this is another major reason it is recommended to be extra careful towards skin and hair in Holi. With emerging dry season, the skin and scalp faces excessive dryness which leads to conditions like dandruff in hair, dry skin problems, etc. So, use of adequate moisture and sunscreen for skin and proper conditioning of hair using mild natural oil like olive oil or almond oil is suggested to keep both skin and hair healthy during Holi season.

Be little conscious and get on colourful water, pastes and gulals to enjoy a memorable Holi this season.

10 Must Have Beauty Essentials for Summer

Summers are back and will stay for the next couple of months. As we simplify our wardrobe and strip away extra layers of clothing, summer calls for a stronger focus on fabulous skin. Guardian Health Chronicle suggests 10 must have products in your beauty kit.

1. Tame Your Skin with Toners. In winter, we didn’t have to bother about the greasy look on our face. It stayed well behaved, spotless most of the times and shine free. But your skin saga will be changing in the coming months and you better equip yourself with an alcohol free toner to keep your face hydrated and shine free. Dr. Shehla Agarwal imparts a bit of knowledge on toners and astringents. Astringents should be swiped on the oily areas of your face with a cotton ball, never with finger tips. It helps close pores and controls acne. On the other hand toners are to be used with fingers on your face for a quick swipe after cleaning it (with a mild face cleanser of course) to help it return to its natural pH state. Rose water is a good toner.
2. Don’t Go Out Without Sunscreen. Ideally, you should not go out in the sun without a sunscreen. Dermatologists concur that almost all age-related damage on your skin results from the UV rays of the sun. For Indian skin tone a minimum protection of SPF 15-20 is required and you should wear sunscreen at least half an hour before you go out. Buy sunscreens that offer broad spectrum protection and check the label to see if it has zinc and titanium-di-oxide as ingredients. Stay indoors between 11 am to 3 pm when the rays of the sun are the harshest. If you plan to go to hilly areas then get sunscreens with higher SPF. The golden rule with sunscreens is reapply, hence tote a bottle with you when you go out.
3. Resolve Skin Woes With Aloe Vera Gel. It’s normal for your skin to develop rashes, zits, acne and sun tan. Aloe Vera gel works well to soothe the inflamed skin. Venturing out in the sun without a sunscreen will give you sun tan, which is nature’s way of increasing melanin production to protect your skin. Apply Aloe Vera gel on the tanned skin for instant relief.
4. Polish off Your Skin With Body Scrubs. There is more of skin show in summer. Buff your body with body scrubs and show off the smooth skin with panache. You could also use orange- peel powder with ‘good-old’ besan and milk to get a homemade body scrub to exfoliate your skin.
5. Get Home Oil Free Moisturisers. Many of us think that our skin doesn’t need moisturizer in summer because it’s already greasy. This isn’t true. When the skin feels dry and parched, the oil glands go on overdrive to produce oil in order to keep the skin moist which can make it greasy. You need to provide nourishment to your skin with oil-free moisturisers that don’t clog your pores. In fact, many sunscreens and moisturisers are rolled in one and help you seal in the moisture and ban the tan at the same time.
6. Feel Fresh With Fragrances. While deodorants are good for banishing body odour perfumes and EDTs move a step ahead in helping you smell fresh throughout the day. You could even try the good old atar (perfume) available at select stores in old Delhi to the get the old-world feel.
7. A Quick Swipe With Wet Wipes Does a Miracle. Wet wipes are a must have ingredient in your vanity kit, purse or even in the office drawer. The makeup worn in the morning begins to melt in humid summers. Just before an important meeting wet wipes can be used to refresh your face or repair smudged makeup. Keep it handy and you’ll never have a bad-makeup day.
8. Invest in a Good Quality Shampoo and Conditioner. You sweat a lot in summer, which means you’ll wash your hair more frequently. Then you go and take a dip in the chlorinated pool water. Moreover, rays of the sun can deprive your precious tresses of moisture and fade your hair colour. Naturally, you need to buy a good quality shampoo and conditioner for your hair. You could also buy conditioners that come with UV protectant features. Hair masks become kind of mandatory in summer. Use it once a fortnight or after you’ve coloured your hair or touched the roots. Yves Rocher offers hair products suited for every hair type. Go ahead and try these.
9. Beat Prickly Heat with Calamine. Prickly heat is a painful summer ailment which happens because of excessive sweating and clogged pores. To keep prickly heat at bay you should bathe twice a day and put baking soda in your bath water. This will soothe the skin inflammation. Apply calamine on the affected area to control the itch.
10. Exfoliate Feet with Foot Scrub. Until now our feet were covered inside socks, but as the socks come off, your feet face the world. Cracked heels, unruly nails will spoil your style statement. Use foot scrubs especially designed for your feet to get rid of dead cells. Book yourself for a pedicure at least once a month. While soaking your feet in warm water drop a couple of aspirins in it. The salicylic acid in aspirin will soften the dead cells. Now use the foot scrub to get ultra soft feet.