Get Beautiful You Naturally

Beautiful You Naturally

Hundreds of expensive products and procedures exist for beautifying the skin and keeping it looking young and fresh, some of which may also pose dangers to your health. So why not try some of these all-natural, do-it-yourself beauty recipes to keep your skin young and glowing—at a fraction of the cost. Yes, Dr Preeti Chabbra Ayurveda Consultant Sir Ganga Ram Hospital New Delhi brings to you some easy to engage home remedies for a beautiful you naturally. Read on
A skin peel from nature
Probably one of the fastest ways to look younger is to have a skin peel. While the Retin-A, high-concentration glycolic acid, and harsh chemical peels that cosmetic dermatologists prescribe can decrease lines and result in a smooth skin finish, they also strip your skin’s protective layer, increasing your chance of sun damage, skin aging, and skin cancer. In fact, the FDA warns that a high concentration of various skin-peel agents may thin the skin texture. So what‘s the alternative? Simply make a natural skin peel right from your refrigerator. You can use eggplant, tomatoes, pineapple or any other fruits and veggies that contain other natural acids. Thinly slice the ingredients and place them on your face, covering the skin thoroughly. Leave on for 20 minutes, remove the fruit and veggie pieces and wash with warm water. For the first few minutes, your skin may look red, but this should clear up quickly. Follow with a natural moisturizer.
Cucumber to remedy Rosacea
Rosacea is a chronic skin problem that reddens the forehead, nose, cheeks, and sometimes the chin. Some of the outbreak triggers include alcohol, sunlight, temperature extremes, caffeine, spicy food, among other culprits. In herbal treatment of rosacea, experts focus on soothing the spirit, clearing heat, and using natural remedies to remove skin blockages. A perfect natural remedy is a cucumber mask. Peel the skin off of a fresh cucumber and puree the insides in a blender with one egg white. Coat your face with this mixture, leave on for 30 minutes. And then wash off with cold water. Use this mask daily and you should notice improvement within a month.
Yogurt for a smooth skin texture
Yogurt is a traditional ingredient for healthy skin. It contains lactic acid, a naturally occurring alpha-hydroxy acid that gently peels off the dead skin layer, giving you a smooth skin texture. For sensitive skin that cannot withstand commercial alpha-hydroxy acid preparations, yogurt is especially beneficial. Over time, yogurt can also lighten spots and even out a patchy skin tone. To get these results, wash your face and apply organic plain yogurt as a facial cream. Leave on for 15 minutes, wash off with cold water, and finish with a moisturizer. Afterwards, to reduce any redness, apply a cold pack for 10 minutes.
Tone with apple cider vinegar
Apple cider vinegar can be used as a natural and effective toner for your skin. The malic acid in vinegar helps renew your skin by ridding the epidermis of dead skin cells. Dilute one part cider vinegar in two parts distilled water. After washing your skin, apply the diluted vinegar solution with a cotton pad to your face and neck. Follow with a natural moisturizing lotion.
Try nature’s “facelift”

Looks youthful with acupuncture face-lift. We have been treating patients with facial-toning acupuncture at our wellness center for over 25 years. Research has shown that acupuncture increases blood flow in the tiny capillaries of the skin and muscles and stimulates collagen production in the dermis layer, which increases skin elasticity. Consult an acupuncturist for a natural face-lift or.

Do-it-yourself “facelift”: Using your fingers, you can tone your facial muscles and stimulate the natural production of collagen in the skin. Press firmly with your fingers, working your way methodically along the following points:

• Point 1: relax the forehead with slight fingertip movements
• Point 2: ease furrow between the brows
• Point 3: soothe your crow’s feet around the eye

Remember, in all these points you need to press the area concerns with smooth flow of your fingertips for 5 to 10 minutes in clock wise and anti-clock wise, simultaneously.
To minimize smile lines stimulate these points in the morning and at night for beautiful skin tone.
Eat tasty super skin foods
While many of the tips above use super foods directly on the skin, some you should also eat to retreat your skin. Super skin foods include cherries, peanuts, black soybeans, walnuts, and jujube dates. Citrus fruits are packed with antioxidants that benefit your skin’s health.

• Eat flaxseed oil, sesame oil, olive oil, and virgin coconut oil and avocado every day to treat dry skin. And eat a daily handful of nuts and seeds, especially almonds nuts, hazelnuts, walnuts, and sunflower seeds.
• Peaches, an excellent source of potassium and vitamins A and C, have been used in beauty tonics throughout Chinese history. One beauty recipe recommends baked peaches with honey and lavender. A nutrient found in anchovies and sardines, DMAE (dimethyl-amino-ethanol), is a powerful membrane stabilizer that can reverse age spots on your skin.
• Eat pears to lighten dark circles and minimize skin damage from free radicals. These are packed with copper and vitamin C, antioxidant nutrients that help protect you from cellular damage caused by free radicals, preserving your skin’s beauty and vitality.

All these natural recipes will surely bring you beautiful skin well into your late years. But with all these, one thing that is must is sleeping early. Believe it is one of the oldest age defying tips of all time – yet most don’t follow this! So do not ignore it at any cost. Just remember to stay forever young your entire body needs ease to restore itself.

Don't Let Your Skin Predict Your Age

Since the day we are born, we have been growing older every second. In the early years of our life we are delighted by the idea of growing big and mature but as time slides by and we are in our thirties the quest begins to erase the touches of the time. Sad but true, just the way objects in the rear view mirror are nearer than they appear, the first signs of ageing—wrinkles, uneven skin tone, crow’s feet and sun spots appear sooner than we realize. Dr Sachin Dhawan, Director Clinical & Aesthetic Dermatology at Gurgaon based Artemis Health Institute says, The first signs of ageing have begun to appear in people as young as twenties and you just can’t deny the role of stress in it.”

Though we dread the first wrinkle, still it is not the first sign of ageing. “In Indian context, the first signs of ageing are irregular pigmentation, open pores and fine lines. The more apparent signs like wrinkles and grooves come much later,” informs Dr Dhawan.

Recognise the signs–

Mottled Skin–

Mottled skin or uneven skin tone is caused by the long term exposure to the unforgiving rays of the sun. In fact, dermatologists concur that maximum damage to the skin is caused by photo ageing or sun. The skin could become blotchy, leathery as the youthful even tone begins to fade.

What to do

Instead of a brief summer fling, have a long term affair with sunscreen. This is one beauty staple which you should always carry with you irrespective of the weather. “Sunscreens with minimum SPF of 15 will help shield your skin from 97% of the damage caused by the rays of the sun through out the year, counsels Dr Dhawan. When buying sunscreens be careful and choose those that offer broad spectrum protection, do not clog your pores, are fragrance free and dermatologically tested. You could even wear Calamine Lotion and dust powder on it to get sun protection. Most importantly, the rule with sunscreens is repply.

Enlarged Pores

Given the tropical weather condition of our country, as we grow older we find that the smooth-satin finish of our childhood skin has disappeared and our skin has become riddled with pores. Technically, pores are opening on the skin to the sebum gland to help keep our skin smooth. Enlarged pores imply that the oil glands are over busy.

What to doThere is really no permanent remedy for open pores. You can apply ice on face to tighten open pores, says Dr. Shehla Aggarwal of Mehak Clinic. Wear foundation to hide open pores. Dr Dhruv Gupta, Gurgaon based dermatologist suggests, “Use a good quality foundation with sunscreen. Foundation is actually beneficial for the skin, because it acts like a protective layer between your face and the elements. This is the best way that you can conceal open pores. Wash off the foundation as soon as you reach home with face wash, and follow up with toner.” You can even try getting glycolic acid peels or chemical peels done at your dermatologist’s office to get rid of the open pores.

Dull looking Skin

As you age your skin is not able to shed off the dead skin as fast as it did earlier. As a result the dead skin keeps accumulating and the youthful glow begins to bid adieu to you.

What to do

Tweak your face care routine once again and add an extra ingredient of exfoliation to it. Use face washes and toners that have antioxidants in it. Besides, follow words of wisdom offered by Dr Dhawan, “Balanced eating, moderate exercise, alcohol and tobacco abstinence, adequate sleep and mental relaxation techniques play an important part in keeping the glow intact on your skin.”

Crow’s feet

The skin around your eyes are the most sensitive and they are devoid of fat and muscle tone. This means that when your skin is exposed to the sun this is the first area to develop wrinkles. Again, when you slather sunscreens you tend to miss the area beneath your eyes. No wonder, research studies have found that for 90% women first signs of ageing show beneath their eyes.

What to  do

Wear sunglasses to protect the skin around your eyes. If you smoke then quit it and drink eight glasses of water everyday. Keep your skin soft and supple with a good moisturizer and buy a reputed under eye cream for your eyes. Another homemade treatment for crow’s feet is to use fresh papaya or pineapple. Rub a slice of either fruit carefully along the fines wrinkles you want to get rid of. Allow the juice to sit for fifteen to twenty minutes. Then, rinse it off with cool water; pat dry with a soft towel. Papaya contains “papain” and pineapples contain “bromelain.” Both of these enzymes help remove dead skin cells. They also help spur your skin to produce collagen.

Laughter lines

The skin around our mouths is constantly in use. Hence, this part of your face is vulnerable to the assault of facial lines. Again, the sunscreen that you slather on your face vanishes the moment you eat, drink or lick your lips.  Folks who do facial exercises should quit the habit at once.

What to do

There are things that you can do at home to reduce lines on your face, like exfoliation, taking vitamins, eating fruits and using herbal treatments. Exfoliate at least twice a week. When you exfoliate your skin absorbs the nutrition offered by moisturisers, anti-ageing creams thereby justifying every penny spent on these. When choosing face creams or lotions go for products that have alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs). These work against skin-damaging oxygen molecules (free radicals) in your body. These also help collagen growth that fills in lines and eliminates dead cells on skin surface.

Priya Singh

Must Have Beauty Essentials for Winters

Winter has announced its arrival. The weather has turned nippy and your skin is the first one to bear the brunt of elements (read cold winds). The basics of skin care remain the same for winter too: cleansing, toning and moisturising but you need to tweak these products a bit. In summer, a foaming face wash was good but as the temperature dips you should switch to a mild cleanser, preferably a lotion. Similarly your toner should be of non-drying types and your moisturiser should be a richer version of the one that you used in the summer. Priya Singh enlists ten must have beauty essentials that every girl should keep in her vanity kit.

1. Heavy duty moisturizer with SPF protection: Cold winds can strip moisture from your skin, particularly your facial skin. Wear moisturisers diligently after cleaning your face. Switch to oil based moisturisers in place of water as they form a barrier on your skin and look for “nonclogging” oils, like avocado oil, mineral oil, primrose oil, or almond oil. Do not avoid sunscreen protection just because it’s winter. The rays of the sun will wreak damage on your skin nevertheless. Sunscreen Protection Factor 15 is good for Indian skin tones.

 2. Gentle exfoliating agents: In these months our skin’s turnover rate goes down, hence you should add a gentle exfoliating agent in your skin care ritual to remove the dead cells from your skin. Any scrub which has AHA agents will be a good exfoliator. Lactic acid (sour yoghurt) is a wonderful exfoliator that removes dead cells without being harsh. Gentle peeling creams are better than the regular scrubs. Remember to tone (rose water) your skin after exfoliating it and follow it up with a good moisturiser.

 3. Switch your face masks. Give hydrating face masks a chance now. Avoid face masks that have clay in it as they can absorb extra oil from your skin. Now, your masks should have ingredients like glycerine, honey which can nourish your skin.

 4. How about hand creams? Your hands bear the brunt of cold weather more than your face. Shower these with some TLC and you’ll be rewarded with a soft and smooth pair of hands. Exfoliate your hands and apply a good hand cream later. Wear cotton gloves later to seal in the moisture.

 5. Put your best foot forward. Winter means dry, dehydrated and cracked heels for many. Not only this is painful but embarrassing too. Dip your heels in a basin of warm salted water in which baking soda and shampoo has been added. Scrub the topmost layer gently with a good quality pumice stone. Refrain from buying the cheaper version available at your local kirana store. Follow it up with a generous massage by a rich, hydrating foot cream.

 6. Have you splurged on hair masks? The cold winds and the dipping temperature steal moisture and lustre from your precious strands. Protect your hair by wearing nourishing hair masks. Make it once-a-week affair and your hair will bounce with health.

7. Lip balms. Your lips don’t have any oil glands. Naturally they dry out faster than your skin. Hence buy a good quality lip balm to keep your lips hydrated and well moisturised. You can also switch to creamy lipsticks in place of the long lasting ones to keep your lips happy.

 8. Eye cream: The delicate skin around your eyes can get really damaged by cold air and harsh winds. Even though you might apply in the AM, applying eye cream mid-day when you leave your office will keep the skin around the eyes protected.

9. Oil massage. This sounds delicious and feels heavenly. At least once a month treat yourself to a whole body oil massage. You can use coconut or olive oil for the massage and your skin will definitely feel better and more hydrated later.

10. Body butter: This is thicker than a regular lotion and provides much needed nourishment to the dry and dehydrated skin.

In winter you may not feel thirsty but you should have ten glasses of water to keep your skin hydrated. If you use room heaters then place a bowl of water in the room so that your skin doesn’t feel parched when you wake up. Hot water baths may feel heavenly, but you should avoid it as it can dry your skin. Instead prefer tepid water and put a capful of baking soda in it to keep your skin moist. Emphasise on healthy foods and be regular with exercise and the result will reflect in a healthy glow on your face.

Glow like a Gemstone

There is no denying that every woman loves a day at the salon. Reason is there is no better way to pamper and get that much-needed relaxation and dazzling effect, instantly. And when the celebration season is on the cards, the idea of receiving the exotic facials gets all more important. So to glow like a gemstone this party season, why not try ‘gemstone facial’.  Yes, you heard right! Gemstone facials are a great way to keep your skin young and beautiful tells expert beauty therapist Shenaz Hussain. But don’t just get swayed away by the great marketing gimmicks. Before heading to the parlor for your all-important beauty ritual, ‘the facial’, skin type must surely be kept in mind.

It’s well known that we have a fondness for gold – and other precious metals and gems like silver, pearls, diamonds platinum, etc. But crushing these lifestyle accessories in a beauty tool like facial is something that requires a deep study. As, all that glitters do not surely can make your skin shine too! And if it can really make one get shiny skin instantly, then what the logic is behind, is what Guardian Health Chronicle team explains here. Read to select right one…

What Does Your Skin Demand

Sapphire is for youthful glow. The contents of this stone helps to soothe, deeply hydrate and protect the skin making it appear clear, smooth, rejuvenated and youthful. It removes dead cells, restores and maintains the ideal skin and safeguards it from harmful environmental effects. Also, the blue sapphire treatment is believed to induce sleep and wipe away depression.

Diamonds are mostly used for skin lightening process. Mostly used for micro-dermabrasion and skin polishing, this facial includes a diamond wand which has an array of “diamond” crystals used to polish the skin, leaving it luminous and radiant. If you have a sensitive skin type or if you complain about discolouration of facial skin or blackheads, whiteheads, acne scarring, enlarged pores, lip and character lines and stretch marks, you must go for diamond facial. The procedure is also used to diminish white heads, fine lines,

Silver facial helps in skin detoxification and purification, claims the cosmetic industry. It helps prevent blackheads too. Skin clinics also claim that silver works best on dehydrated skin by restoring lost nourishment.

Gold facials give skin instant radiant lustre. The gold in the products is said to retain moisture in the skin, increase flexibility and smoothness, slow down collagen depletion and prevent sagging skin. It also apparently improves lymphatic drainage (a network of veins in the body that removes toxins) and regenerate skin cells and fights damaging free radicals to prevent premature ageing.

Pearl helps in skin brightening and reducing blemishes and dark spots. It is naturally rich in amino acids, minerals, and proteins that have powerful age control properties. Also it helps to strengthen the skin, improve its moisture retention ability and produce an even colour tone.

Platinum facial recharges and energizes your skin. It influences the skin at the cellular level and helps to ensure the strength of its supportive tissues. It maintains the desired moisture level. It has powerful anti-oxidant effects which protect the skin’s youthful properties and impart radiance. It is mostly recommended to combination skin type.

Amber detoxifies and protects your skin from radiation, drawing positive power and energy. Known as a happy stone it cleanses the skin thoroughly but gently to make your skin feel soft and relaxed.

Onyx purifies the skin and stimulates cellular regeneration. Black in colour, it particularly helps in healing infected wounds, fungal infections, inflammation as well as sunburn.

Red rays of Ruby stone strengthen and nourish the facial skin, treat skin infections and improve blood circulation. Being the gem of sun it gives lustre to the skin. That is not all. It is a good moisturiser and a rich source of Vitamin A which is excellent for an ageing skin too.

Pink tourmaline helps maintaining the correct level of moisture in our skin. It involves much time for the massage process as it calms down the skin and soothes it. It also calms our mind and promotes harmonization.

Emerald is best for anti-ageing and repairing skin damage properties. The emerald ash infused (soaked without boiling) in the cream helps to rejuvenate and tone the skin, reducing fine lines and wrinkles. It further strengthens the skin and increases elasticity, prevents pimple formation and removes excess oil from the skin. With its natural astringent and antiseptic properties it cures acne prone skin. It even relieves fatigued eyelids and also makes the lips look healthier.

Celeb’s Speak  Gautami Kapoor, TV Actress I got a gold facial done when I got married and was happy with it. I am a great believer in facials and get one done every two months. For some years, I have been hooked to pearl facials. My skin is sensitive, but this is one treatment that suits me. The pearl facial makes my skin look clean and even-toned. It is meant for whitening, so I do it when I have a tan. I am tempted to try out diamond facials too. My husband doesn’t believe in these treatments, but I am a convert.

Are You Turning Scaly

HAS YOUR SKIN TURNED RED AND SORE AND YOU FEEL ITCHY LIKE CRAZY? And you know you haven't been near poison ivy or even don't have chickenpox! But still, you chew your fingernails down to the quick just so you won't scratch until you bleed! Don’t dip down in depression for turning into a monster movie. You suffer from ECZEMA. Dr Sheilly Kapoor Consultant Dermatology Medanta the Medicity tells all about this scaly skin concern. Read to know.

What is Eczema

In Greek means “to Boil”. It broadly encompasses skin conditions that cause the skin to suffer from recurring redness, skin edema (swelling), and you feel itching and dryness, crusting, flaking, blistering, cracking, oozing, or bleeding most of the time. Areas of temporary skin discoloration may also appear.

Identify the Causes

The exact cause of eczema in unknown but is linked to an over active response by the body's immune system to an irritant. In addition, it is more common in persons with a family history of other allergies/ asthma.

 Some types of eczema can occur as a result of single (irritant contact dermatitis) or repeated (allergic contact dermatitis) exposure to irritants / allergens. The common allergens include detergents, animal dander, objects containing nickel like coins, buttons, jewellery and eyeglass frames etc. Upper respiratory infections or colds may also be triggers. Stress may cause the condition to worsen.

Seasonal changes can affect eczema badly especially in children. However, flare-ups often occur in winter months when the air is drier. Dry hair combined with heating in some houses can cause the skin to dry out and lead to eczema.

Eczema can get aggravated by dryness of the skin. So keeping the affected area moisturized can promote skin healing and relied of symptoms. Other drugs with can be used for eczema include topical (tacrolimus and pimecrolimus ) and systemec (cyclosporine, azathioprine and methotrexate) immuno suppressents.

  

Are you at risk?

Genetic Factors: Parents who suffer from allergic disorders, including eczema, asthma, and hay fever have a higher risk of having children with eczema.

Environmental factors such as skin irritants, including wool or synthetic clothing, soaps or detergents, cosmetics or perfumes, dust/sand, chemical solvents, chlorine triggers eczema. Other conditions that aggravate the disease includes extreme temperates(cold or hot temperatures or dry air or extremely humid air), and lack of moisturizer after bathing, etc. Other allergens that also trigger eczema includes plant pollen, animal dander, household dust mites, molds, and certain foods

Age factor: The risk is greatest for infants and children. It is estimated that of people who eventually develop eczema, 65% of patients develop symptoms in the first year of life, and 90% develop symptoms before age 5. The condition often improves in adulthood, but 50% of those affected in childhood are affected throughout life.

Obvious Treatments

Lifestyle wise: Eczema can be controlled and not cured. Growing out of atopic eczema with age and avoiding the allergens causing atopic eczema are the only situations where it is considered to               be cured. Otherwise controlling the condition with some lifestyle modification with or without medication is the answer. Here are few recommendations to stay well with eczema:

• Maintain a regular bathing and moisturizing schedule.
• Avoid wearing wool or other rough fabrics which can irritate the skin.
• Dressing in layers is preferable as to much clothing may cause swelling and increase itch.
• Use a humidifier to keep the air moist and prevent the skin from getting dry.
• Moisturize well and repeat at regular intervals.

 However, specifically in warmer months, it is important to stay cool as sweating causes itchiness and make the symptoms of eczema worse. Wear loose fitting cotton clothes cotton allows the air to circulate better and helps to absorb body moisture this helps to keep the body cool and dry. Also it is good to lessen activities that cause a lot of sweating esp-during hot hours of the day. Lastly protect your skin from the sun.

Medication wise:  There is no known cure for eczema; therefore, treatments aim to control the symptoms by reducing inflammation and reducing itching. Corticosteroids are the mainstay of treatment.  To treat mild to moderate eczema steroid cream eg. Hydrocortisone may be used for a week; while in more severe cases a higher potency steroid eg. clobetasol propionate is recommended. However, in extreme severe cases, oral on injectable corticosteroids is needed. Although they bring rapid relief but at times shows greater side effects. It can be controlled on an average in 2-3 weeks in majority of cases.  For itch relief, antihistamines are combined.     

                                 

Dietary restrictions You can avoid flare-ups by restricting eatables like eggs, fish, peanuts and soya. However, this is very individual and should be discussed with your health care provider. Try to eliminate cigarette, alcohol, caffeine, saturated fats and preserved foods from the diet. Eat more fiber-rich food. Drink plenty of water and take fruit juices like orange.

What to wear with eczema

 Fabric not fashion should be the deciding factor. Cotton is currently one of the most commonly recommended fabric for people with eczema but a specially treated silk (Dermasilk) has shown good evidence to become the fabric of choice for eczema. Wool, nylon and other synthetic fibres have frequently been shown to irritate eczema, so it’s good to avoid these materials.