Anti-ageing tips for oily skin

Oily skinned women have typically less lines and wrinkles visible as compared to women with normal and dry skin. Though there are a few benefits of having oily skin, here's how you can prevent your skin from ageing faster

1. Apply sunscreen regularly 

Whatever the skin type, using sunscreen is a must. If protecting your skin from damage caused due to sun was never your priority, start now. Sunscreen will protect your skin from sun and you'll look younger. Most importantly, go for sunscreens for oily skin to avoid clogged pores.

2. Don't wash your face too often 

Don't over cleanse your face even though your oily skin texture may tempt you into washing your face again and again. Yes you may want your skin to look fresh, clean and oil-free but washing your face several times in a day actually leads to increase in oil production. Also, over-cleansing may make your skin dry. You can wash your face twice a day and use blotting papers during the day to keep oil away.

3. Nourish your skin 

Antioxidants help prevent oxidising and help your skin stay supple. So antioxidants is certainly something that you need to incorporate in your skin-care routine. Opt for oil-free moisturisers that contain antioxidants. Also follow a diet that includes berries, beans and veggies to feed your skin

4. Get adequate sleep 

Sleep is extremely important not only for your skin but your overall health. This doesn't mean you sleep all day, just get adequate sleep of around 8 to 9 hours. Also, sleep on your back as sleeping on your face can wrinkle the skin and age skin at a faster rate.

5. Consume Omega-3 fatty acids 

Omega-3 fatty acids revitalises your skin and repairs it from inside. Eat foods rich on omega-3 fatty acids like salmon, halibut, eggs, soy milk and yogurt. They are not only delicious but also do a lot of benefit to your skin.

6. Avoid sugar, smoke and alcohol 

Quitting smoking is the best thing you can give yourself as it not only damages your health but also your skin. And if you have a sweet tooth and indulge in too many sweets, cut down on them. Studies have shown that consuming lots of sugar over long periods can cause skin to age and dull due to a process in our body called glycation. Limit your consumption of candies and eat healthy vegetables and fruits instead. Also, drinking alcohol dilates your blood vessels and increases blood flow near the skin's surface which makes your skin appear sallow. So limit your consumption of alcohol.

Quick tips for a shiny mane

Is the humidity and moisture wreaking havoc on your tresses? With the following tips you can make sure they do not lose their shine.

Aesthetician Ritu Singh Tanwar tells us about a simple hair mask that can be made at home. "Take a cup of thick curd and add two tablespoons of fenugreek powder to it. Apply this to your hair length properly. Let it stay for around 15 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. You do not need to shampoo your hair, but you must apply a conditioner and hair serum," she says.

Eggs, most of us know, are very good for hair and Ritu says that one should apply egg whites on your hair length and ends to make them lustrous. "You should leave it on for around 20 minutes and then use a shampoo — preferably egg-based — to wash off. Follow this with a conditioner," she says. Trichologist Dr Apoorva Shah says that one needs to condition hair well to give it a shine, (See box on conditioning). Hair masks like these, not only make your hair shiny but also softer and more manageable. Go on and flaunt your healthy, and shiny hair!

For lustrous tresses
- Take a large mug of water and add the juice of one lemon to it.
- Now use this water as a final rinse after your regular shampoo.
- You could also use three to four teaspoons of vinegar instead of lime juice.
- Rinsing hair with this, will make it lustrous.

Here are a few steps to conditioning your hair properly...

Step 1: Moisturising your scalp is very important. We have been following this since ages — oil the scalp and the hair shaft and let it stay overnight or keep it for at least four to five hours.

Step 2: Apply a deep conditioning treatment hair pack (there are many available over-the-counter or with your trichologist). You need to apply this only on the hair length. Keep this for 15 to 20 minutes.

Step 3: Now wash off the hair pack. Shampoo your hair well and then apply a good wash-off conditioner on your hair, but avoid the scalp. You need to keep a wash-off conditioner on your hair for at least three minutes.

Step 4: Finally, before washing off your conditioner, wrap a hot towel around your head covering your hair. Then wash off once the towel really cools off. After you are out of the shower, towel dry your hair. Now apply a hair repair serum on the hair shaft. Let your hair dry naturally. Comb through with a wide-toothed, preferably wooden comb. Do this once a week and you will be surprised at the visible change in your hair texture.

Unusual beauty tips that work

Here are two unusual but very effective beauty tips to get rid of blackheads and to get soft, supple hands.

Pepper to get rid of blackheads:

Fighting blackheads is a never-ending battle. Blackhead strips are a huge dud. Try pepper instead. Mix one tablespoon of pepper with yogurt and apply it on your nose. Scrub gently in circular motions. Keep it on for seven minutes and rinse. The grainy pepper works as a natural exfoliant and lifts blackheads more effectively than anything else.

Cinnamon for soft hands:

Mix two cups of water with a cup of milk, two tablespoons olive oil and a pinch of ground cinnamon. Warm it up and soak your hands in it for 10 minutes while gently rubbing them together. Cinnamon works as an exfoliant and stimulates circulation.

4 ways to whiter teeth

So, you have always been complimented for your dazzling smile. We hope you have a perfect set of pearlies to give you that radiant smile.

Yellowing of teeth are a thorough let-down. Dark lipsticks, especially shades of red and even neons, bring out the yellowness of your teeth. Thus, it is imperative to have a clean set of white teeth for you to flaunt that neon pout. However, whitening or brightening your teeth need not be an expensive affair. You don't always have to splurge on products and treatments that will leave a dent in your pocket. Here are some natural ways to whiten your teeth.

Mix baking soda
This is by far the cheapest and most effective way to whiten your pearlies. Baking soda is easily available in most general stores. Squeeze out a little toothpaste in a bowl. Add a pinch of baking soda to it. Mix it up and then brush your teeth with it. Indian food tends to stain teeth a lot, because of the use of turmeric. Try this mixture before bedtime. Ensure that you rinse your mouth thoroughly afterwards, as baking soda doesn't taste good if left in your teeth.

Gorge on strawberries
Strawberries are tasty and make for a great scrub for your teeth. The tiny seeds in the fruit scrub away the tartar off the teeth. Works well on days when you are feeling too lazy to do much else in the way of oral hygiene.

Use a straw
We all love our daily cuppa. However, caffeine addiction wreaks havoc on your teeth. Sad but true. Having too many cups of coffee or tea stains teeth like nothing else. The same goes for soda. You simply must give it up completely or restrict your intake to as little as possible. If you can't give it up, at least try using a straw to sip coffee or soda to avoid direct contact with teeth.

So, you have always been complimented for your dazzling smile. We hope you have a perfect set of pearlies to give you that radiant smile.

Yellowing of teeth are a thorough let-down. Dark lipsticks, especially shades of red and even neons, bring out the yellowness of your teeth. Thus, it is imperative to have a clean set of white teeth for you to flaunt that neon pout. However, whitening or brightening your teeth need not be an expensive affair. You don't always have to splurge on products and treatments that will leave a dent in your pocket. Here are some natural ways to whiten your teeth.

Mix baking soda
This is by far the cheapest and most effective way to whiten your pearlies. Baking soda is easily available in most general stores. Squeeze out a little toothpaste in a bowl. Add a pinch of baking soda to it. Mix it up and then brush your teeth with it. Indian food tends to stain teeth a lot, because of the use of turmeric. Try this mixture before bedtime. Ensure that you rinse your mouth thoroughly afterwards, as baking soda doesn't taste good if left in your teeth.

Gorge on strawberries
Strawberries are tasty and make for a great scrub for your teeth. The tiny seeds in the fruit scrub away the tartar off the teeth.  Works well on days when you are feeling too lazy to do much else in the way of oral hygiene.

Use a straw
We all love our daily cuppa. However, caffeine addiction wreaks havoc on your teeth. Sad but true. Having too many cups of coffee or tea stains teeth like nothing else. The same goes for soda. You simply must give it up completely or restrict your intake to as little as possible. If you can't give it up, at least try using a straw to sip coffee or soda to avoid direct contact with teeth.

Floss
Most people don't think much about it. However, flossing is one habit that you must inculcate. It is one of the best ways to dislodge the food that you have eaten all day long — even if you rinse thoroughly, food particless get stuck between your teeth. It helps in cleaning the stains in the creases of your gums while preventing gum disease. Grab some floss and make it your nightly routine.

Most people don't think much about it. However, flossing is one habit that you must inculcate. It is one of the best ways to dislodge the food that you have eaten all day long — even if you rinse thoroughly, food particles get stuck between your teeth. It helps in cleaning the stains in the creases of your gums while preventing gum disease. Grab some floss and make it your nightly routine.

Honey, the skin saviour

Honey is seen as an ideal natural ingredient to do away with skin dryness and there is more to this sweet kitchen ingredient.

Make honey part of your beauty regime to get natural glow...

Usage of honey:

Facial scrub: Women with sensitive skin can prepare a face mask made of honey, brown sugar, olive oil and lemon juice. It's less abrasive, yet removes dead skin cells to reveal a smoother and more vibrant complexion.

Hair removal: Mix honey and lemon juice and pour into a sugaring wax that's safe to use on your body. This will remove hair and also make your skin soft.

Scars: To make the scars leave your side, apply raw honey on the affected areas before bed and cover with a bandage. In the morning, remove the cover-up and cleanse the skin.

Bath treatment: Take bath with milk and honey. The alpha hydroxy acids in milk breaks down dry and flaky skin, while the enzymes in honey softens skin.

Sunburn: Honey helps to soothe sunburns. You just need to dab on a little honey on skin.

Chapped lips: Mix honey, brown sugar and olive oil, and apply on your lips. This mixture will moisturise chappy lips.

How to get rid of blackheads

Here are some sure shot ways to remove blackheads through some quick fix methods.

Squeeze them out: Warming your skin makes the pores expand, making it easier to squeeze out the blackheads. You can do this by taking a warm shower or applying a hot compress to the affected areas. Use an extractor tool or bobby pin to force it out. Be careful with these methods, and if you experience serious pain, try something else.

Use Toothpaste: Apply an inch-sized amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush. Wet the toothbrush and wet the affected area. Gently with your toothbrush, scrub the affected area for a short period of time. Make sure you do not apply it too close to the eyes, as the vapours from methanol toothpastes can irritate the eyes. If you have nose blackheads, apply an even smaller amount of toothpaste, and keep clear from eyes. Always sterilise the toothbrush with boiling-hot water after following this method.

Lime juice: Make a lotion with equal parts of lime juice, almond oil and glycerin. Apply your lotion to your face. It will not only cure blackheads but the discolouring spots on the face too.

Steam and moisturise: Put a hot towel over your face for 10 minutes. Letting it sit will bring the black heads to the surface. Wash with warm water and natural face wash. Close pores with cold water and apply oil-free moisturiser.

Natural remedies to cure skin problems

Are you looking for some natural remedies to get rid of skin related problems. Try out rosewater as it helps in removing skin clogs and blackheads or you can also opt for aloe vera pack for glowing skin.

Navin Sharma, head of research andDevelopment at Cholayil Private Limited shares some useful tips that can help in attaining a "healthy" skin.

Pearl pack: It improves the skin texture, balances moisture and makes the skin glow. It helps reduce dark marks, pimples and acne. It can be used both in form of paste and powder. Pearl helps in minimizing the large pores on the skin and therefore reduces redness.

Rose water pack: Wash your face regularly with rose water for softer skin. It effectively removes skin clogs, blackheads and reduces stickiness from the face. It helps clear all the impurities and dust. Rose oil contains anti-inflammatory properties.

Proper face massage with rose water will remove excess oil in the skin, keeping it evenly moisturised and exfoliated, thus restoring the lost pH balance and skin texture, preventing acne and pimples, removing the dirt that gets accumulated in the skin pores.

Neem pack: It is an ideal solution to all your summer-related skin problems. Neem benefits can be utilized the most during this season. Neem juice helps in purification of skin and blood. You can use facewashes that contain neem leaves as an ingredient.

Aloe Vera pack: It helps cure acne problems. It contains medicinal properties that help protect the skin's natural beauty. It also works as a moisturizer and provides oxygen to the body cells which strengthen the skin tissues and help to keep the skin healthy.