Skin care on a Shoe-String Budget

There are times in one’s life when skin care takes a back seat, purely because of financial constraints. WE THINK NOT. Skin care is the birth right of every girl and woman and in our continuous endeavor to make it accessible to you guys we found some home remedies for the really tight purse…have fun and be beautiful!!!

1) Dry skin/ combination: Use Honey (just plain) as a face pack, keep for 20 minutes, gently massage off with warm water. You can do this literally everyday!!! A 100 gms bottle is Rs.50 and will last you a few months and earn us much goodwill.

2) Oily skin: Once a day wash your face with thick paste made with baking soda and water. It counters oil build-up and is anti-bacterial to prevent pimples. You can buy 100gms for around Rs.20, and you are sorted for atleast 2 months.

3) The Miracle skin cream: Soframycin, yes the same cream you apply on wounds and cuts. The anti bacterial properties combined with its quick healing make it a miracle overnight cream. If you have dry skin feel free to use it as a day cream too. Rs.20 a tube, should last you a month.

4) Body lotion: A combination of glycerin and rose water is one of the healthiest potions for your skin. Depending on your skin type, you will have to work out the proportions. Remember the dryer your skin the more glycerin you will need. Store in a spray bottle for easy application. Glycerine is cheap about Rs. 10 a bottle, but rose water is a little steep. Our tip: Don’t buy rose water in a spray bottle, or better still, use plain water… it works just as well!

Now read this last part out, Loud and Proud: Having glowing skin is our birth right, and no paycheck should ever ever ever stand in the way of pampering it.

All images are courtesy, PixaBay.com/ Morguefile.in/freeimages.com or are writers own.

Fastest Mani-Pedi Ever!!

As much as we love socializing mid-week, it’s not the most opportune time to look ones presentable best. Skin and hair quick fixes are dime-a-dozen, it’s that long relaxing mani-pedi that never gets done. So we stepped into our lab (read: bathroom) and spun up these concoctions that will leave your hand and feet looking like a million dollars in record time.

 

Manicure:

Presuming you have already washed your hands and patted them dry, now mix a teaspoon of granulated sugar, with a tablespoon of olive or coconut oil. Use this mixture to massage your hand, cuticles, use warm water to rinse your hand, and believe it or not… that is IT!!!

Pedicure:

1. Wash feet thoroughly, with soap and water and scrub off dead skin with a pumice stone.

2. Measure out glycerin and coconut oil in equal quantities, shake mixture well (mixture can be made and stored), use a cotton swab to apply all over your feet. Wear a pair of old cotton socks, for not less than 20 minutes. Remove socks and marvel!!!

Now taking for granted that we can all navigate a nail polish brush, and everyone has a bottle of their favorite shade in quick-dry… That’s a mani and a pedi in under 30 minutes…at home!!!

All images are courtesy, PixaBay.com/ Morguefile.in/freeimages.com or are writers own.

Look like a pataka in 20 minutes or less

Diwali is a wonderful, wonderful time. The slight nip in the air mixes with the palpable excitement to give a heady feeling. Festivities kick off at least a week in advance and last well until the old year gives way to the new.

However, Diwali also brings with it a ridiculous amount of work. There’s cleaning and cooking, shopping and wrapping, welcoming guests, shopping, packing and planning for trips, shopping, doing up the house, shopping and just for good measure, some binge eating and drinking. In the entire frenzy, there is precious little time left over to doll yourself up for the celebrations.

This Diwali, we give you some tips to look like a pataka in 20 minutes or less.

Now, adding a pair of swanky stilettos might seem like the thing to do but we recommend a pair of mojris, in deep brown or black with a little golden threading. These puppies are so beautifully Indian that anything else is just not the same thing. The minute you sleep your feet into this comfy pair, the cake is pretty much baked and all you need is a wee bit of icing.

Three words for that – KEEP. IT. SIMPLE.

Dab your eyes with a spot of gold or bronze eyeshadow. Festive? Yes. Ridiculously easy to find? Yes. Ridiculously easy to apply? YES!

Top that off with a bold black eyeliner and kohl combo. Blink seductively at the husband/boyfriend/cute neighbour and his slightly dazzled look should be compliment enough. You can choose to add a teensy little bindi or big, bold one. If you do choose a small one, add a pair of wicked chaand baalis and a matching maang tikka to complete your look. A big kadaa should take care of those delicate little wrists of yours.

As for those beautiful tresses, let this holiday season be a respite for them too. Forget about straightening, crimping and curling. Work around the maang tikka and fashion them into a simple, slightly messy bun at the nape of your neck. Add a bright little hair sticker, scrunchy or pin and let nature take its course. Your hair are going to end up surprising you to no end.

Before you step away from that lucky mirror, give your lips a little push with a bright scarlet matte lipstick or a glittery nude lip gloss. Pout, blow a kiss, pinch those cheeks HARD and get ready to rock the night you sexy pataka!

Don’t fret over draping a sari or accidentally taking out an eye with the safety pins. Team a pair of short palazzo pants with a long anarkali or achkan top. Loosely drape a dupatta around your shoulders and you’ve got your regal look, bang on! Use brocade or silk for a subdued but elegant look. If it’s too warm for these fabrics, pick out something which has bootis made against a super bright background.