Ways to prevent foot problems:

Footbath:- A footbath with a dash of bath salts is an essential routine for relaxing and soothing feeling. It does away with aches, pains and odour problems. Use a pumice stone in a gentle to and fro movement and wash off loosened skin. Thoroughly dry your feet with a soft, fluffy towel and don't forget to dry between toes. Smooth on a rich foot cream.

Footwear:- The right way to select sensible and suitable footwear is to first measure both your feet separately. Try on footwear, stand up and take a stroll around the store. If your toes are squeezed in or begin to pinch, those shoes arent for you. Try on a different pair.

Most of your foot problems are triggered off by ill fitting footwear. Narrow shoes and stiletto heels must be avoided :D Ok Ok don't gimme a punch.

Foot Exercise:- Foot Exercises are designed to keep your feet supple, relax and soothe tiredness, aches and excruciating pains. The time spent on leg and foot exercise will go a long way to keep your feet and legs looking great and problem free too.

Soothing Foot Massage:- Your legs and feet also respond to regular pampering. Give them a soothing and relaxing yourself or get it done in a parlour. The guideline to a good massage is ''the better you feel, the better you are massaging it''

Pedicure:- A pedicure forms a part of your weekly routine and must be carried out religiously to keep your feet in pristine condition and problem free too. For a simple DIY pedicure click here.

Also read Part I & Part II

What is Pigmentation?

Pigmentation problem can be a serious skin concern among women. In addition to ugly marks and patches on the skin, there is a lot of emotional stress on the person. This is why it is incredibly difficult to deal with pigmentation problem. Moreover, if you don't apply the right type of skin care products, the skin condition may aggravate and lead to more serious problems

Causes:- Skin pigmentation can be caused by a variety of factors. While some are natural some happen because of skin care negligence. Here are some of the common causes of skin pigmentation. The most common reasons are pregnancy and exposure to sun. During pregnancy the hormone level can increase the body’s production of melanin, a pigment that tints the skin.

Kinds:- Melasma, Chloasma, Solar Lentigines (Sun Damage), Ephelides (Freckles), PIH or post inflammatory hyper-pigmentation

Home Remedies:-

* Mix together Dhalia- 2 tbspn, Honey- 2 tspn and Juice of 1/2 a Lemon. Apply on your face and when its semi-dry scrub it off gently. Wash off.

*Mix together granulated sugar and raw milk. Keep scrubbing gently till the sugar dissolves. Wash off.

*Take a tomato and puree it and apply on your face. Leave it on for 15-20 mins, wash off.

*Papaya pulp also helps if used similar to tomato pulp.

Prevention:- Proper sun protection is the only way to prevent pigmentation. Use a sunscreen lotion with atleast 15-20 SPF all over your face and neck and also on other exposed body parts.

                    

               
              Acne is a common inflammatory disorder of the sebaceous glands just below the skin surface. It is characterized by the recurring formation of blackheads, whiteheads and acne. Primarily, acne occurs on the face but in some cases, it may be noticed on the back, shoulders, chest and arms.




Causes:- Hormones, are the main culprits and when they are at their peak of activity, influencing the secretion of the sebaceous glands. The excess production of sebum causes breakouts that are highly incidental during puberty and menstruation. At times, psychological stress cause acne.




Prevention:- Balanced nutrition and diet, skin hygiene, adequate sleep, exercise, fresh air, sunlight, meditation help in combating acne.




Role of Diet:- Diet is an important factor in acne. Carbohydrates and food with high fat content should be avoided from diet. The high content of oxalic acid that is present in chocolates, cocoa and rhubarb inhibits the body's absorption of calcium. Since Calcium maintains the acid-alkali balance of the body, it is important for a clear complexion. Reducing salt intake in your diet also shows a remarkable improvement in complexion. Vitamins are necessary for your lovely, smooth skin. Vitamin A is important for clear, healthy skin. Vitamin B Complex reduces facial greasiness and the formation of blackheads.






Treatment:-


*Saturate cotton wool in mint juice extract and apply everyday.


* Apply crushed marigold leaves on acne.


* Boil and mash plums to get roughly 8 tspns. Combine with 1 tspn of almond oil and apply.


* Make a smooth paste of Kasturi Turmeric and apply evenly on acne.


* Apply a mask made out of fresh margosa leaves ground to a fine paste. Add 1/4 tspn each of turmeric powder, sandal paste and gram flour. Let it dry completely before rinsing.

              Oily skin has the disadvantage of a perpetually shiny nose, a skin that hates makeup and of course, a tendency to large pores. Oily skin requires proper cleansing and scrubbing. Large pored skin does not look lovely at close quarters and they also provide a base for blackheads and pimples.Oil secretion in excess is the root cause of open pores.

How to deal with it:- Wash face regularly with a gentle face wash specially designed for oily skin. Use a toner atleast twice a day. Don't touch/squeeze pimples, black and white heads.

Makeup:- Avoid using oil/cream based foundation, blush etc on your face. If possible start using mineral makeup, Oriflame is cheap and available for all. Also use a darker shade of foundation over the pores. Apply a primer before foundation. Don't use cream blush instead use a powder blush.

Pore Minimizer:- Mix together 1tspn of tomato pulp, 2 tspn egg white, 3 tspn brandy, 1 tspn honey and 2 tspn flour. Make a smooth paste and apply on your face avoiding around your eyes and mouth. Keep it on for 20 mins and wash off. Use this only once a week.

Face Pack 1:- Mix together 3 tspn of yogurt and 3 tspn of pureed cucumber. Apply all over face and keep it on till it dries. Wash off. Use this pack 2 times a week.

OR

Face Pack 2:- Mix together 1 tspn flour, 1 pinch camphor, 1 tspn brandy and 1 tspn honey. Apply on your face avoiding your around the eye and mouth areas. Keep it on for 10 mins and wash off. Can be applied twice a week. Do clean face with oil-free cleanser or face wash before applying this pack.

              Puffy Eyes look oh so ugly on anyone, they can mar your beauty and actually make you look sick and old. They take away the charm and all your efforts to look good go in vain. Eyes are puffed up due to lack of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, long exposure to heat and light, pre-menstrual fluid retention, oily makeup remover, rich eye creams left on overnight, water retention and crying etc.

Treatments at home:-

* Dip 2 cotton pads into icy cold milk and place over closed eyelids. Relax till the pads warm up. Repeat the process if you want.

* Splash icy cold water on your eyelids. Blot dry and relax with slices of potatoes over closed eyelids. This is extremely beneficial for puffy eyes.

* Saturate cotton pads in hot water (as hot as you can bear) to which a tspn of salt has been added. Place on eyelids to reduce puffiness.

* Green or Black tea chilled and applied on eyelids with cotton pads and left till the pads warm up is great for reducing puffiness.

* Chilled tea bags (used ones) can be placed over eyelids as cold compress for relaxation.

But I do believe that prevention is better than cure. A little effort can save you from having those bags under your eyes.

To prevent puffed eyes:-

* Exercise your eyes to improve circulation as well as vision.

* Avoid salty food as much as you can and also avoid adding extra salt to your food.

* Don't pull, rub and tug your eyes, they are delicate and should he handled with utmost care.

* Choose your cosmetic/skincare products sensibly when buying for eyes or area around eyes.

* Always use a comfortable pillow while sleeping .

* Take regular cold compress because these tend to reduce/avoid local fluid retention around the eyes and aid in circulation.

* Splash your eyes with cool water first thing in the morning after waking up.

* If using a makeup remover on your face/eyes, wash off with a gentle face wash.

Makeup for puffy eyes:-

*Use eye primer and a non oily foundation which is a shade darker than your normal skin-tone.

* Use a medium shadow on your upper lid and line below the lower lash-line with that same medium shadow and extend outwards.

* Now take a darker shadow and line the upper as well as lower lash-line with it and extend outwards and upwards.

* A dash of shimmer shadow around the inner corners of your eyes will create an illusion of a sexy pair of eyes.

* A generous application of mascara especially on the outer upper lashes will further glam up your eyes.

              So that's all I have for today, hope you all enjoy reading this. And yes, if I have left out any point or you want to share a tip/trick then please do let me know.