Hi Beauties, wish you all a very happy Diwali and happy Dhanteras in advance. With all the shine and glitter of this festive season, I planned my Diwali nails today. Here are the steps on doing them up.

* The first step is applying an opaque black nail polish, two coats should be enough. Let it dry properly before beginning the second step.

* Now mix some golden glitter with clear polish, using a simple painting brush or nail art brush paint the tips only with the glitter.

* Let it dry, it will take quite some time to dry, so be patient.

* After the tips dry, pour some golden nail polish on a paper and using a thin painting brush or nail art brush, paint on the design on each nail one by one.

* Leave it to dry for sometimes and follow the above step once more to make the gold outline intense. Once again let it dry.

      
















     

* Now leave it like this if you like or you can add glitter to the design, I added glitter to my design because I wanted my nails to be very sparkly for this Diwali.

* The pic on the top right is final look after applying top coat and cleaning the extra color from around the nails.

Though I am not an artist I tried my best :-D and hope that you all like my masterpiece.... hehehe.... and comment about it.

           

























                 I have received a lot of requests for tips on glowing and fair complexion. So here are some tips from the herbal diva Shahnaz Hussain which I have complied for you guys.

1. Avoid the sun as much as possible. Carry an umbrella ans put on your shades. Apply sunscreen on all exposed parts of your body before going out in the sun.

2. Whenever visiting a swimming pool, beach or a place receiving snowfall; use sunscreen as many times as possible because water and ice reflect more sunlight.

3. Grind to a paste or powder some sesame seeds. Add a little water ans sieve it, you will get a whitish liquid as residue. Apply this whitish liquid on your face and specially on sunburnt areas. The skin will become fairer.

4. To get fairer skin apply curd on the face and neck. Keep it on for 20 mins and wash off. Repeat thrice a week.

5. Regularly wiping face with unboiled milk makes the skin much fairer.

6. If your's is an excessive oily skin, use the following recipe to make yourself more fairer. Take equal amount of lemon juice and egg white, mix very well. Apply on the face for 20 mins and wash off.

  




















     

7. To make the entire body fair and glowing, mix together gramflour, curd and turmeric on whole body and face. Regularly use this mixture instead of soap while bathing.

8. Often arms, legs, knees and elbows become darker than the rest of the body. In this case mix together:- 1/2 cup papaya pupl, 1 tspn watermelon juice, 1 tspn lemon juice, white of an egg and 1 tspn honey. Apply this mixture where necessary, let dry and wash off.

9. If yours is a dry skin, mix together:- 2 tspn unboiled milk and 2 tspn potato juice. Chill and use as a cleanser with cotton pad to clean your face and neck regularly.

So try out these tips and do let me know how it worked for you. This post is dedicated to all who have been requesting for 'Tips for a fairer and glowing complexion'.

           





















I tried another nailart last week, the floral nailart. Didn't turn out very well but then I am not an artist is known to all of you. So here are steps on how I did my floral nails.

At first I applied a base coat and let it dry. Then I applied a pearly beige nail polish on my nails, 2 coats were enough.


After it dried off I took a cd/dvd pen and drew my designs on my nails.



















Now using a thin painting brush or nail art brush fill in colors one by one. I used red for the big flower, light pink and light blue for the smaller flowers and green for the 2 leaves and also I used black for the stems. 


             


















Now is the time for shading to give a realistic look :D

I did the shading of the red flower with yellow, light pink flower with dark pink and light blue flower with mid blue.

      

















 

After shading I applied top coat and placed bindis in the middle of each flower. I used silver bindi in the middle of the red flower, blue bindi in the middle of pink flower and pink bindi in the middle of blue flower. At last I applied atop coat again to seal my piece of art :P

So here I am with my masterpiece floral nailart all done for you to see and comment.... hehehee

          


















Though its not very clear I still hope that you all can see what I actually did with my nails :)

 

 Thanks everyone for bearing with me....

       

























The heavier the makeup you have been wearing, the more times you will have to cleanse your skin. Makeup has a waxy base which cannot be properly penetrated and cleansed simply by using soap and water. A cleansing cream is essential for this.




Rosewater Cleansing Cream


Ingredients:-


7 tbspn rosewater


4 tbspn mineral oil


1 tbspn emulsifying wax


1.5 tbspn beeswax


0.5 tspn borax &

a few drops of rose oil



Melt the waxes and oil together by double broiling method. At the same time heat the rosewater and borax, the borax should be completely dissolved. Now remove both bowls from the heat and pour rosewater into the oil. Continue stirring until a white cream starts to form. Now add a few drops of rose oil. Mixture will get thickened Continue to stir till it cools and thickens. Store in a glass jar.

         


























               Hi Beauties, I am here with facial exercises today. The aim of doing facial exercises is to improve and strengthen muscle tone and to increase blood circulation. Here are a few simple facial exercises which you can try out.

For Fat Cheeks:-

1. Sit straight, facing the mirror. Suck in cheeks and then blow them out alternately. Repeat this exercise 10 times. It is very good and simple exercise for fatty cheeks.

2. Sit straight, facing the mirror. Suck in cheeks and then blow them out. Press both cheeks slowly with fingertips. Remember that the air inside your mouth should not escape. Repeat this 10 times. It is another good exercise for fatty cheeks.

For Double Chin:-

Double chin is a common problem.To correct this you can follow this exercise.


Sit straight, facing the mirror. Look at the ceiling, stretching your neck as you usually do. Still in the stretched upwards position, turn your head to look over to your left shoulder. Return to the front and lower your chin to right angle position with neck. Repeat atleast 6 times. This is a marvelous facial exercise for double chin. You can very easily get rid of this problem.

For Strengthening The Facial Muscles:-


Open your mouth wide and roll your tongue as much as you can. Repeat this exercise 10 times.



Naturally these exercise are very good and beneficial for everybody. With a little effort you can improve your facial looks.

            




























          Body lotions provide charm to the skin. You can very well prepare them at home. Homemade lotions are pure, safe and effective.



Almond Body Lotion

Ingredients:-


1 tspn almond oil


1 tspn petroleum jelly


3 tspn lanolin


2 tspn gycerin


10 tbspn water


1 tspn soap flakes &


perfume or almond essence


Method:-

Heat oils and water separately, double broiling method is suggested. Remove them from heat and now

mix them together. Bottle the lotion and shake rigorously. Now add perfume or almond essence as per your choice.

         

























       I keep seeing and reading about zebra nails and fell in love with it. And finally I decided to give it a try. Straight away I headed to the cosmetics store and got myself a bottle each of white and black polish.

After applying 3 coats of white polish

So here is how I did it- At first I applied my base coat and then applied 3 coats of the white polish. Left it to dry completely.

Now that the white polish dried completely, I started painting thick black stripes over the white nails with the brush of the black polish directly.

Mine are steady hands but if you got shaky hands then support elbow on the table.

When dry apply top coat. 

Finished result

You can also use a nail art brush or a normal painting brush for making the black stripes.

Though I am not an artist, I did this nail art just with my own imagination.



Friends comments required on this please :D

           Continuing my post on buttermilk, today am going to talk about a few more beauty recipes created with buttermilk. Sorry for being late in posting the concluding part of this post :(

           To make the skin fair and soft, make a paste with 2 tbspn powdered oats and required amount of buttermilk. Apply this on your face, neck or any part of the body, leave it on for 15-20 mins and wash off with warm water. Done regularly, it will be very effective.

           The way to get rid of dandruff is to massage your hair for 30 mins with buttermilk. This is a sure cure for dandruff of dryness. You can also use  curd if buttermilk is not readily available to you. But remember to keep the curd out of the fridge for 3 days before using on your hair.
           From ancient times, curd has been used to condition hair. It makes the hair soft, healthy and strong. Curd should be massaged right into the roots of your hair before being washed off.
           If your feel hot and your head heats up as well or if you are suffering from insomnia, put curd on your head and secure it with a cloth tied around your head. This will certainly make your head cool and induce sleep.

  






















        
        Hi Beauties, am back with another simple nail art and trust me on this... its really really easy to recreate it.


First I applied nail hardener on my nails as I love to wear them long. It makes my nails strong. Then I apply a base coat to my nails and let it dry.


Now I applied a peach colored nailpolish on my nails, both finger nails and toe nails.


Thereafter, I made uneven dots with red nail polish directly with the brush of the red nail polish.


You can use a nail art brush or any painting brush. also a toothpick or use the nailart dotting tool.

        When red dots are dry, apply top coat. If you want you can also apply glitter polish but I personally preferred it this way.

Hope you guys like it.

              Hi Babes, I am finally foraying into the world of reviewing cosmetic products. Hope you bear with me :D

             The first product that I am going to talk about is 

BOITIQUE'S -- MORNING NECTAR 

Moisturising Lotion For All Skin Types

Bio Lotion 120ml for 200 INR(approx)

Contents: Terminalia Belerica Ext (Behada Kwath)

               Honey (Madhu)

               Triticum Vulgare (Germ) (Ankurit Gehun Satva)

               Carthamus Tinctorious Oil (Kushumbhi Tail)

               Trigonella Foenum-Graecum Ext. (Meethi Beej Kwath)

               Acorus Calamus Ext. (Vach Kwath)

               Lotion base

Company says:- A light emulsion with the natural goodness of Honey, Wheatgerm and Sea weed. It nourishes skin with natural vitamins. Cures skin infections.

To Use:- After cleansing and freshening smooth over face and throat with upward strokes. Use alone or under makeup.

          My opinion:- Since I have been using this product for quite sometimes now, I can well call it my fav moisturiser at all times except when the weather is too hot and humid. During peak summers it seems to make my face a little greasy so I totally avoid it during the very hot days. But for rest of the time its my darling ;)

         It is of a light consistency and gets absorbed into the skin very quickly. It makes my skin feel light all day and gives a cool feeling when applied to. Its endowed with a mild sweet fragrance that freshens me up in the morning. It has honey in it which is considered as a powerful natural moisturiser which I like about this lotion.

Pros:- Affordable, Ayurvedic, light in texture so a little goes a long way, I don't break out .

Cons:- Feels greasy under makeup, taged for all skin types but not for oily skin specially in hot and humid summer.

I rate it 4/5 and will definitely buy it again until I find another good moisturising lotion.

    I received this "One Lovely Blog Award" from www.chrystalsbeautyblog.blogspot.com, my friend Chrystal who swatches makeup products on her blog. Hers' is a colorful blog with lots of makeup products along with swatches. And I am an ardent follower of her blog.

Here is what you do when you receive this award:
1. make a post about the award and link the blog of the person who gave it to you
2. give the award to 15 blogs that you've found out recently
3. tell these bloggers' that they have an award

But right now the don't have 15 new found blogs but I will surely pass it on in a few days time. 
I will post the names of the names ASAP.
Thanks Chrystal and thanks to you all.

             


























The light slightly sour buttermilk made by churning curd and removing the butter from it, is an excellent drink in summer. In India it has been considered useful from ancient times.

Buttermilk is used to cleanse the skin effectively.It supplies the nerves and the skin with healthy ingredients and counteracts the evil effects of exposure to harsh sun. The bacteria in buttermilk makes the skin soft and glowing.

If your skin has sunburn, mix together- 5 tbspn of buttermilk and 2 tbspn of tomato juice. Apply on to the sunburnt part and leave it on for 30-40 mins. Wash off with plain water.

Mix few drops of almond oil and little rosewater in a tbspn of buttermilk. Apply it on your face, neck, arms and legs before taking bath. Leave it on for 30-40 mins. Now wipe off with a cotton pad or soft cloth and take your bath. See the skin glow.

Another beauty treatment for cleansing your skin is to mix together 2 tbspn of yeast and 2 tbspn of buttermilk. Apply it all over face, neck and body, leave on for 10-15 mins and wash off with warm water. This treatment cleans the skins and makes it smooth.

    























   

For treatment of pimples, use a mixture of curd and gramflour on face. Leave it on till it dries and gently wash off, your pimples will disappear soon and your skin will begin to glow.

If you are bothered with spots on your face, take a piece of radish (mooli), puree it and squeeze out the juice and mix with equal quantity of buttermilk. Apply it on your face Keep it on for an hour and wash off with cool water.

Make a pad of muslin and dip it in buttermilk. Then cover face with it. Dip pad in butter milk every 10 mins, preferably have two pads. After the process has been repeated 4-5 times wipe your face gently with a towel. Do not use water. Just dip the towel in warm water and use it. This makes the skin fairer, removes spots, cleans and nourishes the skin.

Buttermilk for beauty to be continued later. Time for a meeting now so have to go. :(

            One of mother nature's wonderful gifts is the ubiquitous lemon. This fruit has wonderful properties which promote not only beauty but also health. All can afford this fruit. So it is very necessary to dwell on a few of its amazing properties.
           Lemon plays a vital role in beauty care. Almost all face packs can be mixed with a few drops of lemon juice and water.
           Lemon juice and honey taken with tepid water first thing in the morning, helps in reducing weight. Whereas Lemon juice and honey taken with cool water in the evening puts on weight.
          The smell of egg can be removed from the hair during egg hair wash by adding lemon juice to the beaten egg.

          Dandruff can be cured by massaging the scalp with lemon juice. Lice can be killed by the application of lime and ginger juices. You will find amazing results.
          Lemon is a boon for pimple prone skin. Heat half a lemon; with the open, cut side away from the tava/griddle. Let the tava/griddle become hot. Add sugar on to the cut lemon and let it melt. Apply this white warm paste on to the pimples and blemishes. You will find them vanishing within a few days, without leaving scars.
          Lemon slice and granulated sugar will smoothen and bleach your skin. Though it is best used on hands and feet, elbows and knees but not for facial skin.

            Facial hair can be removed by massaging a paste of lemon juice and gramflour/besan. Rub a leftover lemon peel on nails to make them strong and shiny. Lemon juice has bleaching properties.
          Dental beauty can be improved by massaging a mixture of 1 tspn lemon juice, 1 tspn rosewater and 1/2 a tspn of salt, daily. Dried lemon peel powder, 2 drops of clove oil and and little rock salt can be mixed and used to clean teeth. You will find marvelous results by its use. Thin peel lemon is best for this recipe.

          Lemon juice in combination with fresh cream makes a natural moisturising lotion and helps prevent dryness and premature wrinkles.
         Thus we see that the Lemon has many beautifying properties. It is a versatile fruit. If you ladies got any more lemon tips please let me know, I will publish them here in my blog with your names.

            Homemade Astringent: Here is a homemade astringent preparation which is used to tone the skin and also to remove the last traces of greasiness and to close open pores.

4 Tbspn Rosemary,

juice of a Lemon,

juice of an Orange,

1 cup Rosewater, and

1/2 cup Witch Hazel.
Mix well all the above ingredients together in an air tight bottle. Let it stand for 3-4 days. Remember to shake the bottle frequently. This is a milder tonic for your skin and is not harmful as strong astringent lotions are. It does not dry out your skin or dehydrates it.
             Sun Tan Lotion: Sunburn is a very common complaint and so here is an easy method to prepare sun tan lotion at home.

5 Tbspn of powdered Sesame Seeds,

1 cup of Rosewater, and 

3 Tbspn of Surgical Spirit.
 In an air-tight bottle, mix together Sesame seeds powder and Rosewater. Keep for 1 full day shaking the bottle frequently. Now strain the solution and add Surgical Spirit in order to preserve it. It helps in cooling and soothing the affected area.
                Both these lotions are purely herbal preparations and are harmless but very effective at the same time.

         Roses are known for their beauty and grandeur. A rose is always a symbol of beauty. Rose flowers spread sweet fragrance wherever  they are. It is an ever flowering shrub. Did you know that rose has wonderful beauty properties too?

        Rose oil is the most valuable of oil. It is very useful in facial as well as body massage. Rose oil is very beneficial for dryness and puffiness of skin, though a bit expensive. It is highly antiseptic. Add a few drops to your bath water, massage oil or face/body mask/pack and see the results.

          Everybody knows about rose water or Gulabjal. It is excellent for any eye trouble; you can have lovely, sparkling and clear eyes by pouring 1 or 2 drops of rose water into your eyes daily. Cotton wool soaked in rose water can be applied on face and neck before applying moisturizer as it is an effective skin tonic.

          Gulukand is a tonic for everyone. To keep the brain cool and to have surplus energy 1/2 a tsp of tonic should be taken in morning and 1/2 a tsp should be taken at night before sleeping. Other benefits of this tonic- 1. reduces body heat, 2. reduces eye inflammation and redness, 3. strengthens teeth and gums, 4. treats acidity and the the list of benefits is endless. 

 
        Powdered rose petals are also of much value. You can easily prepare them at home. Dry a good amount of rose petals in the shade and after that powder them. This powder helps in in drying any wound. It has a high antiseptic power. Simply sprinkle the powder of dried rose petals over the wound. It will dry up the wound and stop puss formation.

        Half tsp of this powder taken after meals help in digestion. It corrects the digestive system and also cures several ailments. It also prevents excess bile formation in your body.

        If the powder along with 2 almonds, a little khuskhus (poppy seeds) is taken with milk early in the morning daily, it cures high blood pressure and keeps the brain cool.

        Roses kept in the vase creates a cheerful atmosphere. These flowers if smelled by a heart patient gives him considerable relief. That's all for now, bye Babes.

                  Lips have no oil glands of their own, which makes them extremely  prone to chapping and cracking in the cold weather. So take extra care to protect them by wearing a moisturizing lip balm. Don't apply lipstick to chapped lips, it will dry them more. Here are a 5 tips to have slick lips.
                Take a tsp of honey and 2 tsps of almond paste or powder, mix well and apply on lips. Leave on for 5-10 mins and gently scrub off. Dip a cotton ball in warm water and clean off.
               Take 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 1/2 tsp of sugar granules and 2 tsps of glycerin, mix well and apply on lips. Leave on for 5 mins and scrub off gently. Now clean off with a clean cotton ball dipped in warm water.

          Take 1 tsp each of almond oil and coconut oil, 5-7 drops of sandalwood oil and 2 tsps of glycerin, mix well and store in a small jar. Use on your lips atleast 4-5 times a day. Leave on or clean off with damp cotton ball after 15 mins.
          Mix together 1 tsp fresh milk cream with 1/2 tsp of honey on your lips daily to prevent chapping.
         Make a lip balm by yourself at home by mixing together 1 tbsp each of coconut oil and vaseline and few drops of lemon juice. Store in a small air tight jar and use on your lips several times a day. This lightens your lips and keeps them chap free.
             Always prime your lips before applying lipstick and I recommend using a good quality lip brush to apply lipsticks on your lips. Always use a good quality lipstick that suits you and at all times apply lipbalm or vaseline. I use Lotus lip balm (cocoa butter), it works great for me also Oriflame Tender Care is another good lip balm.

                Last week my mom was about to throw away a compact that didn't suit her and was sitting on her dresser for quite long. I went to its rescue and and brought it to my room because my heart breaks when I see makeup being discarded or neglected :-(

So I just kept looking at the compact and kept thinking to use it some how. Then I remembered reading somewhere that a girl used mineral foundation, that didn't match her skin color, as nail polish. And presto :D

I finally came up with the idea of using the compact instead of my mineral foundation which suits me. I scraped out a chunk and mashed it well to make a fine powder. When enough powder was produced, I took my clear coat nail polish, a small plastic platter and poured a small amount of clear polish and added a little powdered compact. I kept adding powder till I got a liquid resembling nail polish. Thereafter I hurriedly applied my newly concocted nail polish on my nails. You can see the ring and middle finger didn't get a nice smooth finish but the other 3 did. In this pic I didn't apply top coat but top coat is a must . If the powder is not smooth enough then you may get bumps like mine. Try it out and let me know. Bye Babes.

                   Hi Babes, sorry for not posting this long. Today I have for you all 2 recipes of hair oil to promote hair growth, combat split ends and stop hair loss.

Oiling nourishes the roots ans gives shine and healthy look to our hair. All types of hair must be oiled regularly. Dry, dyed or permed- dented hair best benefits from an oil application. You can choose from a wide variety of oils- almond oil, olive oil, coconut or aloe vera oil.

Application:- Take a required amount of oil and warm it. Dip cotton pads into the oil and apply to every section of your hair, from roots to ends. Massage well. Dip a towel in hot water and squeeze out excess water. Now wrap the towel around your head and leave on for 15-20 mins. Shampoo off.

Recipes:-

               Aloe vera oil:- Aloe vera oil stimulates hair growth, arrests hair fall and combats split ends. Take 250 gms of coconut oil and 4 big leaves of aloe. Aloe leaves are thick, succulent and have a transparent pulp. Slit each leaf and scrape out the pulp in a thick sieve and dip the sieve in a bowl of clean cool water to wash off any impurities. Use a liquidizer to make it into a smooth paste. Heat the coconut oil in a pan and add the aloe pulp. Keep stirring until oil floats on top. Strain and bottle the oil.

            Herbal hair oil:- Margosa leaves have cooling and medicinal properties. Curry leaves

prevents premature graying and skin eruptions, provides nourishment and restores healthy growth. Henna leaves are anti-fungal and has medicinal properties. Take 250 gms of coconut oil, 2 tbsp each of margosa leaves paste, henna leaves paste and curry leaves paste. Heat the oil in a pan and add all the pastes in it. Keep stirring continuously until oil floats on top. When cool, strain and bottle it. 

            These 2 homemade oil recipes suits all types of hair. Oil hair once or twice a week for healthy and shining tresses.

                Hi Babes, I got a query regarding hair loss and breakage here in my blog so here I am with some ways to control hair loss. Nowadays, excess loss of hair is very common. It happens for various reasons such as emotional and physical stress in our lives, local scalp infection, adverse drug reaction, hormonal imbalances during teenage and pregnancy, etc.
               It is normal to shed around about a hundred hair strands a day. Interestingly, the fall out occurs mostly in the morning, this fact remains unexplained. The longer the hair, the less is the hair loss. Hair grows on an average of 6 inches a year, and shortfall in the normal hair growth is accompanied with a hair loss too. Apart from the daily loss, we shed more than usual hair during 6 periods of our life- from birth to age 3, at 10, at 22, around the age of 26, at 36 and around 54. This happens due to hormonal changes that occur in our bodies during these periods of our lives. The maximum hair growth on women occurs between the age of 15 to 30.

            To arrest rapid hair fall start to massage your with equal quantities of castor and almond oil, followed by hot towel therapy. Now apply a paste made out of 2 tsps each of amla powder (Indian Gooseberry), shikakai powder (Acacia Concinna), reetha powder (soapnut) and fenugreek powder. Also add to it 1 tsp ground black pepper paste and 2 eggs. leave on hair and scalp for 45 mins and shampoo off. Repeat once a week and also use henna once a week. Continue this treatment for a month to get results.
            Massage with sesame or olive oil and follow with  hot towel therapy. Now take 4 tsp mayonnaise, 2 tbsp honey, 2 tsps each of almond, shikakai (Acacia Concinna ) and reetha (soapnut) powders, and make a paste with adequate milk. Apply from roots to end and on scalp. Shampoo off after an hour. This treatment will stop hair loss and fortify your hair.
              Use a Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)- Amla hair oil that will help to promote hair growth. Also you can use the hair pack to arrest hair fall which I had included in my post Glorious Mane- Packs.

         Grind 20 hibiscus flowers and leaves and mix this paste with 2 eggs. Apply on your scalp and hair and leave on for an hour. wash off with plain water. A simple but sure cure for hair fall.
          Take 50 gms of Gulbandi Almonds, 2 tsp castor oil, 10 hibiscus flowers and grind well. Add enough milk to make a paste of toothpaste consistency. Apply all over scalp and hair length and leave on for 30-45 mins, wash off with a mild herbal shampoo.
          Massage hair with a warm coconut oil and apply this paste- 100 gms fenugreek powder, 1 egg and juice of 2 lemons. Apply all over scalp and leave on for an hour and shampoo off preferably with a lemon or hibiscus based shampoo.
            All these treatments are also for fortifying your hair. Regularity will also decrease hair breakage along with arresting hair fall.
            Include fresh fruits and veggies in your diet also remember the GLVs. Increase your intake of dairy products, fish, eggs and nuts. Consult a doctor and take vitamins on a daily basis. Meditation helps so try it out.
           Tomorrow I will come up with the recipes of homemade hair oils to reduce hair loss and give you a headful of gorgeous hair.