HEALTHY HAIR

HEALTHY HAIR

               

Three essentials for healthy hair

          Your hair is a reflection of your internal health. Taking proper care of your hair can completely redefine your beauty. It is absolutely essential for you to know the type of hair that you possess. Your hair can fall into four basic categories – Normal, Oily, Dry, and Combination. Knowing the type and texture of your hair can help you to identify the type of products and treatment options that best suit your needs.

          The second essential for attaining healthy hair is to follow a proper hair care routine. You should wash your hair on a regular basis using a good shampoo and conditioner. Opt for a hair serum if required. Do not comb your wet hair and allow them to dry naturally. Minimize the use of heating machines like blow dryers, straightening irons, and curling devices as these damage your hair physically as well as chemically.

Use elastic bands and other accessories, which prevent hair breakage and avoid too-tight hairstyles like ponytails and buns. Make sure that you wear a hat or a scarf to protect your hair against the adverse effect of UV rays as well as strong winds. Oil your hair once a week to strength them. Massaging your scalp with almond or olive oil can aid in providing sufficient nutrition to your hair, for keeping them, moist, soft, and frizz-free. Trim your hair on a regular basis to avoid developing split ends.

         The third and most neglected essential for healthy and shiny hair is your diet. Watch your protein intake. Eating nutritious meals (especially adequate protein) can definitely promote the good health of your scalp and hair. Include two servings of protein-rich foods like eggs, chicken, sprouts, and soya in your daily diet. Consume two glasses of milk daily. Include omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin E rich foods like soybeans, tofu, almonds, walnuts, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds in every meal. In addition, drink plenty of water. Keeping the body well hydrated can ensure proper hair growth, whilst minimizing dandruff and thinning of hair.

HOME MADE FACIAL TIPS

                                      

                                        HOME MADE FACIAL MASKS

Here are some of the facial masks that you can create in just a few minutes and use at home:

FACIAL MASK #1 :

Slice an apple into small pieces. Put into a blender and add 3-4 tablespoons of honey. Blend it until the apple pieces are blended firmly. Apply the mixture on your face, let it stay there for 15 to 20 minutes then rinse with warm water. This is good for oily skin.

FACIAL MASK #2:

Get a big-sized ripe banana and mash it firmly. Put 4-5 tablespoons of honey and mix it well with the mashed banana. Apply the mixture to your face and your neck. Wait for for 15 minutes, then rinse it off with lukewarm water. I consider this as a firming facial mask.

FACIAL MASK #3:

This works best for blemished skin. Chop one medium size tomato. Add one tablespoon of instant oatmeal from your fridge and put them together in your blender. Add one table spoon of lemon juice. Once ingredients are mixed well, remove from the blender and apply it gently to your face. Apply

mixture to your blemished skin, add more oatmeal on your face, then wash it off with warm water after 10 to 15 minutes.

FACIAL MASK #4:

Mix 2 teaspoonfuls of fresh milk with 2 tablespoons of honey. Dab the mixture gently on your face and your neck. Let the mixture stay for about ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse your face with warm water after. This works best for dry skin types.

FACIAL MASK #5:

This is also for oily skin types. Grab two tomatoes from your crisper and mash it well. Apply the mashed tomatoes on your face. Wait for 20 minutes. You will feel a little uneasy with this facial mask, but just divert your attention to something else while waiting for your timer to hit the 20th minute. Then, wash it off with lukewarm water.

FACIAL MASK #6:

Ground four to five almonds finely. Mix the grounded almonds with a teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 ½ tablespoon of honey. Once fully combined, apply to your face gently. Leave the mixture on for 10 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water. This for making your face looks firmer.

FACIAL MASK #7:

Crash 5 newly picked strawberries. Add 1 table spoon of lemon and mix it well with the crashed strawberries. Rub it gently to your face. Leave it there for 15 minutes, then rinse with water. This works best for people with oily skin.

FACIAL MASK #8:

Mash an avocado to a pulp. Put in a blender and add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 egg white. Once the ingredients are well combined, apply the avocado-lemon-egg white mixture to your face and throat. Relax and wait for 20 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water. This is another facial mask good for oily skin types.

These are just some of the facial masks that we can do at home. Why not start having an extreme make-over to have your guy think twice of ditching you for another woman. Hahaha!!

GENERAL SKIN CARE

GENERAL SKIN CARE

Cleansing

Cleansing is the first essential step to any daily skin care routine. Cleansers are generally applied to wet skin over the face and sometimes also the neck, avoiding the eyes and lips.

Cleansing the face once per day is typically adequate for normal or dry skins. However, a mild cleanser should also be used at night if makeup has been worn to remove any excess dirt or oil. Oily skins should be cleansed more frequently, at least twice per day. Water-based, gentle cleansers are ideal for all skin types, though particularly acne-prone skin may require medicated cleansers containing  benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to discourage acne. While soap can be used as a cleanser, it should be avoided in cases of dry and sensitive skins; many alternatives are available. Oil-based cleansers have become particularly popular with oily skin, as they are very gentle and do not over-dry the skin, but still effectively remove dirt and makeup. It is important to cleanse before applying makeup, regardless of skin type, as this helps to create a clean surface for makeup application. Many cleansers are also suitable for use as a makeup remover, but a proper makeup remover is preferable, particularly for the removal of eye makeup.

Masks

Face masks are treatments applied to the skin for a period of time, then removed. Typically, they are applied to a dry, cleansed face, avoiding the eyes and lips.

There are many kinds of face masks available, which typically fall into one or more of the following categories:

• Clay-based masks use kaolin clay or fuller's earth to transport essential oils and chemicals to the skin, and are typically left on until completely dry. As the clay dries, it absorbs excess oil and dirt from the surface of the skin and may help to clear blocked pores or draw comedones to the surface. Because of its drying actions, clay-based masks should only be used on oily skins.
• Peel masks are typically gel-like in consistency, and contain various acids or exfoliating agents to help exfoliate the skin, along with other ingredients to hydrate, discourage wrinkles, or treat uneven skin tone. They are also left on to dry, and then gently peeled off. They should be avoided by people with dry skin, as they also tend to be very drying.
• Sheet masks are a relatively new product that are becoming extremely popular in Asia. Sheet masks consist of a thin cotton or fiber sheet with holes cut out for the eyes and lips and cut to fit the contours of the face, onto which serums and skin treatments are brushed in a thin layer; the sheets may also be soaked in the treatment. Masks are available to suit almost all skin types and skin complaints. Sheet masks are quicker, less messy, and require no specialized knowledge or equipment for their use compared to other types of face masks, but they may be difficult to find and purchase outside of Asia.

HEALTH DRINK

HEALTH DRINK

           For kids of all ages, water and milk are the best choices, so let them flow. Not only is water calorie-free, but drinking it teaches kids to accept a low-flavor, no-sugar beverage as a thirst-quencher. Because a cup of milk has 300 milligrams of calcium, it can be a big contributor to your child's daily needs.

Here's how much calcium kids need each day:

• toddlers (ages 1 to 3 years): 700 milligrams of calcium daily
• kids (ages 4 to 8 years): 1000 milligrams
• older kids (ages 9 to 18 years): 1,300 milligrams

The current dietary guidelines for milk or equivalent dairy products or fortified soy beverages are:

• Kids ages 2 to 3 should drink 2 cups (480 milliliters) every day.
• Kids 4 through 8 should have 2½ cups (600 milliliters) per day.
• Kids 9 and older should have 3 cups (720 milliliters) per day.

Choose fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk products most of the time.

When kids drink too much juice, juice drinks, sports drinks, and soda, these beverages can crowd out the milk they need. Sugary drinks also can pile on the calories.

This chart shows the calories and sugar in different beverages:

DRINK	SIZE	CALORIES	SUGAR
Water	8 oz (240 ml)	0	0 g
Low-fat milk	8 oz (240 ml)	100	11 g
100% orange juice	8 oz (240 ml)	110	22 g
Juice drink (10% fruit juice)	8 oz (240 ml)	150	38 g
Powdered drink mix (with sugar added)	8 oz (240 ml)	90	24 g
Soda	8 oz (240 ml)	100	27 g

HEALTHY SNACKS

HEALTHY SNACKS

     Between school, homework, sports, your after-school job, and hanging out with friends, it may feel like there's no time for healthy eating. And when you do stop to eat, it's probably tempting to go the quick and easy route by grabbing a burger and fries, potato chips, or candy.But it is possible to treat yourself to a healthy snack. In fact, if you have a hectic schedule, it's even more important to eat healthy foods that give you the fuel you need to keep going.                                                                      Even if you take time to eat three meals a day, you may still feel hungry at times. What's the answer? Healthy snacks. Snacking on nutritious food can keep your energy level high and your mind alert without taking up a lot of your time.                                                                                                   WHY HEALTHY SNACKING IS GOOD FOR YOU: You may have noticed that you feel hungry a lot. This is natural — during adolescence, the body needs more nutrients to grow as it should. Snacks are a terrific way to satisfy that hunger and get all the vitamins and nutrients your body needs.But you need to pay attention to what you eat. Stuffing your face with a large order of fries after class may give you a temporary boost, but a snack this high in fat and calories will only slow you down in the long run.          To keep energy levels going — and avoid weight gain — steer clear of foods with lots of added sugars like candy bars or soda. Look for foods that contain fiber like whole-grain breads, cereals, fruit, and vegetables and combine them with protein-rich snacks such as peanut butter or low-fat yogurt or cheese. 

Here are some ways to make healthy snacking part of your everyday routine:

• Prepare healthy snacks in advance. Did you know that you can make your own granola or trail mix? When you make something yourself, you get to control the ingredients and put in what's good for you! You also can keep plenty of fresh fruit and veggies at home to take on the go. Cut up melons or vegetables like celery and carrots in advance. Keep the servings in bags in the fridge, ready to grab and go.
• Keep healthy snacks with you. Make it a habit to stash some fruit, whole-grain crackers, or baby carrots in your backpack or workout bag so you always have some healthy food nearby. Half a cheese sandwich also makes a great snack to have on standby.
• Make it interesting. Healthy snacking doesn't have to be boring as long as you give yourself a variety of choices. Whole-wheat pretzels with spicy mustard, rice cakes with peanut butter and raisins, or low-fat fruit yogurt are healthy, tasty, and easy.
• Satisfy cravings with healthier approaches. If you're crazy for chocolate, try a hot chocolate drink instead of a chocolate bar. An 8-ounce mug of hot chocolate has only 140 calories and 3 grams of fat. The average chocolate bar, on the other hand, has 230 calories and 13 grams of fat. Substitute nonfat frozen yogurt or sorbet for ice cream. If you're craving savory munchies, snack on baked tortilla chips instead of regular corn chips and pair them with salsa instead of sour cream. Or satisfy salt cravings with pretzels instead of chips.
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POLISHED NAILS

POLISHED NAILS 

         Traditionally, nail polish started in clear, red, pink, purple, and black. Since that time, many new colors and techniques have developed, resulting in nail polish that can be found in an extremely diverse variety of colors. Beyond solid colors, nail polish has also developed an array of other designs and colors, such as nail polish stamps, crackled, magnetic, nail polish strips and stickers; fake rhinestones are also often applied. Some types of polish are advertised to cause nail growth, make nails stronger, prevent nails from breaking, cracking and splitting, and to stop nail biting. Nail polish may be applied as one of several components in a manicure. 

         French manicures are manicures designed to resemble natural nails, and are characterized by natural pink base nails with white tips, making it one of the first popular and well known color schemes with nail polish. The tips of the nails are painted white while the rest of the nails are polished in a pink or a suitable nude shade. French manicures may have originated in 18th-century Paris and were popular in the 1920 s and 1930 s.

         Social media has given rise to the nail art culture that allows users to share their pictures about their nail art. "W W D reports nail polish sales hit a record $768 million in the U.S. in 2012, a 32% gain over 2011, despite a cluttered market that seemingly sees a new launch each week." General new polishes and related products came on to the market in the second decade of the 21st century as part of the explosion of nail art, such as nail stickers (either made of nail polish or plastic), "crackle" nail polish, magnetic nail polish, nail polish marketed for men, and nail decorations.

HEALTHY NATURAL HAIR

HEALTHY NATURAL HAIR 

   4 Beauty Tips to Healthy Natural Hair

                     Though a permanent cure for gray hair is still to be found, a colorist can still do an excellent job in getting rid of all your gray hair. Women over 50 will find the following tips useful to bring out their inherent beauty, though there’s nothing more beautiful than going gray naturally.

• A few strands of color painted hair can be great to subtly hide gray hairs, more so if the natural hair color is light.
• Another way to get rid of your gray hair is to go for a solid and darker shade. This may be the perfect solution to take care of your gray hairs, but only for the duration of six to eight weeks as the color grows out by this time. So if you don’t mind traveling to the salon every six to eight weeks, this method is great.
• You can also try out a new hairstyle, which again should be a reflection of your personal preferences. Also, turning 50 should not mean it’s time to cut your hair short, since long hair has a beauty of its own, irrespective of what the age is.
• To take care of your thinning hair, go for a shorter cut as this leads to an increase in volume.Coloring your hair is another option to provide volume to fine limp, hair. Use of the right product can also be of help, like a volumizing shampoo. Another way to tackle the problem of thinning hair is to go for hair extension.

However, the best natural beauty tip can be to invoke it from within, as inherent beauty is the best form of beauty. And a radiant smile on the face can be the best reflection of internal beauty. Also, this may mean going for the right products or treatments as the case may be. And at the end of it all, taking proper care of yourself can be the best natural beauty tip that you can benefit from.