Home Made Lotions Can Do Wonders

Homemade Moisturizing Lotion For Dry Skin:

• Mix six-teaspoon petroleum jelly, two-teaspoon glycerin and two-teaspoon lemon juice. Apply this moisturizing lotion at least twice a week if you have dry and flaky, arms and legs.

Homemade Lotion For Sunburns:

• Peel and grate a cucumber. Squeeze the juice to this, mix half-a-teaspoon glycerin and half-a-teaspoon rose water. Apply this on sunburns, leave it for some time.

Homemade Lotion for Cracked Heels:

• If you have cracked heels, melt paraffin wax; mix it with little mustard oil and apply on the affected area. Leave it overnight. After 10 or 15 days, your heels will become smooth.

• For cracked heals, massage the foot with coconut oil and keep the foot in warm water for some time. Wipe the water off the feet and apply a mixture of hibiscus flower (10), Henna (1 handful) and juice of half a lemon. When dry wash it off.

Body Massage Oil:

• Massage your body with a mixture of coconut oil and any of your favourite scented oils like lavender or rosemary.

Homemade Moisturizer For Rough Palms For Your Hands:

• For rough palms, use a mixture of glycerin and limejuice in equal proportion.

How To Remove Scars On Your Hands And Feet:

• Remove scars on your hands and feet by rubbing them with lemon peel.

Nourish your face for winter

Sitting in front of the heater, radiators, can actually dry up your skin especially if you don’t drink enough water. So make sure you keep up your water levels up! If you feel that winter is getting the better of you then try these stirring up masks at home, to perk up your skin

* Avocado mask is ideal for dry skin that becomes very irritated in the winter, nourishing your skin and providing a whole range of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and softening agents to fight winter dryness. Mash the flesh of avocado with a fork, add a touch of extra-virgin olive oil, and apply this smooth, fragrant mixture onto your face.

* An egg white mask is good for oily skin with large pores. This mask will refresh and tighten your oily skin and will make it look much healthier than before. In the winter, it will create a natural barrier to protect your skin from harsh winds and frost.

* Smooth a beaten egg yolk all over your face, let rest for half-an-hour, and rinse with water.

* An oatmeal mask is great remedy to beat cold wind; your face should feel very soft, refreshed, and healed.Mix together in equal proportions raw oatmeal flakes, egg yolk and honey. Keep the mask on your face for about 20 minutes, wash with lukewarm water, and pat dry.

* This banana mask is great for those who have combination skin and suffer from winter elements. It will smooth, soften, moisturize and nourish your skin whenever necessary and will make you forget about the cold, harsh, and nasty winter outside. Mix mashed banana with fresh sweet cream and apply all over your face for 30 minutes.

Health Benefits of Coconut Water

Coconut water is one of the best natural drinks Mother Nature has packed for us within the kernel of coconut, this natural water is not only tasteful refreshing drink but can be considered as one of the best natural health drinks from herbal world. Here are some health benefits of coconut water:-

Health Benefits of Coconut Water

• Drinking coconut water keeps the body cool and at the proper temperature.

• Coconut Water is an Antibacterial. Coconut water contains monolaurin, an antiviral, antibacterial and antiprozoal monoglyceride that is used to kill lipid-coated viruses such as HIV, Herpes, cytomegalovirus, flu and various pathogenic bacteria.

• Coconut water is great at reducing vomiting. People who have typhoid, malaria, fevers or other ailments that are known to induce vomiting drink coconut water to settle the stomach. As such, coconut water is also a good thing to drink during a hangover.

• Coconut helps in keeping check over urinary infections. It is very effective in treating kidney and urethral stones.

• Coconut water is very effective in treating intestinal disturbances in infants. It kills intestinal worms.

• Making coconut a part of the daily diet is recommended for those who have been troubled by kidney stones. When taken along with mediation, it helps break up the stones, making it easier for the body to push them out.

For all those people who are trying to lose weight, drinking coconut water would prove quite useful. This is because the drink increases the rate of metabolism, thus aiding weight loss

How To Know Your Skin Type

Do you have Normal, Dry or Oily Skin? Oh!! You don’t know your skin type… It will be really difficult for you to choose any skin products without knowing its type. Do not worry here you will find a very simple method to identify your skin type. You can find it at home easily.

* Wash your face with mild soap or face wash. Pat it dry with a soft towel.

* Now wait for an hour and do not apply anything on your face. Do not go in very hot or cold climate. For better result stay at home.

* Take tissue paper and press on different spots of your face. For better results use separate piece of tissue onto each area of your face like chin, cheeks, forehead, nose.

* After few minutes examine each tissue and look for any residue on it.

* Oily Skin – The tissue will stick to your face and have oily spots. Your face will look shiny specially nose, chicks and forehead.

* Dry Skin – The tissue will not stick and will not have any oily spots. After washing your face, you feel stretched skin i.e. tight and dryness in skin is observed.

* Combination Skin – If tissue sticks in your T-zone (forehead, nose and chin). It is oily as well as dry mix. T-zone part of face is oily and rest is dry.

* Normal Skin – Face looks neither too oily nor too dry. Skin looks very bright and is blemish free. Hardly 20% of women have this skin type.

Tip

Avoid testing your skin when you have applied oil to your hair. As oil gets spread over the forehead and it may give wrong impression as oily skin. So test your skin when your hair is oil-free.

Home Remedies for Weight Loss

Diet is a change in behavior, when you want to lose extra weight you have to change your lifestyle by changing the food intake behavior and exercise. You have to organize and plan your day in order to lose weight.

Weight Loss Home Remedies

Home remedies for weight loss support your efforts in losing extra pounds. These are simple and natural means to lose weight.

1. Include plenty of cabbage in your diet. Eat cabbage as a salad or added to other food. Try to replace one meal with a cabbage meal.

2. Drink three cups of green tea daily to deal with the extra weight. Green tea is an herbal fat burner that has many other additional health benefits to.

3. Mix one teaspoon of honey to half a cup of lukewarm water and half a cup of lime juice. Drink on an empty stomach in the morning.

4. Eat two red tomatoes every morning for breakfast for a few months. This will cut extra calories from your diet.

5. Avoid adding too much salt in your food as it may be a factor for increasing body weight.

6. Mint is very helpful in losing weight. Chutney of green mint with some spices can be taken with meals. Mint tea is also beneficial.

7. Spices like dry ginger, cinnamon, black pepper etc. are good for loosing weight and can be used in a number of ways.

8. The leaves of Indian plum (jambula) are considered valuable in getting rid of excess body fat. Soak a handful of jambula leaves in water and keep them overnight. Drink this water next day in the morning, on an empty stomach. Do it for about a month or so, to get result.

9. Consume plenty of fluids. This helps to eliminate the undigested foods effectively.

10. You must have at least one bitter vegetable (like bitter gourd, drumstick etc.) per day. This helps in the proper metabolism of fats and do not allow them to accumulate in the body.

These are only some of the home remedies for weight loss and are not alone sufficient to lose weight. I exercise regularly too and I walk sometimes. Hand in Hand the progress in made towards fat dissolve (I'd call it) and since I am on it, I sure would wanna share it with you all what exactly it is that will make me fit and healthy in the long run. Gym when discontinued adds up double the weight and that is the biggest set back of it. So walk more and burn that way.

Here is a very low calorie meal plan that is designed to loose weight in a short period of time. It has few natural sugars and fewer, though sufficient, complex carbohydrates. It also contains very few desserts. If you feel hungry on this diet, you can eat raw vegetables seasoned with mustard, lemon juice or vinegar in between meals.

BREAKFAST

a. 1 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1/2 grapefruit

unsweetened herb tea

b. 1 soft-boiled egg

1 slice whole wheat toast (dry)

6 ounces fresh orange juice

Unsweetened herb tea

c. 1/2 cup fruity oatmeal (unsweetened)

1/2 cup skimmed milk

Unsweetened Herb tea

LUNCH

a. 1 cup Gazpacho with 2 ounces cubed tofu, tossed with soy sauce

Crudites

1 apple, pear or orange

Water

b. 1/2 cup Tuna salad

Crudites

1 apple, pear or orange

Water

c. Vegetable Pita Pocket

1 apple, pear or orange

Water

DINNER

a. Broiled Chicken breast

Steamed Artichoke with lemon juice

Grated Carrot Salad or Watecress and mushroom salad

b. Fish Teriyaki (31/2 ounce serving, or Poached Filet of Sole with Tomatoe Puree)

1/3 cup brown rice

Steamed spinach or broccoli

Tossed green salad with Low-fat vinaigrette

Water

c. Stir-fried tofu and vegetables

1/3 cup cooked bulgur

Frozen apple Yogurt

Water


Happy Weight Losing!

7 Deadly Hair Sins

Confessions of the Sinner - Read and Learn

I’m a bit obsessive when it comes to my hair. Even so I admit that I have done many things that has damaged it. Here’s a list of the crimes I have commit to my crowning glory!

1. Comb wet hair. My hair has always been weak, but hair is at its weakest when wet and combing it increases hair breakage. However, if you must, use a wide tooth comb as it’s gentler on your hair.

2. Elastic bands. Tying my hair is one of the biggest hair crimes that I have committed. This causes the most damage to my hair. Working out, bad hair days, and no time to do my hair attributes to why I tie my hair, but I now try and keep it loose more often, or opt for a clip. Best tip for this is to not tie your hair too tightly.

3. Flat ironing when wet or without prior blow drying. I have learned to always blow my hair before ironing it. I have a BaByliss Wet n Dry flatiron this has done the most damage to my hair. My hair became dried out and the masses of split ends that I had more than doubled in number. In order to minimize the damage I had to make an emergency trip to tip my ends and get a hot oil treatment. Also ensure that you use a heat protection product before adding heat to your hair.

4. Not treating hair prior to swimming. I don’t swim with a swimming cap, regardless of how I put it on, my hair always gets wet so I go without it. Whether it is salt water, or chlorine, your strands may end up a bit coarse. Always put a treatment on prior to swimming to protect your hair and follow the swim with a good shampoo to minimized the damage.

5. Chemical treatments. I can’t remember the longest time that I have not gone without some form of chemical treatments. Whether it be dye, or straighteners, my hair has gone through its fair share of chemicals, especially in the form of box dyes. I had always attributed my hair breakage to weak hair, however, after a sabbatical from using dyes on my hair I have realized that it caused my hair to break, after I had dyed it again. So I have switched to using henna dye. Yes its messy and limited color options (natural henna is red), but I choose to keep my precious strands. So it’s best to keep your chemical treatments to a minimum if you don’t use natural products.

6. Too much product. After hearing the wonders of silicone by family, friends and hairdressers, I had decided to try it out myself. However instead of using it, I abused it. Although I was only using a blob, I used it every day, which caused oil to build up in my hair. Even washing it couldn’t remove the masses of oil, which made my hair flat, and almost impossible to style. After taking a much needed sabbatical, I now use it sparingly, once a week or at most twice. So take it easy with any product, you may end up with the opposite effect of what you desired.

7. Allowing a friend to cut my hair. HUGE mistake, but the only excuse is that I was in high school, and we all do something stupid at least once as a teenager. I ended up with a skew fringe that took forever to grow out and had to be hid behind hair bands and grips. So always go to a good hairdresser to get your hair cut, especially if it’s bangs or a fringe.

After committing all these felonies, all I can say is, thank goodness I could cut off the damage and patiently wait for my hair to grow back again.

Be careful girls, Hair is the biggest beauty asset and it has to be pampered not left to ruin. Yes we like to style and try out new stuff but make sure it doesn't kill. Any other sin you commit or did you can confess here :)

Natural Beauty Tips, Every Girl Should Know

1. Sleeping on your back will prevent many wrinkles and breakouts on your face, and even wrinkles in your cleavage area
2. Wearing clothes that are tight make you look heavier. Even a slim girl can bulge over too-tight jeans
3. Put on a coat of clear nail polish before a colored polish to keep your nails from discoloring
4. Being angry really does take away from your beauty now and will result in more wrinkles later
5. Wearing less make-up makes you look younger
6. Vitamins and minerals are needed for health and beauty, but more is not always better. Too much Vitamin A or Selenium can cause hair loss. There is nothing beautiful about losing your hair
7. If you are unhappy with a hair conditioner, it will still make a great “shaving cream” for your legs in the shower
8. When shaving, don’t stretch the skin or you could cause ingrown hairs by shaving hair off slightly under the skin
9. Drink plenty of water and get eight hours of sleep every day
10. Tighten bra straps as they stretch out, or buy a new bra when they can’t tighten any further, to keep the bosom looking young and perky
11. Instead of shaving over and over, with the hairs coming in darker and thicker each time, try waxing. Waxing to remove hair will result in softer hairs each time and result in permanent hair loss after a few sessions. Aussie Nad’s is an all-natural product which is easy to use
12. Sleeping on two or three pillows at a time, or on an Acid Reflux Sleep Wedge will help get rid of dark circles under your eyes
13. Exercise while dieting is a must or your skin will be too large (and saggy) for your smaller body. It is much, much tougher to tighten skin after your body shrinks than as you go
14. After washing your face, rinse in cold water (fair-skinned people should use cool instead of cold) to close the pores and tighten the facial muscles
15. If you are out of quick-dry spray for nails, dip your fingers into a bowl of ice-cold water. (Don’t to touch the sides of the bowl.) Your nails will dry very quickly
16. Good posture can make you look much slimmer
17. Wearing a low heel will give you better posture than wearing flat shoes
18. Renew thick nail polish by adding a few drops of fingernail polish remover to the bottle
19. Make a nail polish bottle not get stuck closed, put a thin coat of Vaseline inside the lid
20. Clean hair brushes occasionally with dish soap and borax. In a dishpan of very warm water, add 1/2 cup of borax and a few drops of liquid dish soap. Swish the brushes to stir, rinse, and let air dry. Scrub any stubborn spots with a used toothbrush

Beauty lies in the Hair

Hair is the most important ornament of beauty. Lucky are the women who have naturally beautiful hair. But it is equally important for all of us to oil hair regularly.

Oiling is essential to cope with the problems like hair fall and dandruff. Without oil, hair can become rough, dry and frizzy. Oiling hydrates and moisturizes hair. So good is oiling, that it can correct the dryness and damage of strong hair dyes on your hair.

Oiling hair is the most important task for maintaining long and strong hair. You can select the oil according to your preference. You can select from coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil or any other oil that you like. But do avoid mineral oil. Oiling hair is important than using any other cosmetic products and treatments. You can turn your hair from dry to dramatic with the useful hair oiling tips below. Read on to get hair that radiates good health.

Tips for oiling your hair

You use different techniques for doing things in your daily life. Oiling hair should also be done using some smart techniques to optimize its effectiveness. If you want to avoid hair fall and grow thick and shiny hair you can try the following hair oiling secrets.

o Heat oil to a warm temperature before applying it on your hair

o Make partitions while oiling your hair. Rub oil in each partition. Make as many partitions of hair as you can. This will help oil to reach the scalp properly. Do not just pour oil on your hair

o Avoid using too much of oil. Start applying little to each part of head and then massage. Massaging is important than the quantity of oil you use

o Dip your finger tips in oil. Gently massage with finger on scalp by putting your hands inside hair

o Massage with your fingers at least for 10 to 15 minutes after oiling your hair

o Avoid washing your hair immediately after oiling. If you do not like to wear oily hair, you can oil it before going to bed. You can wash your hair the next day. For best results let the oil stay for one day on your hair. When you make the oil stay for longer time it soaks in the scalp better

o Oil your hair at least once a week. If your hair is very dry you should oil it at least twice a week

o Rub oil on the roots of your hair. it helps to improve blood circulation and make hair silky and strong

If you want to keep your hair break free, oil it regularly. Oiling hair will also help you relax after a long day. Massaging hair is a popular stress buster.

Optimal use of oil requires lesser shampoo to wash it off. This will help to save your time and avoid misuse of oil. Oil is a conditioner and hair moisturize. It may not stop heavy hair fall but it certainly controls hair breakage and split ends. Regular oiling makes hair lustrous and adds shine to it. All you need is a good shampoo and conditioner after oiling and you will be set to comb your beautiful hair.

I like sharing. So here is my share of care.
Do apply ladies!

Prevention is always better than cure

I do recall a post on Femme Fatale regarding the subject, but I'd like to share a little more of the wide curse of Breast Cancer.

Safe & Sound

It’s the most common cancer to affect women, but not many of us realize that whilst five percent of all breast cancer cases are hereditary, 90 percent of cases are due to lifestyle choices. Breast cancer has affected many celebrities, including Kylie Minogue and Cynthia Nixon, who have both spoken openly about their battle against the disease. Caused by the uncontrolled growth of breast cells, whilst you can’t change your genetic makeup we reveal the steps you can take to minimize the risks….

1 Check your bra:
Women who wear tight-fitting bras 24 hours-a day-are 125 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women who do not wear bras at all. And wearing the wrong bra stops the lymphatic system from flowing freely, so make sure you’re wearing the correct size and take it off at night. I know women who just don't listen and I wonder why, what is it that tight fitting has with their psyche I am just to discover.

2 Go Organic:
Non-organic foods are often loaded with chemicals which cannot be washed of, and only about 20 percent of the chemicals in fruits and vegetables are on the surface, while the remainder lies inside the plant. Did you know that most of the feed our chicken and cattle are fed are mixed with chemicals? And the field on which the fruits and vegetables grow? you know how it is treated right? WASH WELL WHAT YOU EAT. Never cut and Wash, Always soak em well before you cut a vegetable or fruit.

3 Get Active:
Regular exercise is a protective factor against breast cancer - it helps keep weight and fat levels down. Aim to exercise at least three times a week for at least 30 minutes.

4 Breastfeed Your Babies:
Women who have their first baby above the age of 30 have a slightly increased risk of breast cancer. Researchers say factors such as the earlier a woman has her first baby, along with breastfeeding, help to lower the risk.

5 Kick the Habit:
Older women who puff on cigarettes may be more likely to develop breast cancer than women who have never smoked.

6 Check Your Breasts:
Women from the age of 20 upwards should carry out a self-examination once a month.

The key risk factors…
• Being a woman
• Getting older - it’s a sad truth that your chance of getting cancer increases with age
• Having a family or previous history of breast cancer
• Being overweight
• Consuming more than one alcoholic drink per day
• Using birth control pills
• Having started your periods before the age of 12
• Having no children, having your first child after 35, or not breast feeding your children
• Having particularly dense breasts or a high bone density.

The good news

The positive side is that the techniques for detecting breast cancer and the treatments for tackling it are improving every year.

Awareness is spreading and more lives are being saved.
Make sure you and your friends protect yourselves too by knowing all the facts.

Please love yourself. There is no love better than self love.

Breast Cancer

Very recently, my aunt was detected with breast cancer. initially she didn't notice the lump that had formed, but once she noticed it she had to consult a gyneac who asked for an autopsy done. she has been operated too and is now well. the reason why i mentioned this incident is because. this happens to every other women. women are prone to breast cancer, which is a curable disease, almost. the worse part is, we women don't take care of ourselves or we neglect our bodies. thus, it is important for every lady, or that matter men too, to know about this ailment which is very much curable. before going in detail about breast cancer it is important we know what exactly is breast cancer.

The term “breast cancer” refers to a malignant tumor that has developed from cells in the breast. Usually breast cancer either begins in the cells of the lobules, which are the milk-producing glands, or the ducts, the passages that drain milk from the lobules to the nipple. Less commonly, breast cancer can begin in the stromal tissues, which include the fatty and fibrous connective tissues of the breast.

Breast AnatomyOver time, cancer cells can invade nearby healthy breast tissue and make their way into the underarm lymph nodes, small organs that filter out foreign substances in the body. If cancer cells get into the lymph nodes, they then have a pathway into other parts of the body. The breast cancer’s stage refers to how far the cancer cells have spread beyond the original tumor (see Stages of Breast Cancer table for more information)

Breast cancer is always caused by a genetic abnormality (a “mistake” in the genetic material). However, only 5-10% of cancers are due to an abnormality inherited from your mother or father. About 90% of breast cancers are due to genetic abnormalities that happen as a result of the aging process and the “wear and tear” of life in general.

According to the American Cancer Society, any of the following unusual changes in the breast can be a symptom of breast cancer:

• swelling of all or part of the breast
• skin irritation or dimpling
• breast pain
• nipple pain or the nipple turning inward
• redness, scaliness, or thickening of the nipple or breast skin
• a nipple discharge other than breast milk
• a lump in the underarm area

These changes also can be signs of less serious conditions that are not cancerous, such as an infection or a cyst. It’s important to get any breast changes checked out promptly by a doctor.

How Do I Perform a Breast Self-Exam?

To perform a breast self-exam, follow the steps described below.

Enlarge image

Step 2 and 3 Enlarge image

Step 4 Enlarge image

Step 5 Enlarge image

In the mirror:

1. Stand undressed from the waist up in front of a large mirror in a well-lit room. Look at your breasts. Don't be alarmed if they do not look equal in size or shape. Most women's breasts aren't. With your arms relaxed by your sides, look for any changes in size, shape or position, or any changes to the skin of the breasts. Look for any skin puckering, dimpling, sores or discoloration. Inspect your nipples and look for any sores, peeling or change in the direction of the nipples.
2. Next, place your hands on your hips and press down firmly to tighten the chest muscles beneath your breasts. Turn from side to side so you can inspect the outer part of your breasts.
3. Then bend forward toward the mirror. Roll your shoulders and elbows forward to tighten your chest muscles. Your breasts will fall forward. Look for any changes in the shape or contour of your breasts.
4. Now, clasp your hands behind your head and press your hands forward. Again, turn from side to side to inspect your breasts' outer portions. Remember to inspect the border underneath your breasts. You may need to lift your breasts with your hand to see this area.
5. Check your nipples for discharge (fluid). Place your thumb and forefinger on the tissue surrounding the nipple and pull outward toward the end of the nipple. Look for any discharge. Repeat on your other breast.

   In the shower

6. Now, it's time to feel for changes in the breast. It is helpful to have your hands slippery with soap and water. Check for any lumps or thickening in your underarm area. Place your left hand on your hip and reach with your right hand to feel in the left armpit. Repeat on the other side.
7. Check both sides for lumps or thickenings above and below your collarbone.
8. With hands soapy, raise one arm behind your head to spread out the breast tissue. Use the flat part of your fingers from the other hand to press gently into the breast. Follow an up-and-down pattern along the breast, moving from bra line to collarbone. Continue the pattern until you have covered the entire breast. Repeat on the other side.

   Lying down

9. Next, lie down and place a small pillow or folded towel under your right shoulder. Put your right hand behind your head. Place your left hand on the upper portion of your right breast with fingers together and flat. Body lotion may help to make this part of the exam easier.
10. Think of your breast as a face on a clock. Start at 12 o'clock and move toward 1 o'clock in small circular motions. Continue around the entire circle until you reach 12 o'clock again. Keep your fingers flat and in constant contact with your breast. When the circle is complete, move in one inch toward the nipple and complete another circle around the clock. Continue in this pattern until you've felt the entire breast. Make sure to feel the upper outer areas that extend into your armpit.
11. Place your fingers flat and directly on top of your nipple. Feel beneath the nipple for any changes. Gently press your nipple inward. It should move easily.
    

Repeat steps 9, 10 and 11 on your other breast.

Interestingly, cancerous tumors are more likely to be found in certain parts of the breast over others. If you divide the breast into 4 sections, the approximate percentage of breast cancers found in each area are (in clockwise pattern):

• 41% upper, outer quadrant
• 14% upper, inner quadrant
• 5% lower, inner quadrant
• 6% lower, outer quadrant
• 34% in the area behind the nipple

Almost half occur in the upper outer quadrant of the breast, towards the armpit. Some physicians refer to this region as the "tail" of the breast and encourage women to examine it closely.

In the month of October, breast cancer is recognized by survivors, family and friends of survivors and/or victims of the disease. A pink ribbon is worn to recognize the struggle that sufferers face when battling the cancer.

I hope you find this information is useful. its better to be informed than to be ingorant and suffer. specially since women have the tendency to neglect, if we take care we can detect the problem before it becomes life threatning. look our for the symtoms and remember there is no shame to do so, it will ultimately help you. Spread the word, save lives.

for more information click here or here

Her First Time!

I always hated this idea of telling girls to behave themselves, to teach them the ways to behave and the things not to do etc. i thought it was making them do something they didn't themselves believe, its like asking them to give up their innocence. when i thought these things i viewed life from the way i was treated and not as the person, a guardian to their ward. i never knew that one day i will know what is to be a parent and a guardian and face the same situations as i had once faced but from different quarter. and that too as soon as this.

when a girl reaches her puberty she menstruates. it is natural and normal but to get adjusted to a common phenomenon isn't easy. i don't remember much about the time i first had it. all i remember is, i knew everyone is my class had it and i was among the last few. and i was almost pinning to have it as if to prove i was worthy. silly i know,but at 13 i knew what was coming my way and i was kinda prepared. so adapting to it wasn't easy. but now when i see my niece going through the routine but with a difference. she was totally unaware of what was coming her way, that i feel helpless and a lot grieved,after all she is my ward in my sisters absence [my niece is staying with me currently, most of you know i think :)] its just hard to see a girl flower into a young lady, to give up her innocence to mature and deal with life, to finally come to grips that life wont be the same, and this is going to be there for life. it cant be easy but there is no option but bear it up, but what do most of us do? give the little one a hard time. what i entreat you is to speak out against such atrocities if you spot one. the lil girl needs understanding, she needs advice and she needs lots of love and care; don't subject her to superstition and unholy comments on right or wrong, gently initiate her into the perils of womanhood.

still on the topic of menstruation or periods or chums... there are several atrocities and superstitions that ladies are subjected to sadly at the hands of their mothers and grandmothers who hand down age old beliefs and customs which become a matter of tradition and ritual after a period of time. but what we don't realize is there is a solid reason behind it all. like our mothers tell us not to enter kitchen in those days, the actual reason is, women folks usually don't get reason, at least on such a pretext they get some time off from daily chores but this has been twisted into a grotesque tradition of barring women from entering kitchen fearing her to pollute the kitchen. then there are other pet peeves like not sleeping on the bed. basically to avoid staining people preferred sleeping on the ground. but if you are aware that you don't stain yourself then you can surely sleep on the bed. but then we have seen cases where the girl is made to sleep on the floor, treated as an out caste because of those days, which is repelling and disgusting.

I must commend serials like BalikaVadhu for talking about sex,women rights, puberty and highlighting the plights of women and the anomalies that are committed against them, through such a huge media in hopes of dispelling popular discrimination towards women. its a rather bold but honest step, something that needs to be hailed as progressive and a beacon that will justify women's position to the male dominated society.

please feel free to share your experiences on your first time... and tell us your take on this...be bold... remember its natural and happens to all.. if you speak out you may just help another person to deal with such issues far better.

Beauty care regime

I have never been too girlie in life. In childhood when often girls are made to put sandalwood and lep and uptan, I used to run about in the sun, with no care in the world. My skin got burnt, my long beautiful hair was often left open and exposed to dust and pollution. So the moral of the story is, better late than never. I don’t boast of a great skin, neither of a fair complexion nor of beautiful thick hair and not of height or figure. So I’m not really the one to impart beauty tips here but then there are a few things I learnt that helped me make the most of what I have, and all this is because I want to take care of myself and not because I need to look good for someone else. What we girls need to do is do things for the right reasons to keep ourselves happy.

I mean think of it. How many of us will stand in our bathroom looking at ourselves while taking a bath? Not many. Why? Because we are shy and timid and thinking of ourselves as people who deserve attention. Don’t get me wrong I’m not meaning this in a perverse sense but just trying to state a point here. When we try to groom ourselves, we do so because we want to look presentable and appreciable to the world and not because we want to. Here lies the problem. For once if we did what we wanted to do, or did it for the right reasons such problems wouldn’t come in the way for our progress. So here are a few things you can do to take care of yourself even amidst hectic lives, presentation at office, or labs and classes at college or even those final years of school. Young, old all can take best benefits of such home remedies that are not only cost effective but will save a whole day that most set aside in a month for that much needed time at the beauty parlors. and with Valentines Day just a week or so later, i guess everyone wants to do the extra bit to look great right? and for all those whoa re singles, look great because you are beautiful yourself not for anyone.. here everyone is happy :D

If you have a dark complexion or even fair to make it fairer, you can opt for basen. Now all you need is to get 100 gms of basen and can it. And every time before you go for a bath, make a paste of basen and water or milk, and apply it on your face and leave it till dry and wash it off. It helps to control excess oil on the face, makes your complexion lighten shades, and makes your skin glow. And don’t complain that you don’t really have all that time, for you can easily switch on the geazer, and while the water is getting warmed, you can apply besan do the ironing and arrange the clothes to wear and then wash it off, it is not time consuming at all.

For sun burns or dark patches on the face cut a segment of tomato and apply it on the face. Rub it on your face, elbows and knees until all that is left is a scrap of what you had taken. Leave it till dry and then wash it off. Tomato is natural bleach and makes you skin look really healthy.

For all sorts of marks on the face, whether it is remains of a pimple or some blister you have disturbed apply sandalwood paste, it works wonders and it can keep all the expensive cosmetics at bay.

For body care, take a day out when you have some time to spare, you can take maida and milk and make a paste of sorts and apply everywhere, knees, elbows hands feet etc. this helps you clean the dirt that always tend to settle down and make it presence felt.

For feet care, after a long day when you are reading a book or surfing the net or even watching tv or talking to a friend on the phone. Get water heated, put a few drops of shampoo and get a scrubber with a pumice stone. Let you feet get adjusted to the hot water [not lukewarm] for sometime and then scrub the heels with the pumice stone and soon you will see that the hard skin on the heels that leads it to cracks in winters are coming off with no special efforts. In no time you have a nice supple heel with no money spent on pedicures not just that, it helps you with blood circulation and relaxation of muscles and takes away your daily stress and fatigue in no time.

The methods mentioned above are not only inexpensive, less time consuming but are easy to do as well. So whether you are living in a hostel or home, you can afford to take time out and take care of yourself, not because you need to look acceptable to the world or that special someone but for yourself and your well being.

Fighting Holiday/Vacation Hangover.

So, Christmas is over and so is the new year party you had last nite. Time to get back to work/school/college. Time for a reality check.

Okay! so you did binge, you did drink and dance till your feet and spirit gave up. Great! Now what??

Damn! Itz so tuff to get back to the normalcy and monotony of life once the beautiful holiday dream bids adieu...But..But...itz not impossible. With some easy-to-be-happy tips we can get back to the groove :)

I thought why not discuss some of them here. Here are some holiday-hangovers(as we call it) and some tips to beat them :

1. Food and Weight : Aha! the chocolate ice-cream was delicious, so was the Pizza and Chicken but that was too expensive for your weight. :)... No worries. You can fix it in few weeks. On an average a person gains from 1-2 kgs of weight on holiday binging, so no need to get panicked. You need to alter a few things in your daily routine and its all back on the track.

- Water Therapy : Drink 7-8 glasses of water. Now when it is winter season, you need water more than ever. I recommend HOT water, it helps in digestion as well as weight loss.So drink the most wonderful zero calorie drink. :)

- Eat Healthy : We all have our own definitions of healthy food. All I would say is fruits, veggies should be there but make sure you indulge in more Vitamin C foods in winters, they help in increasing the immunity against infections. Don't eat after 7:30pm and don't ever miss breakfast.

- I Love Stairs Therapy : Walk to office if its near and avoid lifts, give urself a STAIR-challenge for a week and trust me, you will feel great abt it when you will find people following you on it.

- Don't Starve yourself : Eat nuts like almonds 5-6 in numbers or Bhooney Chaney when you feel hungry. Best snack is a Fruit like Apple or even a pack of peanuts(without salt).

- Walk : Take your pet for a walk, watch the kids play in the park while you walk or catch up on your favourite music and take a walk for 30-40 minutes every morning or evening as per your comfort.

2. Eye bags and Dark Circles : Cucumber is the best for eyes. Keep slices of cucumber on your eyes and relax for 10 mins. Alternatively, you can always freeze some rose water in your ice-tray and then rub those rosewater cubes on your eyes, it helps a lot. Also, there are some really good exercises for the eyes that we'll discuss in coming posts. Also, you can always hide ur dark circles under a concealer and if you hve dark circles avoid Kohl, go for eyeliners on upper lid of your eye.

3. Bad Hair : I know when we celebrate, we literally let our hair down. They need help after a party or holiday. Give them good conditioning with Henna or Curd Pack. Also, u can use warm coconut/mustard/almond oil with 2 drops of lemon in it to massage your hair before you wash them. You will get a really good shine after that.

4. Painful Legs : Soak urself in a hot water bath and apply a really good aroma-based lotion to your feet and legs.

5. Work : Getting used to work/skools/college after a long holiday is like beating the Monday-blues. I suggest, extend ur leave by a day and arrange for all the stuff you would need in office and avoid attending to your formal life a day after partying for new year. Stay home, rejuvenate, plan and leave for work the next day with a fresh outlook and a great smile.

6. Okay, I think I forgot stomach trouble : A remedy for it is to bite into some nimboo ka achaar or you can put green chilli seeds (5-6) in a spoon of honey and take it with warm water.

Hope these tips help you to get back to being the energetic-self.

You can also ask us for other holidy disasters that we missed on and we will try and get the answers from our personal experiences.

Wish you a beautiful New Year from the team here at FEMME FATALE. Ciao!