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anti-aging skin care

Can aloevera be used as sunscreen? {Sunscreen}

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I was checking out my analytics page and saw this in the query section. And, then, I remembered many people had asked me this particular question earlier. So, I thought I would make a post of this.

Aloevera and Sun Protection
Aloevera, in itself, doesn’t provide any sun protection of its own. It, in fact, cures the damages caused by sun’s rays.So, you can call it more a after-sun treatment than calling it a sunscreen. Aloevera is a very versatile plant which can treat sunburns as easily as it can slow down the aging of the skin. The gel has healing properties instead of protection properties.
Sunscreen
There is a reason for the existence of wide variety of sunscreens in the market. And, I have time and again asserted their importance in skin care. As a personal opinion, I would always assert that it is better to rely on products available in the market for such a product than trying out your own remedies without proper research.My personal favourites are Zinc Oxide sunscreens but a stable chemical sunscreen also does a good job. Choose one according to your budget and be regular and diligent in its application, specially, in the summers.

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Skin Care for Brides {Bridal Files}

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As a second post in the series, nothing is more important than how to take care of the skin for the ultimate D-Day. And, I am not talking only about the face but also of the entire body. Surely, you wouldn’t want your hands to look dry or feet to look cracked. So, this is a just a start up on that series.
Moisturize well
Dry skin always gets dark and dull and its your special time so you can go any lengths to invest in products. Get a good moisturizer and moisturize yourself well day and night. Especially, now. The weather is changing and it takes toll on the skin.
Dry Brush
Another of amazing saviors. It helps me fight excess weight, fat accumulation, improves blood circulation and makes my entire body glow. I would definitely advise you to get the Catus Brush from TBS but yes, its expensive so you can choose some of the lesser priced ones too. But, let me tell you that the cactus (I don’t know if its really cactus, though ;P) bristles are more likely to prove more useful than flat brushes.
Soaps and Scrubs and Masks and Other Treatments
Ok, if it was my marriage, I would most definitely invest in the charcoal range of Lush. Its a dark desire 😀 Seriously, the range fascinates me with its face cleanser and body scrub. But, I am not too fond of Lush soaps to be honest. I have used one and didn’t really like it. So, if I were to advise you, I would say Earthy Goods has good soaps at lesser prices and Rustic Art soaps are little expensive but equally good.
Regarding masks, no harm in trying out Lush coz I have never tried. The only issue is you should be able to finish them before they expire otherwise your money goes down the drain 🙁 Or, you can try your favorite masks or facials at the salons or even the DIY’s. Btw, if you are going for salon treatments, make sure you go to a good reputed salon and always get a trial beforehand to make sure the facial and the ambience of the place suits you.
Body Massages
Getting body massages is a good idea if you are not inhibited. I personally am so I do it on my own at home and follow it with a good scrubbing session. I really love spending on oils and I recently got the TBS Polynesian Monoi Oil which I had been coveting since long and which is definitely pretty expensive. But, its good for my skin. So, get a few body oils and some EO’s can help you too. [I shall do a post on EO’s separately]
Other things for glowing skin
The usual recital of water, sleep and food and even exercise follows. So, don’t ignore them. Trust me they work wonders when synced with each other harmoniously.
A little tip: Try to sleep by 10. I know its difficult but nothing relaxes body better than that and it helps with many things too. More in some other post.

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Skin Care Essentials {Skin Care}

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Last week, I discussed about how a man’s skin differs from a woman. But, the skin care routine stays more or less the same for both the genders so let us discuss some points.

Good Cleanser
Using a good cleanser is very imperative to a clean skin. The cleanser should be mild and be able to clean out the dirt out of your pores. Using medicated cleansers presecribed by dermatologists is also an option.
Exfoliate
This is another carnal rule of skin care. You don’t want your pores to be clogged. So, exfoliate using gentle scrubbers which remove the dead skin easily and do not really tear the skin. Once a week is sufficient if you are using a really powerful scrubber but it can also be extended to twice a week depending on your usage of products and exposure to natural forces like pollution and sun.
Sun Protection
You don’t really want to look aged at any age, right? So, get a good sunscreen with adequate protection for yourself and slather it on before you venture out even if it is for 5 minutes or even for 2 minutes. Preferable, get a Zinc Oxide based sunscreen which is skin friendly and environment friendly too.
Wear Shades
Getting a good quality sun glasses which wrap around your eyes is a very good idea to protect your eyes from not only sun rays but also from letting the dirt and pollution inside the eyes. Don’t hitch to spend on a good quality shade.
Protect Hands
Hands again are important as they are continuously doing our work and come in contact with so many germs. So, it is our duty to keep them soft and healthy looking. Slather on a rich face moisturizer on your hands before you sleep. And, do not forget to use a moisturizer on hands after washing them every time.
Lip Care
Your lips are sensitive and do not have any sun protection. So, make sure you always slather on a good lip balm on your lips and it is even better if the lip balm comes with sun protection.
Facial Moisturizer
Again very important and easily ignored by many people, your skin needs a lot of moisture from outside as well. So, use a good moisturizer which suits your skin and keep it looking soft and healthy.
How do you take care of your skin?

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Jojoba Oil {Ingredient}

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Well, I was checking out Aroma Magic products and came across Jojoba oil so thought I would do a post on it. Now, do you remember my post on what hydrates our skin? Jojoba oil has a relation to that post so do go through the previous post if you want to understand the references.

Jojoba Oil (pronounced as ‘ho-ho-ba’ oil not ‘jo-jo-ba’)
It is not actually an oil but a liquid wax and its structure is the most similar to that of the sebum. Thus, it is believed to get absorbed very quickly. Jojoba oil is a stable oil and has a very long shelf life unlike other vegetable oils which get oxidized within a span of 6 months – 1 year without preservatives.
Jojoba oil has fatty acids but it doesn’t have triglycerides which are an important part of the skin lipid structure. Thus, jojoba oil doesn’t get metabolized (broken down) in the human body when ingested. Since it is rich in fatty acids, it is useful for the skin. The oil keeps the skin soft and supple. And, since it gets absorbed quickly, it is very popular in the cosmetic industry. It creates a skin barrier, keeps the skin moisturized for long periods and is supposed to have a spf of 4.
In fact, jojoba oil is not only useful for skin but also hair. It is supposed to provide moisturization to the hair just like it does to the skin. It helps increase the shine in the hair and also is great for people suffering from psoriasis and eczema. It helps in preventing early aging of the skin and delays wrinkles and fine lines. And, it is also great for people suffering from sensitivity of skin.
How to determine purity of Jojoba Oil?
Jojoba oil is bright to light golden (depending on the jojoba seed plantation and harvest) in color if it is in the pure form but if it is highly processed or diluted, it loses the characteristic golden color and becomes colorless. 
Did you ever use Jojoba Oil?

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How does a man’s skin differ from a woman’s? {Skin Care}

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Last week, I spoke a bit about tips to shave. That made me thinking about how different is a man’s skin as compared to that of a woman’s? So, I shall share a bit about that today and hopefully, that should convince your better-halves and “boys” to take care of their skin. Technically speaking, there is not much of a structural difference in a man or woman’s skin. But, there are some significant points to think about.

Rough Skin
Men have really rough skin. Why? For one, they have 25% thicker skin than women (Source). The top layer of their skin is naturally thicker. Secondly, they have to shave everyday or on alternate days. That removes the lipids from the surface of their skin. Then, they have more facial hair and also suffer from ingrown hair because of improper shaving routine.
Having said that they have thicker skin, I would also add that their skin loses its thickness with age where as the thickness of a woman’s skin remains constant till her menopause stage.
Oily Skin and Sebaceous Glands
You would be surprised to know that they have lesser number of sebaceous glands which produce sebum which makes the skin oily. But, their secretion of sebum is more than women and consequently, the skin of a man is 15% oilier than that of a woman. And, because of that reason, they are more prone to acne and blackheads. Also, their pore size is bigger than a woman counterpart.
Exposure to Environment
Men are generally more exposed to the natural forces like sun, wind, rain, dirt and pollution and they do not really take care of their skin because of which their skin is more sensitive. And, their skin is more dirty and there is more chance that their pores can get blocked resulting in more acne and blackheads.
Also, the amount of anti-oxidants in a man are far less than that of a woman so they are more likely to suffer from cancer. And, they are also not very devoted to sunscreen which increases the risk.
Collagen Density
So far, the above factors have been looking disadvantageous. so, let us talk a bit about why they still look younger as compared to a woman. That is because their collagen density is intrinsically much higher than that of a woman. Collagen maintains the elasticity in the skin and helps you look young. The age difference just by looks can go up to 15 years between a man and a woman of the same age (whoa!!! I am jealous).
And, the loss of collagen is more in woman as compared to a man because of the menopause stage. Otherwise, per year, both men and women lose up to 1% of collagen every year (Source).
Hydration Levels
Having said that regular shaving removes the lipids which hydrate the skin, a man’s skin is naturally hydrated as compare to that of a woman. During puberty, hormonal changes in a main lead to secretion of sweat which contains lactic acid which is a natural humectant and makes the skin look more hydrated. As a rule, men sweat twice more than women. And, their natural ph balance is acidic due to the presence of lactic acid in the sweat as compared to a woman.
Less prone to Pain
A man’s skin has lesser nerve fibers and consequently, they feel less amount of pain as compared to a woman. So, don’t let your men think they are too macho 😀 It’s naturally endowed to them. And, still, we bear all the pain 🙁
What do you say – a man’s skin is better or a woman’s?

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How to lose or gain Chubby Cheeks? {Health}

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Sometime back, I had done a post on 3 places for fat accumulation, a reader has asked me how to get chubby cheeks. So, I started doing a post on that but somehow, the losing and gaining of cheek fats is very inter-related so I thought I shall address them together.
Lean Cheeks and Sunken Cheeks
Some people are naturally endowed with thinner bone structure and less flesh on their face so they cheeks look slim. And, then, there is another case in which the cheeks sink inside. That happens with age. So, your face develops a hollow look. In either case, a fuller looking face is desirable. Having a fuller face also makes you looks young.
 
Drinking from the straw
Using straw actually causes the cheeks to sink in or lose their fat. So, if you are trying to thin your face, make use of straws and if you want your cheeks to be in proper shape, always avoid straw. This is from personal experience actually and when I stopped using straws, my cheeks came back to proper shape.
Exercise
Sometimes, heavy exercises cut out the cheek fat too. So, if you are looking for gaining the cheek fat, I wouldn’t advise you to leave exercising. But, facial exercises and facial massages can help with gaining and losing of cheek fat. Specially, massaging with sesame oil or any other fatty vegetable oil helps in developing chubby cheeks.
Blowing Balloons
Have you ever tried to blow a balloon? Do you know how much it exercises your cheek muscles? Puff up your cheeks or fill your mouth with as much air as you can hold. Wait for a minute and blow out the air gently. This helps in gaining cheek fat.
Chewing Gums
As blowing balloons help in gaining cheek fat, chewing on chewing gums helps in losing cheek fat. So, chew the non-sugar chewing gums otherwise the sugar in the gums can make you gain weight.
Healthy Fatty Foods
Finally, eating healthy but fatty foods is very important for overall body. So, eat lots of nuts and seeds and oils. They help in building up the skin’s fat layer and increasing the chubbiness of the body. And, as I said earlier, healthy weight is a good for the body as well as for your looks.
Do you have other ideas to gain or lose cheek fat?

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Pomegranate Saffron Skin Toner {DIY}

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So, did you have fun in the guessing game held a day back? The two ingredients were: Saffron and dried Pomegranate peels. As you all know, Pomegranate has emerged as a potent anti-aging ingredient in the recent days. And, as orange peels are extremely rich in juices, similarly pomegranate peels are also valued for pomegranate extracts. So, we shall make the toner which will have anti-aging properties.
Ingredients:
  • Pomegranate peels (fresh or dried) (I had one Pomegranate peel)
  • Water
  • Saffron (optional) (The Saffron I used was also not of good quality)
Method: 
  • Take half liter water and put the pomegranate peels in the water.
  • Let the water boil and then simmer till 1/4of the original quantity of water is left.
  • The liquid would be dark golden color by this time. Let the liquid cool.
  • The liquid would be red color by the time it cools off. Add a tea spoon of saffron strands to the liquid now and dissolve it nicely.
  • Strain the liquid and store in a spray bottle. Store in the refrigerator for longer shelf life.
How to use? 
  • Use it as a toner after washing your face.
  • Mix with face packs and scrubs.
  • Mix a spray of the liquid with your mositurizer and apply it on your face.
  • This is something I haven’t tried but you can: Make ice cubes of this liquid and apply it after a long and tiring day. This is something I would do in summers.
Did you try anything with Pomegranate? Pin It

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