Okay, so you may not admit it openly, but how many times have you stared at those drop-dead Models in the "Top 10 Beauty Tips" or "Top Ten Fashion Tips" sections of Beauty Magazines, without thinking, "I wish I had that pout!" or "I wish I had a cleavage like hers", or perhaps "I wish my hair looked as stunning as hers!" or "I'd kill for that eye make-up!"
Don't worry, you're not the only one. Truth is, all of us have done it at some point or the other.
But guess what? It isn't wishful thinking any more! Welcome to the age of
Makeovers, Style Gurus and Fitness Fads, with a few easy-to-do routine tips on
Skin Care,
Hair Care,
Make-up, and Styling, now we all can flaunt a sexy, cool and elegant look at all times. Here are our Top 10 Beauty Tips to get you started:
1. Skin Care TipsBeauty may not be skin-deep, but it does play a significant role in your overall personality. Talk to a skin expert and they'll tell you how your skin reflects your inner health and wellness, and therefore it is important for all of us to have a clean, clear skin free of Acnes, Pimples, blackheads and other skin-related disorders. Check out these quick skin care tips:
Dry Brush Your Skin Before ShowerWe're not kidding! Using a Dry Brush on your skin everyday before bath actually helps stimulate the oil glands in our skin. Remember not to use a harsh brush though. There are soft bristled body brushes available in the market these days. Begin brushing gently from your feet upwards in circular motion. Finish with a warm shower and massage your body with a moisturizer that suits your skin type.
Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate!Yes, that's our mantra for a clean, clear skin. Exfoliating your skin regularly helps cleanse your skin of all the dirt, pollution and other chemicals it is exposed to everyday. Browse through the "
Homemade beauty tips" and "
Natural Beauty Treatments" sections of our website and you'll find hundreds of easy-to use,
homemade recipes for skin care, homemade face packs, natural scrubs and other organic treatments which are not only cost-effective but will also keep your skin away from the expensive inorganic crèmes and lotions available in the markets.
Avoid using Astringents unless your skin is very oily, and restrict their use on the oily zone, if necessary. For a quick homemade exfoliating scrub, add white granulated sugar to your body wash. Sugar is one of the most effective and will make your skin clean and smooth. Remember to wash your tub or shower thoroughly after applying this to avoid any stickiness.
2. Hair Care Tips Don't underestimate the power of your tresses! According to Style and Makeover experts, Hair constitutes nearly 50% of your personality. Take care of your hair and they'll take care of you. Ignore them and they'll ruin your evening! Fact is, no amount of dressing up or make up can substitute for a healthy, shiny hair. Here are some quick
hair care tips to help your hair look more stunning than ever:
Keep your tresses cleanWhether you live in dry weather conditions or in a hot and humid climate, you need to take care of your hair regularly to keep your scalp free of dandruff and other fungal infections. A perfectly natural way to get rid off toxins and shampoo build-up from your hair is by rinsing it once a week with Apple Cider Vinegar Hair Rinse.
Avoid using hair products, which have excess oil, because they may cause blackheads over and around the forehead. When applying Hair Dyes,
Hair Colors, Hairsprays and
hair gels, remember to keep them away from your face, especially the eyes.
Flaunt Sexy, Stylish Hair in minutesDo you need to look your best tonight but have no time to rush to the Hair Stylist or a Beauty Salon? Don't worry. You can fix your hair at home in minutes with some of the Hair-Styling products that are available in the markets today. For example, you can add volume and bounce to your hair, make your hair look wavy, curl the ends under or straighten it with a Texturizing Cream. All you need to do is dry your hair with a towel after shower and rub the texturizing cream through your hair.
If you have wavy or flyaway hair, rub a small amount of hand lotion in your hair then straighten them by combing them downwards with your fingers.
Having a Flat Hair Day?Blow-drying your hair upside down for about 10 minutes could help add more volume and make your hair look bouncy.
Let your hair smell goodSpray your Comb or Hair Brush with your favorite perfume and then brush your hair. It'll add a subtle fragrance in your hair and make you feel good!
Thin down Your Hair Conditioner And Shampoo Most hair shampoos and conditioners are very thick so you can save some bucks by thinning them down with water and increasing the quantity.
Maximize your Hair StyleMost people think they can set their Hair well by constant blow-drying, but this is far from true. Truth is, your hair will set best when it is cooling off after the blow-drying. To maximize your hair-style, apply a hair spray to your hair while using blow dryer and hot rollers.
If you're tempted to get that "Salon style blowout hair affect" at home, towel dry your wet hair and segregate it into many sections. Pick each section at a time and blow dry using a round brush.
3. Make-up TipsExcept for the celebs and models that are bound by their profession, most of us are always racing against our tight schedules and have neither the time nor the energy to spend hours in a beauty salon every day. What we do need is a few quick and simple makeup tips that would come handy in our day-to-day life and are easy to follow. Here are a few makeup tips that will make you look good everyday and you can easily follow these without spending too much time or effort:
the right make-upDon't get swept off by all those beauty products in the market-they may not be right for you and can have adverse effect on your skin. If you're dealing with skin problems like pimples, Acne, Blackheads or have oily skin, you need to be careful while buying makeup and should use moisturizers, foundations, eye shadows and blushes that are oil free. Always pick skin care products that are labeled "noncomedogenic" (do not encourage the formation of closed pores) or "non-acnegenesis" (do not cause acne).
Foundation TipsBefore picking a foundation or concealer, always test if it matches your skin tone by rubbing a few drops on the inside of your wrist. The skin around your wrist is smooth and flawless and gives a clear idea of how the foundation would look when you apply it on your face.
To increase the life of your foundation or concealer and cut down on the heaviness, mix them with a light moisturizer to give your skin a glowing look.
Apply the foundation only after you are done with your eye make-up. This will help you take care of any last minute eyeliner or mascara smudging under the eyes.
To keep the makeup for long, spray a fully made up face with light mist- this works well for brides, night outs or during those extra hours at work!
Blush TipsTo add a natural glow to your face, use a blush cream or gel instead of powder in the shades of pink or peach. The advantage of using a Gel or Cream instead of powder is that they are more smooth and transparent and tend to blend evenly. Rub the blush on your cheekbones, blending up towards the eye for a flawless complexion.
Eye Makeup Tips Sharpen your eyeliners frequently to keep them clean. Keep your eyeliner or lip liner in the freezer for about 10 minutes before sharpening them. This will make them a bit hard and they won't break while sharpening.
If you have deep-set eyes, use liquid eyeliner instead of a regular eye pencil to avoid smudging.
To make sure your eyes stay free of infection from make up, discard your powder eye shadows every 9 to 18 months, mascara after 3 months and cream eye shadows every 6 to 12 months.
To avoid the mascara from spreading or flaking-off, first apply a thin coat of mascara on your top lashes and then brush them with an eyelash brush to prevent clumps.
Heat the eyelash curler by holding it infront of a hair dryer for a few seconds before curling your eyelashes. Check the temperature, then use on your eyelashes. The heat helps the extra long eyelashes get better curls.
Unlike those sparse and skinny eyebrows, the eyebrows trend for this season is to flaunt thick, natural-looking eyebrows. If you have scanty brows, you can use eye shadow or a brow definer to fill in.
To settle untamed eyebrows, dampen them with hairspray and comb them gently with an old toothbrush.
Applying eyeshadow on top of the eyeliner with damp cotton will make the eyeliner stay for longer.
Lip Makeup tipsDo you love matte lipstick but dread applying them on your dry lips? If you suffer from dry lips, apply a coat of lip balm on your lips before you start applying make-up. By the time you're through with your eyes and face, your lips would have been moisturized and ready to show-off your favorite matte lipstick!
To avoid the lipstick from staining your teeth, stick your finger in your mouth and suck in as you pull it out. The finger will scoop out the lipstick that is left inside your mouth.
Nail polish Tips Has your nail polish become thick and chunky because it has been lying for too long? Most of the times, old Nail polishes begin to thicken around the bottom of the bottle. To make them thin, add a few drops of nail polish thinner or nail polish remover.
Before applying a new coat of nail polish, soak your nails in luke warm water for 5 minutes and rub off the leftovers of the previous nail polish gently with a finger.
4. Nail Care TipsNails can either enhance your beautiful looks or can make you look really untidy and messy infront of your friends and colleagues. To avoid embarrassment and to make sure you have beautiful, shining nails, here are a few
nail care tips:
Cut your nails regularly as long, unkept nails can accumulate dirt and germs and can cause infection.
If you suffer from weak, brittle nails, often it could be because you have not been drinking enough water of due to calcium deficiency. So drink lots of water every day and increase the intake of calcium in your diet!
Put on rubber gloves before you clean your dishes or do laundry because harsh detergents and dishwashers can wreck nails and stress nail fibers.
5. Get Rid of Unwanted Facial hairUnwanted facial hair had always been the cause of embarrassment to the women suffering from it, but not any longer! Today, all you need to do is walk into a good beauty parlor or
skin clinic and get rid of the unwanted facial hair with the help of the experts. Some of the popular hair removal techniques are:
6. Pamper your FeetDon't forget to include your
feet in your daily beauty regimen-they're one of your biggest assets!
Getting regular foot massage and pedicure helps stimulate the circulation of blood.
After a long walk, pamper your tired feet by indulging in a luxurious footbath.
Try this relaxation technique: Add a few drops of essential oils in a basin filled with warm water. Place small pebbles in the basin. Run your toes and soles over the pebbles and relax for 15 minutes.
7. Exercise RegularlyRemember your external beauty is only a reflection of your inner beauty and a healthy body reflects a healthy mind. Take 15 minutes off from your routine everyday and indulge in a fitness activity you enjoy. You can practice yoga, go swimming, hit a gym, learn aerobics or take dance lessons-whatever keeps you stimulated, juts go for it! If you're a sports buff, you can practice your favorite sport as part of your fitness regimen.
8. Eat Healthy Much of our health and fitness depends on what we eat on a daily basis. Stay away from junk and processed foods and stick to a healthy, balanced diet. Organic foods are becoming increasingly popular all over the world and are an excellent substitute for canned, processed foods, which contain harmful chemicals. Depending upon your calorie requirement (which can be assessed by a fitness expert), you can chart out a diet for yourself, which meets your daily nutritional needs and keeps your fit. Include foods rich in fibre, whole grains, pulses, green vegetables, fruits, milk and milk products in adequate amount in your daily diet.
9. Quit smokingIt may be hard, but the best thing you can do for a beautiful, glowing complexion is to stop smoking. Smoking both dehydrates and deprives your skin of oxygen, so you will see real benefits - skin will become smoother and more radiant.' Sarah Monzani, make-up artist to Madonna
Smoking is not only harmful for your health and is known to cause breathing related problems like asthma, lung cancer, hypertension, breast cancer and heart diseases post menopause, it is also one of the leading factors that induce aging in both men and women. Studies have shown than the Nicotine in cigarettes can add years to your appearance. Incase of pregnant woman, smoking whether active or passive can result in the retardation of an unborn child and cause other complications like birth defects, miscarriages and pre-termed labor.
So quit smoking and stay young and healthy!
10. Choose a good perfumeRemember Al Paccino's memorable lines in the "Scent of a Woman?" Who does not like to hang out with someone smelling good?
A good fragrance works like a magic spell and makes you stand out in a gathering. The coolest thing about applying a perfume is-it can be your signature scent, drawing everyone's attention wherever you go!
Each perfume has a unique fragrance and is meant to strike chemistry with the person wearing it. Pick a fragrance that complements your personality and gels with the mood of the occasion. For ex-while at work, you can use deodorants and body sprays with natural flavors whereas bold or strong scents can be used during parties or at more informal occasions.
While testing a perfume, always apply the scents to your pulse points first since this is where the blood vessels are closest to the skin and tend to give off more warmth and spread the scent around.
Watch out for any allergies and irritant reactions in case you're allergic to a fragrance.
