Natural Makeup Removers You can Find in Your Kitchen

Just came back home from a wedding function or a dinner date with your fiancé or a party with your friends, what is the first thing you want to do? We are sure most of you would say, change and hit the bed. 

But, here is what you should be doing -remove the makeup from your face, before you go off to sleep. All dermatologists and beauty experts often send out this piece of advice to the girls.

First thing which come in our mind is, Makeup wipes and liquid removers. They may seem convenient for removing makeup, but they can actually irritate your eyes and hurt your skin over time. This can be drying and irritating for some people, especially those with dry or sensitive skin. Also, some wipes contain alcohol, which can cause stinging.

Well, the days are gone when you have to spend time rubbing that stubborn mascara off your eyes, or buying a separate remover for normal makeup and eye makeup.

Here are a few natural ways to remove your makeup and refresh your skin without the use of harsh chemicals. These are effective, cheap as well as very safe:

So, go ahead and try these out!

1. Olive Oil

Take 2 portions of pure olive oil with some water. Mix them well. Using it is very easy and safe too. But it is still better to do a skin patch test, before trying it. 

You can also simply soak a cotton ball in the oil, and massage that on your face to remove the makeup and dirt. Make sure that you use a tissue or a clean towel to get rid of the excess oil before going to bed.

Olive oil will not only handle tough makeup products with ease, but will also calm down your irritated skin. Plus, this ingredient has anti-ageing properties.


2. Almond Oil and Whole Milk

Mix a tablespoon of milk, and a few drops of almond oil, and dab onto your face with cotton balls. Remove it off with fresh cotton balls; making sure that no traces of milk is left. This is a quick remover recipe that can be assembled in short time. It will also leave you face refreshed.

Milk is an amazing ingredient for your skin. It not only hydrates and moisturises your skin, but also replenishes the essential nutrients required by it.

3. Yoghurt

Just dip a clean cotton ball in some plain yoghurt and rub that on your face in circular motions. After that, rinse it off with some cold water.

It moisturises your skin and cleanses it as well.

4. Cucumbers
Yes, this healthy fruit can be a great makeup remover too. Just mash one cucumber into a paste, and use that to cleanse your face.

Due to its anti-inflammatory properties, cucumbers are well known to soothe irritated and acne-prone skin. If the makeup is tough then you can add some milk or olive oil to it.

5. Jojoba and Vitamin E oil

Mix one capsule of vitamin E with 60ml of jojoba oil. Store this mix in a dark glass bottle, and use when required. It works best on those stubborn waterproof mascaras, liquid eyeliners, and blushes.

The jojoba oil is very similar to sebum produced by human body, while vitamin E has antioxidants necessary for protecting the skin from cosmetic damage. Both these ingredients provide a soothing and moisturising effect on the skin.

6. Coconut/ Olive Oil 

One of the most effective makeup removers that can remove the toughest waterproof makeup, just needs one cup of water with an eighth teaspoon of olive/coconut oil and one and a half tablespoon of baby shampoo (tear-free). Mix them and shake them well, and use as required.

7. Coconut Oil
You can apply it directly as a natural cleansing oil, but just remember to wash your face once after you are done removing the makeup. Now, apply on the eyes or face to remove makeup quickly and effectively. 

This magical ingredient can take care of even the most resistant waterproof makeups, like mascara, quite easily.Coconut oil is one ingredient that serves as remover, moisturiser, lip balm, and much more.

Stay Beautiful.
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Apple Cider Vinegar - A Natural Hair Care Product

Apple cider vinegar has long been used as a natural hair care product to promote healthy hair in both men and woman. Its acidity is close to that of natural hair, it's a good conditioner and cleaning agent and it's also an effective germ killer.

Shampooing typically increases pH factor. Human hair is acidic, with a pH factor of 4 to 6. Apple cider vinegar has a pH factor of about 4. Using ACV for hair helps in bringing back the pH balance after shampooing hair.

On the other hand, many of the hair care products we use, such as soap-based shampoos, bleaches, hair colors are strongly alkaline.

Rinsing with apple cider vinegar will help balance the pH of your hair and remove the buildup that can result from the use of these styling products and inexpensive shampoos.

The acids and enzymes in ACV kill the "bottle bacillus", a bacteria that is one of the causes for many scalp and hair conditions such as dandruff, itchy scalp, hair loss and often baldness. The bacteria clogs hair follicles allowing dry crusts to form that itch and flake.


Make Your Own ACV Rinse:

Make your own healthy after-shampoo hair rinse by mixing 1/3 of a cup (75 ml) of ACV into a 1 liter of water. You can then store this mixture in a plastic bottle and keep it in the shower for ready use.

If you would like to prepare a smaller batch of this vinegar hair rinse recipe to experiment with, try mixing 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of apple cider vinegar into 1 cup (250 ml) of warm filtered tap water.


How To Wash Hair With ACV Rinse:

Wash your hair with normal shampoo as usual. While your hair is wet, apply the apple cider viengar rinse to your hair.

For best results, leave ACV rinse in your hair for a couple of minutes. This will help in removing harmful chemicals and dandruff from the hair.

You can also mix one teaspoon apple cider vinegar into your regular shampoo and use to wash hair, massaging and concentrating on your scalp.

Then rinse your hair as usual.


Benefits:

1. Apple cider vinegar has natural anti-fungal properties to combat and mitigate dandruff.

2. Apple cider vinegar also repairs damaged hair, as it restores the protective layer on hair strands. This protective layer is usually damaged because of excessive shampooing, strong UV rays, as well as air pollutants.

3. Mixing ACV with baking soda can also make hair shinier.

4. Because ACV rinse helps in smoothing the hair, it reduces split hair.

5. In some cases, apple cider vinegar is used to treat hair loss diseases.

6. For an extra strength natural hair care product, apple cider vinegar can be infused with herbs. Tea tree oil is another excellent natural anti-dandruff ingredient, which can be added .

Here are some recommended herbs to use with apple cider vinegar:

For dark hair......Parsley, Rosemary, Sage

For light hair.....Chamomile, Marigold

For red hair.......Henna

For oily hair......Lavender, Thyme

For dry hair.......Marigold

For brittle hair....Horsetail

To make your own herbal hair rinse natural hair care product:

1. Place 2 tablespoons of the dried herb (or herb mixture) into a muslin bag or tea ball and put in a warmed tea pot.

2. Pour 500 ml of boiling water over the herbs and infuse for 2 hours.

3. Allow the liquid to cool then pour it into a quart (1 liter) jar.

4. Add 500 ml of apple cider vinegar and mix well.

Note:

- If you have time, leave ACV in your hair for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing off. This will maximize the benefits of apple cider vinegar in improving the quality of hair.

- Don't use cold or hot water. Hot water can damage your hair. Cold water may not be able to get rid of chemicals and dandruff form the scalp.

Stay Beautiful

Homemade Hot Oil Hair Treatment

I love the winter, but not so much the dry weather.  Unfortunately, they go hand in hand.  Not only my skin gets dry easily in Fall, but also my hair. Especially with the area towards the ends of my hair.  It sometimes gets so dry and fuzzy, which is not too much fun to deal with.

 

On the other hand, my scalp gets pretty oily on a daily basis.  That makes me feel uncomfortable not to shampoo my hair everyday.  But isn't more washing will dry out the ends of my hair even more?   Do you have the same issue? Well, this Homemade Hot Oil Hair Treatment might be the solution for you, too. It helps to balance out the oil and moisture in our hair.  It’s super simple to prepare and only requires a few ingredients.

First of all, hot oil hair treatment is for all hair types. The key is to customize it to suit your needs and your hair type.  Therefore, choosing the right ingredients for your hair type is important.  You can use a single type of oil, or a mix of a few, depending on your needs.  

Here are some basics oil you can choose from and their benefits.  

Olive Oil: It conditions hair and improves elasticity.

Jojoba Oil: It’s best for oily hair. The jojoba oil is like our own natural skin and hair oils.  It will leave your hair soft and light, without weighing it down.

Avocado Oil: It is the the most moisturizing oils. Great for dry and frizzy hair.

Almond Oil: It relieves dry scalp, controls hair loss and smooth cuticle of strands

Rosemary Oil: It relieves dry scalp, stimulates follicles and slows premature hair loss.

Coconut Oil: It adds shines and soften your hair! Coconut oil is great for all hair types. It also helps in reduce dandruff. 

Castor Oil: It helps strengthen the hair.  Perfect for fine hair that breaks easily.However, castor oil might leave your hair dryer. So, use sparingly in the blend. It might be best is your hair is the oily type. 

Sesame Oil: It is great for all hair type and adds shines to your hair. It also helps slow down hair loss, great to treat thinning hair.

Besides oils, I also love to infuse herbs in my Hot Oil Hair Treatments.  Here’s a list of what your hair might need to improve on and the types of herbs that you can choose. 

Hair strengthening:  Use chamomile, horsetail, or arnica.

Hair Clarifying: Use rosemary, parsley, sage, or nutmeg.

Hair moisturizing: Use chamomile, lavender, dried rose petals, or aloe.

Stimulating hair growth: Use Peppermint, parsley, horsetail, chamomile, ginger, or cinnamon.

If you don’t have the fresh or dried herbs on hand, you can substitute with essential oils as well.

How to make:

1 tablespoons organic olive oil
1 tablespoons almond oil
1/2 tablespoon avocado oil
1 teaspoons jojoba oil
1 small bunches of fresh rosemary
3 to 4 drops of any essential oil

In a medium saucepan, heat a few inches of water on high until boiling.  Then, reduce to low heat and keep water on a simmer.  Place all ingredients  (except the essential oil) in a heat proof bowl and place over the pot of simmering water.  Let the oil heat up slowly and infuse for 30 minutes. 

Check periodically to make sure there's enough water in the pot.  After 30 minutes, remove oil from heat let it cool slightly until it's not too hot to handle but still very warm to the touch.  Add the essential oil.

Place the hot oil in a small bowl. Cover your shoulder/cloth with a towel. Dip your fingertips into the oil and gently massage the oil from scalp to end.

When all the oil is used, cover the hair with a shower cap. At this point, you can also add a damp and hot towel over the shower cap for better result. Leave it on for 30 minutes. 

Then, shampoo your hair. Repeat every 2 to 4 weeks.

Note: You can purchase most of the oil and essential oil from a local health store. if you can’t find them in store. Click on each ingredient below for your reference to purchase online:

Peppermint Essential Oil
Almond Oil
Avocado Oil
Jojoba Oil
Olive Oil

14 Health Benefits Of Guava - A Super Fruit

Winter has set in and it’s the season for some delicious guavas. There are various species of guavas which differ in terms of fragrance, taste and appearance. Generally it has a strong, sweet and pungent fragrance. It is widely available in India. In fact, it is quite cheap so everyone can afford it.

Besides its unique flavour and fragrance, guava is one of the super fruits because of its numerous health promoting qualities. This humble fruit is known for its medicinal properties, thanks to the sugars, vitamins and minerals present in it. 

In addition, 1 cup of the stuff provides 688 milligrams of potassium, which is 63 percent more than you'll find in a medium banana. And guava may be the ultimate high-fiber food: There's almost 9 grams of fiber in every cup.

Guavas are a very common type of fruit but are often neglected because of their hardness & presence of seeds. But it is what I call as super food! It contains goodness that will make you definitely want to eat this fruit but we are not talking about having sugar rich guava jams or jellies. For getting these super benefits of guava, you need to grab a fresh one and bite on it.

Take a look at Guava health benefits!

1.Eyesight: 

Guavas are extremely good sources of vitamin-A, which is well known as a booster for vision health.  It can not only prevent degradation of eyesight, but even an improvement in eyesight once it has begun to degrade.Vit A or retinol is responsible for good eye sight. Guava is rich in retinol, so if you don’t like carrots, you can try a guava for improving your eyesight.

2.Cancer Prevention: 

One of the most celebrated and important benefits of adding guava to your diet is its ability to inhibit the growth and metastasis of cancerous cells. There have been numerous studies done in recent years on guava’s effects primarily on prostate cancer, breast cancer, and oral cancers. Guavas are also rich in lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to be wildly successful in reducing prostate cancer risk. That same antioxidant has also shown to inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells.

3.Diarrhea & Dysentery: 

Guava is very rich in astringents and the astringent qualities add substance to loose bowels and reduce symptoms of diarrhea. These astringents are alkaline in nature and have disinfectant and anti-bacterial properties, thus helping to cure dysentery by inhibiting microbial growth and removing extra mucus from the intestines.

4.Constipation: 

Guava is one of the richest sources of dietary fiber in terms of fruit. Its seeds, if ingested whole or chewed, serve as excellent laxatives. These two properties of guava help the formation of healthy bowel movements, and aid the body in retaining water and thoroughly cleaning your intestines and excretory system. It is said that constipation alone can lead to 72 different types of ailments, so any help with constipation is beneficial. 

5.Cough & Cold: 

Juice of raw and immature guavas or a decoction of guava-leaves is very helpful in relieving coughs and colds by reducing mucus, disinfecting the respiratory tract, throat and lungs, and inhibiting microbial activity with its astringent properties. Guava has one of the highest quantities of vitamin-C and iron among fruits, and both are proven to be preventive against colds and viral infections. 

In some areas of India, roasted ripe guava is used as a remedy against extreme cases of cough, cold, and congestion.

6.Lesser Diabetes Risk:

Guavas are rich in fibres.Fibre is important for lowering blood sugar levels.  

7.Folate Content:

Guavas contain a mineral known as folate. It helps promote fertility in humans.

8.Regulation Of Blood Pressure Levels:

Potassium in guavas helps normalise blood pressure levels. A banana and a guava contains almost the same amount of potassium.

9.Rich In Vit C:

Guava contains Vit C and it helps protect cells and lower cancerous damage to them.

10.Copper Enriched:

Guavas contain the trace element copper which is very good in maintaining good functioning of the thyroid gland. Improper functioning of thyroid gland can cause a lot of health problems.

11.Manganese Richness:

Guavas are rich in manganese which helps the body to absorb other key nutrients from the food that we eat. When our food gets properly utilised, we get all the key nutrients like biotin, vitamins, etc.

12.Nervous Relaxant:

Guava is rich in magnesium which acts as a nervous relaxant. It helps to relax muscles and nerves of the body. So after a hard work out, a guava is certainly what you need to relax your muscles and give your system a nice energy boost.

13.Healthy Mind:

It helps to keep your brain functions positive by maintaining good blood flow and also by infusing it with Vit B3 and Vit B6. Vit B6 is pyridoxine which is good for nerves. It keeps your nerves relaxed.

14.Good For Pregnant Mothers:

Guavas contain Folic acid, or Vitamin B-9, which is recommended for pregnant mothers since it can help in developing the baby’s nervous system and protect the newborn from neurological disorders.

Note: Ripe guava should be avoided by people who are suffering from cough and cold, as it can exacerbate the problem, and one should also avoid drinking water immediately after eating guava as it can lead to a soar throat.

All of these qualities make guava a super-fruit which you should certainly enjoy this winter season!

Stay Healthy.

Foods For Healthy And Beautiful Hair

Thanks to pollution, increasing stress levels and bad quality of water, experts say that hair loss and hair thinning are at an all-time high.

Well, panicking and running around to expensive salons for hair treatment might seem a brilliant idea, but the truth is that you can manage to get a hold of the situation back at your home alone.First, it would help to locate the various reasons for hair loss.

1. Improper diet,

2. Lack of proper vitamins,

3. Genetic factors,

4. Excessive stress, anxiety and worries,

5. Prolonged illnesses like typhoid, anemia, dysentery, jaundice etc,

6. Poor blood circulation,

7. Unclean scalp

Once you have located the source of your problem, it can become much easier to fight back. In desperate times like these, it would help to go completely natural. Do not trust chemical products since they might cause more harm than good.Here are some food types that can improve your hair drastically without going to salons.

•  Take a glass of water with flaxseed (alsi) in an empty stomach. This will provide you with the omega 3 acid that you need for hair growth.

• Begin every day with one amla. Women generally use hair oil made of amla to get those lustrous curls.

•  Soak 5 almonds every night in water and eat them with their skin on.

• Your scalp needs nutrition. So get plenty of fluids like buttermilk, lime juice and coconut water. Drink at least 8-10 glasses of water every day!

•  One bowl of sprouted pulses for would be great.

•  Proteins. Eat chicken and egg each day.

•  Reduce you daily intake of tea and coffee.

• When you are washing hair, use a teaspoon of lime juice for the last rinse. That make your hair lustrous while protecting it from dandruff.

•  You are never too old for milk. Drink two glasses of skimmed milk for maximum benefits.

• Apply a paste of methi seeds on your scalp for half an hour once every week, and drink methi water on empty stomachs.

•  Remember how the age old sadhus survived on fruits? No wonder that they had such long hair! Eat at least 2 or 3 fruits every day like strawberries, bananas, apples, mangoes, chikoos, guava and grapes.

•  Go green- eat a lot of vegetables, munch away on that iron laden spinach.

• It is better to have more faith in white meat. Fish, chicken and egg can do wonders for your hair!

Hair loss is more common in case of men than women. And you always did wonder whether gender difference worked out better for women, right? Follow these principles, and you would see satisfactory results soon enough!

Stay Beautiful.

Related Posts:

• Long And Healthy Hair - A Routine
• Causes Of Hair Loss In Man - Facts
• Dandruff : Causes and Treatment

Tips To Live A Healthier Life

Leading a healthy life doesn’t only mean going to the gym and working out. It further means to take care of your body and make easy to manage healthy choices in day to day life. Our body is our physical shell that will take us through the various phases of life.

Here are few tips to lead a healthier life:

Drink lots of water:

Water is very essential for our body to function. Most of us do not know that over 60% of our body is made up of water. It is very much needed in our body as it carries out body functions, removes waste and carries nutrients and oxygen around our body. We should take lots of water everyday as we lose water through urine, bowel movements, perspiration and breathing. Drinking more water helps in losing weight too.

Eat lots of fruits:

Healthy eating is a must to have a healthy lifestyle. Eating lots of fruits benefits our body with vitamins and minerals. For example - Oranges gives more health benefits than vitamin C pills.

Consuming fruits directly benefits our health than taking synthetic supplements. In order to lead a healthy life one must eat a plateful of nutritious fruits everyday.

Exercise:

Exercising daily brings tremendous benefits to our body. Exercising increases the life span, lowers the risk of diseases, leads to higher bone density and helps in weight loss. Increase of physical activity in our life like walking over motorised transport for short distances and taking stairs instead of lift will lead us to healthy living.

Enough sleep:

Sleep is a must for healthy living as our body needs rest after a day of hard work. If you don't get enough sleep you tend to eat more. Due to lack of sleep one may face premature ageing and dark circles beneath our eyes. So to avoid these problems and let your body heal, get enough sleep.

Avoid drinking alcohol:

Alcohol is a diuretic like caffeine. Alcohol has a negative impact on our body, as it impacts the proper functioning of the brain, liver, lungs and other major organs. If you are a regular drinker of alcohol then it is time to cut it off.

Quit smoking:

Smoking is not good for health, as it leads to lung cancer, kidney cancer, heart attack and much more. Health risks cannot be decreased by smoking light cigarettes. To enjoy a healthy living, quit smoking.

Meditation:

Meditation keeps our mind calm and composed. As we all know, a healthy mind helps you maintain a healthy lifestyle. It will help curb most depression, anxiety and blood pressure related health issues. About 10 minutes of meditation everyday maintains a healthy heart and keeps stress levels low.

Smile: Science suggests that when you smile, whether you're happy or not, your mood is elevated. So smile all the time if you can! Smiling is like a feedback loop: smiling reinforces happiness, just as happiness causes smiling. People who smile during painful procedures reported less pain than those who kept their facial features neutral.

Smile:

Science suggests that when you smile, whether you're happy or not, your mood is elevated. So smile all the time if you can! Smiling is like a feedback loop: smiling reinforces happiness, just as happiness causes smiling. People who smile during painful procedures reported less pain than those who kept their facial features neutral.

Stay Healthy.

Beautiful Smokey Eye Make Up Ideas, Looks & Images

Girls of any age show their inclination towards makeup. Eye make up is always beneath the spotlight. Eyes can be elaborated, enhanced and exaggerated with any eye-liner. 

Eye make-up is a bit technical job. The wrong brush strokes can play havoc to entire look of your face and eyes. Always go for the right make-up which suits your skin tone. Women and teen girls are very much interested in applying smokey eye make-up to look elegant and stylish.If you are tired of those same eye make up and want to try some new patterns for your eyes.Here you can see the smokey eye make-up ideas and right kind of techniques to do it perfectly.

I am sure the collection will let you know about the modern ideas of eye make up looks. Have a quick ride down below.