Importance of Exfoliants (Scrub)

Basics of Exfoliation:Exfoliation involves the removal of the oldest dead skin cells on the skin's outermost surface, and has been used for many years to help maintain the skin. New skin cells are created in the skin's lower layer, the dermis. Over time, cells migrate to the surface of the skin and become more acidic. During this period, they die and become saturated with keratin. Keratin is important because it protects the skin from outside elements. Through the ageing process, and after menopause for women, the natural process of skin erosion becomes uneven, which gives skin a dry and rough character. Exfoliation removes the outer layer to reveal the newer skin beneath. This shedding of the outer layer unclogs pores, keeps skin clean, and helps reduce acne breakouts. Exfoliation should always be done after cleansing the skin. Exfoliation is important for men as it exposes the hair follicles, allowing a better shave. When you over exfoliate, it dries and irritates the skin. Face is the delicate and sensitive part of the body to exfoliate. So do it as gentle as possible.
Waxing, Using chemical hair removers, shaving also exfoliates the skin. In India the process of Exfoliating skin started hundreds of years ago. Their everyday shower includes herbal powders for skin and hair. Turmeric plays an important role. The health benefits of turmeric lie in the active ingredient called curcumin. This powerful compound gives turmeric its therapeutic benefits, its yellow color, and its pungent flavor. More specifically, curcumin harbors antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, stomach-soothing, and liver-and heart-protecting, Anti aging and anti cancer effects.
Now-a-days, people use more chemicals in their day to day activities which results in skin problems. I have found the following herbal recepies help exfoliate skin without having effects of harsh chemicals.

Facial Scrub:Face is a delicate part and hence the ingredients used should be coarse as well as soft. Never use ingredients which might irritate or damage your skin.

Almond Oatmeal Scrub:
1/4 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup Almond, 3 tbs Honey, 4 tbs milk.
Grind all these ingredients into a coarse paste, apply and massage gently on face and leave it for 10 Mins. Wash it with Warm Water.

Honey Cleansing:
2 tbs honey, 2 tbs finely ground Almond powder, 1 tbs lemon zest (grated lemon skin), 2 tbs lemon juice.
Mix them all, Rub gently onto face and rinse with warm water.

Fruit scrub:
3 strawberries, few chunks apple, banana, grapes, 3 tbs lime juice.
(Any fruits available could be used instead of above. For instance, orange flesh, grated cucumber, Mango pulp, Avocado pulp, Papaya, etc., could also be used)
Mash all these fruits (donot use blender as it makes it paste), add lime juice. Rub gently onto face and rinse with warm water.

Tomato Sugar Scrub:
1 tomato, 1 tbs sugar.
Cut Tomato into Half. Spread sugar on a plate. Now dip the open part of tomato into the sugar as sugar evenly coats the tomato's flesh. Rub the tomato with sugar onto face and then rinse. Don't throw the tomato. mash the tomato and apply onto face as a face pack and leave it to dry. Now Rinse with Warm water. U r a star now.

Indian Scrub:
2 tbs Green gram flour, 2 tbs Bengal gram /Besan flour, 2 tbs Sandal powder, 2 tbs turmeric powder, 3 tbs honey, 1 tbs milk, 1 tbs Multhani mitti, Rose water as required. (You can get these ingredients in Indian Grocery Store).
Mix all these well without lumps. Apply onto face and rub gently. Once done, leave the paste on face till it dries fully. Rinse with warm water.

Body Scrub:
Body scrub are different than the facial scrubs. This has the ingredients which are little coarse which will not suit for face. I see people complaining about their dark patches, tanned hands. Esfoliating those affected areas helps in getting new skin.

Yogurt Sugar Scrub:
1/4 cup baby oil, 1/2 cup yogurt, 1 cup white sugar.
Mix them well, rub onto the required body part. Leave it for few minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Tea Sugar Scrub:
2 cups white sugar, 1 cup honey, 2 TBS tea
Mix them well, rub onto the required body part. Leave it for few minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Coffee & Brown Sugar Scrub:
1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 1/4 cup white sugar, 3 TBS fresh coffee grounds, 5 tsp almond/olive oil, 2 tsp honey
Mix them well, rub, leave it for few minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Lemon Sugar Scrub:
1 cup sugar, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 TBS lemon zest (grated lemon skin)
Mix, rub, leave it for few minutes and then rinse with warm water.

Herbal Scrub:
1 cup Bengal gram/Besan Flour, 1/2 cup turmeric powder, 1 cup grated cucumber, 5 tbs honey, 5 tbs coconut milk/oilve oil, Rose water as required.
Mix all these well without lumps. Apply, rub and rinse.

Try the above recepies. Since all the ingredients are natural, there is no place for harm. You can create your own recepie with available fruits and veggies.

U can do Professional quality Manicure and Pedicure at Home

Keeping nails clean doesn't mean that you need to spend lots of bucks in beauty parlor. You can do your own Manicure and Pedicure at home.

• Clean your nails first. Remove the dirt accumulated inside ur nail. If your nails are polished, remove it with the help of good Nail polish remover. Never use Acetone to remove the polish as it damages your nail.

• If ur nail needs cutting and shaping, this is the right time. There is a misconception that cutting nails are easier after bath or getting it soaked in water. If u want to cut ur nails fully, then its a good idea since nails will become soft after getting soaked. But if u have long nails and u want to shape it, its better to do it when its dry. When nails are cut often, they grow faster than nails that are cut seldom.

• You can use Nail clipper to cut your nails. For shaping your grown nails, its better to use a Nail Files. Chances of nail breakage is more when you use metal files or other hard files. Its always recomended to use Emery Board (like Sand Paper) Files.

• There are many recommendations regarding which shape is best, but it is up to you to prefer rounder or sharper cuts. Generally oval shape works best for all kinds of fingers except very thin ones. If you have very thin fingers, shape them square and round corners of the nail alone.
  
• Once you are done with shaping, run them over a cloth to check if it snags and get stuck. If so, file where it snags.

• Next is to apply Cuticle Softner. If you don't have one, try using cold cream. Apply it on Cuticle and massage it gently for a minute. Dilute soft shampoo or soap to warm water. Then soak your hand and feet in it for a minute or so.

• Smooth your feet, in and around, with Pumice stone or Pedegg. This removes Callous and dead cells off.

• Now your cuticles might be soft enough to cut. Only if you have visible layer of cuticle covering your nail, gently push it back with the help of orange stick or cuticle Pusher and remove it. Also if you have hang nails on the sides, cut them too.

• Using the sharp end of the orange stick or a tooth pick, clean the inner part of nail to remove any remnants of dirt and dry your hand and feet.

• If you wish you can Smooth, buff and shine your Nail using special files.


• Never forget to massage as it gives good blood circulation and relaxes. You can use any nourishing cream, cold cream, massaging oil or olive oil. Make sure you wash your hand with a soft soap and dry it before polishing as oil leads to uneven bumpy coating and chips off easily.


• Now you are ready for the makeover. There are 3 Steps in Polishing your Nails. Clear base coat, Polish, and Top coat. You can use a good quality Clear/Transparent Nail Polish for base and top coat.

• Apply clear base coat as it gives you even nail to work with. Let it dry for few mins.
  

• Apply the Nail Polish. If required you can apply another coat with proper drying time.

• Once the Nail Polish dries, apply the top coat. This gives you shine and prevents the nail polish from chipping off.

• The most important part, sanitizing the equipments. Dilute antibacterial liquid in hot water and soak the Clippers, files, cuticle pusher, cutter, pumice stones,etc. This prevents you from getting infected.

Nails.. Nails... Nails....

When you think of 'Nail', the word that most often goes together with it is 'Polish'. Colored nail polishes were invented in the 1920s. Though the chemical composition has changed over the years, the main formula is the same. Basically, a nail polish is made of nitrocellulose dissolved in a solvent, to which various pigments are added. Some of the other ingredients of nail polishes include vinyl polymers, formaldehyde, acetone, ketone, toluene, suspending agents, etc.

Nail polishes come in different colors. Hundreds of manufacturers offer thousands of shades! There are transparent nail polishes that only add gloss and protection to the nails. There are many crazy nail polishes with funky colours, huge chunks of glitters, etc. In these modern days, Polishing and making nails beautiful has become part and parcel of women's life. Enough of Stories. Here are some interesting Facts about Nails....

• Nails are actually made of dead cells and Protein Called Keratin, the same as hair. Nail Plates are made up of dead cells, it doesn't breath and oxygen is not required. But Nail Beds and the Cuticle are live cells and they need oxygen, vitamins and minerals.
• Nails don't sweat. The nail bed does not have sweat glands, so it can't perspire.
• Finger Nail grow faster than Toe nail.
• Nails grow at different speeds on both hands. If you are right-handed, the nails on your right hand will grow faster than the nails on your left hand and vice versa.
• In India, there is a myth that cutting your nails in dusk gives u poverty. Here is the fact behind. In olden days, there is no proper tools to cut nails. If you cut your nails when there is not enough light, you can injure yourself.
• Healthy Nails reflects healthy body, Healthy food makes healthy Body.