Maybe work from home is keeping you tied-up; or you are feeling a bit lazy in your PJs to 'Get Up and Glam'. Whatever the reason, this special occasion demands you to look stunning! And, you need not get tensed about being a last-minute hustler! says Anita Golani, Founder, iORA, a DIY Salon Kit Series, who comes to the rescue with some simple, amazing and effective skin-care grooming hacks. She advocates a cold therapy that merely translates to running ice cubes all over your face. She adds, “Doing this will eliminate puffiness (especially near the eyes), soothe a sunburn, ease out your acne, will tighten your skin and make it look plumper. Moreover, your face will get a healthy glow.”
Magic lurks in the kitchen
To look presentable or dress up for the occasion is imperative for everyone. To be well groomed means paying attention to everything right from your footwear to personal hygiene. It is essential to practice a skin care routine, and adorn oneself in a way that elucidates your personal style. In case you run short of time this V-Day, do not panic! Use kitchen ingredients to give yourself a quick makeover.
Every kitchen shelf has coffee and it is an excellent scrub to remove dead cells. It hydrates without clogging the pores and is also ideal for sensitive skin. Grab some apples from the fridge and extract their juice. Mix it with oats and some besan to form a thick face-pack consistency. Apply it on your face and let it do its magic for 10-15 mins. Wash off with cold water later. Ingredients used in the making have skin whitening properties and the apple juice contains collagen that provides elasticity to your skin, points out Golani who further suggests dead skin remedy for face from kitchen essentials, “Baking soda is a great facial cleanser. A mixture of baking soda and warm water is excellent to remove dead skin instantly. Prepare this into a paste-like consistency and apply it to your face. Scrub this mixture once it is semi-dry to gently exfoliate the dead skin off. Wash your face post this stage and get a radiant skin.”
Beauty bar
Dr Bharti Magoo, Dermatologist and Aesthetician at Golden Touch Clinic, Mumbai, offers some quickie beauty tips:
Go for a quick facial steam to retain your skin’s suppleness and radiance.
For a dewy skin, keep oil and shine at arm’s length with a blotting paper.
Hide the dreadful flaws that appear in the eleventh hour with a concealer and you are good to go.
If you are too tied up to wash your hair, use dry shampoo to combat oily strands, and to add volume.
Body basics
Do not just focus on your face, show your body some love and pampering too. Take a warm shower to open up skin pores to help absorb body deo for that fresh-as-a-daisy feel. Anita Golani’s simple recipe extols the virtue of “Besan, rosewater, oats, almond, aloe vera gel to form an excellent body scrub. Use it on damp skin in gentle circular motions. This is a great exfoliator and helps you get rid of dead skin while giving you visibly glowing skin.”
Party-perfect in a jiffy
Time to take out the silken scarf/wrap lying in the closet. Give your hair an elegant fix with the scarf. The messy bun look is trendy to present thin, long hair while it gives the illusion of volume. Sweep your hair to one side or give it a rope twist for that stylish feel. Surprise your Valentine with faux bangs – twist your hair from behind, bring the ends of your hair over the forehead and pin them up neatly to lend a faux appearance of your bangs. Make sure the ends of your hair are evenly cut.
Forgot to shape your eyebrows? Drag the eyebrow pencil just above your eyes, blend in to give an arched eyebrow expression – and lo! You have a chic air about you.
Blend in two colours of lipstick and create full lips for that sensuous pout.
Accessorise appropriately – in case your dress is simple, adorn with chunky earrings or neck piece; on a heavy outfit, keep the accessories to the minimum. Pay attention to the footwear – elegant yet comfortable. Lastly, don’t forget to spray a long-lasting perfume.
Dr. Simal Soin, Founder & Chief Dermatologist, AAYNA suggests these tips:
Apply face mist to instantly bring out the glow.
A clay face mask is suitable for those with oily skin and a hydrating sheet mask works wonders for those with dry skin.
For silken smooth skin, exfoliate gently with a body scrub before shaving and follow it up with a calming body lotion with aloe and shea butter.
Smear on a little petroleum jelly to immediately seal and soothe razor burns.
For instantly soft lips, use a clean soft toothbrush to exfoliate your lips and apply a nourishing lip balm.
