What's in Shakira's bag?

Singer Shakira says she travels frequently and doesn't go easy on her bags. From vitamins to make-up, she stuffs her bag with all the essentials.

"I've had too many bag disasters to count. I'm a frequent traveller, so something's always exploding,"usmagazine.com quoted the mother of 15-month-old Milanas saying.

The 37-year-old, who is a judge on "The Voice", reveals what she carries in her Stella McCartney carryall.

- My passport is absolutely essential. I've had to add so many pages that it's now the size of a dictionary. Try getting anywhere as a Columbian without a visa!

- I take vitamins to stay healthy, but I also have a sweet tooth. I keep bad-for-you treats like Jet chocolates and Bon Bon Bum lollipops from Columbia to satisfy my sudden cravings.

 

- I do my own make-up for 'The Voice', so I keep my drugstore go-tos -- Revlon eyelash curler, L'Oreal Infallible Lipstick, Crest 3D Whitestrips -- in a small pouch. And I must have elastic bands to pull my hair back. It tends to have a life of its own!

- My iPhone 5 has music apps, like Pandora and Spotify, and I am addicted to playing Candy Crush and Ms. Pac-Man -- total guilty pleasures.

- I carry my son's books and a mini soccer ball to play with. It always reminds us of his dad.

Bleach myths busted

Facial hair can make you reach out for the first bleach on the shelf. Experts, however, bust a few myths around it

How many times have you bleached your face and ended up with acne, rashes or pigmentation marks on your face? There are many people who don't know much about bleaching, and they either go wrong with it or end up with rashes on the face. Here's why you should know some truths behind the jar of cream that promises to lighten your complexion.

Bleaching is safe

This is not true. Dermatologist Dr Apratim Goel says, "Whether you are bleaching your face or your body, bleach contains sodium hypochlorite which causes a chemical reaction, this leads to breakouts on the skin. One must also be careful about the products being used post bleaching. Exposure to sunlight right after bleach causes skin irritation and pigmentation."

Patch test is optional

Skin bleaching does not only cause allergic reaction, but can also cause permanent white spots on your skin. Thus a patch test is a must on your arm or behind the ear.

Bleaching causes hair to grow longer

Adds Dr Goel, "This is not true. Hair growth occurs at the hair root level, which is under the skin. So, it's impossible for facial bleach to cause hair to grow longer as it works on the skin and not under the skin."

 

It makes your skin fairer

Facial bleach makes your skin appear fairer, but it only works on your hair and not the skin. The illusion of fairness after bleach can be seen only on people who have wheatish complexion. Moreover, sthese creams can only help you get rid of the tan, pigmentation marks and blemishes but not change your skin's colour.

Bleach creams are all the same

All the creams are not the same. If you look at the ingredients you will find that the newer ones are graded according to skin colour. They also contain moisturising oils which lessen skin irritation.

The effect is permanent

The effect of bleach is temporary. Your skin is a dynamic organ and gets affected by internal factors like nutrition, hormones and external factors like pollution, smoking, sun exposure etc. Thus it only works for a short duration of time. According to beauty artiste Shahnaz Husain, bleaching is not the only alternative to achieving a clear, smooth complexion. She says, "There are various side effects of bleaching because it involves using chemical-based ingredients. To avoid any skin problems, use home-based ingredients that will keep your skin glowing and will improve your complexion as well."

 

The skin bleaching cream for lightening facial hair contains a cream and an activator. They contain harsh chemicals like hydrogen peroxide, sodium hypochlorite, calcium hypochlorite, sodium per carbonate, sodium, dithionate etc. which in due course of time makes your skin susceptible to pigmentation.

Natural alternatives to bleach

Saffron: 

Take a few strands of saffron and add them to warm milk. Let it stand for a couple of hours. Apply it on your skin using a cotton wool. This is said to lighten your skin over a period of time.

Turmeric and yoghurt: 

Make a thick paste using turmeric and yoghurt, keep it on for half an hour and wash it off with cold water.

Besan: 

Remember when you were young how your grandmother would apply besan on your body to reduce hair growth? Well a thick besan pack ensures that your hair growth is visibly reduced over a period of time and you attain a smooth, clear complexion.

Tomato: 

This is a natural bleaching ingredient. Cut a tomato into half and rub it on your face on an everyday basis. Keep it for sometime and wash it off. Your skin will become lighter.

Make your own nail polish

Here's how...

1. Find eye shadow in the colour in which you want your nail polish.

2. It's better if the eyeshadow is a loose powder, but if it is a solid block, you will need to crush it.

3. Make a small funnel out of an envelope or a note card.

4. Get a bottle of clear nail polish and place the

funnel over the top. Pour the eyeshadow in with the funnel. Add some glitter if needed.

5. Shake the bottle until the powder and glitter are evenly distributed. Add a drop of water if they don't disperse well. And voila, you have your own nail

polish!

Simple tips for healthy skin

While some women are blessed with clear, healthy skin, not everyone is so lucky. But with a with a conscientious regime, it isn't that difficult to get and maintain healthy and glowing skin.

- While your body needs water to stay hydrated, so does your skin. Drink at least 10 glasses of water daily. This will flush out toxins and make your skin healthy from within.

- No matter how fit you think you are, exercising is a must. When you work out, blood starts flowing faster, carrying more oxygen to the skin. Sweating flushes out toxins that block pores and cause acne. Exercising is also a great way to fight stress, which is known to wreak havoc on one's skin.

- Exfoliating once a week is a must in order to remove dead skin. And don't just stop at your face. Use a body exfoliator, too.

- Try and avoid processed foods, junk and street food since these do nothing good for your body or skin. Stick to fruits and green vegetables, which are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals.

- Moisturising is an absolute must if you want healthy skin. Moisturisers restore the skin's complexion and elasticity.

- No matter how cloudy you think the day is, using a sunscreen is an absolute must. Skin damage caused by the sun's harmful rays include fine lines, wrinkles, skin darkening and pigmentation.

How to take care of rebonded hair

Rebonding is a quick option for those who want absolutely straight hair but are not born with it. This is a process of altering the chemical structure of hair so it becomes straight for a considerable period of time. Rebonded hair will certainly not trouble you too much if it's taken care of in the right way.

"Ensure you apply trusted products during the treatment to minimize damage at the start. Use the right post-care products too, and use them properly. Any conditioner needs to be washed away completely as residue will cause itching, hairfall and dandruff," says Rod Anker, Creative Director of www.monsoonsalon.com and Vogue's Colorist of the Year.

If your hair is not too greasy, refrain from shampooing everyday. Try alternate days or co-washing - using conditioner as a shampoo and just rinsing it away. Keep your hair safe from environmental factors - harsh sun, cold winds and rains. Use a hat or umbrella. Hair serum creates a barrier between your hair and the outside and helps protect it better.

 

Pammy Kaul of Scratch Salons also advises, "Have your hair trimmed on a regular basis for preventing split ends." Use hair masks frequently or get hair spas done. Your hair needs moisture and nutrition regularly.

Timeless beauty tips to follow

Cleansing twice a day, getting good sleep and drinking water are some of the beauty tips that stand the test of time.

Jill Zander of the Jill Zander Skin Rejuvenation Clinic shares timeless beauty tips, reports femalefirst.co.uk:

• Cleanse regularly two times per day and use a SPF.
• Use the best cosmeceutical products you can afford.
• Good sleep is vital to any beauty regime.
• Inflammation and dehydration accelerate ageing - so always use an antioxidant to fight free radicals first before you apply your moisturiser and sun block.
• Drink one and a half litres of water a day.
• Walk briskly for 30 minutes every day - yoga and Pilates are good too.
• Keep your mind focused and energised by reading up on your favourite topics or authors.

Take care of those beautiful hands

Here are some tips of how you can take care of your beautiful hands. 

It is said that the skin of your hands can give your age away more than your face. And it is a myth that they need more care only in the winters. Summers too call for hand nourishment and care. Here are some tips on how you can do it - 

1. Moisturize: 

It is important to keep your hands moisturized even in summers to keep them soft. Apply a good moisturizer every time after you wash your hands. Use at least thrice in a day. 

2. Pamper your hands: 

Go for a manicure at least once a month and treat your hands to some fine moisturizing, massaging and exfoliating. 

 

3. Use lukewarm water: 

Do not use boiling hot water or ice cold water when you wash your hands. Use only lukewarm water every time you wash them in all seasons. 

4. Scrub them and massage oils: 

use a good scrub twice or thrice a week to remove all the dirt and grime that gets stored on the skin making it dry and rough. 

5. Take care of them: 

Make sure you wear gloves when you do some dirty household task with your hands!

Thin eyebrows out, bushy ones in

Bushy eyebrows have elbowed out thin ones. If earlier Brooke Shields and Cindy Crawford flaunted big brows, new age celebrities like Cara Delevingne and Lily Collins have made the look chic again.

Anastasia Soare, eyebrow expert to stars like Madonna, Sharon Stone and Jennifer Lopez, shares how to create the perfect brows, reports eonline.com.

Assess your brow:

The most important thing to know is the shape of your natural eyebrow. To measure the starting and ending points of the brow, simply take the brow brush and align it vertically from the middle of the nostril to the brow bone. This is the starting point of your brow.

Then take the brush and align it from the tip of your nose through the centre of the iris and onto the brow bone. This is the highest point of your brow arch.

Finally, hold the brush from the corner of your nostril to the outside corner of the eye and onto the brow bone. This is where your brow should end. Knowing the three points, you will know how to align the stencil.

 

Follow your guideline: 

Once you have the correct stencil based off of your eyebrow assessment, it is time to fill in. There are many different ways to fill in eyebrows, but my current favourite product is my new Dipbrow Pomade (waterproof brow colour).

Once your pomade is set, blend it with an eyebrow brush to ensure precision application. Small strokes will help to properly blend the colour into your brow while still looking natural.

Tweeze and colour: 

Once you have the base set, you can then tweeze the excess hair that fall outside of your guideline.

Set: You should always set your freshly formed eyebrows with a brow gel that is either clear or tinted. This will make your brows waterproof and last for long.

Colour your hair right this summer

Sometimes, hair-colour experiments go horribly wrong, so much so that people have to colour their locks jet black.

Here are a few tips that you can keep in mind when colouring your hair to ensure that you don't go wrong.

- The first thing you should keep in mind when colouring hair is your skin tone. If you have a light skin shade, opt for a darker colour. Don't choose a colour that's lighter than your skin tone. Remember, not everyone is a Nicki Minaj who is able to carry off blonde hair.

-Your clothes also determine the kind of hair colour you should be wearing. If your clothes are bright, then go for a soft-toned colour for your hair.

- Red is a colour that has been popular among youngsters for a long time as it's trendy and suits most skin tones. However, make sure that you are confident enough to carry it off with not just your clothes, but attitude too.

Stop fretting over the smelly underarms

So, you are planning a hot date or that exotic vacation with your beau, where you can flaunt your lovely halters and glam noodle straps? But, you are already fretting over your smelly underarms, which can nauseate any living being? Just chill and bid adieu to this sad situation with five simple solutions...

Clean up your act: 

Now, we don't need to tell you that a daily bath is a must. The level of physical activity you undertake every day and the fact that you are covered in layers of woolens all contribute to this sweat. This sweat is then attacked by bacteria, which emit a foul smell.

So make sure you take a bath daily with an antibacterial soap. However be aware that this bacterium thrives in moist towels and washcloths too. Use a fresh towel every day and make sure you air dry it thoroughly after use to kill this bacteria. Also, wear clothes that let you breathe easily, like cotton and avoid synthetic material. Shaving your armpits also makes it easier to wash out the bacteria.

 

Antiperspirant or deodorant? 

There are two common products you find in abundance in the market to deal with underarm odour. They are both different, and understanding the basic difference between them can be a best way to find an ideal solution for treating your underarm stink.

Deodorants aim to fight bacteria that feed on sweat and produce the odour. These are scented and give your skin a fresh smell. The aluminium content in these plugs sweat glands, and some of these are even scented and have bacteria fighting ingredients. Their main aim is to keep the underarms dry and sweat-free. You can find natural and green products in both varieties that are better for your health as well as your skin.

Instant magic: 

Now, we know how antiperspirants and deodorants work. But, what when your product fails due to excessive sweat and you need a quick fix solution?

Here are some quick-fix solutions for those extremely hot days.

 

1. If you have a hectic day ahead that is mostly outdoors, wipe your underarms with rubbing alcohol after a bath. This will kill any bacteria in your armpits.

2. Have an important meeting? Try wet wipes or even makeup removing pads as these can instantly freshen up your underarms.

3. If you don't have wipes at hand, try your hand sanitizer. Just like it removes bacteria from your hands, it will also remove odour causing bacteria from your armpits.

Home therapy: 

A natural cleanser and deodorant, baking soda is a widely used remedy to combat underarm odour. Remember how your mom always used baking soda to remove nasty smells from the microwave? Now use the same formula to get rid of smelly pits. Remember that sodium bicarbonate will not stop you from sweating; it will only remove the odour. So dust your underarms with some baking soda post a shower and see the difference. You could also put it on a clean washcloth and wipe off your underarms with it.

Serious Underlying Causes: 

If you have tried all home remedies as well as deodorants and antiperspirants available in the market and still suffer from armpit stink, the cause can be something more serious. Persistent body odour can be a sign that you need medical help. It can be an early sign of kidney or liver diseases.

Don’t throw those watermelon seeds away

While the sweet and juicy watermelon is full of nutrition, did you know that the seeds of this fruit are also beneficial? 

A rich source of iron, potassium, and vitamins, these seeds are great for your health, skin and hair. So, chew on the watermelon seeds or use their oil, the next time you gorge on this fruit.

Good for your heart: 

A rich source of magnesium, the seeds help in maintaining normal heart functioning, blood pressure and support metabolic processes. They can also treat cardiovascular diseases and hypertension.

Control diabetes: 

Boiling a handful of watermelon seeds in water and drinking this liquid every day like tea is said to control your blood sugar levels.

Moisturise skin: 

Containing unsaturated fatty acids, the seeds help keeping your skin moisturised. 

 

Delay ageing: 

Due to their antioxidant properties, eating these seeds can make your skin look younger and healthier. 

Clear acne: 

Take a swab of cotton and apply watermelon seed oil on your face to remove the dirt and sebum from your skin as well as clean the pores. Suitable for all skin types, this oil also helps treat skin infections.

Strengthen your hair: 

Due to a high content of protein and essential amino acids, eating watermelon seeds can strengthen your hair. Also, having roasted watermelon seeds can add shine to your hair as they contain copper that produces melanin, a pigment that provides colour to your hair.

 

Treat itchy scalp: 

Since watermelon seed oil is light in texture, it gets absorbed easily without clogging the pores of your scalp. It acts as a moisturiser for your dry and flaky scalp.

Prevent hair breakage:

Providing your hair with essential fatty acids, consuming the seeds regularly can help prevent breakage. 

Anti-acne masks straight from your kitchen

And while the acne and pimples are embarrassing, they're also signals from our bodies that things are out of balance. 

So take note and then start taking action. There are some simple ways that you can deal with the surface of your skin by using ingredients that you already have in your kitchen. 

Strawberry Lemon potion

Ingredients - 1 tsp lemon juice - 1 egg white - 1 1/2 tsp honey - 1/2 cup strawberries 

Preparation

• Mash or blend the all the ingredients together.
• Smooth over face. 
• Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• Rinse with warm water. 

Apple Cider Vinegar treat 

Ingredients - 1 tbsp raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar - 1 tbsp lukewarm filtered water 

Preparation 

• Mix the apple cider vinegar and filtered water together. It's good to start with a 1:1 ratio (50% ACV, 50% water), but you might find you need to dilute the mixture more based on the sensitivity of your skin.
• Take a cotton pad or the corner of a washcloth and dip it into the solution. Spread evenly all over your face.
• Don't rinse it off, but just let it air dry, then finish with a light layer of coconut oil as moisturizer. The smell can be a bit potent at first, but don't be dismayed! The smell quickly dissipates. 

 

Baking Soda glory 

Ingredients - Lukewarm filtered water

- 1-2 tbsp powdered baking soda 

Preparation

• Put the baking soda in a small bowl.
• Slowly add water until it soaks into the baking soda and forms a paste.
• Apply the paste to your face using small circular motions. 

Cranberry magic

Ingredients - 3/4 cup cranberries (fresh berries work the best)

- 1/2 cup seedless grapes (red or green) - 4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice - 1 envelope plain gelatin - 2 tsp oat powder (if you can't find oat powder, put some raw oatmeal in a coffee grinder or blender) 

 

Preparation

• Puree the cranberries and seedless grapes in a blender.
• Mix in the gelatin, oat powder and lemon juice and blend until it forms a paste. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little water if it's too thick or a bit more oat powder if it's too thin.
• Put the mixture into the fridge for an hour so that it will thicken up.
• Take the mixture out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes (unless you want a cold facial, which works well if your skin is puffy or irritated).
• Apply the facial mask and let it soak in for 20-30 minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.