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With the monsoon season coming – the marriage season is just getting over in India. For those who do not have much idea about Indian marriages, traditionally, most Indians still go for fixed or arranged marriages. And marriage means very big to all relatives of the bride and bride-groom specially to ladies – young or old who get an opportunity to showcase their special wardrobe through colorful saris, slawar kameezs and of course jewelry of different types and shapes during these occassions. Otherwise, Indian women of rural and semi-urban areas seldom go to parties and thus have very slim chances of showing off who got what dresses during the year!

A traditional Indian wedding is truly remarkable in the sense that, during the main ceremony, amidst continuous wedding interlude music, the priest chants the vows while thousands of eyes look on the stage.  After the main ceremony  women roam around boosting their colorful saris and they get engaged into socializing and gossiping around while wedding song are played on the background.

Most of the times, Indian weddings cost a lot of money. Who can forget the $60 million spent by steel tycoon Laxmi Mittal for his daughter’s wedding! True, most can’t afford that amount – but still wedding in Indian means colorful dresses, socializing, gossipping and showcasing one’s fashion sense.

Who does not long to accompany a beautiful lady to a party? And which lady does not want to get that extra attraction among her peers? All do. But it is unlikely that wearing mere batik clothing will bring in the desired result or effect. For that one has to have an attractive appearance too. But many of us, common people consider saloon facials to be once-in-a while luxury at best. Yet regular facials is an indispensable part to look that bit extraordinary along with affordable handmade batik apparels.

Luckily, easy availability of  over-the-counter facial treatment products have made it easy to do facials and have saloon results with smooth and glowing skin all at home. Here are some basic steps of a professional facial and don’t forget to schedule a home facial every two weeks. :p

Step1: Cleanse

“Your skin has to be perfectly clean before you begin treatment, or you may work dirt and makeup into the pores,” – cautions Ettia Tal of the Ettia Holistic Day Spa in New York City. Use one of many mild cleansers and follow with a hydrating toner for your skin type. You can even create your own cleanser, mixing a quarter cup of aloe vera gel and two tablespoons of milk. Or create a toner, using the grated peel of one grapefruit combined with a vitamin C tablet and a cup of boiling water; let the mixture cool and strain.

Step2: Steam with Herbs

after a through cleansing, nothing lifts layers of dead skin cells better than a warm (not boiling hot) steam, explains Kathryn Klinger of Georgette Klinger saloons. For a professional steam, bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil, turn off the burner and add chamomile tea (find it in any health food store or mall) containing azulene, an anti-inflammatory agent. Cool for a few minutes.

If you have dry or flaking patches, apply a thin layer of moisturizer to your face before steaming. Now, holding your face at least 12 inches from the water, drape a towel over your head and the pot, so steam can’t rapidly escape. Inhale the vapors and relax for five minutes. “If at any point you begin to sweat,” says Klinger, “you’re too close.” Afterward tone the skin again.

Step3: Exfoliate dead cells

All skin types benefit from a gentle exfoliation, explains Los Angeles dermatologist Howard Murad, MD, to help break down and flush away the dead skin cells that have been loosened during steaming. There are good granular cleansers that also stimulate cell renewal. For more sensitive or irritated skins, Dr. Murad suggests a gentle chemical exfoliator using alpha-hydroxy acids. Or massage your face with a paste of semolina and yoghurt for a mild home-made scrub.

A couple of warnings: Do not exfoliate the delicate eye area, and never attempt to extract black-heads or white-heads from your face at home; leave that to a dermatologist or beautician. Oil, dirt and bacteria can be forced further into the pore, resulting in a infection or a pimple. Don’t forget to exfoliate your lips, though. Use a smear of petroleum jelly or vitamin E oil and a toothbrush.

Step4: Apply a mask that gives special help

“All masks work to hydrate cells below the skin’s surface and exfoliate any remaining dead surface cells” explains David Bank, MD, a dermatologist at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York City. Masks are also formulated to repair the problems of different skin types, and you should carefully select one that’s suitable for your complexion.

In general, the oil-absorbing effects of a clay or mud mask work to balance oily skins. Creamy masks give a boost of moisture. Light gels gently refresh and Read the rest of this entry »

I was looking to update my fashion blog but could not find a suitable topic on which I could do a write up. Then I chanced upon a website called pearls of joy (www.pearlsofjoy.com) and immediately I got my idea.

Since the ancient times pearls have been associated with Indian culture as is evident from its reference in the Hindu mythologies (it is specially associated with the Hindu God of moon (Chandra). It is also associated with many mythological animals such as snake, hog, elephants etc.

No wonder the gem has been having a special place in the hearts of Indian women. Even fashion conscious modern Indian women love them as it has varied usage, come in different shapes, shades. It can be used in blangles, nose pins, rings and many more jewelry pieces like pearl earrings, pearl necklaces are very popular with women looking for style. They also enhance the style of many Indian traditional dresses. As far as my experience goes, I often find even men wearing them on rings and pearl bracelet is very common too.

Hyderabad of Andra Pradesh is the centre of Indian pearls where natural (mostly freshwater pearls), cultured and semi-cultured pearls are processed and made finished products by skilled workers who are doing this for generations. According to market source, around 40-50 thousand kilograms of pearls are supplied and sold worldwide from Hyderabad. These days some companies and traders are even offering them on the net at affordable rate as we saw the pearl site I found on the net.

Wearing the right underwear makes a person smart and comfortable. But the hectic lifestyles and alarming pollution level has given rise to different skin diseases and sometimes serious diseases like breast cancer.

So the question many women suffering from breast cancer ask is – “Is wearing bras the cause for the dreaded disease?”

Answer is – NO.

Researchers have found that bras have no conclusive link to breast cancer. Indeed, some researchers in the field are of the opinion that not wearing bra is more harmful than wearing bras. Moreover, the modern lifestyle has made wearing bras a mandatory for ladies.

So which are the safest and most comfortable bras?

Well, according to renowned lingerie designers, soft cup bras are the most safe and comfortable bras. Because of lack of wires inserted in the cups, these bras do not cause any constriction within lymph nodes.

On the other hand under-wired bras can easily dig the breast tissues and cause discomfort due to obstruction in the lymphatic circulation especially if the cup does not fit well with the breast (for heavy-busted woman). But many women find it more comfortable to wear than the soft cup bra.

However, the bottom-line is FITTING. One may choose the bra of her choice as long as it fits her body. Indeed, researchers at the University Of Bolton, UK have invented a Smart Bra that can detect breast cancer at its early stage through tiny microchips embedded in the body of the bra.