Bathe in Milk ??

This is not for people who find milk's smell yucky and in general dislike milk.
My easiest skincare routine? Slather Milk as cleansing milk,as face mask/pack and over scorched sun burnt skin.
 I have been using milk as mixing agent for years now especially when i had no money to spend on rosewater in school and college !Now, when i am spending more freely I use rose water !   
 Decades ago when Afghan snow and Pond's cold cream ruled minds of indian women, there was no concept of using readymade cleansing milks to remove oily foundation bases.
   I still remember my Mom pouring cold milk in a vati,dipping cotton and wiping her face to remove makeup after a wedding function.
   Zoom to circa 2011, i now use cleansing milk as a face wash. I use face wash but its usually after sweaty ,dusty outing otherwise cleansing milk seems to do a fine job.My belief in cleansing milk as face wash confirmed when i found that i did not get acne or dry stretchy skin as a result.My favourite cleansing milks are Garnier, Butic lemon milk and Lakme Deep pore cleansing milk !Butic is the cheapest amongst the three and its very good.
  
But i use cow's milk curdled with lemon juice for a alternate pampering session.I don't like milk's smell but what to do ?I like how silky clear my skin feels after using it.
  Summers make my skin more dry and a day of sauntering in sun is enough to tan it.Shower gel and soaps dries it further.
  I am already using curdled milk as face pack/cleanser so i decided to go ahead and 'bathe in milk'.
  
 Take a 1/4th cup milk and add half lemon juice ,let it curdle add ambahalad and any other herbs of your choice 3/4th tsp riceflour to thicken it- just enough so that application becomes easy.
 I just add ambahalad and use it runny !Just apply this over your whole body,it dries up super quick and the wash off with water.Use it just like a ubtan.
  The cleansing effect of milk is superb- you would think only soaps and gels get you clean !In summers when most people bathe everyday, this is easiest way to moisturise and cleanse at the same time.I was shocked that curdled milk could actually give a clean feeling to the body.
  Like Cleopatra, you can actually bathe in milk without wastage or vanity and without breaking the bank !
  

When DIY is plain stupid.....

I do lot of DIY,....in fact there are so many things which i do at home and therefore blog about those which work well for a long time too. So me saying that DIY could be nonsensical is a little oxymoron !

So, here's what i think :

1. Don't trust all the bloggers and their recipes: Why ? Because some people try them from someone elses' recipes and get excited after 2-3 times use ,blog about it in superlative terms and then abandon it  !So the cycle continues !
  Internet is littered with a lot of people blogging about poorly thought out and useless DIYs ! E.g Baking soda for hair wash and to wash dishes as well - not as and when required but daily use!
 Trust recipes which people having been using for years and ALWAYS make a little ,use it for months before raving about it!One man's honey is another's poison !

2. If DIY is an expensive replacement:
     Why would you want to go buy raw materials and then combine to make a mediocre product. DIY is usually about saving money, having the pleasure of making a product which you like and which performs great too.
For e.g: Making a scrub soap with oats and soap which you have at home is a great idea.But if you don't eat quick cooking oats but you go and buy 200g pack [ near my house usually available in 400gm and 1kg packs ] oats to make a scrub soap then isn't it stupid ?
 The same thing applies to herbs: Herbs work well when they are fresh !For e.g:Though ritha and shikakai whole pods keep well when stored properly, but if you are the kind of person who has rushed mornings and wants to only laze in weekends or forgets to use them or whatever , there is no point in investing in them if you not going to use them regularly. The last time i bought ritha 6 months ago it cost me, 80 rs for half kilo and i use them regularly.
 Let's face it: Its much work and planning and cleaning the bath room afterwards ! Though i am used to the drill, on lazy or tiring days i use shampoo happily.
    And i usually buy only Reetha these days not even shikakai or other hair care herbs - I am using up shikakai which i bought 4 years ago and i have 25- 30gm of nagarmotha and jaswand lying around which i use only with egg hair pack  which is rare in itself !
    If you are going to use besan face pack once a month- there is no point in collecting skin care herbs just because recipe calls for it. Besan and milk work fine in itself ! Ayurveda is not cheap anymore.25gms of good quality packed herbs,if you atleast use 3 of them for face pack will cost you double of what brands like Lotus and Himalayas sell the whole tube of face mask or pack.To give fancy feel, you'll atleast need 3-4 herbs plus besan/multani mitti.
     So, if you are one of those people who use a DIY only once or twice a month , then i think buying the readymade tubes from good brands makes more sense !
     I have been buying only rose water- rest of the herbs i use which i had bought years ago and i still haven't finished them !I use face packs only 4-5 times a week that too if i make it a point to use.
     If you don't suffer from soap/SLS or commercial shower gels allergy or don't have issues like eczema then there is no real need to invest so much time and energy in herbs/powder ubtans especially if you are assembling them on your own !
    I use reetha/ soapnuts as hairwash /bodywash/facewash [especially in summers] when i make the liquid twice a week. So the effort vs advantages works quite well for me.Spent /used reetha works as fertilizer/bulking agent for my potted plants too.
    The feel of hair with reetha in any form is NOT same as using a shampoo so that requires getting used to. So think before trying out any DIYs especially for skin and hair care.

3. If DIY doesn't have shelf life:
     I do sewing,make chutneys,pickles, masalas ,pasta and pizza sauces because i have learnt things in details and also these things have shelf lives. My mom had a sewing machine - the traditional table one- i oiled and took care of it,learnt to use it and now i sew on it. It was free of cost- all i had to do is learn sewing from mom and actually Sew !
     I usually buy whole khada spices- so making all masalas on the go and as required comes easy to me...
I make preserved lemons, amla murraba because they stay well and are easy to make !
  So if your DIY doesn't have reasonable shelf life, it is less of headache to buy ready made especially if consumption vs effort vs time required to make it is not proportional !
   In contrast, i never make namkeen at home except puris for sev puri [ My mom started tradition of making pani puri details at home- we bought puffed puris from outside though].
Deep fried snacks are to be eaten only once in a while anyways.So,i don't bother making them at home anymore and also its only me and dad at home!We buy from reputable shops for ourselves and guests. That way, our consumption remains less and under control !

   What do you think about this?

Foundation

While i believe shopping for right foundation is absolutely important, Indian [ and imported companies] absolutely, positively make it difficult and a useless expedition.
I personally am still fact finding, yearning and i still go bare faced to malls now and then in hope to find the right foundation.

Here's what i think is making 'foundation buying' a hopeless and tedious and frustrating task in India.

1.Untrained staff: At the department stores, those poor salesgirls themselves are made up so badly and sometimes so thickly made up that the thought of taking her advice on ANYTHING is already counter productive ! I would advise people to IGNORE their advice especially when it comes to foundation.We live in a culture where 'fair is beautiful'- believe me no matter how ignorant you are when it comes to foundation a wrong shade match is like signing a suicide pact and whenever you'll wear it - you 'll look WEIRD, BIZARRE and TERRIFYING.
       Please don't buy a foundation shade listening to online advice or by any advice !Go to the shop and apply it on bare face ,come back home and see how it fares on your skin - in daylight ,night and indoors !

2. No samples: We buy so much make up in India ! There is no return policy - that means you can't return a wrong foundation !And the imported prices for drugstore brands abroad are nowadays sold in India with at least 15 to 25% higher markups. The least companies can do is give 'samples' at their department counters.
I have never received a sample of anything at the department store. Sure there are freebie offers...but everybody knows in india the freebie offer is either junk or even non existent per se. Buy 1 get 1 free- chances are you are already paying for both !
          I am even open to buying samples of foundation to try  before I commit to it! Till the companies, don't give/sell foundation samples in india, I won't be buying a costly foundation at all !

3.Limited shades: Do all of us Indians fall in ivory, beige, or toast shades? What about light, medium and dark Toast ?
Or do companies think that since majority of Indians don't use foundation and those who do use are ok going out of their houses- ghostly,cakey and 'whitened' that we don't need more complementary and wider range of shades to choose from ??
     I mean you conglomerates have the know-how - Then why not make flattering and complementary shades for Indians or Indian type skin tones !

Personally, I use foundation as tinted moisturiser. I have dark circles - the bluish ones and i don't know where to get Correctors/concealors for it . I have heard Kryolan can help. But since a counter is not in my city....... i chug along without a concealor.
Concealors are non existent for dark bluish under eyes circles and for Indians in general. Most of the ones touted on makeup blogs are simply inappropriate for severe dark circles- so don't waste your money on it. We require correctors to camouflage dark undereye circles.For undereye concealors, i have tried even MAC which proved useless for me!

And no, i don't use foundation to hide undereye circles !
All in all, i have really sobered up when it comes to foundation hunting ...anything new hardly excites me these days and right now i use Panstik and revlon Colorstay in combination to get right shade match and coverage.

Am not happy but what to do ?

Henna henna...

i have always loved the khushboo [aroma] of mehndi. My mom is also an influence here..she loved putting mehndi on her hands and then in her 30 + years on her mane. Her enthusiasm rubbed off on me and i used to put henna on my hair whenever she used to prepare the mix during my college years. Then the frequency reduced to 1-2 times per year only in summers.
   

     Let's face it: applying henna is too much work ! Mix the mehndi overnight, next day apply it and then keep it on for atleast 3-4 hours.And then on white hair the best you'll probably get is orange color.In her 50s my mom usually sported dark brown orangish head.Well, she had tried coffee powder, iron vessel and everything else under sun to get a dark brown head of hair.
In conclusion, getting henna to go black or brown DOESN'T WORK ! Atleast not without chemical help !. Well, that's what 'kali mehndis' are all about !
I personally, have accepted Henna's personality- Orange and reddish orange to red brown !
So after 4 years i applied henna to hair again. Just for the heck of it ! Because i like the aroma, and because it reminds me of Mom !And the orange color make me happy. I have sinusitis and allergic rhinitis which had kept me away from henna for so many years so since summer is here..i thought i'll take a chance.

As i have grown older, i have lost patience with things that take time.....so let's see if i can keep it on my head for than 3 hours.

For those who are interested here my way of mixing henna for hair:

1. Earlier i used use plain henna but this time i bought Nupur henna pack and added my herb mix of shikakai,amla,jatamansi. But plain henna works just fine and is cheaper to buy too. I think branding has made henna expensive ..its just the same stuff under different brands.All you need to check is shelf life....buy from henna wholesaler if you put henna regularly on hair !
2. I mix henna with tea water and lemon juice. Make thick paste and keep overnight.
3. Next day, just thin out the paste with 2 tbsp of curd or as required apply with gloved hands.
4. Take your time apply properly especially if you are looking to cover greys.I start on top of the head ,take a few strands,coat with henna and make a bun. Repeat and keep piling the bun till you finish all sections.

i know many people put eggs in their mix and its a good idea too because the smell of eggs gets diluted and conditioning effect is tripled.But since i can't bear egg smell in summers i avoid !

After washing hair with water,i usually use a cheap conditioner as a shampoo to get a cleaner feel but if you have applied henna on oiled hair i guess you could shampoo a bit !

Personally, i think henna dries hair and does not condition it. Use it for colour or for tinting hair...don't expect moon out of it ! If you want to condition hair apply eggs/curds with herbs like nagarmoth,jatamasi,brahmi or bringhraj or mix of these herbs.They relieve dandruff and actually improve quality of hair. Keep them for hour or so just like henna mix.

The Journey

In last two years, i went through a journey where my aim was to look superficially good,colorful and vain. I went from painting only lips to painting eyes,cheeks and face. From owning zero blushes to 3 and also added various lipsticks especially from hues of pink and red and a plum which i avoided earlier since i have dark pigmented lips and because i really have nowhere to wear a red lipstick to !
    Now i wear brighter lipstick even to a supermarket and banks !Earlier i used to care how people would percieve me , now not so much !
      Now my new stress buster is following and reading up 2-3 blogs which i find give honest opinions about make up and skincare products. I instantly readup before i buy if there is a review about it.
      When i started trailing make up blogs a year and half ago my expenditure increased....you know,....'this is a must have' 'this is superlative' and ' oh if you don't wear an aqua blue eyeliner you are definitely missing something" and 'sale at XYZ site'.
  Soon, I realised that on some blogs opinions expressed are vague, superficial and plain bland and orchestrated !. Its like 'everything is ok' and really their categories were 'ok' and 'superlative'. They seem to never ever encounter DUDS !And i used to wonder...hey i have used this product - 'its far substandard in performance both for the price and claims.'
     Eventually reality set in -   I don't really need that super expensive eyeshadow in yellow, parrot green and pink  because i can't really use it daily...infact i won't. Too many rushed mornings, too much work and too many disapproving looks at work and on public transportation!
So untill and unless you are an actress or model- you don't really need gazillion hued eyeshadow palettes. All does an average and above average working brown/ wheatish or fair skin Indian girl needs is a nude to brown eyeshadows and a couple shimmer colours for wedding and parties.
        Another thing i realized- 'hey, you still have to get out of that morning slumber,prepare breakfast, cook lunch and then eat breakfast in time and then get dressed and then comes make up....so ? I never really have the time to blend that stupid foundation which seems to set so fast, forget the prepping and moisturizing ! Oh boy,now i have to hunt for a new foundation which suits my skin colour and blends like a beauty in flat 2 minutes !
Stuff will expire just sitting in the cabinet and accumulating bacteria!

     
When Pond's TM died, i cursed Pond's people ! You see, i have never got a foundation [thanks to ALL salesgirls  and companies in India] which suits my skin to the T. Its not all the gazillion brands even exist in my city for me to try out !
Now i think a perfect foundation is a mirage- you know, the one which blends in 2 minutes,and gives good coverage and is pocket friendly ! Its really not there no matter what all the beauty blogging fraternity says ! Some may work for you not all !And then search begins all over again because companies go ahead and DISCONTINUE products !
        Right now, i do jugaad ! I mix my Panstik with moisturiser and it blends like a dream and i don't bother whether its longstaying or not etc etc.For summers, i have found Revlon's Colorstay for combination skin but i had to get it from Amrika and luckily my guess work paid off and its a perfect match for me. In India, for all makeup companies we fall into : Light/Ivory, Natural Beige , Golden Beige, Dark. That's it !
      My fascination for blushes - well did not exist ! Before now,I had 'blushed' only once or twice for weddings.That too with a lipstick! Now i 'blush' all the freaking time ! And i love it. I blush and blush and then blush some more ! You see, earlier , i had no idea how to apply a blush ! Now I do thanks to Lisa Elridge !
Lipsticks i use more as blush and i love using only one color on my face - on cheeks and lips and eyes. It just looks so much better and wearable,not to mention quick .
      I even use my Lakme Earth trio as eyeshadow - just any one color on eyes, cheeks and lips. For lips i apply plain lipgloss and then dab the powder. I am so much happier because i am going to probably use up all my blushes then just throwing them away !
For skin and hair care, i think beauty blogs could be used only as guidelines- more like introduction to new products in the market ! They are of no help at all since everyone's skin is different and really shampoos and conditioners performance is more dependent on the type of water [ hard,soft or medium] you get in your bathroom , your diet etc !
   I do experiment when i am itching to try new products but i never really deviate from my general rule of thumb: Face wash to only clean face, moisturiser to supply / preserve moisture and sunscreen - well my only criteria to buy suncreen are the suncreen agents used in the formulation,price and feel on the skin. I absolutely hate suncreens which make skin more oily- i am afraid many do ! I just dab powder on -what to do ?
   All in all, i do believe i have become more colorful....but then that's it. People and stuff around me has not changed, neither has my life and its challenges. Applying make up for me is still secondary - i find i am more interested in sewing,cooking and walking ! Nevertheless, when you are down and out and feeling blah....there is something about picking up that lipstick and painting the face. Literally. You can hide behind makeup as long as you want,whenever you want !
Its worth finding that foundation which hides everything with as little work as possible. And its worth finding that lipstick which makes you want to use it everyday no matter what and brightens up your mood.Even if you don't know how to do make up - you could learn. I did ! No, you don't have to follow makeup trends and you definitely don't need eyeliners or lipstick in rainbow colours but you need that one black kohl or dark brown eyeliner and that one lipstick to shine !
Believe me,it doesn't even have to be costly ...it just has to be what you like and love and want out of it !

TLC for feet

Feet bear the brunt of practically everything. It starts with bad tight footwear-open toe sandles makes them even more open to abuse.
Then comes the torture of being overweight. Very few people realise that being more than 5 kg overweight puts quite a bit of additional pressure on ankles ,heels of the feet and knees. When we walk our whole weight is borne by lower legs and feet.Being overweight and wearing high heels constantly is a recipe for disaster !

I am overweight and since the weight hasn't being going anywhere, relaxing tired feet seems to be the only option right now.I have always taken good care of my feet.I know many women take care only of their face and do nothing for their feet.I mean nothing..........not even plain scraping of heels and application of a plain moisturiser !

I have grown watching pretty ok looking women,rich and poor, with or without class having gaping,crack heels showing through their chappals,sandles and expensive footwear. Its always surprises me to see well- to-do rich women who don't do any housework nor walk on the roads since they travels in cars, bikes or ricks with ugly feet !
One of my aunt had bleeding crack heels which required medical intervention and prescription creams !

My mom like most of everyone's moms also had visibly cracked heels which turned painful in winters.I learnt pedicure from Mom among other things ! :-)
 My mom did pedicure at home regularly . She has used Krack cream,Vaseline pedicure kit [not available since ages- this kit is a classic e.g of discontinuing useful products]

Anyway, from Mom i learnt cracks on heels don't really go away for good ! They come back when you walk on dry potholed roads in open sandals,in winters, and when feet are dry and not moisturised regularly ! I started wearing plain chappals at home to prevent cracks because open feet got more dirty and more dry !

The great part about taking care of your feet is it doesn't have to be laborious, lengthy or fancy - it just has to be regular ! Its a habit like any other and in few days you'll have pretty,soft and even colored feet !

Those who think taking care of feet is not really required amongst other things in life then may be they need to think again - especially if they are diabetic ! Being diabetic,means healing of minor wounds and cuts on extremities like foot is slow which in turn means neglected feet can lead to deeper wounds and sometimes turn gangrenous ! So having a feet TLC routine in place is a good habit to consider !

A simple Pedicure plan 
A simple non time consuming routine means that you'll follow it often and be more regular. This pedicure routine requires only 15 minutes extra in shower once a week.I soak feet once in a while since i am not patient to sit soaking feet more than 5 minutes i have to force myself to stretch it to 15 minutes.

My short quick version:

• Mix 1 tsp epsom salt [ or take cheap rock salt- khada namak] in a 1 tsp body wash or clear shampoo.You can add ambahalad,vetiver or mint oil or powder for more fancy pampering.Mix for one time use only.
• Wet and scrub feet ardously with this mix till you get tired or bored or lose patience !:-)
• Use a foot scraper to scrape heels.
• Wash off with warm water.
• Apply a thick lotion preferably non greasy quick absorbing one. If you do this routine at night i will suggest Kailesh Jeevan for tired nerves,feet and aches.You can wear socks if your lotion is greasy - i wear them because i can't sit still and long enough for the lotion to dry up.
• You can use any body moisturiser if you don't have wounds on feet.
• I recommend doing this procedure twice a week if you have a hectic lifestyle which includes abuse of feet and hands. Yep same thing for hands too !

 The longer version is nothing but washing feet with shampoo /body wash and soaking in warm salty [Epsom salts] water for 15 minutes and then doing the remaining steps.

Don't forget to enjoy the relaxation that massaging feet can bring. Its feels as good as a champi !

Hair wash mix-part 2

You know how it is...dry damaged hair, no time or whatever you are doing isn't working. Then you go out and ask more and try more.So i thought i'll simplify and declutter ,go minimalistic !

I just finished my stash of all different shampoos which had accumulated over the years. Some were freebies some were given by family to finish off because they didn't like them.So they accumulated.

I use expired shampoos to wash sweaters, silks  and dry clean only clothes. Sweaters become ultra soft and silk and costly cottons don't run colors and handwash becomes easy chore.
I also finished shikakai and reetha powders which i had bought thinking that i could eliminate soaking and boiling time with pods. But no, it didn't work !

I soak aritha and methi and/or pressure cook to speed up things.I use shampoos in between especially if i have run about the city a lot since pollution levels are pretty high in my city.

I was looking to finish masoor dal powder i use for face so one day i tried to use it to wash hair. I was so happy i tried it because the mix works beautifully on my hair. It works as conditioning pack cum wash in a jiffy.

Here's what i did:

I tbsp for masoor dal powder + I tsp khus powder

i used only these two ingredients but i think you can use any hair friendly herbs on hand.

Then I add 1 tsp brewed vinegar [ i love vinegar for hair] and 1 tsp dahi. You can increase dahi quantity if you want. But believe me i rather eat dahi than put more than necessary quantity on hair. Make paste with water.
The paste should be smooth and not very runny- just right so that application becomes easy. The whole idea is to make things easy for you.
Keep the paste [soaking time] outside for half an hour and then add 1/2 tsp shampoo, mix well. Apply to wet scalp only ,massage well. Keep for 15 mins only and then rinse it out properly. I use Biotique fresh lift shampoo.

If your hair is not very dirty you can omit shampoo and replace it with any conditioner[ about 1/2 tsp] .

I had heard how well dals clean hair.Infact, i have being using besan ,rice powder, sugar as body scrubs since my teenage years.Never felt the need to buy any body scrub.But with this mix ,after my hair dried, it was conditioned and squeaky clean. I loved it.For oiled hair, I suggest increase shampoo quantity to 1 tsp other wise you may have to rewash.

Do try and let me know.My guess is you may never want to use huge quantities of shampoo alone.

Facial

Most of us do facial to relax and hopefully undo some surface level damage to the skin. Nowadays i have heard dermats doing some curative level peels and facial which mimic the effect of a facelift. Completely remove the old skin to reveal new skin.Well, i have no idea about them since i haven't got it done.

I want to share the basic facial I do at home.I am always amazed by how little amount of ingredients is required for a facial at home and most of them are there at home.There are so many delicious sounding kits available in the market by most brands. I haven't used any but i am sure they must be getting the job done if you don't expect the moon from them and don't believe their claims.

Here's what i do:

1. Cleansing:

I usually wash my face with a facewash before i start.Then depending on my mood i use either a ready made mild scrub like Ever yuth 's ultra mild scrub. I like this one its papain based [papaya enzyme] or Nivea Pore refining scrub face wash directly [ i don't know if its still available in india]. For extra exfoliation i either use plain table salt/instant coffee powder and gently rub it on the face. Sometimes when i am out of scrubs,i apply cleansing milk[ i use garnier/lakme] and then use salt/ coffee or cocoa powder and rub it all over my face and neck for 2-3 mins.

When you rub your face be gentle.You'll usually require only 1/4th tsp of salt/ coffee powder. Do it only for 2-3 mins.Keep applying water if skin feels dry.

2. Massaging:

I don't really massage my face because i don't know how to.So whatever little i know i use simple gentle strokes. I apply either olive/sesame/jojoba/apricot oils from the bottle in winters and coconut oil in summers.Sometimes i mix a little of oils with my moisturiser and apply. The point i am trying to make is i use whatever is on hand and what i feel like using at that time.I use refined oils and olive oil i use is usually the light yellow one [ so not extra virgin oil:I rather eat extra virgin olive oil than put it on my hair or face]

Massage and apply oil or cream till its soaked in.

Masks/Packs:

I have 2 standard recipes for face packs: For winter: In milk i put lemon juice, let it curdle then add honey,ambahalad and manjisth powders .Then depending on requirement,availability and mood, i add either powdered oats/masoor dal powder. Sometimes i add kokum butter/moisturiser to it.

In summers: I mix multani mitti with milk/ rose water add, sandal,manjisth and ambahalad to make face pack.

I keep the pack for 20 mins.

I usually have some herbs like licorice, neem always around so i use them too sometimes.I remember once i used my regular moisturiser as base and added neem powder and oats to make face pack.It works really well.

I wash off with water and dry with a towel. I usually don't find the need to moisturise afterward but if you do you can definitely apply a moisturiser or serum.

That's it. I admit its not fancy but i like how clean, smooth my skin becomes afterwards.In summers especially,the multani mitti pack dries up oil and shrinks pores,cleans the skin all at one go.

If you try it do let me know if it worked well for you as it has for me.

Sally Hansen Diamond Strength No Chip Nail Color

The first cosmetic i purchased when 12 was a light brown Lakme nailpolish. I didn't even know how to apply neither did Mom. You see, my mom never used nailpaints.

But i still remember how i used to apply in diwali vacations and how i got rapped on knuckles by nuns in school because i didn't remove nail polish when school restarted. I didn't know there was some thing called nail polish remover...my poor mom found one for me and scrubbed my nails clean. I promptly forgot about the nail polish until i found it in my drawer after some years ...dried and flaky.

I somehow never became a nailpaint fiend. My guess is its because it required time to apply well and then to dry and because i grew up in times when only 'actresses' or 'bold' girls wore bright nail polishes [read red and its shades!]. So i got stuck with a mental framework and subtle light peach,pink or mocha colors.

I wore light peach,lilac,light brown,nude,light pink through out college. Half the time i never had to remove nail polish- i worked with ethanol,acetone, hexanol,toluene in the lab through out college. On top of it, my nails chipped and broke easily. Here i want to tell you i have slim long fingers and nails so i was quite happy with their appearance even though I couldn't grow nails longer than 1/8th of a cm.

I am impatient with nails so though broke i used to use Maybelline express finish and Revlon. Only these 2 were available besides Lakme which talked about fast drying and long wear about 14 years ago. Its only now that there is Colorama. I have used Colorama [maybelline]. They are quite ok but some shades chip like plastic in about a day. I still use Maybelline Express Finish and Revlon. Revlon has hopeless colours now - nothing new. But these two are the only easily available ones which survive more than 2 days on my nails.

So my search lead me to try Sally Hansen.I asked my dad to bring Sally Hansen Diamond strength nail paint. It costs nearly Rs 500 in india and that too online. I haven't seen any in stores in Pune.

Since,dad would bring from US i asked for one. Its cost him $4 -$5.He got me one called 'Pink Promise'. For shade and other details go here.





The USP of this range is touted as: No chip.

And Chip it DID NOT !

The colour was warm light sparkly silver pink and to test it i put only 2 coats without topcoat.

It lasted a week on me. Can you imagine ? Here i would like to add that i do lot of house work and wash utensils with my hands without gloves. I am telling you this only because i was so surprised that it lasted a week....I would have been happy with only 4 days of perfect nails because most nail paints don't follow through their claims especially 'No-chip' claim

So can you imagine how long it would last on some one who doesn't do much with her hands.

Other things i noticed is : No smell/vapors of anything otherwise nailpaints smell of toulene or something ! The Maybelline Express Finish have acetonish/or aldehyde smell so does Revlon.

I plan to try one from Sally Hansen's regular range too.

Go get hold of it...if you have friends in US ask them to buy you some.Or buy from india.... I don't know just try for yourself.

Fem Bleach

I don't have any aspiration to become fair - never had. I'm pretty happy with my skin color.However, i do yearn for alabaster, pore-less, perpetual young, clear, smooth skin. Ideally , i'd prefer if i never have to consider botox or other surgical treatments for a smoother skin. Alas ! i know its not going to happen.I 'm growing older and the skin will become wrinkled and i'll look old and as yet there is no miracle in a jar !

I bleach [ home bleach kits] primarily for smoothing skin and lighten facial hair.And most women do bleach for exactly those reasons. Bleach creams have existed since god knows when..and for most its a quick fix for smoother fairer skin.

All home bleachkits are same inspite of claims of gold,silver diamond ,neem, turmeric and other such crap . However,if choices have to be made i choose on how fast it works,and whether my skin turns red after bleaching.There is nothing extraordinary in home bleach kits. Its pure chemical reaction which takes place on surface of the skin.

I have used Olivia,Ayur once , older Fem bleach twice. I used to use Jolen quite often untill one day i got a packet with empty activator container and jar with half cream when i bought it.They all turned my skin red for a day or so.

I use bleach only on face and neck.....too lazy to use anywhere else !Infact, i was so sour with bleaching that i stopped bleaching for 3 years during my mom's sickness [i stopped many things like doing eyebrows which i used to do religiously since 15 years of age, cutting my hair - i used to change my hair cut every year. I have tried all hairstyles out there. I was a maniac . ....I chopped off perfectly good long hair for a boy cut].

Then one day 6-7 months ago i spotted Fem Bleach and decided to give it a try. My skin had taken a beating and i had to go to a wedding and i wanted temporary gleam !


I purchased the blue one for wheat colored skin without any expectations.When i used, i experienced 2 things: 1] it didn't burn at all 2] it didn't turn my skin red afterwards.

With just the minimum amount of activator it turned my skin smoother,even and lightened facial hair. I used it strictly as shown in the pamphlet in the box. I was so happy. For the first time i could bleach properly without any trial and error with the bloody activator.

So yeah , i recommend Fem Bleach to bleaching maniacs out there who bleach for every reason,season or rhyme !

Avocado oil

I first saw an avocado and ate one on my brief visit to Bengalore.Its a funny fruit, green on the outside with a huge pit in the stomach and flesh with no taste of its own !

Goes without saying i didn't know there was an oil pressed from the fruit and yeah even has a butter- avocado butter.

One of my friends got me Avocado oil from US - Now foods brand a 100ml bottle. Its edible and also to be used in personal care as an emollient. I had asked her to get Apricot and avocado oil if possible since i had heard about these exotic oils which are unavailable in India easily and effortlessly.

i used Avocado oil mixed with coconut oil in winters only for luxurious pampering on skin.So i knew it to be super moisturizing, non greasy and gives a soft conditioning effect on the skin even after shower.

One day when my hair felt drier than usual i thought of using avocado oil on scalp alone. My scalp is drier than hair on most days.i didn't expect anything but just after shampooing alone my hair was smooth,frizz free and soft ....moreover my scalp felt soft and conditioned too. I usually oil the scalp more and just lightly the hair strands. No other oil has given me a conditioned soft scalp especially after shampooing with the sole purpose of removing oil !

My hair didn't require any conditioner. They 'felt' conditioned,'fed' and soft to touch.Well, its been a year since i have been oiling with avocado oil atleast once in approx 40 days.Its only an 100ml bottle and i'm already on lookout on how i can procure avocado oil easily in India. Any answers?

I'm in love with this oil. Will switch to avocado oil completely once i do manage to sort out procurement issues.

Do try it. I recommend for dry, parched hair and scalp !Just a simple oil massage and shampoo it out as usual ! Just plain oil with no additives,essential oils or herbs . Don't boil it with any herbs in it. Just use it out of the bottle !

Do you need a lipbalm ?

May be you need one in Antartica ,Artic,Alaska or maybe even Canada throughout the year. .....But do you need one in india? That too a 150-200 bucks chapstick?

Frankly speaking , i don't understand the craze about lipbalms except perhaps that one would like them because they are orangey, strawberry like or even minty !

Earlier only a cream colored horrible smelling chapsticks were available and most people i knew while growing up applied petroleum jelly [vaseline],coconut oil or desi ghee that too in winters when even smiling became difficult without a little grease !

 The first chapstick i bought was cocoa one of Lotus for merely 60 bucks probably around 6-7 years ago.I really liked it. It was soft like lipstick and it actually worked in winters.Earlier i used it only in winters...then i got addicted to the sheen and started using it almost throughout the year [most days when i remembered it,that is]

Well, that started a circle....untill one day a brick fell over my head and i remembered i had only used vaseline in winters that too over oil layer for so many years after my toddler phase and i never had chapped lips except due to cold wintry winds.

And here i was diligently applying Nivea, Neutrogena and had finished 2 tubes of lotus lipbalms and still everyday i got up in the morning with chapped lips.

Well, i had to test my hypothesis- Were lipbalms just a temporary barrier and were actually causing my lips to dry up through out the year ?

I have stopped using lipbalm from last 2 month :- cold turkey ! i still use lipsticks but over a layer of moisturizer or olive oil or ghee. I have 2 tubes of Nivea fruity shines which i use over lipsticks for guess what - shine !

And i am happy to report my lips have gone to back where i had left them ages ago. They are soft and smooth and not cracked at all and i plan to continue the same in winters with of course a thick layer of vaseline over the oil/ghee.

Moral of the story: I don't think you really need lipbalms - the lipsticks these days are super moisturizing and i think lipbalms perpetuate dry chapped lips through out the year instead of only in winters.
But if you want to use balms/jelly in lieu of lipstick, I think it'll function as a barrier,make it easier to smile,improve the look and feel of lips temporarily and probably never 'cure' chapped lips !

Do you agree? What do you have to say ?

Lotion -Potion!

I am not a lotion person . I never remember to apply moisturizer soon after a shower[ usually i don't have the time]. I remember and apply moisturizer only in winters when my skin is dry and stretchy[ in winters stretchy skin is hard to ignore and therefore applying a moisturiser is a requirement].

However, i love pampering myself and i find a simple oil-sugar scrub both relaxing and moisturizing ! I have been applying oil long before i knew anything about abhyanga or anything about ayurveda. My mom used to ask us to apply coconut oil after bath if skin felt dry and stretchy when we were kids and she used to do the same. Coconut oil is ubiquitous in india and lightest of most oils.

I came to know about 'winter care lotions ' when - you guessed it- Lakme introduced it in the markets ! So , for Pune's winters [ almost 16-17 years] we bought our first winter care lotion that everyone in the house used.

I didn't know about OCM except till now. I never knew that i was 'OCMming' when i applied coconut/sesame oil on my face and washed it off with face wash or soap. For years i applied oil to my face and body before bath atleast once a week..... .just plain oil , sesame, coconut and recently olive oil sometimes.

Now ,of course, OCM [oil cleansing method] and abhyanga is all over the internet and TV and the hype around ayurveda and the interest is tremendous!

You don't have to moisturize.In India, some cities are humid and hot and others are dry and hot. We are being sold huge on moisturizers and body lotions ! But everyone doesn't need it all the time and in every season. And believe me in winter months, the commonly available lotions are just not enough.

Most people break out because they use fragrant rich lotion on wrong skin type and in wrong season ! We definitely don't need 'body butters'. For most people a water based emollient or a light coating of mineral oil or petroleum jelly would be just enough.Anyways, that is what is there in all those lotions out there ! ---Paraffin liquidum[ Paraffin oil], Mineral oil and emollients like cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol etc.

For the longest time, I use to mix petroleum jelly in my normal light lotion for winters when i was college going girl always short on pocket money because i had read it in some hindi magazine and it worked ! And i still do that in a pinch. You'll always find petroleum jelly in my house !

Moreover, all of us have 'dry spots'. Like some people do lot of housework or hard work with hands for them heavy moisturizer for arms and hands is a must in any season ! I have dry facial skin and dry areas on arms and legs so i moisturize only those areas.

For some years now, i do oil massage only once in 2-3 months because of laziness, and lack of interest ! So i do the next best thing, I mix kokum butter in my regular moisturiser and a bit of glycerin and make my regular moisturiser 'heavy'. Sometimes i do add a bit of fresh coconut oil and i mix up small batches and use it in winters. I find it works just as well !

I usually buy big bottles of Nivea or recently i am using ayur's moisturiser because it is light and not greasy perfect for summers and rains !

In past i have worked with ,Nivea, garnier Body coccoon ,Khadi .I find this way i don't need to buy separate moisturizers for different seasons and there is no clutter.

I use Kokum butter. It has established antiaging properties and is excellent for skin. I buy 250g-500g of kokum butter whenever i go to my Mom's native .I melt kokum butter and use it straight as night cream too. I use it on my feet and elbows and from last 4years it has worked well for me. If you can get raw unrefined/ refined cocoa butter or shea butter you can use it the same way.

In a waterbath, take a clean dry cup and melt your kokum butter[or any other nut butter] once melted just add your lotion and a bit of glycerin. Make small portions and store it in fridge if you want to . There you have your rich lotion. Kokum butter will thicken up the lotion and if used in more quantity will make smooth lotion into a cream. So use little and increase quantity as required. I use 10-20 gm in 50 ml of lotion.

There is no need to add fragrance. I don't recommend any fragrant plant oils in skin care especially lotions. For people who have dry skin and extremely dry skin.I recommend Cetaphil.

However, for normal maintenance of skin and for lazy people like me, oil massage once a week would do wonders ! I prefer plain coconut or sesame oil but then again peanut, light vegetable oil would work just fine !

Diana of London !

The Big Bang Theory is my favourite sitcom and  for some one like me who was nerdy and geeky throughout school and college, Dr Sheldon Cooper is eeriely likable and lovable !
So 'Bazinga' has made way into my spoken English vocab permanently. I don't use slang much and my repertoire is also limited in that. So after i picked up 'chumma' ages ago ,'bazinga' is full throated and extremely energetic alternative to hurrah for me !
But this post is not about Sheldon Cooper but about a lipstick ! I purchased 2 Diana of London Surprise Lipstick in last 8 months or so. Prior to that, i didn't know anything about the brand .I had seen a couple of counters fleetingly : somewhere !
For those who don't know much about the brand scout its website here

On a whim, I purchased Ruby touch from DOL Surprise lipstick range.  I love cream matte finishes and these were advertised thusly.
I applied it and I was floored.

Its creamy, one swipe lipstick.Settles into a matte finish within 5-10 minutes and is light comfortable on the lips. The best thing: It covers my dark pigmented lips in one swipe and stays put for  5-6 hours with drinking and light eating.My lips are dry though lip balm is like my second skin . But like Revlon's Mattes this is moisturizing and smooth on lips !
It has light smell but disappears on application.If they make it fragrance free it'll become a perfect tube lipstick in Rs 400-525 range.

No lipstick does this - no revlon , no max factor. Infact i have used and loved Revlon 's Superlustrous range but this DOL lipstick is in comparison with Revlon's Matte Lipsticks.  And my issue with staying power of most lipsticks is solved.

Those of you who love matte creamy lipstick get this asap ! Its long lasting without claiming so.
And those who are fair and porcelain will love the nude and pink based colours !

The only problem is the colours in Indian markets are very European ! Except for 5-6 dark shades, most colours are jhatak and suited for light fair to medium skin !

Yet ,i suggest trying the shades if you find a counter or if ordering online dusky girls stick to darker shades.
I have bought  :
1.Ruby touch - a reddish wine with brown ...its beautiful !
2 Sunkist - orange-brown with muddy pink tones - aptly named sunkissed . It is as i imagined because this one i had ordered online !

I paid around 300 + for each but now the prices have increased but online you can get them discounted off the MRP. I'll never pay Revlon''s asking price of 450- 525 again[ barring Revlon Matte range] because these are better and superb !
 I just hope DOL doesn't mess with this current formula they have and only changes it for the better !

My camera is non functional at present but i 'll upload swatches as soon as i can so please bear with me !

P.S: DIANA OF LONDON has not paid/ gifted me to do this post

Hair care

This is my entry to some contest[Dove Hair aware App].. but i was going to write this anyway...this story is about my hair which though dead has mind of its own !

I did not have 'hair problems' while growing up . I was a content teenager and young 20 year old as well. I have chopped off my hair at least once a year for different hairstyles simply because i had a neighborhood parlour aunty who gave me fabulous hairstyles. A new haircut drastically different every year became my thing !

I used to use Soap on my hair - a blasphemy on many counts today. The truth is i still do sometimes ! I have tried practically every cheap and decently priced shampoo in the market in last 18 years. I have used Dove too and Dove is up there with all its contemporaries. But i love Dove conditioners and hair masks more. Its easy on the pocket ,moisturising and a little goes a long way.

My hair problems started when i fell ill with typhoid when i was 26 . After the antibiotic course, days of illness my hair fell off in clumps. It became half of the previous thickness and it has never been the same.
But i had to hold on to whatever hair was left so  i listened to my mom ...Again !
Here's what i did and am doing to maintain my hair:

1. I eat healthy diet ..i mean if you can forget that our fruits and vegetables are loaded with pesticides ..then yes i eat more of unpolished brown rice, chapati instead of bread . I  try ..I do!

2. My hair care is pretty simple. i use hair oil - the pure oils . massage and keep over night.I have used coconut oil mostly mixed with castor oil. But i have been making my own herbal oil with coconut oil.But since we girls get easily bored.. i have used til oil and olive oil too.

3.Wash my hair with reetha and shikakai liquid: in a pinch however i use shampoo !

4. I apply egg mask twice a month.
    Here's my recipe for it:
   Take 1 egg , 1 tbsp of lemon juice and castor oil 1 tbsp and any other oil like coconut oil 1 tbsp and blend it happily to almost make mayonnaise out of it. You can add curd to it too. I apply this properly and keep it for 3-4 hours. I wash off with shampoo because i hate the smell of egg in my hair.
But i swear,...this makes my hair BIG,bouncy and shiny for days to come.If i have henna around in my house i soak it in lemon juice overnight and mix it too in this pack[ about a tablespoon of henna]

4. Another thing i do regularly is vinegar rinse. I buy brewed vinegar for this. Whether i shampoo or use reetha liquid i always do vinegar rinse.
When i have time i do this :
I apply conditioner after shampooing , keep it for 5 minutes and then rinse out with diluted vinegar [ 1 tbsp of vinegar mixed with 1 cup water }

5. I have not colored my hair ever. Now i am gearing up to be happy with few silver strands i see and delay coloring my hair as much as i can.

I have been following this schedule for last 9 years . i don't have dandruff in my hair. I do get occasional bouts of hair fall but i know its either because of hormones or some medicine and stress. yes I have been under constant stress from last 12 years !
So you see …and that is the end of my hair problems !
I have done and am doing so much for my hair and skin and like my Mom use to say if I had  taken half the care for my body i would be slim, athletic and a model ! C'est la vie !

Soaps and more

I love soaps and amongst them i love transparent glycerine soaps. Those green soft mush of happiness which leaves skin squeaky clean which no bodywash can compare. Rubbing soap across body is therapy. it takes effort and great smelling soaps with clean fresh scent can refresh the mind and tired nerves.
So when i came across this i had to give it a shot ! That article was about making exfoliating soap using a regular bar of soap.
In india, melt and pour soap bases are not availaable like in the West. So when  i wanted a scrub soap. ...well i had to buy one. When i looked around there were hardly any in the market. i think Khadi makes a couple [those that are readily available] and one is made by Nomarks  which is quite scratchy and i didn't like it much.

Now that soap is once more a luxury..[ it started as luxury and now seeing the prices of good yummy soaps is enough to send aam admi in a tizzy].. so when i came across that article i wanted my own scrub soap.Since i did not want to use the Pears soap i tried Medimix soap with glycerine. I like the clean scent of medimix soaps and the newer variants the glycerine and the chandan one are particularly good !

I needed something that will melt into a clear base.Here's what i have made:

A multani mitti with ambahald ,almond powder and rose powder mix scrub soap

-Scraped thinly a 3/4th bar of Medimix Glycerine soap in a bowl.
 -In a small stainless steel container. I added 4 heaped tsp of above mixture of multani mitti and herbs.Multani mitti was in largest amount in above mix.
- Then i added coconut oil 1 tbsp, i teaspoon glycerine,1 tsp water and mixed it well
- I kept the container in double boiler and added soap shavings and mixed well while the soap melted.
- I had greased small vatis with oil to make soap bars. You can use moulds for soaps if you have any ! I use cut outs of tetrapack juice packets,cheese spread plastic dabbis or steel vatis whatever on hand !
- hile still hot pour soap base in molds and air it and let it cool and then refrigerate for an hour and un mould.
- after un moulding i let it airdry for another 2 days and then use. I have been using this one from last 3 weeks and still 3/4th of it is left. Talk about economically sound with ample of good stuff.

i am in love ! Multani mitti  i know is so great as facepack. but in soap its like a proper mud soap. Its scrubby and totally clarifying and soothing.Each time, my skin is soft and glowing. I use it on face and in this summer the ambahald and mulatani mitti is refreshing. I have used this to wash my hair it lathers and works beautifully  when i haven't had time for reetha [ or forgotten to soak ritha] My hair is silky and clean. I always do a vinegar rinse after using soap on hair.
The color of the soap is dark brown maybe not very appealing but once you use it you are going to forget everything else.

A rose powder and sugar scrub soap

Another love. I have been mixing sugar with oil and ambahalad for my scrubbing and pampering sessions since ages especially if i have been mentally tired and depressed. It used to always cheer me up. When i feel angry ,upset, tired neglected and when i have the time i clean the house ,my shelves or pamper my skin and hair. Sugar scrubs is way to go for a less messier pampering session.

In this one i used Fiama di wills transparent soap, melted it the same way as above, added sugar [half cup for the whole bar of soap- you can add more] ,coconut oil, glycerin, rose powder 1 heaped tsp.
I have been using this one  alternatively with the multani mitti one. i love it superlatively!

For hair i have made the following combinations:

1] Shikakai and reetha masala [powder] boiled in hot water [ very thick almost dry paste] 1/4 cup and 1 medimix soap[haldi chandan ] shavings+ 1 tbsp of my ayur coconut shampoo+ 1 tbsp of glycerina and coconut oil.

2] Khus powder + masoor dal powder 1 tbsp each+half cup of coconut shampoo+ Half medimix soap [glycerine]+1tsp of glycerine and coconut oil

Both the hair shampoo bars are not hard but not very soft either. They lather and clean beautifully and are mild.They are beautiful and moisturizing and quick alternative to my reetha shikakai mix. Remember to dry them in soap dish in between uses.
it leaves my hair soft and i am liking it so much.
I think these hair soaps are going to last me for god knows how long .
I have a few combinations worked out for future soaps depending on availability of herbs in my house....you know variety is spice soap of life !:-P

Even if you don't like soaps, i highly recommend that if you ever make only one. do make multani mitti one for summer. Start of with lower proportion of multani mitti and then make it up to almost half of the soap quantity.

Do let me know if you use any other soaps besides the ones which i have used.I have used glycerine ones because they melt into a clear liquid and i doubt if the regular soap will melt properly !

Tampering of products

When we got our freedom, history says India was poor with millions of starving souls,displaced and homeless and a huge divide between rich and poor. One of the concern was food. The rich baniyas usually made money by adulterating pulses and grains,oils and other fooodstuff.Soon ,India was brought to some order by the then politicians who followed Gandhian policies and brought in systematic distribution of food, committees to trample greedy baniyas ,to stop food adulteration. It must have been a tough battle because i think tampering, adulteration is hard wired in Indians.if you disagree with me,please check the news - everyday you will still find various foodstuff adulterated beyond our knowledge !

Cosmetics,deos and soaps were a luxury once.Now, we have malls flooded with cosmetic counters and rows and rows of  toiletries with so much to choose from.Yet,suckers that we are we don't demand better tamper proof packaging. I have been trawling various makeup blogs ,some balanced and conscience while others unmentionable. However, i have seen not one raising a voice against tampering of products. Earlier, when i was unaware how rampant this problem was  i was just like any other trusting shopper. But 2 incidents opened my eyes:

1. Once at my grocery shopping at Big Bazaar, i was strolling at deos section. While i was going through the products i found various containers open. Testers were not marked boldly as 'Testers'. Of course, i know most companies have poor packaging of these toiletries- there is no clear seal ! Suddenly, the Big Bazaar employee came out picked up a bottle went to a small side room sprayed the deos under his shirt and quickly came out and placed the bottle at the shelf.Needless to say, i have never bought a deo from big bazaar or any of these supermarkets again. Earlier at same Big Bazaar, my sister had seen the salesgirl picking up a costly facewash [ Neutrogena tube], remove some facewash on her palm [obviously to wash her face] and disappear. My sister brought it to the notice of customer service manager who then tried to find the said salesgirl through their cameras and also asked my sister to help identifying her. Apparently, nothing has been done anything about that !

2. Another incident is at Westside Streetwear counter where i got duped.I have been always wary of SA's  and counters where SAs say ' madam, you can try this [ a brand new item] a little because i don't have tester for it'. Apparently, there are no testers for nailpolishes. So obviously the brightly painted nails of all these girls at cosmetic counters comes from the actual new product which gullible people like you and me then buy at exorbitant MRPs. Anyway, i wanted top coat and i saw this botttle at streetwear counter which seemed too runny ..i didn't know then what i know now .So i bought it. Within a month, the 10 ml polish disappeared....rather evaporated ! On a totally unrelated counter at a different mall, i saw a SA adding nailpolish remover to the nailpolish. She was sitting there and topping all the polishes with nail paint remover ! I was aghast ! So now when i see too runny polishes, i know what these wretched salesgirls have done !

I have been keeping an eagle eye on these SAs while swatching and i openly ask them if they have tampered with eyeliner and i ask them to open and show me.Their facial expressions are enough for me to find out if they lie .Only and when i am satisfied do i buy it. I have seen eyeliners being sharpened, new lipsticks,foundations and blushes opened and shown to the eager customer because no testers are available. Its daylight robbery especially when these stuff are sold at Rs, 500 and above.

I mean , is the concept of seal and tamper-proof packaging so alien to these companies ? Why are not all the deos,moisturizers and facewashes sold with the visible seal ?

I now buy only from those brands which come sealed especially in those products where those options are available. However, in deos,nailpolishes,facewashes i just have to nitpick,probe and then still come home with the products with lingering doubts.Only a strong collective voice can make these companies become stringent and active complaining at malls will stop these SAs from misusing the costly products !Please keep a vigilante eye and do register your complaint when you find those careless SAs tampering.If nothing else, it will set a precedent !

What do you think? Do you as a customer unmindful,  encourage tampering ?

Multitasking lipstick

Crazy as it sounds, it was out of sheer ignorance that my poor lipsticks started to multitask ! You know how it is ....you are young , you go to your neighborhood vanity shoppee , he pulls out trays of lipstick, no testers ,you open the lipstick case ,turn it around ,maybe dab a little if Uncle allows you to to see the shade. If he has allowed you to dab a little so have others ....anyway i digress.
The point is I made the best out of my lipsticks. Its hard to believe but just ten years ago only Lakme, Revlon  and Maybelline were reachable to the masses. Revlon has always been overpriced , Maybelline was priced higher than Lakme. So Lakme was invariably the highest selling brand...therefore most sold at the neighbourhood shoppee.

I have used dark lipsticks as blush , light pastels frosty creamy ones as eyeshadows and once upon a time i had gold colored lipstick [ yep, bad choice!]  which i used as e/s a couple odd times.I was just dumb or maybe i didn't know eyeshadows existed . You see there were no malls, goods were not on display and under scrutiny.So unless you had makeup loving cousin there was no way to know much. Since nail paints and lipstick were placed on the counter  i knew about them and therefore bought more of.

I  wash my hands with soap, dab lipstick with fingertips on my lips and then dab some on cheeks as blush. I have NYX blush cream and Lakme earth rose trio but in hurry i still use lipsticks as blush. i have only recently been using blush more earlier it was only party/wedding thing and i had no idea about makeup at all.
However , now i have stopped using lipsticks as e/s mainly because it travels everywhere  around the eyes and because i have invested in e/s.

However, i love using it as blush because of 2 reasons: 1] There is no way one can go overboard with the colour ,blending is easier with creamy lipsticks and 2] It makes matching the blush with lipstick shade easier atleast for me because i have dark pigmented lips so no way it looks same on lips as well as cheeks.
There are some shades which , let's face it , were bought when i probably was not thinking/zoned out/ transfixed by the SA  and many such reasons so those i use only as stains or to mix match with other shades or as blushes.

Another use of lipstick I have discovered is as stain which i think many of you may already know of. Since i use only fingers to apply lipstick, i can quickly mix and match ,powder it a bit/blot it and apply gloss.

Do you do all the tikdum which i do? Do let me know what you think.                                                                     

My hair wash recipe

Come summer  and i begin to hate those creamy shampoos which seem to do a good job in winters. To tell you the truth,I have a love hate relationship with shampoos !
I was introduced to shikakai and ritha as a fancy of my mom who had grown up washing her hair with rithas which fell from the tree in her backyard.
My sisters too tried it in early teens where it was mostly mom who made the liquid and gave us. However, i think i always had that DIY and herbal gene in me because i am still stuck to it while my sisters promptly abandoned it once my mom asked them to soak and mash the rithas for their use.Well, i suspect  they also abandoned it because it burns the eyes and makes them red for some time

Shampoos came in picture i think during my 12th std where i didn't have pre-planning time to soak the aritha, shikakai and amla in water the night before and then boil and mash them ,separate the liquid and then sit to wash my hair. While my mom shifted to Swastik Shikakai soap [all of us had been using that earlier for in hurry days] ,we shifted to Nyle, Ayur. For me using shampoos has always been about convenience , just open the bottle ,wash and go. After i started working i started using Ultra doux - i use to get those 400ml huge bottles. I remember Garnier was pretty expensive that time. I especially loved Olive shampoo of Ultra doux range. I think that's been the best shampoo i have used till date. And i think Garnier should bring back Ultra doux shampoos.
Once i finished my last bottle of Ultra Doux i  had to choose something else now......and since then its been a mess. The so called creamy and gentle ones make my hair oily in 2 days and itchy. I have tried the popular ones, the expensive ones and the not so expensive ones but its been the same -no dandruff but itchy scalp in 2 days. So , i have abandoned all of them in last 2 years and i use Biotique soap [ yes those Biotique soaps- and they are great for hair too] followed by  vinegar/lemon rinse in hurry and shikakai mix when i have time.

Here s my shikakai recipe:

I use whole shikakai, ritha and amla and powder of jatamansi, jaswand, maka and brahmi.I use these powders in random quantities depending on what i have at home at that time. I have used just ritha to wash my hair  when i had nothing else and that has been fine too. So, don't rush to the market and hoard all these powders !
You can either powder the whole herbs or buy the powder. mix them and keep in dry container which has a decent lid.Use dry spoons to remove the powders.

There is no rocket science to this. Oil your hair the night before [ this is not an hard and fast rule- i have this habit - the moment i don't oil my hair at least once in ten days prior to hair wash - i feel something is missing]

Soak whole rithas, shikakai and bits of amla- the amounts will depend on your hair length, the kind of aritha you are using. There are 2 varieties the big brown berries and the small black ones. You'll need less of the big ones and more of the small ones. i get my reetha from my baniya - they are really good large sized berries. I have tried reetha from many places and from gujarat too but i think the variety i found from my baniya i'll stick to that.And yeah, i bought 2 kilos which should last me atleast 3-4 years.

Many a times i just use reetha alone  about 2-3 and a tsp of methi seeds and pressure cook with 2 cups water.once it cools down mash and strain and repeat with a little more water.The methi gives gelatinous feel and on cooling thickens the reetha liquid too. This is quick and easy. And i also use this as body and face wash.

Remember, both shikakai and ritha clean so for every 3 ritha berries throw in 2-3 shikakai pods, 2-3 bits of amla for a single wash.Soak it in 1 cup water[ 200ml] approx.

Next morning, boil it away merrily till your patience lasts and then cool and mash ,strain pour it in a squirt bottle.There your shampoo is ready. If you are using other herbs / herb powders soak them too along with your soapnuts !
On dry hair, drizzle this liquid and rub your scalp gently. I usually prepare a thick concentrate, coat my scalp and keep for 15 mins while I go about doing my chores. All i do is rinse it out later.

I mostly prepare for 2 uses. if you prepare for 3-4 uses or more don't forget to add sodium benzoate [ 1/4 tsp should be ok for 1 litre of ritha-shikakai liquid]and keep it in the fridge.You could also freeze it in the freezer in the same bottle .I also dry the strained ritha and shikakai pieces and reuse them the next time the same way.

You won't need a conditioner - even with just reetha ! I strongly recommend using this because - no itchy scalp, hair dries up super fast, it helps with dandruff too. I have never had dandruff [ Touch wood !] because i keep using herbs in one way or another and i have been using shikakai and ritha pretty much my whole life.
I still use a shampoo on days when i simply have no time for anything. But its limited to 10-15 times a year and while travelling !  

Bhrahmi oil

I love a good head massage..especially the one which i don't have to do myself ! I mean, if someone does it for you its even more soothing,relaxing and sleep inducing ! If you have a grandmother pester her because whenever i used to tell my mom she usually said no- i got only 1-2 massages per year !
Earlier, my mom used to oil my head for my hair. Then when , i started college, i oiled hair overnight and washed the next day because i didn't want to be caught dead with oiled plaits/pony ! My mom gave up on my hair eventually !
However ,when i started to lose hair and sheen, i became a sucker for all kind of herbs based oils. I have never bought any herbal oil simply because its nauseatingly fragrant and yuck ! I have allergy to giddily aromatic hair oils [hint: jasmine oil/chameli tel ] - they give me headaches and sinus !

Hence, I started my journey into home made oils. Earlier ones are unmentionable !
Once again ,i asked my mom how to make one ! She said-' don't spoil coconut oil with your concoctions . just use the plain coconut oil ,for heaven's sake !'
Since i was a science student ,experimenting was a must ! So i trudged along -bought coconut oil, researched ,asked various old aunties, researched more, talked to mom , and then i made 3 different combinations of oil which i rotate depending on weather, my moods and availability of herbs on my kitchen shelf.

I will share one which i currently use. I use this oil for soothing head massage - benefit on the hair is just a byproduct because i now believe oils just moisturize the scalp and will not give me rapunzel like long hair. However, there some herbs like brahmi ,rosemary which promote strength in hair shaft and keep scalp disease- free. I have been using herbal oil since last 15 years and i have never ever got dandruff in my whole life !
Brahmi is a relaxant when used in hair oils and when ingested. It has medicinal uses in brain related ayurvedic formulas. For my scalp, its cooling and i have noticed it makes my hair soft and more manageable. I add castor oil because i love it- it makes my hair blackish thicker and more better looking than ever !
Feel free to add /omit any of the herbs except brahmi ! For homemade hair oils, there are as many recipes as there are grannies in this world !

What i did :

Bought brahmi and bringhraj powder, 200 ml of coconut oil,castor oil
I soaked a tsp of methi overnight, and made a thick paste with brahmi and bhringraj powder with hot water.i used 25 gm each. If you have fresh henna powder add that too -  2 tsp. Keep the hot water paste for 2-3 hours.
Alternatively, if you have greenest coriander [handful], mint and fresh amla 3-4 , chop them up  and blend them in mixie without water and adjust brahmi and bhringhraj's amount accordingly.

Then in a thick stainless steel kadhai add coconut oil,heat it on very low flame for 3-4 mins, then add methi seeds, paste and amla coriander mix.
Stir lightly and cook it on very low flame till it starts to resemble blackish bits. This cooking process takes 30-40 mins at the least !
Once the oil has cooled off strain and add half cup castor oil [optional] and store it in a clean dry bottle in cool dark place. Remember to use it up [instead of hoarding] and make small batches !
If you make it, kindly let me know your experience/alternatives.

Note: 

• Don't add more water than necessary to make thick paste ! The aim is to infuse herbs in the oil .
• Use freshest herbs if possible and grind them and then boil it with oil .