JOIN USIn today’s career-driven world, appearance counts. In fact, a large number of career avenues have opened up in recent times where an attractive appearance is a decided advantage. A well-groomed and attractive appearance boosts self-confidence — a very essential quality in today’s competitive career world.
Looking after your appearance entails various aspects. Most working women are always racing against time, seeing to their home and family, getting to work on time and then making a significant contribution to their careers. But, daily skin and hair care actually takes only a few minutes of your time. You can set aside 30 minutes to exercise or to go for a brisk walk. Also, remember to devote a few minutes to a simple beauty regimen.
Every working woman values her Sunday. Your family is bound to claim a major share of your holiday, but you must ensure that you keep aside enough time for yourself to catch up with your beauty needs.
Massage away aches and pains
Did you know that the aroma of rose and sandalwood actually helps to calm the nerves and induce relaxation? Add a few drops of essential oil of rose or sandalwood to sesame seed (til) oil and give yourself a massage. You could also use olive oil or sesame seed (til) oil for the massage.
Give your arms, legs and body a good massage, paying attention to elbows and knees. Use circular strokes on the shoulders, elbows and wrists. After the massage, rest for a while. You can utilise this time to soak your feet in warm water, which is also very relaxing. Let your feet soak this way for 10 to 15 minutes and then scrub them with a loofah. Use a soft nail brush to clean the nails and a pumice stone or a heel scrubber on the heels.
Reviving baths
You can try one of the following bath additives. Some of these can remove fatigue, while others replace oils, or relieve itching. Select one according to your needs. A bath which leaves your body soft, smooth and perfumed can make you feel really good.
Honey Bath Add two tablespoons of honey to a bucket of bath water. It is said to induce relaxation and leave your skin soft and moist.
Vinegar Add two tablespoons of vinegar. This helps to relieve itching.
Rose Oil Add 2 or 3 drops of essential oil of rose to a bucket of bath water. This leaves the body fragrant and soothes the nerves.
Almond Oil Add one tablespoon of almond oil to your bath water if you have dry skin.
Powdered Milk Add powdered milk to the bath water. It is good for dry skin.
Epsom Salts If the water is hard, try adding one tablespoon of epsom salts to the bath water.
Exfoliation (Scrub) For a body scrub, mix rice powder and almond meal with yogurt and add a pinch of turmeric. Apply. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Wash off.
Body Massage Oil Add fragrance to oil and derive aromatherapy benefits from it. To 50 ml olive oil or sesame seed oil, add 8 drops of essential oil. Choose one essential oil from rose, lavender, neroli, jasmine, lotus, etc. Essential oils should always be diluted. They should never be used by themselves.
After-bath Body Lotion Mix together 100 ml rose water with one tablespoon pure glycerin. Store in a bottle with a lid. Apply after a long soak in the tub.
Body and Face Mask Mix ripe papaya pulp with two parts honey, two parts yogurt, two parts powdered dried orange and lemon peel and 3 parts oatmeal. Apply on face/ body and wash it off after half an hour.
Beauty Bundle for Bath An ideal way of using natural ingredients is to tie the ingredients in a clean cloth, wet it slightly and then rub the cloth bag on the skin. You can use besan, oatmeal, dry and ground mint leaves, rose petals, almond meal and a little turmeric powder.
Tips
Your bath or shower water should not be too cold or too hot.
Give your body a scrub with a loofah or sponge. This helps to stimulate the skin and remove dead cells, leaving the body thoroughly cleansed.
Pay special attention to areas where the skin is hard, like the elbow, knees and feet. If you have dry skin, use a glycerine soap.
After drying the body, apply a moisturising lotion, while the skin is still damp. This helps to seal in moisture.
You can also use your Sunday to give yourself a manicure, or touch-up your nail polish.
Use your Sunday to apply a face mask and while it is drying, soak cotton wool pads in chilled rose water and apply over the eyelids. Lie down and relax for 20 minutes.