Exercising and Pregnancy {Pregnancy} [Part - I]

Guest Post by Punam

We have a beautiful lake in Bhopal and I am lucky to see that every morning from my balcony. Every evening, when I used to go there for walk even unknown people used to tell me to not come here and why am I walking, doing yoga and exercise *frowns*. 

I have seen many people believing that exercising is not good during pregnancy but this is not true. So, I will be talking about this topic in few parts like  benefits of physical activity during pregnancy, changes associated with pregnancy, general exercise suggestions during pregnancy, how to exercise safely during pregnancy and exercises to be avoided during pregnancy.

Regular physical activity can provide health and social benefits for many pregnant women. Suggestions for exercise during pregnancy include walking, swimming and supervised classes such as yoga or Tai chi. Pelvic floor exercises are also important before, during and after pregnancy.

Unless you have complications, it should be possible to enjoy some level of physical activity throughout most of your pregnancy. The first step is to consult your doctor, physiotherapist or health care professional to make sure your exercise routine won’t harm you or your unborn baby. You may need to modify your existing exercise program or choose a suitable new one if you were sedentary before conceiving.

While exercise during pregnancy is usually encouraged, under some circumstances exercise can be detrimental to both the expecting mother and the growing fetus.

Benefits of physical activity during pregnancy
Exercise during pregnancy offers many physical and emotional benefits. Physical activity may also help manage some symptoms of pregnancy and you’ll feel better knowing you’re doing something good for yourself and your baby. Some of these benefits include:

• More energy
• Stronger back muscles which can help manage back pain and strain as your belly grows
• Improved posture
• Weight control
• Stress relief
• Improved sleep and management of insomnia
• Preparation for the physical demands of labour
• Faster recuperation after labour
• Faster return to pre-pregnancy fitness and healthy weight
• Increased ability to cope with the physical demands of motherhood.

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So, welcome back Punam with this series of posts on exercising during Pregnancy. She blogs at be beautiful with Punam and I always keep on insisting her to provide me material for my blog :D This was a one huge article which I am breaking down for the benefit of you. So, see ya next week with the second part in the series. I guess it will come to four posts.

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What do you think about exercising during pregnancy? 

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VLCC Sandal Cleansing Milk {Product Review}

Ok, I have used only one cleansing milk in my entire life which is Nivea. I had really liked it but then i switched to coconut oil which was less expensive comparatively and did a better job! So, when I ordered this, I was quite ambivalent. I wanted to use something which was not oil and something which was easy to travel with. 

I have to say its not exactly a bad product! It is white and creamy in color and consistency. Gets spread very easily but I do wish it was even more thinner which would have ensured you use less product and prevent wastage! It does get a bit dry as you massage it in but gets removed with a tissue paper quite easily.

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Pros

removes the makeup and residue well

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Ok, regarding the cleansing power, its pretty good. It removes my sunscreen and bb cream and what not and after the facewash, there was hardly any trace of residue. It has sandalwood smell and feels a bit cool on the skin when applied but that just goes away.

But, it does not remove my Mabelline Collosal kajal from the waterline which was quite disappointing :( So, yeah overall its worth a try. I did check out what others have written and mostly the reviews have been good. Some did say it helps to remove tan but I did not really think so!

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Cons

does not work on the kajal on the waterline
if you can read the above image, especially the ingredients, it has some Base mentioned at the end of the list, what's that in that?

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Availability

It is available in all the stores and online websites but I got it from myntra.

Have you tried this product?

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Kasturi Turmeric {Ingredient}

Turmeric is, I am pretty sure, high on everyone's DIY beauty list except for one fact that it leaves a really detestable yellow color on the skin. But, if used in lesser quantity and mixed with other flours, it generally has no side effect except leaving the skin absolutely glowing, right?

Recently, I was in a small fair-trade market where I spotted Kasturi turmeric being sold. I have to say it was quite heavily priced at 35 bucks for just 50gms. It need not be that expensive when India is home for the spice. Anyways, let me talk about it.

I have facial hair issues. Not so much as hirsutism but enough that it makes me irritated. So, I went for threading once last month after a lot of deliberation. Believe me, do not make that mistake if you have not done it YET! And, as you know turmeric is one of the best ingredients to lessen facial hair.

I mixed a spoon of the powder in water and applied in on the face. My face was on fire! It was exactly similar to the last time I used Banjara's product. I have totally striked off the product and brand from my buying list but actually the fault was mine.

Kasturi Turmeric is very very strong and should NEVER, EVER be used on face neat. Mix it with milk or curd or better yet besan or something else. My Gosh...that was my biggest beauty faux pas which I did not realize till it was too late.

But, I have to say that though it is believed it does not stain THAT much, it was quite enough to say that I do not think there was any difference in Kasturi Turmeric staining or normal turmeric stain! Anyways, after that horrifying skin burning incident, I mixed it with a face wash powder I had recently got. And, now, I can use it without burning my skin or needing to mix it with milk.

How much it has affected my facial hair is something I can not say because I had discontinued using it in between but I shall once at least use the product continuously for a month or two and let you know about the results. I had to leave it to test some products but after it is done, I shall get back to the routine. But, I have to say that those days I could see my skin glowing more than usual :)

Have you tried Kasturi Turmeric?

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TRESemme Smooth and Shine Shampoo {Product Review}

Guest Post by Pranali

Ingredients

  

Complete ingredient list is provided at the back of the bottle. It contains Sodium Laureth Sulphate which makes this shampoo detergent/surfactant based.

Packaging 

Comes in a sturdy black plastic bottle. The opaque bottle never gives you an idea of how much shampoo is left in the bottle. The mouth of the bottle has a tiny button which has to be pressed to dispense the shampoo.

Usage

The texture of this shampoo is slight creamy and has a pearly appearance. I dilute a small quantity with water, pour it on my wet hair and work it up into a lather. It lathers quite well and only a small amount of this shampoo is needed for it.

What I liked about the product

Cleans hair well
Contains biotin & argan oil (in small quantities) 

What I didn’t like about the product

Made my hair frizzy
Contains SLES 

Price: Rs 64 for 100ml

Recommendation 

This shampoo is a total miss for me! The only thing it did was to remove the pre-wash hair oil. It never gave me salon like hair. My mom has extremely dry colored hair, it didn’t work for her either. For me this shampoo fails to live up to its claims. I won’t be repurchasing it.

Have you used this product?

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Skin Care

How to deal with insecurities during Pregnancy? {Women Stuff}

So, today was a good day because I came to know that one of my friend has finally become pregnant. Now, there is a new insecurity in her. She is just 4 weeks along and the heartbeat of the baby has not yet been heard on ultrasound.

Apparently, the heart beat can be heard on an ultrasound at latest by 7 weeks. And, her doc said it would take 5 weeks. Ok, I have no idea why the doc said so and may be she is right and google is wrong!

Anyways, my friend is scared to death about it. She wants the heartbeat like right now! I told her that 5 weeks is too soon for it, probably. I am obviously not well-informed but everyone around said so.

The main issue here is that she is insecure. She has been trying for a baby seriously since like 9-10 months at max. Honestly, I do not think it is too long a time because one year is generally a give and take when you are trying to conceive and she was under hell lot of stress for the past few months.

Two months back there was a significant delay in her periods and she was almost expecting she is carrying. Unfortunately, the reports turned out to be negative.

Moreover, it has been four years to her marriage and everyone around is hankering her for a baby. You know how insensitive people can get, right? We tried our level best to make her feel comfortable but it is something she has to let go.

I think it is a very common thing to get insecure in such a situation. There are so many changes in the physiology that attending to the moods and hormonal changes themselves are too much, leave taking care of office issues and other things at home!

What do you think is the best thing to combat such irrational thoughts? Do they affect the baby? Or, will these things just settle with time and she will get used to it?

PS: I just found out that heart starts beating at 22 days but might not be audible on the ultrasound till 5-6 weeks. Heart Beat is the first viable sign of pregnancy. And, I am keeping my fingers crossed!

PS 2: The images have been taken from google and I do not claim any ownership.

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Grooming Lessons Vol. 4 - Breezy Breaths OR not so much!

Ok, so this is one of the major social faux pas one can ever make! So, be always careful about how you are smelling, orally or physically! Carrying a sample perfume bottle and a handy mouthwash or spray is a very good idea. Let me talk about dental health today.

Be sure to check your breath after the meal

Please do not forget to ditch those onions in your midday meal even if you love them! I know this sounds so obvious but people who love onions tend to forget that the other person talking to them has to bear that smell even if they are standing a meter away from you.

Are you brushing your teeth correctly?

Ok, many people do not really pay attention to how they brush! You should brush your teeth vertically with quick strokes instead of horizontal brushing. I remember the countless times my dad used to comment on my method of brushing till the time he approved of it!

Flossing might be a good idea!

Flossing instead of brushing is a better way to get rid of bacteria and cavities issue. So, take 5 minutes out of your time and give a nice floss to your teeth. That helps in promoting gum health also.

Scrape your tongue!

If you are brushing right and flossing regularly and still have breath issues, get a tongue scraper. The bacteria and the germs which thrive on the moist tongue are more often the culprit of bad breath. In Ayurveda, it is said that tongue should be scraped every morning after brushing to detox the body.

Pull that Oil

I told you some days back that I had started oil pulling. I can safely say that though it is not exactly my favorite task of the day, it makes my teeth clean, white and tends to keep the bad breath away by removing the oral bacteria and germs.

So, always be aware of how your breath smells, even if you have just snacks or coffee breaks! And, don't forget to simply rinse your mouth after every meal, small or large.

So, do you take care of your breath? Do you use any breath fresheners?

PS: Image copyrights belong to the original owners. I do not claim any ownership.

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Loving / Using It : Loving It

I am totally loving this product! Review will be up by the end of this month at max. But, in the mean time, I would say its not a miracle product or something but it is something which I totally enjoy using because it just makes my routine so simple and cut-short!

What about you? Have you used this product?

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Hair Combs and Brushes {Reader's Query}

Hi Swati, I coundn't find an appropriate post in which to ask this question, so I'm asking here. You've written a lot about hair care, but I couldn't find any post about hair brushes/combs. I've been reading that boar bristle brushes are really good for hair. What are your thoughts on that? What brushes/ combs do you use? Do you find that good quality ones aid in maintaining good hair health or is it unnecessary? I've seriously been considering purchasing a boar bristle brush (regular brushes cause more hair fall for me compared to combs), but I couldn't find a single Indian blog that had mentioned anything about it. 

So, first of all, thanks Poohkie for pointing such a pertinent topic. And, I am so sorry it has already been a month that I have not reverted back! Now, let me get back to the topic. Long back, I had discussed a bit of history on the combs and the ones I have used subsequently! I am really sorry about the missing pics in that post but I had deleted a pics folder in picasa because of which many of my posts have missing pics!

Wooden Combs

Apparently, the Indian artisans in history used to make wooden combs which had a sort of string of holes through the base of the teeth. One could pour a drop or two of oil through the first hole which used to travel down the comb and when used on the hair, the oil gets applied to the roots and hair strands evenly, nourishing the hair!

I have come across quite a number of wooden combs by now but still the TBS one remains my fav! I think its mainly to do with the finishing of the product. I recently got one for my friend as well and she has been finding a considerable difference in her hair. So, yes to wooden combs compared to the plastic ones! But, whatever you choose, make sure they are wide-teethed.

How to choose Hair Brushes?
Ok, the first rule with brushes is that if you have curly hair, its better to avoid one! Otherwise, I have heard natural brushes or boar-bristle brushes are really good. So, I did find out a long long time back that Denman and Mason Pearson are the two best brands when it comes to hair brushes but unfortunately I have no idea where they are available online. TBS carries wooden quilled brushes as well, one of which I had bought but use it very occasionally.

A flat brush or paddle brush is great to tame the hair and distribute the natural oils from the roots to the tips of the strands. The bristles of the brush can be nylon or wooden or natural hair like boar bristle or horsehair. Also, the base of the brushes should be rubber preferably because that allows the bristles to move more flexibly and damages the hair lesser comparatively!

How much brushing is good?
Hundred brush strokes a day is said to do amazing things to hair but I think that's just overdoing it. Excess brushing can actually damage the hair. First, brush the hair only when it is dry and it is straight.

Brushing curly hair can harm its cuticles because the hair strand is uneven and the brush quills can rip it off! That is why natural hair is preferable on the brush.

Also, a few brush strokes a day does help distribute the natural oils evenly on the hair. So, make sure you do not brush your hair excessively as it flattens the hair. If you have fine hair, remember that it can look very weighed down if you brush it more often, especially when it is a day old.

How to clean the brush?
I have to say that this is the one part which stumps me completely and discourages me to use my TBS brush. But, you do not have to worry if your brush is not wooden.

After every brush stroke, make sure you remove the hair strands caught up in the bristles. Ignoring them too much can lead to lot of accumulation of hair strands.

Also, soaking them and washing them once in two weeks or a week depending on how frequently you use it or how dirty it has become is good. I use a discarded tooth brush to clean the base of the brush and even my comb and nails. 

Do you use a brush? How do you choose your hair brushes? How often do you use them and how do you clean your brush?

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Weight Loss Series Vol. 1 - Why do you wanna lose weight?

Ok, since you all like my Blogging Series and Hair Diaries, well most of you, I thought I could start this new series and I shall try to do a post every week or may be once in two weeks. So, let us start with a discussion of why exactly do you want to lose weight. I am not talking about motivations but the real inspiration behind the decision!

My Attempts at Weight Loss

For me, I have always been a very non-athletic kid and though I was not fat or obese, I was always healthy. In my teens, I still had my baby fat on and when I went to college, I did put on a lot of weight in the last two years and though I had started various exercises, mainly yoga, I was never very regular and walking was the only thing we did A LOT!

Then, I entered my post graduation and I was definitely on the heavier side at about 63kgs. I started with cycling in the gym but then the quality of the gym equipments wasn't so good so that was kind of on and off. Then, I went to Pune for a month where I used to go for regular walks in the evening. Before that, I had tried out some early morning walks. And, none of them actually paid off.

Then, I started blogging and came across Suryanamaskars which I tried to follow diligently for sometime. Again, no proper routine! And, then, came December 2012 when I had enrolled for my life's first artistic Yoga classes which I had definitely enjoyed but then it was too expensive and I did not care to spend that much. Though, I can always do the same things at home but then I am lazy, remember?

I tried to go for light early morning jog-cum-walks for somedays but nothing doing. Then, I thought I would go for some swimming classes and excuses were having no swimming costume and cap or the goggles. And, then, I bought a skipping rope which I never really bothered to use. So, these are the very many attempts to losing weight.

Current Routine

And now two weeks back, I was high on my inspiration and I did not let it die down completely. I have to say that there have been quite a few slip ups. But, more or less I am sticking to 300 jumps of skipping rope! My inspiration as I would call it is to lead a healthy and active life as opposed to just losing weight. So, I think it is better to stick to the routine when we find the right reason for which one wants to pursue some course of action.

What can be the possible reasons for losing weight?

Leading a Healthy Life

I have often seen people who suffer from serious set-backs and are able to survive are the kinds who have such lofty goals as to lead a healthy life. Well, that did happen with my father when some 15-20 years back he found his cholesterol levels had hit a major upper limit. He started taking care that he does a minimum of an hour exercise and walk a lot!

Special Occasions

Well, nothing is more amazing than looking good for that cousin's or friend's wedding! And, when it comes to one's own special occasion's, there is no looking back, right? But, unfortunately, I find this reason does not bode well for a regular routine!

But, my motivation is a mix of both right now so it is kinda working for now :D Well, right now, I can think of only these two but something I wanted to convey with this post is that find out why you exactly want to lose weight? That might probably hold you long enough to do as you really want! I really hope this post makes some sense!

What do you say? Does a real inspiration for anything life works as an everlasting motivation?

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From the Archives : Hair Tips for Monsoon {Hair Care}

PS: Even though this is an old post, the introduction holds true for this year as well :D

I am loving, adoring and blissfully bathing in Hyderabad weather after the sultry Delhi :) Ok, yes, it is humid and that does increase the suffocation at times but the cool breeze in the evenings and the lovely rains are just too romantic too ignore!!! But, then, monsoons always bring a spate of hair problems with them. 

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PS: I have nominated Perfect Skin Care for you for Indiblogger awards. If you like the post and my blog, please go on this link and write your reviews about the blog and make the blog one of the winners! You will have my undying gratitude :)

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Humid Hair

The scalp gets all dirty very soon even though the pollution is in control. The reason for this is because of the amount of humidity which accumulates the dust and sweat in the hair and makes the scalp dirty very quickly. So, hair wash should be frequent, preferably on alternate days and you should always make sure to leave your hair open for at least an hour everyday to let the roots and the scalp get some air through them and get dry.

If you get wet in the rain, let your hair air dry and then go for a hair wash. Immediate washing is generally not preferable as it may lead to diseases and illness.

• Hair Fall: This is the most common problem of hair in monsoons and even I can see those effects. One way to control it is to keep the hair and scalp always clean as mentioned above and to keep the hair always dry as even a little wet hair is also prone to a lot breakage. Do not comb your hair immediately on returning home after a long day. Leave your hair untied for a good half hour to an hour and let it dry thoroughly before running a comb. 

• Dandruff: Even though the weather is humid, the scalp can dry out easily because of the climate changes and weather fluctuations. And, that can lead to a lot of dead skin being accumulated on the scalp and leading to dandruff issues. This also contributes to hair fall in the monsoons. Ultimately, this issue can also be resolved by keeping the scalp and hair clean and dry at all times.

Hair Accessories

Avoid using scarfs and stoles to keep your hair protected from rain or even pollution. Because, lack of air circulation causes the sweat to get entrapped and accumulated on the scalp. Instead, carry an umbrella to protect you in sudden rains. And, pollution is anyway in control in monsoons so don't worry about that. Btw, it may be necessary for you to wash your hair everyday at times. Go ahead and do it. Only make sure that you use a good quality shampoo, preferably a high-end brand or an SLS-free shampoo like Organic Surge.

Keep your hair tools clean and dry

Clean your comb, hair brush and even the scrunchies and hair clips you use as they gather the sweat when you use them on dirty hair!!!

How do you protect your hair in monsoons? Comment below with your tips!

Image Courtesy:idiva.com

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Specialized Ingredients and Skin Care {Skin Care}

PS: Please spare time and write honest testimonials about my blog here and make Perfect Skin Care for you one of the winners in Indiblogger Awards. You will have my undying gratitude :) Now, let's move on to today's discussion. 

So, I had decided early this year that I would resort to anti-aging skin care but unfortunately I am not really doing anything except trying to use sunscreen without fail! That itself is of such a big help that you do not really need anything else. 

But, of course, you must have come across the information suggesting Retinoids, AHA's and all kinds of things to get rid of wrinkles and other aging signs! Well, I totally agree that they work really well but I am of the league that better not try them unless you really need them or use them sparingly!

Retinoids and sisters/brothers are very strong!

I have heard retinoids being used for the eye area to prevent crow's feet and fine lines around the eyes, majorly. They might also be useful for frown and laugh lines. But, the issue with them is that they make your skin extremely photo-sensitive and if you do not use adequate amount of sunscreen to protect your skin, you might be doing more damage to your skin!

Moisturizer Havoc

I have an example to quote in this. I had reviewed my mum's long-time moisturizer, moisturex, long time back. But, soon after I had read the ingredients, it struck me that the product might not have been as good for her as I am supposing. The product has 10% of lactic acid and daily application of it has probably made my mum's skin sensitive. Many of the reader's comments also suggested this perception!

My mum has very sensitive skin and now I have realized that she can not even use something else because nothing else suits her! I once tried giving her a pampering treatment using Pond's flawless white face mask sheets. After keeping it for like 10-15 minutes, she removed it and let the gooey stuff on the mask seep into her skin. But, soon after she started complaining that her skin was burning! I have tried those same sheets and never have I felt it doing anything to my skin, good or bad, lest burn my skin or tingle it!

May be I am presuming too much when I think the product has made my mum's skin sensitive! Her skin often flushes when she comes back from being in sun but I do not remember if she had the very problem before using the above-mentioned product. So, I can not really conclude that the product made her skin sensitive or photo-sensitive!

Usage of Fresh Fruits on Skin

Ohk, not only the products but also the home remedies which we try out on a daily basis might not be a great idea! Few months back I had done a post on pH levels of citrus fruits to determine how safe lemon is for daily usage. And, turns out, it can make you age faster even if you see great results because it is very acidic!

Same goes for fruits rich in AHA's like papaya or pineapple. They should NOT be used on skin for more than 5 minutes and should be used at most twice a week! AHA's are very strong acids which no doubt are really beneficial to skin but they can be dangerous if misused a lot! In fact, in higher concentrations, they can cause skin peeling.

Vitamin C serums

There are a lot of DIY's I have been seeing over-time using ascorbic acid or like. I have thought of doing them myself as well. But, may be they should also be used occasionally like once or twice a week for a skin prep instead of making it a daily routine.

Salicylic Acid Face Washes

No doubt, they are amazing on acne-prone skin but they do dry out the skin a lot, the effects of which might not be felt immediately. I have never really prescribed to the usage of such products but lately I had used Garnier Pure Active which has the acid as one of its ingredients. No doubt, I loved it but it fails miserably on dry skin and I am not using it in the longer run! 

Long back I had talked about the aspirin face mask, DIY's for which can be found immediately on googling but should not be used in more than a concentration of 1-2% because they can result in drying of skin and hyperpigmentation, not to say photo-sensitivity!

Thus, these are my personal observations and opinions that any product having specialized ingredients should be used with care and caution and exactly as prescribed. Any deviance from the instructions can actually be really harmful for skin. 

Please note that this post is entirely my opinion and observations put in words. I would love to know what you think about the issue. So, comment on!

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Just Gossip Vol. 20 - What are the beauty treatments you have planned for this month?

PS: Please write honest testimonials about my blog here and make Perfect Skin Care for you one of the winners in Indiblogger Awards. You will have my undying gratitude :) Now, let's move on to today's discussion. 

Isn't facebook browsing one of the most time-killing activity? Yeah, you must be thinking I have no work to do! But, since I have come back from Delhi, I don't feel like working at all!!

Anyways while whiling away my time on fb, I came across Lakme salon page and was going through their posts. There were quite a lot of tips and such things which were interesting to read. 

They had also posted quite many hair style pics and that reminded me that I had a hair spa just on Monday but I do not think I am terribly happy with it. And, I was already gearing up for the next one and hunting down which one to try out!! Any recommendations?

Naturally, I thought of asking you what are the beauty treatments you are planning to take this month and the early next? I have a wedding to attend so I kinda need to get somethings done! Uff...its such a pain to be a female, sometimes!

So, what are the pamperings you have planned for yourself or you already had?

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Please give your feedback!

Hello Everyone! Ok, this post should have come a few days back but I did not really notice. I have nominated my blog for Indiblogger Awards. So, I would request you all to please drop in your testimonials about the blog at this link using the facebook id's. Please consider this as my heartfelt request and make this blog win :) Thank you so much for your personal time and efforts!

My Hair Diaries - June 2013

I totally forgot to put up the hair diary post this month and half of July is already gone! Anyways, June was quite here and there for me. But, I did try out an interesting DIY which I am going to share with you all after I am really satisfied with it.

In the meantime, let's talk about all other things. It was just regular otherwise. Oh, I have been given to review the Clear anti-dandruff shampoo and I can safely say that SLS-free shampoos are a bit better but it really depends on how you take care of your hair as well.

Also, I have a very interesting observation to make. Now, we are always discussing about natural hair remedies or some such things. I have never really talked about the professional products from brands like L'Oreal or Schwarzkopf! But, are the two extremes really comparable in results? Which do you believe in? I shall leave you to ponder more about it!

Oh btw, there is one good news. I can see a lot of small hairs growing from my scalp so that makes me happy :) So, I think I should stick to all the things I have been doing for the past months, though I really have no idea what exactly is working! 

Products Used:

• Shampoo - Kamini Shampoo

• Conditioner - Kamini Conditioner

• Leave-in and Scalp Treatment - TBS Rainforest Coconut Oil + Neelibrigandi Oil
  

• Hair Oil - TBS Rainforest Coconut Oil + Neelibrigandi Oil

PS: Please write honest testimonials about my blog here and make Perfect Skin Care for you one of the winners in Indiblogger Awards. You will have my undying gratitude :)

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Does google analytics slice up your heart? {Your Opinion}

It sure does mine! I am right now very very sad. Man, I can never understand how do the statistics vary so f*****g much. Why can not they remain constant if not go up and up!! Or, is it really necessary to worry about those stats that much? 

Yes, blogging is more about passion but is it just that? Nah, I am not talking about being jealous of the bigger blogs over there but just for self-sufficiency, do we never think what is really wrong. Do we really never doubt ourselves? It is pretty easy to say the counter that there should be no self-doubt but how do you really triumph that?

May be by following the stricture from Bhagvad Gita

karmany evadhikaras te
ma phalesu kadacana
ma karma-phala-hetur bhur
ma te sango 'stv akarmani

which really means do not bother about the fruits of your labor will help. Just do the labor well without being attached to the labor. Does that even happen? 

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Blogging Series Vol. 11 - Setting goals for the blog!

So, I was just looking around in my draft for some unfinished post which I might be interested to get over with and of course some inspiration! And, I came across a set of notes in which I had set some goals for my blog.

Well, as you can imagine, I had very conveniently forgotten about it! But, when I just looked through some of the things I had set for myself, I quickly summarized that some of those goals have been realized long back which obviously is making me a lot happy and that is also why I am sitting in my office and typing away this post!

For any endeavor to succeed, you need to set realistic and just-beyond-the-reach goals. Aim for the moon by all means but the path to success is always defined by the smaller steps you take, right? So, same goes with blogging!

Reach of the Blog

May be you would like to see some new set of people gracing your blog so set such goals. Check out what is the current readership and increase a 30-50% margin and keep it as a next milestone to be reached with in the next 3-6 months depending on how much time you spend on the blog.

Money Earned

For many, motivation for blogging can quickly change to the bucks they see. Well, that is perfectly fine as long as you are true to your readers and catering to them! So, you might decide that since you have been consistently earning X amount, the next milestone should be Y within a T amount of time!

These are the two areas where I can think I would like to set goals but if you have some others, by all means go ahead. Also, always remember that the first and probably the only priority should be readers and you. Money and all the fame would automatically follow! Yeah, there is one milestone which you can probably set!

Amount of posts you would be doing every week.

Most of the bloggers are part-time and then one goes on vacations and sometimes life is just a roller-coaster ride because of which you hardly have time to tend to your blog. So, may be, leaving all exceptional circumstances, setting a minimum number of posts per week would be a great idea so that you at least have a set routine and your readers know what to expect when!

Also, a few other goals which you might like to set if you are too interested are to write a few guest posts or articles on hubpages or wikihow or ehow or any other such reliable forums and communities which might give visibility to your blog and improve your exposure.

These are my tips! What do you think? Should goals be set for blogging or it destroys the pleasure of the task and makes it more mundane and competitive?

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Have you started with a new skin care routine, men?? {Five Series}

So, two weeks back sometime I had mentioned that Garnier has come up with a new campaign #SayNoToBars specifically targeted at men for their lack of skills or interest at personal grooming. Today, I would like to talk about why is it really important to use a face wash instead of a soap. 

Now, I have done a post on how is a soap different from a bar and how a man's skin is different from a woman's. So, assuming that you have read both of those posts, I would say I am extremely thankful that Garnier and other brands now a days are coming up with men-specific ranges. So, let me just go through five specific reasons why a face wash trumps the soaps. 

Hygiene

Soaps are handled by all family members unless you have one specifically for yourself (which in every case I would recommend) and imagine the number of germs accumulating by being handled by so many people!! Face wash is a squeeze and go. And, you do not have a soap case to clean and cover every time you use it. 

Travel-friendly

So, damn easy to pop and go. You can have on in your laptop case and use it at the office after a polluting ride on your bike (unless you are a car freak)! And, of course, it doubles up as body wash when you are out of station. 

Made specifically for your face

The face skin is different from the body and much more sensitive and needs to be handled with care. Thus, a face wash which has been specifically designed for your face instead of a bar has all the actives which will provide a deep cleansing and moisturizing wash. The ingredients will keep your skin soft and young, as well.

Soap is alkaline and skin is acidic

So, coming to a little more technical ground, our skin has a pH level of 5.5 where as all the soaps are alkaline which is why if you use a non-regulated pH product on the face, it will damage and dry out your skin and make you age faster. 

Your Acne might be due to soaps!!

The difference in the pH levels of your soap and skin can cause the sebum of your skin to get washed off thereby allowing bacteria to breed on your skin and causing breakouts. Face wash helps prevent such breakouts. 

These are just the starting reasons why you might want to shift to face washes. so, what are you waiting for?

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Why are people biased against makeup? {Your Opinion}

Hey Everyone! So, yeah, I have seen so many people biased against makeup. And, the most glaring example came up just few days back. It was actually quite a funny incident.

So, my friend comes over for a nightcap and the next day she sees me getting ready to go out and she is like "Whoa, you use way many products! Why do you need this and that?" And, I am rendered speechless because she comes up with her trump card "Why so many chemicals!".

I am like "Huh...there we go again!". I am so tired of this chemical thing, honestly! Anyways, what my daily routine before heading out for the day is applying Garnier Anti Dark Circles Eye Roll-on, sunscreen and Ponds BB cream.

Ok, I am not a fan of long routine and multiple layers on my face but then I am trying out both Garnier and Ponds products so can't really skip them but how to explain that! Anyways, I was like "its ok, no!" and she is like "people apply makeup to get fair. You don't really do that, right?". 

Ok, I have never really believed in applying makeup simply because of the fact that it was just too much of work but never did I believe that people do it to make themselves fair. Well, it might be the reason why makeup originated but today it holds a very different meaning.

If it had been to make people fair, I would say it would all be white! Why to bother buying foundations of skin color. Well, I think makeup is to look professional or to conceal few flaws or brighten the skin but that doesn't really mean its bad!

I mean I have no reason why people are so biased if you get made-up but I know people who count tinted lip balms in lipstick category. Ok, I have to say I don't really know the difference between a lipstick and tinted lipbalm but seriously! Why the hell be biased against the entire thing altogether? And, btw, what do you call tinted moisturizers and sunscreens?

Oh btw, if you were not already aware, only prostitutes were thought to have painted faces once upon a time but we already know that the normal makeup and THAT kind of makeup are a lot different. The entire concept of makeup and toe-nail painting took birth in France, I suppose. But, since then, lot of things have changed and this is not 1800's! As Tom Hanks once said "I wear makeup for my living!".

What do you say? Do you consider people who wear makeup as different?

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Update on Onion Juice for Hair Growth - Part II {Hair Care}

So, long back in February I had done a first FAQ post on onion juice method. Please refer to this post to know how to apply onion juice. That is one of the most searched posts on my website and generates a lot of redundant questions which I had thought of answering at one go. This is the second part to this post.

Does it reduce hair fall?

Yes, it does reduce hair fall. But, apply it only as instructed.

Does it help with dandruff?

Yes, it helps with dandruff because of the sulphur present in it. 

How soon does the hair grow?

Depends on your hair growth cycle. The onion juice method just provides the sulphur topically to your hair follicles. It definitely helps in regenerating the dormant hair follicles.

How long should the juice be kept on hair?

15-30 minutes is a good time. Onion juice dries off in flakes so its best to remove asap. And, of course, the stink is horrible. 

Does it stink?

Yes, it does! And, no, I have not used it with essential oils to tell you that you can use them to make the onion juice pleasant. I have a feeling that both might not mix properly because one is water and another is concentrated oil. 

Does it change the hair color?

Actually, that depends. I think it changes my hair color to copper. But, it might just make my hair shine with its natural color. I have heard some people say that it made no difference to their hair color.

Does onion really help?

Now, that is something which you have to find out for yourself. It does for most but it might not for some just like all other home remedies!!

After applying onion juice, I had more hair fall. Will it reduce?

Well, it might be coz your hair is already a lot weak. Always comb your hair before you oil it and apply any kind of hair pack. That makes easy the application process. After combing your hair thoroughly, use a cotton ball to apply the onion juice and instead of rubbing the scalp, dab the cotton ball on the scalp. That way, there should be no breakage. Yes, the hair fall should reduce over time but if applying onion juice after combing your hair is still making your hair fall, you might want to avoid it altogether. Use your best judgment in this.

Do you have any more questions? Do let me know!

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From the Archives : Softening your skin starts from your bath {DIY}

Taking Bath is the best way to unwind yourself from a hectic schedule. You can turn your bathing experience into an invigorating one by adding certain ingredients which help your body to relax and also relaxes your mind both your body and mind to relax. Some ingredients which can be added to your bath water and their effects:

• Salt: Relaxes the tensed muscles, makes your skin smooth, detoxes the body, relaxes tired feet, improves circulation, prevents skin disorders, purifies the pores and removes toxins from skin. It is also good for exfoliation. Table salt would be a general choice but you can also go for rock salt. These days you get sea salts and Himalayan rock salts as well apart from the regular bath salts! Also, pair them with your favorite essential oils for a luxurious experience!

• Milk: Softens skin, cleans the pores, good for exfoliation, nourishes the skin, improves skin texture and appearance, removes body odor, prevents skin disorders.
  
• Honey: soothes and nourishes the skin, makes skin silky and fragrant, prevents skin disorders, lightens scars and any marks on the skin and removes any bacteria present in the skin.

• Oils : You can use coconut oil or almond oil. It lightens complexion, moisturizes and nourish the skin. You can also put a mix of these oils.

• Oat meal: soothes and nourishes the skin. Put some oat meal in a cheese cloth and put it under running water. and then, use it for exfoliation. This way you get oat milk in your bath water and the oats in the cheese cloth can be used as a body wash. This is an amazing tip for sensitive skin!

• Essential Oils: soothes and softens skin, lightens scars and any marks on the skin, heals wounds and soothes tired muscles and skin and you smell divine.

• Floral Water: You can definitely put many flowers into your bath for an aromatherapy. Rose,  Jasmine, Rosemary, Lavender, Chamomile, Marigold are some of the flowers which you can go for. They would relax your mind, elevate your senses and provide you the ultimate pleasure of relaxation. They soothe your complete body. You can also use the floral water.

So, go ahead and try putting a combination of various ingredients and enjoy an invigorating bath.

PS: Italicized paragraphs are updates on the original post!

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Just Gossip Vol. 31 - Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall!!

Not exactly a review but we watched Humpty Sharma ki Dulhaniya yesterday and I had to talk about it. It has been quite sometime since some decent movies have come. 

Ek Villian was a huge disappointment. In fact, we went for a night show and movie had been running for 40 minutes and the screen disappears. I am assuming that the movie tape was corrupted. And, we were so relieved. It was a damn boring 40 min!! 

Bobby Jasoos. I have to say that the trailers were quite interesting and since I am not getting any movie bites on television or youtube, I rely only on the first impressions of the movie. And, this was definitely on my list because of Vidya Balan. And, she was damn good. In fact, we loved the movie except for its cliched ending for about 10 min. A fun and light-hearted film and of course, don't expect much. 

Humpty ..... Dulhaniya. I am not sure if I loved it. But, I enjoyed it and the only reason why I enjoyed it was Varun Dhawan. His cute puppy look face and what will happen with him is what will keep you to the seats. Alia Bhatt is as usual spunky and she is more a Punjabi character than a Tamilian (portrayed in 2 States). SOTY seems to be a bad first movie for either of the actors. It was more of glitz than content. 

And, I am waiting for Finding Fanny and there is this one movie on food. Not Chef. It has Om Puri and Helen Miller and the story revolves around a restaurant and an Indian Michelin Star Chef learning cooking from Miller. The movie was supposed to hit theaters in July. Not sure when it will come!!

What about you? Did you like the movies? 

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Weekend Gossip Vol. 11 - Categories of boyfriends!

So, I had to share this with you all when my colleague told me. Its a snippet of interaction between a mom and her son of 8.

Kid: Mom, was dad your boyfriend?

Mom: Yes. 

Kid: So, was he a normal boyfriend or a kissing boyfriend?

Well, the mommy was naturally stumped :D What do kids talk these days and what they discuss, gosh! Its just crazy how they are growing.

Have you faced such an incident personally or heard of it?

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In all the time I had been missing on the blog, I have definitely not been missing the daily dose of my favorite sitcoms. Now, some, I have been watching since quite long and some of them are recent favorites. None of them are quite new in fact. You might have even been watching them 2-3 years or more!

The Vampire Diaries

I was never a fan but still I have compulsively watched the show. And, I think it is time to end it. Its getting weirder and weirder.

The Originals

This is the rip off from Vampire Diaries and I absolutely loved it even though the plot swerves just the way it wants to run the show just like TVD. Its a good show if you are interested in the teenage drama. 

And, now we move on to more mature things now!

True Blood

Currently, the show is running in its seventh and finale season. I had loved the initial three seasons and kept on following its more and more bizarre plots but it feels sad that the show is finally gonna end. The seventh season is coming back to the track followed by the first. And, I am sure all its key characters are gonna die as the finale reaches :(

Spartacus

Absolutely brilliant first and prequel seasons. And, a good second season but the third was more or less a compulsion watch for me. The political drama and the actors are a must watch in the first and second season and the prequel, of course. A lot of gore and s*x, though.

Game of Thrones

Ok, I might be living under a rock if I say that I have not watched the series before this summer. I have known GoT for quite sometime but every time I started to watch it, I lost interest right in the first fifteen minutes of the premier episode of the series.

But, then, I watched the most amazing episode 8 of season 4 where poor Oberyn gets killed and in the most cruel way possible. And, that got me hooked. Ok, looking back, the only parts which have me hooked are the Lannisters and Starks. Rest of them might as well go into the narrow sea. Danerys's plot is really stretchy!! And, the night's watch, seriously???

House of Cards

Absolutely brilliant. Kevin Spacey and his wife. The first season was mind blowing. Second more or less wavered on and off the track but then the last scene of the season makes you wait for the third which will come next year in February. 

Poirot

This is not a new series. It has been there since I do not know when. And, this is the only show I am watching currently on TV. Has me hooked all seven days from 7-8PM on Zee Studio HD. This is a rerun of the series, fyi. I just hope you know who am I talking about. 

The Big Bang Theory

Zee Studio HD is doing a rerun of all the shows and I love Sheldon so I sometimes do watch it. Its currently in season 4 on the mentioned channel. But whatever the channel, Sheldon is always a delight. And, btw, I do not really follow the series. I just watch few random episodes so I have no idea where is the current track heading to.

This is my short and sweet list of the sitcoms I have watched and am watching. So, did you watch any of them or planning to watch any?

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Is dark so ugly? {Beauty Philosophy}

Well, this certainly does not apply to women alone but let me say that maximum racism is carried out by women only! Ok, I might be termed a misogynist for this statement. But, seriously, maximum number of times in my life, only women have pointed out that I am dark and therefore ugly!

Anyways, why this post was prompted was because of my increasing concern towards my readers! Oh no, I am not altruistic. But, recently, I have started getting so many queries regarding how to become fair. Well, if you are a 10 plus something, I am fine with such questions. But, the unfortunate thing is that mommies are becoming paranoid for their 1-2 month old babies' complexions as well.

First, I am NOT making fun of you. Second, I am seriously concerned. Third, hear me out.

I totally understand where all this concern is coming from. Years and years of ill-treatment due to complexion differences more often result in such kind of anxieties. So, let me first reply to all those queries. PLEASE DO NOT BE CONCERNED. The babies and kids tend to change their skin color. In fact, skin color changes for even adults. So, keep their skin care routines healthy and simple and apply sunscreen regularly for kids above 2 years or ask a dermatologist or a paediatrician.

Now, coming to voicing my concerns, I think that we can not change the old mindset but we can lay down the new rules. We as the propagator of the future generations need to get over our insecurities and make sure our kids do not carry the same inferiority complexes which were drilled into us by the society. If at all, they should be taught how to fight and not feel bad for someone's comments. Because, there will always be one person who will speak ill. Because, there will always be some or the other struggle they have to undergo. And, because, we are better equipped in understanding our kids psychologies thanks to our own experiences.

So, instead of thinking how to deal with the issue, we should teach them how to face the challenges gracefully. And, this is just a small matter of complexion. I very strongly believe that any hesitation on the part of the parent gets conveyed to the kid somehow even if none of them actually understand what it is and that hesitation does manifest in the kid as he grows older.

So, this is my earnest request to all parents of all generations to please not get bothered by little things as complexions and clothes and rather focus on developing self-confidence and self-esteem in the child. And, this process actually starts since the conception of the baby! And, please do not take this post as a lesson in parenting. I do not have a kid of my own neither I have brought up any sibling of mine but these are some parenting rules I live by and would carry them out on my progeny.

What do you all think? Is it our responsibility to change the perspective of future generations or not?

PS: Please note that this post is not meant to hurt any sentiments. On the other hand, I respect them all and understand them!

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