Do all shampoos work for me? {Hair Care}

Yeah, I know. Its a weird post but this is in reply to a really funny comment I got one one of my posts yesterday. So, the anonymous writes:

All shampoos give u good results?? Dove also kamini also Pantene?

I thought many of you might have the same question so I would rather do a post on it. Well, actually my hair type, as I have mentioned countless times is, dry and fine and feels soft to silky depending on its mood. I have colored it once last year and that was a disaster. But, otherwise, my hair generally behaves nicely.

As to all shampoos suiting me, mostly my answer would be yes. My hair doesn't react easily and result in hair fall. Yes, my hair does get dry and the scalp also feels dry but no shampoo has triggered any allergic reactions and I don't have any history of dandruff which needs taking care of. When talking about shampoos, let me start with ones I used this year.

Dove Nourishing Oil

It was drying for my hair but initially it was fine. The conditioner does a good job of preventing the dryness. But, why I said it worked was because of my lack of experience with better products. Now that I have used Kamini's shampoo, I know how some shampoos can be non-drying. So, yes, this shampoo is not for dry hair but it did not dry out my scalp excessively and my hair behaved decently when I was using it.

Pantene Total Damage
Yes, it suited my hair because it did not cause my hair to get dry really soon. And, no itchiness either. Its, in fact, a good shampoo and the conditioner is even better.

Dove Color Rescue
Definitely drying!!! And, I have recommended it for only oily hair.

Kamini Shampoo
Yes, it suits me but it does dry out my scalp and hair sometimes. That is why I am searching for some shampoo whose ingredients I am aware of and is natural as well.

Those were the shampoos I tried out in my recent memory and more or less, I did like all of them. But, one thing I would say is that whatever shampoo you use, never ever skip on conditioner. Its very essential even if you have oily hair.  

Find products which suit your hair type but never skip on the essential routines. 

Also, please note that a person's reaction to a product changes over time and may not remain same always whether the person is a blogger or a reader :)

Image Courtesy:omgdaily.com

Dark Patches on Skin {Reader's Query}

I am publishing one of the reader's query and would really appreciate if you guys can give any pointers to the problem.

My daughter is 7 yrs old. There are some dark patches on her neck and elbow and knees. that makes her more dark . Can u pl. suggest me what shud i do ?

My reply.

regd the dark patches, are they coming now or were they there since before (may be from birth). I would say use sunscreen on her. I wouldn't suggest you to use any DIY or anything on her coz she is too young to get into all that. just face wash and moisturize properly. rest, you can take care of as she grows up but don't for go sunscreen. (I am sorry for this typo but I meant DIY) 

Her query continued.

Thanx a lot for ur reply. These dark patches are not because of this recipe. I dont know when they came but probably for last 2 yrs they are. I used many medicines given by Drs. but no use. sometimes they disappear but come again. Dr. say its eczema but some of them say no eczema. I dont know what is this but it really made my and my daughter's life a hell. I accept color has no value now a days but on the other hand when somebody ask or make a fun at least that person (my daughter) gets hurt. She asks me to make her fair like others because she does not like when girls give comments. Anyways i m using ur recipe.lets wait and watch & hope for the option. When she was 2 yrs old she was fair (I used to apply besan and yogurt daily) but after that her color started becoming dark and when she was 5 yrs old then these black patches problem started. 

My reply.

hi Sandhya...yes, I do understand how it is when people make fun!!! especially on children it has even adverse effects. one thing I would suggest is sunscreen. another, what I am thinking is that she has probably got hyper pigmentation problem or melanin has been over-produced.

Honestly, I am baffled with the issue. I would suggest her to go to a doc but knowing the dermatologists, I know how irritating it can get and not to mention, the expenses!! In case, you have any experience with this issue, a lot of help would be appreciated. And, I do know that I am not a doc or anyone.

Dark and Dull Skin in summers {Reader's Query}

"My age is 25, female. Suddenly my skin become dark in face and arms even though I'm not going in sun. Dark circles are coming. Face become dull. Please tel some treatment. Thanks."

Dark and dull skin is a very normal occurrence in summers. Dark circles are a different issue on a other hand.

Diet

I have long before mentioned that if you ever find your skin getting uneven complexioned, iron deficiency can be one of the foremost reasons. Also, dark circles are an indication of iron levels in your body. So, if you are not sleep deprived or stressed out, this is the reason for those unwelcome dark circles. Try eating a balanced diet. 

Dull and Dark Skin

Dehydrated or oily skin can also look dark. So, keep your skin supple, hydrated and oil-free at all times. Use a good moisturiser to preserve the skin moisture. Using face sprays is also a good way to perk up your skin in intervals. You can prepare one at home as well. Eat foods which will keep your skin hydrated from the inside and drink enough water.

Tips to remove tan

Tomato, cucumber and potato are great for tan removal. You can check out other home remedies for summers here. If used at night, they help in removing tan as well as keeping the skin in supple condition.  

Tanning without sun

UVA rays can penetrate indoors as well and UVA rays are the main cause of pigmentation. So, using spf 15 broad-spectrum sunscreen when indoors is a good measure of protection against these rays and tanning and pigmentation when inside.

Product Recommendation

• Lactocalamine for sun protection when indoors
• Rustic Art Aloevera Gel for improving hydration levels of the skin. Use it only at night as a night cream as it contains lemon extracts.

What else do you suggest?

Image Courtesy: marieclaire.com

Moisturizer for dry skin? {Reader's Query}

Since I hardly stick to any moisturiser in the long run and till date, I have liked only three moisturisers long enough to consider re-buying, I would definitely need all the help from you. So, the lady asks me:

"I am 28years and I discovered some few wrinkles coming up. I take care of my skin and body as much as I can. I always do home remedies and I also use chemical brands. I have recently used bodyshop vitamin E moisturisers, cleanser, undereye cream but I didn't notice any good improvement. So Now it has been a week that I am looking for a anti wrinkles cream...I still dont want to apply anti aging stuff but I am really confused which brand to use and which is good for skin. You know how many brands are there in the markets but hardly you can find something that suits the skin. I am writing to ask you if you know any brank that will serve this purpose. and also any good moisturizer, sunscreen and cleanser."

Regarding the moisturisers, I advised her for Aloevera Gel from Rustic Art and Biotique Wheatgerm Cream which I had used in these winters and I would be posting the review in these winters but just for the record, its really good and I would recommend it to anyone. In fact, I am also considering other creams from Biotique but they are heavy and best used in winters unless you have dry skin. Also, I did like Liz Earle moisturiser but its pretty expensive when you include the shipping costs. I also advised the lady for cleansers from Lush. She is already using one from Lush. So, hoping to get more suggestions from you all :)

Also, the lady needs reviews and thoughts on the following 3 products:

• Kiehls - Ultra Moisturizing Eye Stick SPF 30
• MAC - Mineralize Charged Water Moisture Eye Cream
• Prevage Eye Eye Ultra Protection Anti-aging Moisturizer SPF 15

So, what are your suggestions, ladies :)

Image Courtesy: truegirlonline.com

Do you endorse any brand? {Your Opinion}

[Source:brandingrevolution.com]

Granted, no one is gonna ask me to be a brand ambassador of any brand, what so ever but I often find myself faithful to some brands to the extent that I might be doing small inline commercials in my day to day life just like it happens in "The Truman Show". [If you haven't watched it yet, you should definitely check it out. Its probably Jim Carrey's only movie in which you can't see his extra-mobile face moving and btw, its an amazing movie.]

So, yes, I endorse different brands for different reasons. For example, when it comes to skin care, whatever product I might be using, Nivea is the first name which pops up in my mind!!! Then, when it comes to hand washes, I am totally loyal to Dettol and I so hate Lifebuoy (and I have never ever even used it)!!! Similarly, when it comes to pickles, you would find me saying Priya all the time or even a discontinued line of Sanjeev Kapoor's endorsed products, don't remember the name though!! When it comes to knives, its Crystal for me and the truth is I don't know of any other brand :D Such is my affinity to certain brands.

Are you similarly crazed on any brand?

Dry Skin and Cracked lips in Summers {Reader's Query}

Dry Skin and Cracked Lips in Summers are a very unusual occurrence and can be due to the nutritional deficiencies in the body, especially of B-complex Vitamins. So, my first advise would be bring a change in your diet. Eat a lot of Vitamin E (almonds and other dry fruits, take care while eating cashew nuts coz they are high in cholesterol too). If you are a non-vegetarian, then eating fish in huge quantities would be good because it is high in B-complex vitamins. Replace your chicken with fish and other seafood. And, for egg-eatarians, eggs are extremely healthy and rich in B-complex vitamins. Now, coming to vegetarians, don't despair. You too have a lot of choices - cereals, milk and other dairy products, pulses and vegetables.

Now, the most important part of the diet which is often over-looked. Salads. Make a colorful salad everyday and add seeds (lots and lots of them) - flax seeds (which probably are not available in India), sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, papaya seeds and all the other seeds which are available. Seeds have all kinds of minerals and vitamins and you can use them in almost everything from salads to curries and desserts. Seeds and Nuts have essential fatty acids which make the skin soft and supple from inside. So, gorge on them.

Now, let us talk a little about skin care routine. Cleanse, Tone and Moisturize is something you have heard a lot about. So, use skin care products which are suitable to your skin type.

Or, otherwise, you might want to go for besan + milk for a cleanser as an alternative (definitely use it at night). Another alternative is Episoft cleanser. Ask for it in the pharmacy. It is a little difficult to get but the Apollo people generally get it for you. If you are unable to get it, the next best option is Cetaphil cleanser which is available very easily. These cleansers are extremely gentle on the skin and clean it without drying it.

Now, let us talk about a toner. Stay away from alcohol toners in case you are using them. Read the ingredients of your skin products and chuck out all those which have anything saying ethyl alcohol or denat alcohol. But, do not chuck out product having cetyl alcohol. Only ethyl and denat alcohol dry the skin. All others are useful for cleansing process. Or, you can simply use rose water.

Moisturizer is a little tricky coz not all moisturizers suit us so I can recommend Cetaphil moisturizer. I haven't tried it but have heard rave reviews about it so you can give it a try or use something which already suits you.

Apart from the CTM routine, one thing which should not be neglected is exfoliation. Yes, you should exfoliate regularly even if your skin is dry. Twice a week with a gentle exfoliator is good idea. Natural apricot scrubs are a good option or using besan is also another good option. They are gentle and would not harm the skin. And, moisturize repeatedly. Buy a good body lotion which is thick enough like probably Nivea classic might suit you or some other intensive body lotion. Do not have a bath in extremely hot water.

Another good option is oil massage for the body using almond oil or coconut oil or sesame oil once or twice a week. That will moisturize the body very well and also simultaneously exfoliate your skin. Oil is a very good option for removing the flaky skin which is generally a reason for dry skin. Also, while massaging your body, be sure to apply oil in the belly button as it is somehow magically linked to soft lips.

Coming to cracked lips, exfoliate twice a week using the tooth brush or this lip scrub. And, always use a lip balm. Well, I would say don't go for vaseline but go for shea butter or cocoa butter based lip balms. If you are able to find them, well and good. Otherwise, a simple nightly treatment for your lips is to apply a tablet of Evion (Vitamin E) daily on your lips and massage them. Also, include your face in this treatment.

Coming to health reasons, now, you might have naturally a very dry skin for which you can actually visit a dermatologist. The doc will get a few blood tests done and probably would be able to tell you even without the blood tests what is wrong with your skin. So, in case, all the above treatments don't work, go to a dermatologist in 2-3 weeks time. Don't ignore.

And, don't forget, hot temperatures and extreme humidity can also cause dryness of the skin so always keep your skin hydrated from the inside.  

Name for a Baby Girl {Reader's Query}

Hey all!! So, one of my lovely reader, Punam, has been blessed with a baby girl recently. And, she had asked me for some names for here daughter. So, I request all of you to toss some names for a baby girl. Horoscopically, the name of the baby should begin with a 'cha' or 'tha' in Hindi. But, Punam is looking for any name beginning with 'a' either. Please do share whatever nice names you can think of for her baby :)