Which Oil should I use? {Hair Care}

[Source:waystomakeyourhairgrowfaster.net]

Hey Everyone
Welcome to my most favorite month of the year and this year makes it even more special because of its perfect 4 week month. I like February because it is the shortest month and also because today is my birthday :) No birthday cakes yet!!! But, you can always courier one :D Just kidding. Anyways, let us get on with today's post.

Very often, while reading articles online, I have come across stories that "this oil doesn't do anything to my hair" and so which got me into thinking more about hair care. Ultimately, everything about your hair is dependent on how well you understand your hair. So, identifying hair type and hair texture is very important before starting on a hair care regimen. As you know that both rough and fine hair need different products, similarly, they need different oils.

Rough Hair

It is thick and damaged in a nutshell. So, it needs nourishing oils which help improve the hair structure from the inside. Generally, all the heavy nourishing oils like coconut, almond, mustard, groundnut and other oils do well on rough hair because rough hair absorbs them better and doesn't get weighed down. 

And, in the long run, these oils actually end up improving the hair structure also making the hair smoother and softer. Even shea butter and cocoa butter and other butters do real good to rough hair so if you are looking for smoothing out your hair, try out the butters.

Fine Hair

It gets weighed down very easily so the prominent need for this kind of hair is a light oil which can give it some texture. You do not really need to focus on nourishment because fine hair is generally healthy and you can not make your hair thick by using oils. The only need for this hair is hydration and texture and volume. Oil doesn’t give volume so we can rule that out.

Make sure you use light oils like jojoba, sesame oil, olive oil, rice bran oil or any oil available in the market is light enough because it has already been heavily refined. These light oils leave a fine sheen on the hair and keep it looking healthy.

Custom Oil Blend

You can also mix and match the oils according to your hair needs. For example, if you have curly fine hair which is less in volume, mix almond, castor and any light oil. Similarly, you can use a nourishing oil for scalp and a light oil for hair strands. So, use your own experience of your hair and create a personalized oil blend for yourself. I have found almond oil is more of an all-rounder and does well both on fine and rough hairs.

This post is an inspiration of the incident when the mustard oil and groundnut oil did not work for my hair. This need not be true for your hair but does open up a possibility. The long and short of it is that if you are using heavy oils on fine hair, your hair may end up being limp even after washing and if you are not using nourishing oils for rough hair, it will look more frizzy after being washed. So, use appropriate oils for your hair depending on your hair texture.

Do let me know your thoughts on this observation :)

How to deal with a dry skin patch? {Skin Care}

Did you ever suffer from a dry skin patch? I know they are very annoying as I have recently been afflicted of this malady. You might have heard me saying this often that my skin gets extremely dry in winters and due to the lack of proper diet, there was a really horrible dry patch around the mouth. So, I tried some of the things to bring my skin back to normal.

[Source: buzzle.com]

How can your products affect that annoying dry skin patch? 

Your products wouldn't definitely cause a dry skin patch unless they are so harsh and you are not really concentrating on your diet. But, your products can help the dry skin patch to remain just like it is or help a little towards healing it. Do not ever rely on your products to do the entire work but certainly, some expectations should be there. So, do not blame your products if your dry skin patches are not got rid of.

I Exfoliated!!!

Exfoliation is a very important ritual of healing a dry skin patch. It removes the dead skin cells accumulated on the patch and helps reveal the newer skin is which isn't exactly as dry!!! But, overdoing this can make the patch red and sensitive that it will stop reacting to any treatment. So, its best to use a very gentle scrub and leave it alone for next 2-3 days.

What I did? Used sugar body polish on the area (exclude salt from the recipe) once. And, another time, I used Vedic Line Papaya Scrub [review coming soon]. Both worked well.

And, what after exfoliation?

Well, we need to trap the moisture and feed the skin some real nutrients, right? So, I used Almond Oil - Very simple and very effective!!! I dabbed a little of almond oil around my mouth after applying toner and moisturizer for the night. The moisturizer I am currently using is Biotique Wheatgerm Cream which is awesome, btw and really effective [review coming soon] but then, nothing beats oils for me. And, the dry patches went away in a single night. And, my skin is healed as if it wasn't ever broken. But, it is always best to continue the treatment over a couple of days so I switched back to applying oils on my skin. They give me the Essential Fatty Acids which I am not feeding myself.

Did you ever get a dry skin patch?

Homemade Vanilla Oil {DIY}

Vanilla Pods

So, I have a very interesting DIY today :) And, this one is making me pretty happy. I just hope the results turn out as good. I was on a trip to Kerela last year and I got vanilla pods from there (only 6)!! I was entirely unsure of how to use them. And, then, I decided to make some toner or some skin care product but discarded the idea. Then, I checked out online and I needed Vodka to make a perfume from that so I decided on this finally. I infused the oil with vanilla pods. 

Ingredients

• Vanilla Pods
• Carrier Oil (I preferred almond oil though apricot oil is better, I read somewhere)
• Knife

Method

Split the vanilla bean pods length wise and cut them into small pieces

Put them in a clean glass jar (preferably sterilized and entirely dry)

Pour oil over the pods. Store it in a dark warm place for a month or two. Occasionally, take it out and shake to maximize the infusion.

My Notes

The color of the oil is already dark in just half a day of infusion. Compare with the second snap above.

• I did this yesterday night so the results will be out in one or two months when I shall put up a post to tell you about how it went. 
• While you are infusing, you have two choices - either put the glass jar in a dark place or in sunlight. I wasn't sure which one to choose so I chose dark place as I don't really get much of direct sunlight here. 
• One more thing I goofed up on was to use almond oil. Actually, I read somewhere that apricot oil is good at absorbing plant essences so if you are making infusions, use apricot oil instead. And, I do have apricot oil. I forgot all about that and remembered it the moment I finished pouring almond oil. Anyways, I shall remember this the next time.  
• I am so excited about it that I have shaken it 2-3 times till now :D
• The smell is divine. I can't explain it. And, we are talking about real vanilla smell, not the food flavorings.

What do you think?

Almond Oil for Eye Makeup {Reader's Tip}

This tip is submitted by Bharti of I Love Korean Drama. Check out her blog too. In the meanwhile, she says:

"Try using Almond oil as eye makeup remover. Will help to condition the lashes and help them to grow ^__^."

Submit your favorite tips here: http://perfectskincareforyou.blogspot.com/p/submit-beauty-tip.html.

And, don't forget to read other Reader's Tips:

Natural Bleach

Acne Remedy

Face Pack for glowing skin

Look young with makeup

Hair Growth Recipe

Tap the Toner

Masks on wet skin

New Footwear causing Blisters

Tomato for Vitamin C

Carrot and Bottle Guard Mask

Some Remedies for Dandruff

Best Facial Treatment

Fairness face packs with Pomegranate

Papaya for skin complexion

Homemade Cleanser for Eyes {DIY}

Ok, so it is a very common complaint with cleansers that they do not remove the eye makeup very effectively. Yeah, it really happens. So, I'll share what I do for that. Not that I apply eye makeup but removing sunscreen around the eyes or kajal also requires the same effort.

I use a mixture of almond oil and castor oil. Remember the Oil Cleansing Method in which castor oil is the main ingredient. Castor Oil has cleansing properties apart from its many beneficial effects so it is one of the major oils used for removing residue from the skin. But, using castor oil alone is not recommended for the skin as it is quiet thick and concentrated. So, it is better to mix it with a carrier oil. The reason we choose almond is that it is also effective for removing makeup and aids the growth of eyelashes. So, mix almond oil and castor oil in 3:1 ratio and store it in a glass bottle. 

To remove makeup, take a generous amount of the oil and massage the entire area around the eyes. Make sure you have enough oil that your skin glides along the skin coz you don't want to pull and tug at the skin around the eyes which is very thin and can lead to wrinkles and fine lines if disturbed too much. Massage for 5 minutes and remove the oil with cotton very gently without pulling on the skin. You can use face wipes too. And, then, wash off with a cleanser.

Caution: Do not use Coconut Oil as it makes the eyes sting badly. Almond oil or castor oil do not have any such reactions to the eyes.

Hamdard Rogan Badam Shirin {Product Review}

Okay, so I love this product. I came to know about this product through my friend. She advised me to use this oil for my hair when I was going through one of the worst phases of hair fall. My hair had thinned to an extent of alarm. Still it is not as thick as I want to be but, definitely, my hair quality is better. And, since I have started using this oil, it has stayed on my 'must buy' list. I am sure many of you would already be aware of this oil and its benefits. I do have certain complaints like I am not sure if the oil is cold pressed or organic. But, still, I can not get rid of it. I thought of writing about this product after reading about its review somewhere else. This has become so part of my life that I forgot about this completely. 

The product does claim to do wonders to your brain and intellect along with relieving the muscle cramps and other pains in the body if taken internally. Well, I did take it internally (just two drops in milk every night). But, I was not very diligent in it so did not see the results. I shall try it again this Diwali and report back if I really see any difference. But, let me tell you, it tastes real bad. That was one of the main reasons I discontinued it. Anyways, regular application (twice a week) on hair made my hair soft and long. I also use it as body moisturizer too sometimes. It does feel raw in your hands (the oil is not soft to touch like the refined oils are soft to touch, if you know what I mean) so my guess is that it can be cold pressed or not completely refined. I am not even sure if they do have preservatives in the oil because it has a long shelf life (I forgot how exact and if it is just a year, I'll edit this line). It is a great makeup remover. I am not a makeup user but I do use almond oil to remove the sunscreen (if you remember I had mentioned that you need to use a makeup remover for removing sunscreen too). It does not sting much if it gets into your eyes accidentally. You can also use it to smooth out your wrinkles or to make your own lip balm at home.

Cost: 25ml of bottle costs 75 INR which makes it pretty costly but it is the best almond oil I have come across and a small bottle does last long enough.

Get rid of Stretch Marks

What are Stretch Marks?

Stretch Marks not only appear due to pregnancy but are very common among teenagers too. They can be red, purple or white in color, distorted in shape, long or short, wide lines and instantly recognizable. And, they can be present anywhere on the body but specially concentrated where you might accumulate a lot of fat like shoulders or upper arms, breasts, belly area, fat on the back just above and including the buttock region and thighs front or back. They can occur on anyone at any time.

Why do Stretch Marks appear?

During teenage, there are a lot of physical changes in the human body. One of the changes is sudden growth hence consequent stretching of the skin. Thus, these sudden stretches can tear the collagen and make the skin thinner in certain areas. The places where the collagen has torn and has become thinner are prone to appearance of stretch marks.

Stretch Marks can appear due to sudden height increase, sudden weight gain and weight loss, muscle growths, excessive exercising using improper equipments and also due to hormonal changes in the body.

How to prevent Stretch Marks?

A proper balanced diet is always best. A balanced diet ensures proper collagen production and maintainence, hence reducing the chances of collagen tear. Crash Diets and weight loss programs should be avoided. I have already discussed the ways to increase skin elasticity which is one of the ways to prevent stretch marks.

How to treat Stretch Marks?

• Coconut oil repairs the inner lying tissue structure of the skin
• Almond oil is rich in vitamin E oil so helps with regeneration of collagen
• Lavender oil (if you can get hold of original and pure lavender oil) is good for healing stretch marks or lavender flower masks are also good for the purpose though you can not find lavender in India
• Cocoa Butter and Shea Butter (if you get hold of unrefined cocoa or shea, mostly found in African stores) have lot of important nutrients for the skin
• Aloevera gel is again great for stretch marks, mix the aloevera gel with almond or coconut oil and it is great as a moisturizer for dry skin too