Do’s and dont’s for shiny white teeth

Maintaining shiny white teeth is simpler than you think. Read on to know how

Taking right care for your teeth is essential not only to keep them in good health but also to keep them bright and shiny. And there are only few simple do's and dont's that can give you a bright smile.

Don't:

• Avoid baking soda as much as you can. While it might be good for many things, it starts to remove the enamel from the teeth resulting in yellowness. 
• Avoid fruits and other foods that have dark color pigmentation. Food items like soy sauce, marinara sauce etc have dark pigmentation that can stain your teeth. 
• Avoid drinking those much marketed energy drinks. They are not as good as they tell you, especially for your teeth. The acids they contain have eroding effects which can remove the whitening from your teeth.

 

Do's:

• Keep your toothbrush updated. Replacing your toothbrush every three months is a good idea. Or any time you feel your brush looks worn-out, make sure you get a new one. Get a good quality toothbrush. 
• Keep your tongue clean. Cleaning your tongue is not only about having fresh breath, but also keeping away bacteria that can cause discoloration.

• Eating fruits is a good idea for retaining the whiteness of your teeth. It is said that eating fruits helps in cleaning the teeth and also keep them healthy. 
• Rinse your teeth every time after eating citrus fruits like lemon, oranges and limes as they contain acid that erodes enamel.

Beauty regime for brides-to-be

Your wedding day is just a few months away and all that you have been doing so far is the endless shopping and running around. 

Though you might have shopped for the best dress and perfect jewellery, if you are going to be stressed on your big day, then all the hard work that you have put in to look your best will go down the drain. With the pressure mounting on the brides-to-be to look gorgeous, don't forget to take care of your body amid all the chaos. We offer you some tips...

Choose the right facial and skin treatments: 

It is time to make those salon appointments as your wedding day is getting closer. Start treatments for your face at least three months before your big day. While there are plenty of skin treatments and facials to choose from, it is advisable to go with something that suits your skin. Get your skin analyzed by a senior beauty specialist and choose your bridal package accordingly.

Go for regular massages: 

You are bound to be stressed during the process of your wedding. So, it is important to go for regular massages and body spas. It not just rejuvenates your body, but also tightens your skin.

 

Hair spa and haircuts: 

Trim your hair regularly. In case you are thinking of getting a hair cut, you must do that at least three months before your wedding. Also, go for regular hair spas to keep your hair strong and healthy. If you have dry or oily hair, get a hair treatment customized by your hair specialist.

Get manicure/ pedicure: 

It is important to keep your nails clean after your engagement. Friends and relatives will keep asking you to flash your ring, and it might get embarrassing if you have a chipped nail. So, keep your nails sparkling and get manicure and pedicure done regularly.

Make appointments with your dentist: 

You have to flash that million dollar smile a million times on your wedding day. So, opt for teeth whitening treatment before your wedding day.

 

Go for a makeup trial: 

Your beautician might suggest you a makeup or hairdo off the look-book, but it is important to go for a makeup trial before the wedding. It might cost some bucks, but it is necessary to do so to avoid looking like a Christmas tree on your big day. Take your outfit, and spend some time finding out the hairdo and the look you want to sport on your wedding day.

Wear a scent that suits the occasion

Just like you have outfits for every occasion, wearing different fragrances according to the mood and event can also enhance your personality.

Here's looking at scents that suit various events:

At a summer soiree: 

During the hotter days, avoid heavier scents that can be overpowering, especially when they mix with body sweat. Go for invigorating fragrances like citrus.

At work: 

Less is more' should be the thumbrule when you apply perfume for work. Choose floral scents with fresh notes of mandarin or apricot.

 

For a date night: 

Want to seduce your partner? Experiment with oriental, musky scents or sensual florals with deep background notes to add an element of mystery around you.

At family gatherings: 

Choose an easy-to-wear scent that brings out a comfortable vibe, be it soft musks or a fragrance that has a touch of vanilla.

At formal parties: 

Formal work parties or ballroom events mean sophistication, elegance and glamour. Try out woody, musk scents like spices, green pepper and blend it with floral notes of jasmine, amber and mirth. 

 

Tips when buying and using a perfume:

• - Before buying, apply the perfume on your wrist to know the exact smell.
• - Don't smell the perfume immediately after trying it out. Wait for five minutes and let it settle on your skin.
• - If you are trying perfumes, limit yourself to three scents. In between, smell coffee beans to be able differentiate between scents.
• - Do not expose your perfume bottle to extreme temperature and sunlight.
• - According to experts, using shower gel, body lotions and body sprays of the same fragrance as your perfume will help it to last longer.
• - Use your perfume as a highlight on your pulse points.

Beauty tips to hide a hangover

 If you've gone all-night partying mid-week and have to report to work the next day, here are a few tips that will conceal all the signs of a hangover!

1. Since alcohol dehydrates the body, you need to keep drinking plenty of water to rehydrate yourself. Dehydration will cause your skin to look dry, so the first tip is to drink plenty of fluid, to get that glow back on your face.

2. Before you apply any make-up on, use a thick moisturiser on your face. This will pamper your skin and keep it healthy.

3. If you eyes have become puffy due to lack of sleep, apply cold teabags on it. You can also try cucumber pieces or wrap some ice in a cloth and use it on your eyes for ten to fifteen minutes. This will help reduce any swelling around the eyes and make you look fresher.

Get rid of tan naturally

Summers may mean lots of coolers and skimpy clothes but they also bring along with them a major tan, get rid of it to enjoy summers more

While some love a tan, for some others a tan just spells disaster and then starts the complex process of applying strange chemicals and doctor visits. Here are some home remedies that will take your tan off in a jiffy.

1. Lemon juice

While some suggest that you should not use lemon juice directly on face as it may ruin the delicate layer and dry it up, some others swear by its magical properties to make the darkest of tans disappear. It is however suggested that you dilute your lemon juice in a little water and then apply it on the face initially. Let it dry and wash it off with some cool water.

 

2. Tomato pulp

Tomatoes are great to eat during the summers but they also have tan removal properties that could put any facial cream to shame. Just apply the pulp of a tomato on the face and wash it off after 10-15 minutes. The effect isn't as instant as that of lemon, but its safer if you have very sensitive skin. Repeat this for a week.

3. Yogurt

A bowl of chilled yogurt and half a teaspoon of turmeric applied on the face will not only leave your skin dewy fresh but will also take that ugly tan off and even out the skin colour while providing it with moisture.

 

4. Potatoes

Raw potatoes rubbed onto the skin everyday will also help remove tan. Potato slices places over eyes also help remove dark circles and provide relief to tired eyes.

Can you do without shampoo?

A new beauty revolution called the No Shampoo Movement is being touted as the way to beat baldness and hair thinning. Want to give it a shot?

 

Do you know the secret to Adele's glamorous updo? She doesn't use shampoo. The singer washes her hair with plain water. Adele is part of the 'no shampoo' movement, which has followers ranging from Hollywood A-listers like Jessica Simpson and Robert Pattinson to Prince Harry. The followers of this movement (also called the 'no-poo movement'), consider it a safe way to prevent baldness and hair thinning. "The real reason for the early onset of baldness and thin hair is overshampooing. Over a long period, shampoos damage your hair drastically," says naturopath Dr Nirmala Shetty. "I hated my hair at first but started feeling the difference after the first two weeks," says wellness coach Leanna Cappucci. She uses apple cider and plain baking soda instead of a shampoo.

 

Washing your hair with a natural, homemade shampoo and conditioner may be a good idea at times. According to Dr Shetty, people of our grandparents' generation have a healthy mane in their old age because they mostly used natural ingredients to clean their hair. "Like green gram flour and boiled rice water, fresh hibiscus or shikakai paste — to keep their scalp and hair clean. Natural ingredients are easily absorbed by the body," says Dr Shetty. A lot of shampoos contain harmful chemicals, like methylisothiazolinone and diethanolamine, that can lead to health problems. Foaming agents like sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) are believed to cause irritation of the scalp for some. Says hair expert Shahnaz Husain, "Regular shampooing is counter-productive. It makes your hair dry and brittle and disrupts the acid-alkaline balance of the scalp, which often leads to dandruff." If you want to give your hair a natural wash at times, do read the box below.

 

HOMEMADE HAIR CLEANSER 

Add water to baking soda and bottle it. Use this just like shampoo. To make a natural conditioner, add 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar to a cup of water. If your hair feels dry, use less baking soda, or try using honey instead of vinegar.

Beauty mistakes you should avoid

Most women are prone to a few basic grooming mistakes. They either end up washing their hair every single day, or applying too much conditioner to make their hair softer and frizz-free. 

Some don't wash their hair and make-up brushes, and end up over-plucking their eyebrows. These mistakes might seem simple, but they are in fact serious enough to damage your skin and hair. Here are some points you need to keep in mind...

1. Keep all your brushes clean: 

It's one of those jobs you know you should do, but just can't be bothered about. If you fail to give your brushes a good clean-up, you are allowing bacteria to build up. Clean your brushes once a week.

2. You don't need to shampoo your hair daily: 

One belief is that by washing hair every day, you are keeping it squeaky clean and in top condition. You are wrong. Washing your locks so frequently means you strip them of their natural oils; this way, you are actually doing more harm than good.

 

3. Too much conditioner can be harmful: 

People apply conditioner all over their hair and scalp like shampoo. The hair at the roots is new and healthier, so concentrate on the tips.

4. Take care of your neck just like your face:

As part of your daily skin-care routine, do you cleanse and moisturise your neck? Don't stop at your chin. Make sure you carry on and take care of the thin, delicate skin on your neck. This area can be prone to sensitivity so it is really important to look after it.

5. Do your makeup patiently: 

When you apply a moisturiser on your skin before makeup, it needs time to dry, so give it a minute before you start applying your foundation. You cannot hurry along with some things, because patience can give you results like nothing else can. If you hurry, the creaminess of the moisturiser can cause the makeup to thin out. So, if you apply it too quickly, you'll get a streaky look.

 

6. Go easy with your correctors:

It's easy to apply spot creams as soon as you have a breakout, but don't. These creams work on your skin for hours, so make sure you always follow the instructions on the packet. Likewise, don't apply them thickly, your skin needs time to breathe.

7. Use a protector before styling hair:

There really is no excuse for not protecting your hair while using hairdryers and straighteners. Blasting your hair with heat without shielding it in some way will leave it dry, frizzy, hard and in poor condition.

 

8. Plucking eyebrows too close to the mirror: 

If you pluck eyebrows too close to the mirror, you find yourself looking at every hair rather than looking at the overall shape of your eyebrows. This can leave you with thin, uneven brows. Instead, use a large mirror and take a couple of steps back so that you can see your whole face, not just your eyebrows.