Ginger body scrub

Use this one in the morning as the essential oils are invigorating.

Sea Salt 1/4 Cup

Cornmeal 1/4 Cup

Olive Oil 1/3 Cup or another base oil.

Ginger 2 drops

Peppermint 4 drops

Rosemary 3 drops

Mix salt and cornmeal. Combine warmed oil and essential oils then mix with dry ingredients. Use in the shower or standing in the tub. Apply in circular motions, working from the extremities inward, working towards the center of the body and the heart. Rinse with warm water. Gently pat dry. Your skin will feel smoother and have a nice glow.

Home Remedies For Dandruff

1. White Household Vinegar: Before applying shampoo, give your wet hair a vinegar rinse. Let the vinegar sit on your scalp for a minute or two before washing away then proceed to shampoo as normal. Do this every time you wash your hair. You could also try this in reverse: After washing your hair as usual, do a vinegar rinse.
2. Listerine (Original): Mix two parts of water to 1 part of Listerine and pour into a spray or squirt bottle. Working with a wet head, spray the mixture all over your scalp really well so every inch of scalp is covered. Allow to sit for 30 minutes then wash off. Do this every other day for one week then repeat as necessary.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar: Mix 50/50 Apple Cider Vinegar with water and pour into a spray or squirt bottle. Thoroughly wet your hair with water, pat down excess water, then spray the apple cider vinegar mix all over your scalp. Allow to sit on your head for about 40 minutes, wash out, shampoo as normal.
4. Tea Tree Oil: Pour 1 TBS Tea Tree Oil with 1 cup of warm water in a spray or squirt bottle, shake until well mixed. After washing your hair (shampoo, conditioner), spray a generous amount of the tea tree oil & water mixture all over your scalp, massage your scalp and let sit for a couple minutes. Pat the excess water out but don’t wash your hair again or rinse out. You can make a big batch of this at once if you like (so you always have some handy when you shower), but use distilled water if you do this.
5. Rosemary Tea: Brew a pot of tea and steep for 24 hours with 3 or 4 sprigs of fresh Rosemary. Strain and pour into a squirt bottle and use as a hair rinse. *Dark hair only
6. Peppermint Tea: Same as the Rosemary Tea method but use a handful of fresh peppermint leaves instead of the Rosemary sprigs. *Dark hair only
7. Peppermint Cider Vinegar: Boil 1 cup of water then add to 1 cup of apple cider vinegar and a handful of fresh peppermint leaves. Steep for 2 hours, strain and pour into a squirt bottle. Apply to freshly washed hair, massage scalp, do not rinse out.
8. Aspirin: Finely crush 3 tablets of Aspirin then dissolve in a spray bottle of hot water, allow to cool. Apply to scalp (all over) then shampoo as normal. Shake the spray bottle before each use.
9. Lavender Vinegar: Use as a hair rinse, also adds shine. Dilute first and use 1 part vinegar to 8 part water ratio. Click the link to find recipes and info.
10. If you have bad dandruff and discover a successful treatment for your situation, make sure to keep all hair tools clean to help prevent a recurrence. Regularly soak combs and hair picks in a jar of Listerine or household vinegar and spray hair brushes with same.

Homemade Skincare III - Fragrant Bath

Acacia Bay Leaves

Cinnamon Cloves

Geranium Leaves Jasmine

Lavender Lemon Balm

Lemon Peel Myrtle

Patchoule Pennyroyal

Rose Petals Sandalwood Verbena

1. Place a large handful, or about 1/2 cupful, of herbs in a covered glass or enameled pot and add water to cover. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 to 20 minutes to extract all the wonderful beneficial essence of the herbs. Strain the material and pour the liquid into your tub, or use the liquid as a last rinse when you shower. Use the herbs as a scrub. If you are bathing, try to soak in the herbal extracts for at least

20 minutes.

2. Buy a metal or, preferably, an enameled or china infuser in a store that carries kitchen specialty items. Half fill it with herbs and pop it into your tub. Infusers usually have a chain with a hook that can be attached to the faucet so the water of the shower or tub can run through. This is by far the easiest way to take a bath or shower.

Homemade skincare -II

Skin Freshener/Soother

Add pulp-free aloe vera juice to water in a spray bottle and spritz arms, legs, back and face.

Skin Astringents

Option 1:

Lettuce leaves

Water

Boil green lettuce leaves for 10 minutes in enough water to cover. Let cool and strain.

Option 2:

Vodka

Strong chamomile or mint tea

Mix 1 part vodka with 9 parts strong chamomile or mint tea.

Option 3:

b (sic) cup pure water

2 tablespoons vodka

¾ cup borax

Combine ingredients in a blender until borax is dissolved.

Option 4:

¼ cup lemon juice

¼ cup lime juice

¼ cup pure water

c (sic) cup vodka

Blend ingredients. Strain to remove pulp.

Hairloss remedy

Are we talking about hair loss today? Then lets talk Bhringaraj oil. Btw this is our 50th post and we are grateful for your continued support.

What is Bhringaraj oil?
In Ayurveda, 'Bhringa' means hair and so bhringaraj oil is one, that treats the problems of hair loss. Bhringaraj is an ayurvedic medicine that is prepared from Kayyonni or false daisy plant, that has the botanical name Eclipta alba. Sesame oil base is also used to prepare bhringaraj oil.

Bhringaraj Oil benefits
The most important benefit of Bhringaraj is, that it helps in the prevention of hair loss. In case, the hair has lost its color prematurely, it will regain its original color after few months of treatment. It is to be noted that every individual has three different types of 'doshas'. For instance, Vatha (mix of air and space), Pitta (fire and water combination) and Kapha (water with some parts of Earth). These three doshas form the basis of Ayurveda and once you know the elements (air, water, space etc) that suits you, you will be able to get the required medications. Bhringaraj oil for hair growth is the best option for people having problem of baldness at a very young age. Some other bhringaraj oil benefits are, that it is an excellent oil for massaging the scalp and head. It relieves the mind from stress and facilitates better sleep. Bhringaraj is also used with coconut oil, sesame oil, herbs such as amla and shikakai as hair conditioners. Read more on hair care and hair care products.

Bhringaraj Herb Benefits
Besides bhringaraj oil benefits, bhringaraj herbs also have various benefits. In today's urban lifestyle, where eating habits of people have changed drastically, problems of liver are very common. Liver and kidney are the two prime organs responsible for elimination of wastes and purification of blood. Under functioning of either of these organs has adverse effects on other parts of the body. The digestive power (or what we call 'agni') of the digestive system is restored by bhringaraj oil and so, it facilitates digestion. Smoking, alcohol, betel leaves chewing, excess of tea-coffee, increase the pressure on liver and it tends to slow down in its functioning and secretion of bile juice, however, bhringaraj oil causes ample secretion of bile juice and thus, helps the liver in its functioning. In order to improve the tone of liver, spleen, stomach, fresh juices of bhringaraj leaves can be taken on an empty stomach for a few weeks.

Herbal Sleep Pouches

Looking for homemade gift ideas for christmas to go with your actual gift to give a personal touch. Herbal sleep pouches are the way to go.

Materials needed:

1/2 cup lavender buds
1/2 cup lemon balm leaves
1/4 cup flax seed

3×5 light fabric pouch (ie. muslin)

Directions:

• Mix all ingredients together.
• Sew a 3×5 rectangular pouch, leaving a small opening to insert the herb mixture.
• Fill the pouch with herbs, hand sew the opening shut. Don’t pack the pouch too tightly, you want the herbs to have room to move around and release their fragrances.

How To Use

• Insert the herbal pouch inside your pillowcase at night to help relax and fall asleep easier. To help the herbs last longer, store the pouch in a ziploc bag during the day and place in a drawer out of light, take out and insert in your pillowcase each night.

Homemade lip balms

My aunt makes homemade lip balms and she often gifts us with a few...we love it but are too lazy to make it.

There are just three ingredients: beeswax, jojoba oil and peppermint essential oil (or whatever EO you prefer). Simple to make, just melt together then pour into your containers.

hope you have fun...

Polki Jewellery

POLKI is a type of diamond (World's hardest substance). The ancient jewellers took idea of introducing Polki in the days when diamond cutting had just started. The Mughal dynasty was quite impressive of Polki. Its popularity took off and reached new heights making it much popular among the Americans and Asia-Pacific region. Polki is famous for its beauty and craftsmanship, shapes and cutting styles. Till date the Polki studded in Nizam's jewellery is considered the best world over.


Polki is most commonly known as PARAB among jewellers and is a most important part of Kundan, Meena Jadau jewellery. Polki s uncut diamond which is later worked upon for jewellery studding. Polki has a well established industrial base Mumbai, Surat, Navsari and Jaipur.

Fashion Tips I

• Take a good look at your favourite clothes-we all have our favourites and we know we look good in them! We save them for special occasions. Make notes on how they fit you. You can shop for similar styles.
• Then check the fitting-it is the most important aspect of every piece of clothing you have. Most of the times, if the outfit you are wearing doesn't look good, it's because it doesn't fit well, despite the perfect colour and fabric.
• 
  
• Dark tones create the impression of a long line. They give your outfit a sleek look.
• 
  
• If you have a soft spot for jackets, wear them at flattering lengths.
  
• 
  
• Short jackets should fall at mid hip. Long jackets reach the length your fingers do, when you stand upright.
• 
  
• For a slim effect, choose trousers without pockets. Pants that stretch slightly, add to your comfort.
• 
  
• To enhance a slight butt, wear a full top over narrow pants. That will give you a nicely rounded look.
• 
  
• Is your waist too short? Try camouflaging it by wearing a long top with a short skirt.
• 
  
• Are you long waisted? Try wearing a short top and long bottoms. That'll suit you!
• 
  
• A bright coloured shirt will draw away attention from narrow chests, just as wearing clinging tops will accentuate it.
• 
  
• Do you want to look dramatically slimmer? Wear only one colour from top to toe -you'll look much thinner!
• 
  
• Light prints on dark backgrounds also help you look slimmer.
• 
  
• Mix and match! Don't look for exact matches. Subtle deviations look
  
• very inspired.
• 
  
• Tall people can carry off large prints. If you lack inches, stick to the smaller prints.
• 
  
• Do you yearn for a swan like neck? Try wearing a slim v-neck.
• 
  
• Ensure your panty lines don't show. No matter how well your clothes fit or how exclusive your underclothes may be, visible pantylines show a lack of class and do not create a good impression.
• 
  
• Bright colours draw attention. Make sure you only wear them on your flattering body parts. Unless you have a flat stomach, don't wear a bright colour across your tummy.
• 
  
• Stilettos are back and in spite of not being the most comfortable of shoes - they give your legs a terrific look!

Latest sarees in the market

Posting some of the new sarees that have come in the market now.

How to Apply Makeup to Achieve a Natural Look

Things You'll Need:

• Blush
• Blush Brush
• Eye Shadow
• Eyeliners
• Face Powder
  
• Foundation
• Lip Gloss
• Lipstick
• Makeup Brushes
• Mascara
• Foundation
• Lipstick

Instructions

1. Understand that a 'natural' look is one that uses colors that are right for your skin tone. How much you use, and where, depends on your personal style.

2. Make sure your concealer is yellow in tone since it mutes imperfections without adding color, giving your skin a natural look.

3. Apply foundation that matches your skin tone. The right foundation will seem to disappear on your face. If you are African-American, it's a good idea to have light, medium and dark shades of your foundation to allow for different gradations of color on different parts of your face.

4. Apply eye makeup in earthy tones'beige, brown, gold or plum for shadows and brown and charcoal gray for liner and mascara. Skip liner or shadow entirely if you want to keep makeup light.

5. Choose a blush color that is close to the color of your cheeks after you've exercised.

Home Facial in just half an hour - Homemade Facial

How many times should one do the Facial?

• The number of times a home facial should be done depends upon your age and the nature of skin. For those who are in the age-group of fourteen to twenty-five and who have normal skin or at least do not have a very dry skin, doing facial once a month is sufficient but for those who have dry or dull skin facial twice a month is necessary. For those who are older, facial once a week is a must so that age does not show on the face.

  Given below is the method to do a half-hour home facial

  • Tie your hair tightly towards backside.
  • Clean the face with a cleanser so that the makeup and the dust particles, if any, are removed. Use tissue-paper or soap and water to clean your face. It is necessary to clean your neck also along with face.
  • Use cotton wool to apply freshner on the face and neck so that the last traces of cleanser are removed.
  • Put moisturizer in dots (bindis) on your temples, cheeks and chin and then let the skin absorb it.
  • Now wash the face with clean warm water.
  • Make homemade face pack according to the nature of your skin, and apply it on your face and throat, leaving the area around the eyes. Soak the cotton wool in rose water and place it on your eyes. You can use unboiled milk or alcohol free freshner also, instead of rose water.
  • Now lie down and allow the face-pack to dry for about twenty minutes.
  • Remove all the remains of face-pack. Dry your face and neck by patting with a soft towel and apply

Tips for Proper caring of Gold Ornaments

Gold is a soft metal. Contact with hard surfaces can scratch it and reduce it’s luster.

Store gold jewellery, wrapped in a soft cloth, and ensure it does not get tangled.

Keep your gold away from dust, make-up, perspiration and moisture. Wash hands after applying make-up, before you wear gold jewellery.

If you bathe without removing your gold jewellery, soap and water may form a thin film on it, making it look dull and drab.
Remove gold jewellery before you swim. The chlorine in the water can harm gold jewellery.
Cleaning solution, especially recommended for cleaning jewellery, is the best way to keep your jewellery clean.

Gold jewellery can also be rinsed in a mild detergent diluted in warm water. After cleaning, it should be dried and polished with a soft cloth.

A soft bristled brush can also be used to clean intricately crafted jewellery pieces.

Periodically look for loose clasps or links and get a reputed jeweller to set things right, before you lose the piece.

Store gold jewellery in small, individual pouches or boxes. If you are storing more than one piece together, make sure each piece is individually wrapped in tissue paper.

Get your jewellery professionally cleaned once a year

Some of Antique Desgin jewelllery

Hi all , we are posting some of antique jewellery sets photos for your viewing , hope it gives those of you who are planning to buy such antique jewelleries, some idea .

Home remedies for hair fall

As humidity touches level Zenith, our hair is the first to drop. And our comb keeps ending up in clusters of hair and the entire process becomes heart. Well here are some home remedies to take care of your hair, which we have collected over the years and some of which has been tried out by us and tell u it really works , if done regularly.

• Add the 6-8 drops of lemon juice to an egg. Beat well and apply on your hair followed by washing with a herbal shampoo/shikakai powder made at home.
• Use a mild herbal shampoo and condition your hair at least twice a week. Make sure to rinse out the conditioner thoroughly.
• Amla shikakai powder mixed with curd is a good conditioner and can be made use of.
• Massaging with olive oil once a week reduces hair fall and makes them soft and silky.
• Mix curd ,lemon and mustard oil apply gently on hair and wash your head after about 1/2 hour.
• The oil from the amla , prepared by boiling dried pieces amla in coconut oil, is a hair tonic for enriching hair growth and prevent it's loss.
• Soak 2-3 tbsps of fenugreek in water overnight and the next day make it in a blender to make a paste and apply it on the scalp for 1/2 an hour and rinse thoroughly.

5 Homemade Foot Soak Ideas

Who doesn’t enjoy a nice, soothing foot soak? Ahhhhhh…A foot soak and a massage are two things we are crazy about but hardly have the time...

Recipe Directions:

Unless otherwise noted, mix together all ingredients thoroughly then store in an airtight container.

• Use 2 to 3 tablespoons per gallon of water used in soak.

Water temperature is at personal preference, but I find the hottest water my feet will comfortably tolerate gives the most relief and comfort.

Recipe #1

1 part Epsom salts
1 part Baking soda
drops of choice essential oils (optional)

Chamomile Tea Foot Soak – Recipe #2

4 bags chamomile tea
1/8 cup dried parsley
4 drops essential oil of choice

• Steep ingredients in 1 gallon of hot water for 10 minutes before soaking feet.

Recipe #3

2 cups Kosher salt
1 cup Epsom salts
drops essential oil of choice (optional)

Recipe #4

1 1/4 cups Epsom salts
1 1/4 cups Kosher salt
1/4 cup baking soda
1/4 cup cornstarch

Recipe #5

1 cup lemon juice
3 TBS olive oil
1/4 cup milk

• Mix together well in a small bowl then add to 1 gallon of water and soak feet

Tips:

Single Ingredient Ideas:

• 1 cup honey per gallon of water
• 1/2 cup Epsom salts per gallon of water
• 2 cups brewed coffee per gallon of water

Essential Oil Ideas: peppermint, lavender, lemon, orange, eucalyptus, mint

You can also add marbles to the bottom of the basin to rub your feet over while soaking, quite soothing!

When your garden is in full bloom, add as many flower petals as you like to your favorite recipe for a special, pampered experience.

21 days to brighter skin

This 21 day tutorial is given by CLINIQUE. The steps are online and pretty simple. Follow them and hats off to a brighter and smoother skin.

These tutorial are free...get a look at them at BRIGHTER SKIN.