Swathy

My Hair Diaries – May 2012

Swathy · June 7, 2012 · 18 Comments

that’s without flash in normal tube light at night

Products Used

I have already talked about my hair treatment. And, I have since then received many queries regarding how well did it go and if its worth the expense. To answer that question, I need opinions of people I can rely on and I don’t generally discuss such things with anyone else so you guys will have to wait till I go to Delhi next week 🙂 I shall publish the results ASAP.

My Opinions on the Treatment

I think I can definitely see some improvement. And, I have not even used the treatment as I was supposed to (oiling and washing hair on alternate days). That’s way too much work. But, I shall confirm about the results in detail only after next week.

Now, there are some cons which I would better specify in case you decide to go for the treatment.

The oil has something sticky in it. If I keep the oil overnight, my clothes and the pillow get stained badly and they get really sticky which doesn’t ever happen with any other oil. My mom said that it might have gond or edible gum resin in it. That makes it impossible for me to keep the oil more than 2-3 hours in my hair. Well, in a sense, its good as well but it, like, takes me around an hour for application of oil according to the instructions I shared here. So, it feels pretty bad to wash off the entire oil within another hour 🙁 But, otherwise, keeping the oil overnight in this heat is not exactly feasible enough either so its fine!!!

Btw, I did check up on edible gum resin and found out that it is healthy for hair growth and also adds body to the hair.

The vinegar used in the ginger tonic is probably not that great an idea coz they ask you to apply half a cup of oil and then follow it with ginger tonic but I don’t apply that much of oil so the vinegar can dry out the scalp as well. But, again, vinegar is amazing for dandruff so probably not that bad an idea if you strictly don’t keep it above half hour.

I like the shampoo and conditioner. They both are chemicals free and the weird thing is that I have a hunch that probably the shampoo has gelatin in it. Because, I dilute my shampoos with water (its become a habit now) and whenever excess of shampoo is left, I leave it in the container only and in some hours, I find that shampoo dries off completely, somewhat like a gel or powdery. It smells nice as well.

The conditioner is amazing. It is not heavy and spreads easily on my hair and doesn’t have any smell in particular but I would definitely like to know what it is made up of. I think it does have some hibiscus as it does lather a bit just like hibiscus lathers. But, I am in no way saying that my hunches are correct.

The hair mask is good but since, its made up of grains, its a pain to wash off if it dries off completely.

The only issue I have with the whole product range thing is that they do not have entire hair mask (the above hair mask is only for scalp). Because, it is very important to have a deep conditioning treatment for hair even if one does oil the hair very regularly. That’s why, I am thinking of going for Biotique musk root again as it is entirely herbal and suited me perfectly.

I shall be continuing this treatment till I am back from Delhi and then, I shall start on the part two of the treatment which I had discussed here. I shall follow the same routine with the normal hair products and see if they give me the same results. I guess I might keep the shampoo same as I don’t have any other shampoo in my target (organic surge is pretty expensive otherwise I do have it in my list, lets hope I get it soon). And, instead of the ginger hair tonic, I shall be using my DIY Aloevera Gel I had shared little while back.

My Hair Texture

Leaving all the above pros and cons, I would like to say that my hair texture has improved a lot!! As you can see in the pics, my hair is amazingly soft and shiny. But, yes, my hair does get weighed down in a day which is pretty bad. But, I guess, I do use more conditioner. And, I am not even using any leave-in right now since the time I started the treatment and my hair doesn’t get dry or rough any time. So, overall, I am happy with the treatment 🙂 But, again, I would reiterate that whether its worth the cost or not, I shall confirm only after next week.

Foods to eat and avoid during weight loss regime {Health}

Swathy · June 6, 2012 · 20 Comments

I had posted about my weight loss resolution a while back. Not that its really working out great but I thought I would do a post on what foods to avoid during weight loss regimes.

Substitute Brown Rice for White Rice

Brown Rice has amazing amount of fiber and nutrition as compared to white rice. You can read about the comparison here. Also, it has amazing amount of health benefits as well. More fiber is equal to increased metabolism of the body and higher rate of fat burning. And, fiber keeps a person full for longer and control the cravings. I have noticed that whenever I eat white rice I always put on weight which doesn’t happen when I eat brown rice.

Avoid Potatoes

Potatoes are one of the most dangerous foods when on a weight loss regime. I love potatoes to the core and can’t ever avoid them in any form, be it sandwiches or parathas or golgappas 😀 My mouth is already watering!!! So, try to avoid the huge potatoes and if you have to eat the potatoes, go for the baby potatoes as they are more nutritious and have less starch as compared to the bigger ones. Oh, I forgot to tell you that you can always have baked potatoes.

No Carbohydrates after 6:00 PM

This is one of the most important things to remember. Eating sugar or any carbohydrates after 6 is bound to increase your fat. Because, the carbohydrates and sugar get accumulated and do not get metabolised by the body in the evenings properly. So, say no to pastries and cheese and rice and all the yummy things after 6!!! For dinner, concentrate only on more of the fiber intake so that the digestion is faster and easier.

Would you like to add anything to the list?

How do I use a toner? {Skin Care}

Swathy · June 4, 2012 · 92 Comments

Toner is a product which has been under constant attack by everyone saying it is a useless step and doesn’t really do anything for skin. But, you might have checked out my many DIY toners. So, yes, I do use a toner on and off and since face mists have hit the market, they have been favorites with every gal. So, I wanted to share a tip today. Using a toner regular can improve the hydration levels of the skin. And, for that, you need not go any far.

What toner do I use?

A simple rose water is enough to do the job. Or, green tea as well. I had also prepared a toner with essential oils which I had shared here. Frankly, I have used only one commercially available spritzer otherwise all my toners are DIY’s. They are inexpensive and also I can play with them as I want.

How do I use the toner?

I store my toners in spray bottles and try to use them both morning and night but generally, I miss them in the mornings!!! I collect the toner in my palm by spraying 5-8 pumps and rub the palms and apply the toner on my face and neck. No, generally, I don’t spill the product.

Results

Whenever I apply the toner on my face and then, follow immediately with facial oils, I have always noticed that the products get absorbed super fast and also leave a very dewy look. Also, the amount of moisturizer / oil required is less comparatively to when skin is not dewy. And, if you use green tea as a toner, it also helps with breakouts and acne!!

My skin is more hydrated and supple and if I miss toner 2-3 days continuously in a row, my skin goes dull again 🙁 So, I am working on making ‘applying toner’ a very religious affair. Do give this tip a try and lemme know how it goes for you 🙂