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5 Veggies that help with Acne {Five Series}

Swathy · September 17, 2014 · 3 Comments

So, I was checking through my drafts and I came across this post which I had written long back and just left it as it is. So, let me recount some of the rarely heard home remedies which have great affect on the bacteria which result in acne.

Cabbage

It is rich in Vitamin K and Vitamin C, both of which help in getting a glowing and radiant skin and they also fight hyper-pigmentation. Grate a piece of cabbage and extract its juice. Apply it topically, let it dry and wash off. And, it also helps flushing out the toxins when taken internally.

Radish

Radish is rich in ascorbic acid, which is one form of Vitamin C, and potassium, whose deficiency can cause acne and Vitamin A and K. It helps fight the inflammation in the skin.

Onion

Rich in Vitamin C. And,

Onions contain phytochemical compounds such as phenolics and flavonoids that basic research shows to have potential anti-inflammatory, anti-cholesterol, anticancer and antioxidant properties [Source].

Cucumber

Rich in Vitamin A, C, E and K and potassium. And, helps soothe the skin. It is an astringent which helps open the skin pores and clean them.

Beetroot

Rich in Vitamin A, potassium, magnesium and Vitamin E which helps heal the scars on the skin. It helps clearing the skin from the inside and flushes out the toxins and also helps lower cholesterol.

Which other veggies would you add to the list?

5 Beauty mistakes you might be making too {Five Series}

Swathy · September 16, 2014 · 1 Comment

Whenever my hand used to slide to pick the skin on my chin, I used to get a smack from my mom! And, it has now so ingrained in my subconscious that whenever I pick my skin, I expect my mom to smack my hand 😀 Obviously because she used to complain it was ruining my skin. In fact, I have done far worse to my skin and hair. Check out my beauty mistakes so that you can stop making them, if you are!

Picking my Hair

This was way back 10 years ago. I used to have a horrible hair and loads of split ends and I used to think if I peel off one of the ends, my hair will be alright again! Well, then, I did not have the extensive hair care knowledge I have today 😐

But, it is one of the worst ways you can damage your hair. Remedy is to trim the hair as soon as you spot one split in your hair. Splits tend to travel up the hair length and cause hair thinning.

Picking the Skin

I have a bit of facial hair and I did get threading done for it but believe me when I say, it was so damn painful, especially on the side burns. I started the threading just a few months before my wedding and stopped after a few months.

The remedy is to get rid of the facial hair, of course. But, that is something very difficult to achieve. So, the other and more practical remedy is to stop picking the skin, whether it is facial hair or a pimple.

Even P (hubs) has a bad habit of picking his pimples and his skin has developed sort of small craters at places so beware of this habit! And, picking the skin to get rid of blackheads or facial hair leads to blood clots which appear as dark marks on the skin.

How often have you applied your cuticle oil on the nails on your feet?

Well, I would say probably that poor feet nails are the most ignored part (except during the pedicure sessions) coz even though we apply and moisturise our heels and feet when we are going to sleep but actually massaging and spot treating the feet nails is something which we do not do often!

So, the next time, you sit and moisturise your feet, grab the cuticle oil and apply a lot on your feet nails also. And, remove that old nail polish. Do not be lazy because it an cause your nails to discolour and become yellow.

Washing the Hands all too Often

It should be named mano-phobia after its latin term. It is already called mysophobia after the compulsion to wash hands because of fear of germs or contamination. But, that is not the only reason why people repeatedly wash their hands. It can just be a cleaning compulsion.

So, I love doing it even if I have touched a dirty napkin or I have removed a plate of my own from the bed to the table or any small thing. And, then, there are big things like washing utensils and washing hands after the cleaning work or during the laundry. All the strong chemicals dry out the hands just like anything and only moisturising them is not really sufficient.

And, not applying sunscreen willfully

Granted that it is one of the most irritating chores on Earth, it is no reason to ditch it altogether. And, I can say that because I am a culprit of this. I hate applying sunscreen. But, I can readily see the disadvantages because of it. My forehead is completely covered with small rashes! Huh. So, dig that sunscreen in your cupboard and use it before you would have to throw it away!!

These are my top beauty mistakes I am still making in my life. What are yours? Do share them below!

Books 2014 Vol. 7 – “Keep the Change” by Nirupama Subramaniam [Weekend Post]

Swathy · September 13, 2014 · Leave a Comment

Well, as I mentioned while reviewing If it’s not forever, It’s not Love that I am not a major fan of Indian fiction, especially the romance genre. But, when I was browsing through the catalog of Just Books online, I came across this book and picked it up based on the hunch that its cover illustration is interesting.

Needless to say, I found nothing in the book which could justify the title!! It is a typical story of a South Indian Tam Brahm, on the verge of being over-aged for marriage, breaks through her boring life in Chennai and moves to Mumbai for a corporate experience and new life.

Sometimes I think Jimmy is totally detached from our work and doing timepass. I like this new word – timepass, like eating peanuts on the train, chumma. Amma will be shocked to know that chumma does not mean timepass in Mumbai but kissing, as I discovered a few days ago, much to my embarrassment and Jimmy’s amusement. – From the Book

The Plot

Damyanthi is 26 and is despair of her parents. She refuses to marry any of the guys brought forward by her well-meaning relatives and for good reason, to be fair to her. She wants a man who does not have oil slick hair and dreams of a life far away from Chennai where she could do all the forbidden things. She wants to live her life on her own terms and not dictated by the rules of the society.

And, finally, her dreams come true when she is recruited by First Global and shifts to Mumbai in face of much reluctance. There she comes across Jimmy (her colleague and best friend), Sonya (her hot flatmate), CG and finally, Rahul. She meets Rahul on her training program in Goa. He is everything she had ever wanted in her man. But, was he THE one?

My Verdict
It is one of the lighter reads which you can carry for a train journey. It will leave you with a happy smile though I have to say it will do you good to skip a few pages, here and there. The story breezes through and it is more or less like talking to one of our friends or neighbors and hearing their story. The regular Indian story. Try it out if you are a fan of Indian authors Book Club.

Have you read the book? What do you think about it? Do you want to read the book? Any other Indian author book you think is good enough?