Beautician Shahnaz Husain offers tips and answers queries. Send your queries to askshahnaz@gmail.com
I have hair on the area above my upper lip. Will threading help? Will applying a paste of sugar and lime juice reduce the growth?— Aswathy
Yes, threading is normally done for hair removal on the area above the upper lip. You can also ask at a beauty salon about using waxing strips for removing facial hair. Waxing is said to gradually lessen hair growth. Home remedies do not work. They are said to lessen the growth if used regularly over a period of time. Try any of the following remedies for reducing the growth. Make a thick paste of sugar, lemon juice and water and apply it in the direction of the growth. Wash it off after it dries. Apply it once or twice a week. Apply a paste of turmeric powder and milk, and rub it on the skin with a circular motion. It is said to discourage facial hair, but may leave the skin looking slightly yellowish in colour.
In the morning, my face looks fresh, but later, it becomes dull and dark. — Esaida
You may be having oily skin. It tends to attract dirt and pollutants and look dull and dark. You should carry cleansing pads or wet tissues. Cleanse your face with them during the day. A rose-based skin tonic will make your skin glow. Mix multani mitti with rosewater and lemon juice into a paste and apply it on your face. Wash it off after it dries. If your skin is not so oily, add a little curd to this pack and wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes.
I wash my hair twice a week. It becomes dull and dry if I don't apply oil once in two days. Is there an alternative to oil?— Amrutha
After a shampoo wash, lightly massage your hair with just a little creamy conditioner. Leave it on for two minutes and then rinse it off. Or, apply a leave-in conditioner or hair serum. Apply it the same way, but do not rinse it off. Another option is to mix some water with a creamy hair conditioner and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on your hair. Then comb your hair, so that the mixture spreads right through. Use very little conditioner. Apply it only on the hair and not on the scalp.
Perspiration has made my neck and underarms dark. What should I do to lighten the colour of my skin?— Sushma
Wipe these areas with wet tissue to remove sweat. Mix rosewater with an astringent lotion in equal quantities and apply it on the affected areas several times a day. Massage your skin daily with mustard oil. Mix gram flour, curd, lemon juice and a little turmeric and apply it at least three times a week on the affected areas. Wash it off after half-an-hour. Ayurveda offers dietary suggestions, which you could try. Sip some lemon juice. Sip ginger tea before and after your meals. Chop fresh ginger root finely and mix it with a pinch of salt. Chew a little of it before your meal. Sipping warm water with your meal may also help. A light diet with less spices is advised. Eat smaller meals.
My upper lip is darker than the lower one. Suggest a remedy. — Sandhya
Add a few drops of lemon juice to cream of milk and apply it on the dark lip during the day. Leave it on for an hour. Apply pure almond oil daily on the lips at night, leaving it on overnight. You can also look for a lip balm with sunscreen. Meanwhile, to make both the lips appear the same colour, apply brown lipstick on the light-coloured lip and then apply the colour of your choice on both lips.
I have very small eyes. How can I make them look bigger? Will kajal help?— Arputha
If you have small eyes, try the following tips to give the illusion of larger eyes. When plucking your eyebrows, leave the inner part of your brow thicker. This will create an arch that frames the eye. Use eye shadow that's slightly off-white on the inner part of the upper eyelid and add a pure white shadow in the area below to create a lighter effect. Pay attention to the lash line so that the eye is defined. Apply eye pencil or kaajal close to the lash line on the upper lid. Touch the pencil gently all along the lower lashes and smudge it carefully with a swab to enlarge the eye area. When applying mascara, pay attention to the lashes at the outer corner.
