Ask Shahnaz

May 20, 2012 10:14 am | Updated July 11, 2016 07:11 pm IST

Beautician Shahnaz Husain offers tips and answers queries. Send your queries to askshahnaz@gmail.com

Suggest a cure for Rosacea.Renu

You may be referring to a condition known as Acne Rosacea. The eruptions may look like acne, but are not acne. Rosacea usually occurs in adults in the age group 30 to 50 and generally affects the lower half of the face, from the nose downwards. Unlike acne, there are no blackheads. The skin looks flushed and there are eruptions. Sun-exposure, weather changes, very hot or very cold drinks, spicy food, etc., are known to aggravate rosacea. Consult a dermatologist for treatment. Apply a sunscreen before going out in the sun.

I have dry and dark feet.Yasodha

Rub lemon halves daily on your feet. Wash it off and then massage your feet with sesame seed oil. After a bath, apply a cream immediately on your feet, while the skin is still damp. Make a paste of gram flour, curd, lemon juice and a little turmeric. Apply the paste on these areas at least three times a week. Wash it off after half an hour. You can also apply a cream containing lemon and turmeric daily.

My nails get chipped and break easily.Ramya

Wear rubber gloves while doing washing chores. Massage cream on your hands and nails daily, especially after using detergents or soaps. Put cream on each nail and massage the nail and the skin surrounding it, using circular strokes with your thumb. Daily massage is more important during the dry season to prevent brittleness and to ensure healthy nails. For brittle nails, ensure your diet has adequate protein and calcium. Consume more of skimmed milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, fish and sprouts. Dissolve one teaspoon of gelatine in a little boiling water. Cool the water and add it to fruit juice. Drink this daily for ten days.

I have stretch marks on my shoulders and waist. My weight is correct for my age.Sanjana

To reduce weight, consult a doctor for a diet chart and exercise schedule and find out if your weight is all right for your age and height. You can also learn yoga and practise it daily. Stretch marks normally fade with time, but never do so totally because they form due to loss of skin elasticity. Massage your skin daily with olive oil before a bath. Mix besan with curd and a pinch of turmeric into a paste and apply it on the affected areas three times a week. Wash it off after half an hour.

I have dark circles around my eyes.Vijaya

Dark circles around the eyes are caused due to hereditary factors, nutritional deficiencies, stress, inadequate sleep, sun-sensitivity, etc. So, along with external care, you should check these aspects. As a home remedy, apply pure almond oil sparingly around the eyes, massaging the skin lightly, using only the ring finger, for one minute under each eye, daily. Massage in one direction only. Leave the oil on for 15 minutes before gently wiping it off with moist cotton wool. You can also mix cucumber juice and potato juice in equal quantities. Apply this under the eyes daily, leaving it on for 20 minutes before washing it off.

My hair is dry and frizzy. I apply egg white and olive oil but it doesn’t help.Soumya

Egg white is suitable for oily hair. You can apply egg yolk 20 minutes before shampooing your hair. Use very little shampoo when you wash your hair. After a shampoo wash, massage your hair lightly with a creamy conditioner. Leave it on for two minutes before rinsing it off. Or, 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 it spreads right through. Have a deep conditioning treatment once a week, before a shampoo wash. Mix together one egg, one tablespoon of castor oil, the juice of a lemon and one teaspoon of pure glycerine. Apply it on your hair and wear a plastic shower cap. Keep it on for an hour before washing your hair.

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