Luxe vs. Less Skin Care

Find out what products to splurge on and when to save your hard-earned dollars

You don't have to spend half your paycheck on skincare products to stay wrinkle and pimple-free. That said, slathering household condiments on your face to avoid paying for the good stuff isn't a smart idea either. We'll show you which bargain products really work and when you should kick in some extra cash. See products

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How to Avoid Makeup Meltdown

Pro tips on keeping a fresh face - all day long

Making makeup last all day doesn't have to be a high-maintenance hassle. Follow these tips from pro makeup artists Charlie Green and Molly Stern and your look, whether natural or dramatic, won't melt away before you finish showing it off. See tips

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Fake Weight Loss with Makeup and Hairstyles

Who needs Weight Watchers or The South Beach Diet with slimming beauty tips like these around?

Diets ... boot camp ... pff. We say live healthy and embrace your curves. But should you feel your body image waning, perk up your confidence with slimming makeup and hair tips used by the pros on celebrities of all shapes and sizes. See tips

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Backstage Beauty Tips

Learn the 26 tricks we picked up from top hair, makeup and nail pros

We asked hair, makeup and nail artists backstage at Fashion Week for their best kept secrets. Read on to find tips that will help add a little runway glamour to your signature style. See tips

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Nyle Herbal Shampoo with Shikakai and Apricot extracts:Review

I’m not too fond of store-bought shampoos, not even the herbal ones. By and large, I prefer washing my hair with homemade herbal shampoos; preferably the ones with Amla , Shikakai and Reetha powder -- these have helped me a great deal in keeping my hair healthy and also in preventing hair-loss. And oh! How can I forget those wonderful homemade after shampoo hair rinses? Especially the decoction that you get after boiling fruit pieces of amla (gooseberry) works out to be a great hair rinse. So never forget to use after shampoo hair rinses after washing your hair – they impart bounce and shine to your hair. You might try some of these conditioners also.Still, when I do run out of these dry shampoo powders I go and purchase one of those herbal or chemical shampoos, I happened to try Pantene Sleek and Shine Shampoo with conditioner a few days ago and it wasn’t bad.

Nyle Herbal Nourishing Shine Shampoo.
(with Shikakai and Apricot extracts)

Recently while browsing through a shopping mall, a quaint little bottle caught my attention. It was a pale orange, colored shampoo bottle; the name read ‘Nyle Herbal Nourishing Shine Shampoo’. I picked it up and casually went through the details. It read: “New Nyle Herbal Shine Shampoo is enriched with extracts of natural ingredients like Amla, Shikakai and Apricot, which nourish your hair and make it extremely soft and shiny. Go on; indulge in its smooth texture, rich lather and natural fragrance.” I purchased it and have been using it for past few months. It does clean my oily hair really well and am not losing hair excessively these days. It does tend to make it a bit dry afterwards; most shampoos do (could be due to the presence of SLES, that works up a rich, foamy lather in a product) if I forget to use an after shampoo rinse. Overall I think it’s not a bad product.

There are 2 other variants of Nyle Herbal Shampoo. One has extracts of reetha and chamomile, while the other has Aloevera Tulsi (Basil) & Green tea. I haven’t tried these, but if any of you have, do share your experiences with these shampoos in the comments below.

See also:

• Remedy for dull, limp hair
• A quick tip to make thin, lifeless hair look full-bodied

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Fiama Di Wills Shower Gels

You might have tried an array of body washes and shower gels to make your bathing experience more enriching and wonderful and it is quite likely that your quest for acquiring the best of the products has resulted in burning a huge hole in your pocket. Now look no further. There’s a shower gel that is decently priced (Costs Rs 90 (less than $2) for 200 ml) and at the same time converts your rushed two-minute morning shower into a rejuvenating experience. Try one of these 3 variants of Fiama Di Wills Shower Gels.

Fiama Di Wills Shower Gels.
(Mild Dew, Clear Springs and Exotic dream)

Mild Dew is a bright orange gel with peach and acocado extracts for soft mosturized skin.

Clear Springs is parrot green in colour and has jojoba beads, seaweed and lemongrass extracts for clear, healthy skin.

Exotic dream is purple with glitter beads, bearberry leaves and black currant extract for stimulating freshness.

So go ahead and spend more time in the shower! I have recently tried Fiama di Wills Clear Springs Shower gel and it rocks!

See also:

• Dove Gentle Exfoliating Body Wash: Review
• Lux silk nourishment body wash: Review

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Fennel seed and thyme cleanser

Fennel is a popular ingredient that is used in the Indian kitchen. Also used as mouth freshener after meals and as an aid to digestion, fennel seeds are a mild diuretic as well. Read about the medicinal uses and home-remedies using fragrant fennel from here. As an infusion, fennel seeds can be gently cleansing and toning for the skin, and they can help reduce puffiness and superficial irritation. Thyme is also a wonderful herb that has antiseptic properties and is a main active ingredient that is used in Listerine mouthwash. Before the advent of modern antibiotics, it was also used to medicate bandages. It has also been shown to be effective against the fungus that commonly infects toenails. As for its cosmetic uses, it is a good astringent, An essential oil of common thyme is made up of 20-55% thymol. So a cleanser with these two ingredients would be great for the skin.

Ingredients:
2 sprigs of fresh thyme or 4-5 tsp of powdered thyme
2 teaspoons crushed fennel seeds
3/4 cup of water
Juice of half a lemon

Method:
Put thyme and crushed fennel seeds in a bowl. Boil water and pour it in this bowl. Now add lemon juice and steep for 15 minutes. Strain the infusion and store the liquid in a jar, in the refrigerator. This is a gentle cleanser that’s perfect for normal skin and can be used regularly. Dab it on your face and neck with a cotton ball, and rinse.

(Guest post by RJ)

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One Readers Weight-Loss Pep Talk

Why losing weight is so hard and gaining weight is so easy

You just went away for the weekend and you came back to find that you gained five pounds over the course of three days. In your disbelief, you quickly curse the Weight Gods for being so cruel. Sound familiar? This was me last weekend. This inspired me to discuss the seemingly unbalanced equation of weight gain vs. weight loss, the facts that surround the issue and how losing the five pounds feels so much harder than gaining them: Read more

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Michelle Obama's Beauty Secrets

From her volume-packed bob hairstyles to her radiant skin, photos and tips on recreating the first lady's looks

Read these pro tips on how to make her best looks, from her inauguration 'do to her pre-campaign glow, work for you. See Michelle Obama

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