Taking Care of Your Skin – Cleansing, Moisturizing and Toning: The sun, cold, rain, heat, wind and water are all natural phenomena which can have an adverse effect on the skin. The condition of the skin varies with the weather. During winter, it tends to become dry and needs proper care. In summer, the skin generally becomes oily. Hence, skin care should be adapted to the change in climate. The following summary should help:
Summer Care:
• Wash the face with soap atleast twice a day.
• Cleanse the skin thoroughly before going to bed at night.
• Apply astringent lotion on an excessive oily skin.
• Wash the face and bathe with cold water.
• Perform a home facial once a week.
Winter Care:
• Avoid using soap as far as possible.
• Clean the face before going to bed and remove the accumulated dirt and cosmetic contents on the skin.
• Wash the face once a day using tepid water.
• Perform a home facial once a fortnight.
• Apply a rich cream and moisturizer at night and also when going out in cold and dry weather.
• If the skin is excessively dry, apply a bituminized face cream at night.
Monsoon Care:
• A three-step skin care programme cleansing, toning and moisturizing should be made part of your daily routine.
• Do not forget that an oily skin needs a moisturizer too. Lack of moisture enhances the tell-tale lines, giving an impression of older age.
• Moisturize the area around the eyes daily at night. Wipe off the excess cream after 30 minutes. This will ensure that your eyes are not puffy the next morning.
• Steam the face atleast once a week if the skin is blemished.
Skin Cleansing: Cleansing is the first step in caring for your skin. Perspiration, grease, dust, stale makeup, dirt and bacteria all collect on the skin and must be removed completely, preferably at night before retiring to bed. As an artist prepares an canvas, a woman must prepare her skin for good make-up. The first step in make-up is cleansing. Soap and water remove most of the impurities but it does not remove make-up completely, hence cleansing is required. Cleansing should be done with cleansing cream, milk, lotion or just plain cold cream. The cleanser must be massaged into the skin with a light upward and outward movement, paying particular attention to the creases of the nose, under chin area, neck and ear lobes. Use cotton wool for cleaning the face. The heavier the make-up you have been wearing, the more time you will need to cleanse your skin. If the skin is too greasy or blemished, you may follow your cleansing by washing with soap and clean water. Cleansing cream is also useful for removing stale make-up which has a waxy base, which cannot. Cleansing creams are easy-to-make and the manufacturing process has been described in of this book.
Moisturizing: Almost all skins need a moisturizer even the oily types, but for a dry skin a moisturizer is vital. The drier your skin, the more lavish you should be with the use of moisturizer. Moisturizers are available either in the form of creams or lotions. Moisturizer is applied after cleansing and toning, always before applying make-up. A thin layer of moisturizer is helpful under a face pack for a very dry skin which gives moisture to the skin cells. During sleep, the skin is usually busy in replacing dead skin cells with fresh ones. That is why sleep is very important for beauty because there are no outside influences to bother the skin. Every night application of a nourishing cream relaxes tight muscles and accelerates circulation. If the skin is too dry, use a second application of moisturizer. Few easy-to-make recipes for moisturizers are given in of this book.
Nourishing the Skin: Nourishing preparations include all the skin foods whether they are oil-based or of the moisturizing type, whether they are light and immediately absorbed or heavy and sticky, needing to be massaged into the skin. Hormone creams and lotions, vitamin products, serum ampules; anti-wrinkle creams and lotions, biologically active preparations all come in the nourishing group. Some easy-to-make nourishing recipes are given in of this book.
Toning the Skin: Skin toning is always followed after the cleansing routine with a medium strength skin tonic. Toning removes greasiness remaining from cleansing preparations, closed pores refine the skin and if you intend to apply make-up, if leaves a smooth clean texture which will hold the foundation and the powder for long. Basically, skin tonic freshens the skin. The cheapest toner is simply to splash the face with cold water. Stronger skin tonics or astringents dry the skin removing all traces of oil from the skin. These are suitable for greasy skins. Avoid using very strong astringents for any type of skin, as the harsh action of the alcohol toughens and coarsens the skin and prevents it from functioning normally. Apply tonic or astringent with a piece of cotton wool, but if the skin is looking sluggish, pat it on with a brisk slapping movement. Toning stimulates the blood supply to the skin. Moisten a piece of folded cotton wool with skin tonic and pat on the cheeks, the neck and chin. Avoid any area with broken veins. Herbal skin tonics are easy-to-make yourself as mentioned in this book.
Astringents: Astringent lotion is used to tone the skin and is necessary to remove the last traces of grease and closes pores. Never choose a harsh astringent lotion. Strong astringent lotions usually contain alcohol, surgical spirit (but this smells too much and is extremely harsh) and witch-hazel (which is good, but not as strong). Strong astringents over-dry the skin, leaving it feeling tight, paper-like and dehydrated. It is advisable to use a mild skin tonic as far as possible. Astringent is applied to the oily parts on the face such as the sides of the nose, chin and forehead. This helps to close the skin pores and discourage the greasy excretions from building up too rapidly underneath your make-up. A few home-made astringent preparations are given in of this book.
Few Basic Rules: An attractive personality and beauty are two different things. But unfortunately, if you have an unattractive personality, only looks will be able to help you. A beauty conscious woman should learn the art of bringing out her best features, and adopt a style of her own so as to remain the centre of attraction. It is therefore necessary to know the secrets of beauty aids, the art of using them to the maximum advantage and to dress as per your complexion and figure. Self-grooming is the secret of success of a woman stepping into the glamorous profession. It is also essential to have a thorough knowledge of various beauty-aids and cosmetics available in the market. A good foundation or lotion on the hands, neck and the face before make-up helps the skin to appear smooth. Powder gives a kind of glow to the cheeks, so does the cream. Eyes lend charm to the face. The beauty of the eyes can be increased by highlighting the eyes, eyebrows and eyelashes with deft make-up.
Hormones and Skin Beauty: There is a relationship between beauty and hormones. Hormones are produced in the human body by certain organs. Lack of hormones or excess of hormones ‘or their imbalance can prove disastrous. Hormones are of various types. but those which are associated with beauty are androgens. estrogens. thyroids. steroids. insulin and sex hormones.
• Androgens: are basically male hormones. Women produce their own androgens in the adrenal glands. If there is excessive secretion of androgens. there will be excessive secretion of sebum from the sebaceous glands which would cause acne or hair loss. The excessive secretion of androgens is usually caused by stress and mental tension.
• Oestrogens: are female hormones produced by the ovaries. Oestrogen pills generally lead to gain in weight. These type of hormones benefit the skin by retarding. wrinkles and making it clear and shiny. These hormones are essential for women after the age of 40 as there is usually a decline in the production of these hormones after this age. blood pressure. Remember, oestrogen therapy sometimes harm the skin causing pigmentation or skin lesions. Consult a doctor before treatment.
• Thyroids: are secreted by thyroid glands. The shortage of thyroid hormones causes dry skin and wrinkles.
• Steroids: are produced by adrenal glands and its excessive production causes skin infections, pigmentation and acne.
• Insulin: the deficiency of these hormones harm the complexion and cause skin fungus and bacterial infection and itching.
• Sex hormones: are of two types – male sex hormones and female sex hormones. Male sex hormones encourage growth of hair on the skin and body, whereas female sex hormones encourage growth of hair on the scalp.
Superfluous Hair on the Body: Unwanted and unnecessary hair on the body can be one of the most embarrassing beauty problems. There can be many reasons for this unwanted growth of hair i.e. congenital causes, imbalance of hormones, pregnancy, irregular menstruation, mental tension, long illness, worries and shock. In medical terminology, it is called Hirsutism. In case the main reason for the growth of unwanted hair is imbalance of the hormones in the body, it is imperative to get it treated medically and a thorough checking upto the genitals is conducted and hormonal treatment is given. Electrolysis is the only permanent method for removal of facial hair. The unwanted hair grow mostly on the chin, above the upper lip and on the forehead. Besides facial hair, a working women or a woman conscious of her. beauty has to be very careful to get rid of body hair especially on her arms, underarms, legs, thighs, breasts, stomach and on the face and other parts of the body.
If there are one. or two isolated unwanted hair on the face, then it should be pulled out with a tweezer. This type of pulling of hair by tweezer is known as ‘plucking’. If there are lot of hair, do not use a tweezer, because roots of the hair harden and repeated pulls may result in injury to the roots of the hair and subsequent growth of pimples and acne. Before using a tweezer, apply cold cream on the face so as to soften the roots of the hair. If the roots are hard, then soak a swab of cotton wool in hot water and keep it on the hair root for sometime, this will soften the roots. This will not make the roots of the hair hard. Threading should be done after two or three weeks depending upon the necessity. Never use a razor to remove the hair. It hardens the roots of the hair and also there is rapid regrowth of hair.
Underarm Hair: If underarm hair is left alone, it provides additional coverage and rapid growth and multiplication of the bacteria causing underarm odour. Therefore, it is necessary for the sake of basic hygiene to remove it regularly. Shaving is the quickest process for getting rid of underarm hair. After shaving, dust the underarms with talcum powder. Application of depilatory creams is another good method for removing under-arm hair. The disadvantage of very busy people is that it is necessary to wait for 8-10 minutes while the cream melts away the hair. However, a depilatory cream gives a slightly smoother finish than shaving. Waxing is sometimes used for the underarm area when long lasting smoothness is required. However, waxing is painful for this area and should done only by an expert.
Hair on Arms and Legs: Coarse, dark hair on arms and legs is most embarrassing for ladies, especially for those wearing sleeveless dresses, swim suits, bikinis and short dresses, and dresses which reveal bare arms and legs. The way you deal with hair on your arms and legs depends on its coarseness. Bleaching works well, if the growth of hair on arms and legs is short and fine. Use a weak solution of peroxide on a little cotton-wool every few weeks. Bleaching weakens the hair too. Shaving has one disadvantage for hair on arms and legs, as the regrowth is stubbly and rough and it returns too rapidly. If you have dark on the legs the regrowth may also look shadowy and grubby, and consequently very unpleasant. There is danger, too, of Gutting the delicate skin.
Depilatory creams give a smooth finish on the arms and legs, but must be used once or twice a week for lasting results. Apply the cream allover the hairy area, wait for 8-10 minutes, then remove the cream with a spatula and wash or shower in lukewarm water. Now rub in some moisturizing cream as the depilatory cream makes the skin dry. Depilatory creams are now available in aerosol form, and are more convenient to use. The aerosol method is suitable for a medium to dark growth of hair. Waxing is the right answer to the problem of dark, rough hair. Do not apply wax which is too hot. Rip it off in one quick tug. Don’t pull a little, then hesitate, then pull some more. It will hurt far more. Electrolysis is not recommended for arms and legs.
Thigh Hair: Pubic hair often grows down inside of the thighs, and when it is dark, it can be very embarrassing if you wear a swim-suit, a bikini or a loose night gown. The skin is tender in this area, so you must remove the hair with great care. Shaving is not recommended for the thighs. The soft skin may become blotchy and the regrowth will be stubbly and unattractive. Depilatory creams may be used with great care on the thighs. Choose the strength usually recommended for facial hair, since ordinary strength cream may cause soreness. Waxing works well but is painful, and may cause temporary redness. It may take three to four days for the redness to subside. It is not suggested if the skin is too delicate.
Breast and Stomach Hair: Many women have a few hair growing around their nipples and navels. Some even have a very hairy growth in a stripe between the navel and pubic area. It is unwise to try to remove hair on the breasts or the stomach yourself by plucking, shaving or depilatory creams. Electrolysis is the best method and is quite safe for these areas of the body. Choose a time for the treatment when you are not having a busy working schedule for sometime. Electrolysis gives tiny scabs which take time to heal properly. A smooth skin is achieved on these parts of the body with regular de fuzzing and constant beauty care.
Hair on the Lower Back: A small ‘tuft’ of hair growing on the lower back is very common in women. Electrolysis is the best way of getting rid of these hair, for the same reason as it is for the breast and stomach hair. However, if the hair is growing from a birthmark or a mole or a wart, check with your doctor before making an appointment for electrolysis.
Electrolysis: Electrolysis, as a means of permanently removing unwanted hair, was first introduced in 1857. In this process, the roots of the hair are weakened by subjecting them to electric current and a repeated treatment stops their growth. There are two methods of electrolysis: one is ‘Galvanic multiple needle method’ and the other is ‘Short wave method’. It takes little time to remove the hair by this method and only one needle is used. Electrolysis should be done by an experienced beauty therapist expert in conducting electrolysis treatment The area of the skin is made insensitive (or dead), and then the slanted needle is pierced till it reaches the root of the hair. Then roots of the hair are burnt by using electric currents. Electrolysis should not be used to remove the hair from eyelashes, inner side of the nose and ear and from the pimples. Do not go for electrolysis treatment if you are being treated for hormonal deficiency or suffering from diabetes.
Hot and Cold Wax: Hot wax is very popular. It has an excellent grip and is effective on areas where one tends to sweat a lot. Since it is paraffin-based, its grip does not lessen in any way if the skin is sweaty or gets moist. It is very effective on the upper lips. Cold waxing is water-based, so make sure the area to be waxed is dry. It is good for the arms and legs, and the underarms too can be treated by dusting a lot of talcum powder on the area before applying wax. In this method, the wax is spread over the area to be treated, and a strip of cloth stuck on the applied wax and pulled against the direction of the hair growth. This leaves the skin clean and soft.
Art of Threading: Eyebrows play an important role in heightening the beauty of the eyes. Never give shape to your eyebrows by using a razor, instead use a plucker or threading. Always pull hair upwards from the root. Threading, however, is more advisable to plucking because when plucked with tweezers, the roots become harder and hard hair sprout. After plucking or threading use Eau-de-cologne or anti-septic cream or lotion to prevent burning sensation.
Eyebrows and your Face:
• Oval face: requires small eyebrows approximately as long as the length of the eyes, with trim ends and a thick middle.
• Square face: the eyebrows should be small, crescent-shaped and sliding from both sides. They should be thick and bent at the middle.
• Triangular face : should have eyebrows thick and straight. One-third of the end of eyebrow should bend down.
• Pearl-shaped face : looks attractive with straight eyebrows. They should not be very long, but have pointed ends.
• On longish nose: do not draw eyebrows too high up the eyes, otherwise eyes will appear too small.
Preparations for Eyebrows: There are two types of threading self threading and mouth threading. Self threading can be done by holding a piece of thread 12-14 inches long in both hands and a finger, giving four to five turns in the centre. Then start threading, which will move like a pair of scissors. Mouth threading cannot be done on one self. It is known as professional threading usually done in beauty parlors. Following things/cosmetics are required for threading: 1. Reel of Thread No. 40 2. Cream 3. Powder 4. Nourishing or soothing cream/Astringent lotion 5. Anti-septic lotion 6. Cotton and cleansing tissue
How 10 do Threading?
1. Wash hands thoroughly.
2. If the skin. is very dry, apply a bit of cream to make the area soft and prevent itching and pain while threading. If the skin is very oily, rub a little powder so that hair may not stick to the surface of the skin.
3. Now examine the direction of hair growth because threading has to be done in the opposite direction.
4. For making a loop for the threading, take a string of thread about 24 to 36 inches long. Now make a knot at one end holding between teeth, and hold other end tightly with four fingers and thumb in left hand with a firm and light grip. Now make a loop with the right hand giving 3 to 4 twists to the thread.
5. Now start threading with the looped thread firmly surrounding the hair to be removed. Give a swift move to the head towards the hilir when the hair will come in the grip of twists of thread and will be rooted out. The whole process is done keeping the head straight and holding the hands in the same position. Repeat the whole process till all hair to be removed are pulled out.
6. Always tweeze from below. To start with, remove hair from the ridge of the nose. Normally, the distance between the two eyebrows should be equal to the width of your eyes. Keep the eyebrows tidy, once you have started.
7. Normally the shape of the eyebrows should be a tapering one, thicker at the beginning and thinning down gradually. After removing all unwanted hair wipe off gently with a soft towel. and apply a soothing cream on it and in case of rashes, apply calamine lotion . 8. Threading needs lots. of practice. Before threading on upper lip or eyebrows, . practice on the hair at arms and legs.
9. Avoid use of scissors, but regular brushing will bring your eyebrows to the desired shape.
Procedure for Waxing: The following things are required for waxing :
1. Cold wax, cold cream or fresher, lacto-calamine (if rashes occur).
2. Cotton wool, cotton strips, two small towels, stove to melt wax.
3. A butter knife to spread wax, a pair of scissors to trim the hair.
4. Talcum powder, soap and a tray to keep all things.
The following general procedure is applied :
• Remove clothes from the area to be treated.
• Wash the skin with a mild soap and water. Rinse thoroughly and dry.
• Spread talcum powder over the skin surface.
• Melt wax over a heater or stove or boiler.
• Examine the direction of the hair growth because wax has to be applied along the direction of the hair growth, otherwise the hair will not be pulled out properly from the roots.
• Test the temperature and consistency of the heated wax by applying a little quantity over your arm.
• Spread warm wax evenly on the skin with a spatula and allow it to cool and harden.
• Now pull the cotton strip quickly with a swift jerk to the opposite direction of the hair growth. Repeat the process till the area of skin having superfluous hair is clean.
• Clean the skin with cotton wool and water as it becomes sticky and wipe with a towel.
• Apply an emollient cream or a anti-septic lotion on the skin treated.
• To keep skin free from superfluous hair. repeat the waxing process after six to eight weeks. The growth of unwanted hair will gradually decrease.
Home-made Wax: Take eight parts of sugar syrup. Add to it one part lemon juice. one part mustard oil and two parts water. Brew it on medium heat for about 45 minutes.
When the mixture turns brown in color, remove it from the heat and add a little glycerine to it. Let it get cold. Honey can be used to make hot wax. Add five spoonfuls of honey instead of sugar syrup.
