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Ask Shahnaz

Beautician Shahnaz Hussain will offer beauty tips and answer beauty queries. You can send your queries to shahnaz_press@yahoo.co.in

I have an oily skin. Please suggest me some home remedies to help me keep my skin glowing. Should I use glycerine soap? I have black heads and white heads at the sides of my nose and on my chin. Will home remedies help? Can I apply olive oil on my face before going to bed and wash it the next morning? I also have heat boils on my back. — Jayashree

Since you have an oily skin, you should not use a glycerine soap. After washing your face at night, do not apply anything. You should not apply olive oil on the face. In fact, you should avoid oil and oily creams. Use a facial scrub daily on the areas with black heads and white heads. Mix rice powder with curd and apply. Rub gently on the skin with small circular movements. Leave on for a few minutes and wash off. If you do not have pimples on the face, you can use this scrub on the entire face. Once daily, mix one teaspoon honey with two teaspoons curd and apply on the entire face, wash off after 20 minutes. Apply sandalwood paste on the boils on the back.

I work in Dubai. I have a dry skin and hair. I don't have much time and the water here is hard. My skin and hair have become dull. Kindly suggest some home remedies to improve my complexion and make my hair thick and lustrous. — Angel

Daily skin and hair care do not take much time once it becomes a habit. You should apply a sunscreen cream before stepping out. Avoid soap and use a cleansing cream or gel morning and night. You can mix one teaspoon honey with two teaspoons lemon juice and one teaspoon egg yolk and apply on the face, washing off after 20 minutes. Twice a week, heat pure coconut oil and apply on the hair, the night before shampoo. Use a mild herbal shampoo. Have henna treatments once a week to add body and shine. Add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs, 2 teaspoons oil and enough curd to the henna powder, mixing it into a thick paste. Apply on the hair and wash off after an hour. If you do not wish to use egg, add more curd. Include fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts, soyabean and curd in your daily diet.

I am 11 years old and every one teases me that I am dark. Please suggest me a soap, which we can find in the market or a homemade remedy. Also I suffer from hair fall so I have thin and weak hair. Please help. — Keerthi

The colour of the skin is dark either due to hereditary factors, or to tanning caused by sun-exposure. You should not worry so much about the colour of your skin because you need to play games and get physical exercise. You should develop some talent such as singing, dancing, playing a musical instrument or painting. Such talents will make people admire you and will also make you confident. However, three times a week, mix one teaspoon of honey with two teaspoons lemon juice and apply on the face, washing it off after 20 minutes. You must take a nutritious diet that consists of enough protein such as dal, beans, sprouts, soyabean, milk, curd and paneer (cottage cheese). Your diet should also include fruits and lightly cooked vegetables. This will add strength to your hair. Diet is very important for the hair. Wash your hair three times a week and rinse well with water.

I am 23 and currently living in the U.S. My grandfather was bald and my father had thin hair. For more than two years (when I was in India) I have been suffering from severe hair fall. But after coming to the U.S. (five months back), the problem seems to have aggravated. I am fast losing all my hair. I have tried a lot of medication and am currently applying coconut oil about 3 times a week. But nothing is helping. This is affecting my confidence severely. — Avishek

From your account, this seems to be a condition known as "male pattern baldness" which is due to hereditary and hormonal factors. Avoid applying oil so often and avoid vigorous head massage. Since the roots are weak, this can cause further hair loss. With your fingertips move the scalp in tiny circular movements, rather than rubbing the scalp. If your scalp seems oily, you can wash daily, but use a mild shampoo and use very little. Anxiety and stress can actually aggravate hair loss. You can do some deep breathing exercises daily. Diet is very important. Your daily diet should include lots of salads, sprouts, low-fat protein (fish, lean meat) and six glasses of water. Also, ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin supplements such as Vitamins B-Complex and C. Your diet should contain less salt. But please take them only according to the doctor's advice. You should not worry. If there is baldness at an early age, you could find out about procedures such as hair weaving or transplants. You could also use a herbal hair tonic or vitaliser and see if it helps. If it is possible to learn yoga and practice it, it may help.

I am 20. I am 5' 6" tall and weigh 70 kilos. I want to reduce my weight. Is it true that daily intake of lemon juice with honey early morning reduces weight? Please tell me a home remedy for my problem. — Raheema

Lemon juice with honey will not help. Lemon juice must be taken with a glass of water and one teaspoon of honey. This would cleanse the system and supply the body vitamins, minerals and enzymes. Exercise and diet control would help in losing weight. You should have a low-fat diet. Include fresh fruits, salads, unsweetened curd and paneer made from skimmed milk, wholegrains and cut down on rich fried foods, desserts and confectionary items. Consult your doctor before taking up any form of exercise or changes in your diet.

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