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Ask Shahnaz

Beautician Shahnaz Hussain offers tips and answers queries. You can send your queries to shahnaz_press@yahoo.co.in

I am fair complexioned but my hands are tanned after riding a two-wheeler. — Bharti

Massage sesame seed (til) oil daily on the hands. Mix besan with curd and a little haldi and apply it daily on the hands 30 minutes before your bath. Or, mix lemon juice with large grains of sugar and keep rubbing it on the hands till the sugar dissolves.

Keep it on for a few minutes and wash it off with water.

Tell me how to use a blush on. My complexion is a little dark. What colour should I go in for? — Prabha

Buy a powder blusher, as it is easier to apply. They come with their own applicator brush. However, you can use your fingertips to dot the cheek area with the blusher. Then blend slightly upwards and outwards with the brush.

No lines of demarcation should be left; otherwise it will have a blotchy effect.

To slim down cheeks, use it just under the cheekbones and apply highlighter on the cheekbones. You can choose blusher colour from rose, coral, copper, bronze, wine and burgundy (dark wine colour).

I have a few dry spots on my hands, since I used temporary tattoos. I used moisturisers, but they did not help. — S. Udaya

Massage sesame seed (til) oil daily on the area. While bathing, scrub the area with a loofah or washcloth. Immediately after bathing, apply a cream, massaging it into the skin.

Once daily, add some grainy sugar to lemon juice and apply it on the area. Rub it gently till the sugar dissolves. Avoid these tattoos, as the adhesive may not be good for the skin.

Is it safe to use a facial scrub or besan and curd on pimples? Please tell me the benefits of aloe vera. Does it work effectively against acne and scars? — Mohit Sharma

Facial scrubs should not be applied on pimples. However, curd by itself can be applied if there are pimples. As far as the skin is concerned, aloe vera helps moisturise it. It is also an anti-oxidant and helps promote the skin's cell renewal function. It has not been known to help acne, although during ancient times, it was used to heal wounds and burns.

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