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Ask Shahnaz

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

I have facial hair and blackheads on my nose. Suggest remedies. — Revathi

Mix a little baking soda with water into a paste and apply it on the area with blackheads daily. Wash it off after five minutes. Use a facial scrub on your nose thrice a week. Mix rose water with rice powder. Rub it gently on the skin with circular movements and then wash it off. Home remedies do not remove facial hair, but may help lessen hair growth over a period of time. Make a thick paste of sugar, lemon juice and water and apply it in the direction of the hair growth. Wash it off when it dries. Apply it once or twice a week. Or, make a paste of turmeric powder and milk and rub it on the skin with a circular motion. It may, however, leave a yellowish tinge on the skin.

How do I remove pimples that have hardened from my face? — Rihana

Wash your face twice a day, morning and night with a medicated soap. Then wipe it with an astringent lotion, using cotton wool. Mix cinnamon powder with a little lemon juice and a few drops of honey into a paste. Apply it only on the pimples daily and leave it on for at least an hour. Simmer neem leaves in water. Cool and strain the liquid. Make a paste of the neem leaves and apply it daily on your face. Include fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts and yoghurt in your daily diet. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning.

Please tell me some exercise to reduce my abdomen? — Unisa

You can learn yoga and practice it daily. Or, after consulting your doctor, you can do the following spot reduction exercises. First, lie on the floor on your back, with feet together and arms at the sides. Lift the legs about six inches above the ground and hold the position for a count of ten. Then lower the legs to the floor. Repeat this 3 to 4 times and increase gradually. For the second exercise, keep lying on the floor, the same way. Bend the knees and keep feet flat on the floor. Raise the body to a half-sitting position, holding the arms stretched out before you. Lower body to the floor and repeat 3 or 4 times.

Suggest home remedies to prevent dandruff and hair loss. — Vandana

Wash your hair with a mild herbal shampoo three or four times a week, using less shampoo and rinsing well with water. Half an hour before shampooing, massage two tbsp of vinegar lightly on your scalp. Once a week, heat olive or til oil and apply it on your scalp at night. Leave it on overnight. Next morning, apply the vinegar as advised. Have weekly henna treatments. Add 4 tsp each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs, 2 tsp of oil and enough “tea water” to the henna powder, mixing it into a thick paste. Make tea-water by boiling used tea leaves again in enough water. Cool and strain the liquid. Apply the henna on your hair and wash off after an hour with water. If you do not wish to use egg, add more tea water. Include fresh fruits, salads, sprouts and yoghurt in your daily diet. Drink 6 to 8 glasses of water daily.

How do I prepare a face pack at home? — Akshita

First of all, you need a base for a face pack, which can be multani mitti, oatmeal, choker (wheat bran), ground almonds, ground lemon or orange peel. You can combine two of these ingredients. For example, you can combine multani mitti with ground lemon peel for oily skin. Add some liquid ingredients to make it into a paste. These can be honey, curd, milk, egg, orange juice or fruit pulp. The face pack should suit the skin type. Multani mitti is more suitable for oily skin. Choker and almond meal are suitable for both dry and oily skin. Face packs can also be made only out of fruit and vegetable pulp.

I’m getting married next month. My hair is a little longer than shoulder length and my face, oval. Suggest a suitable hairstyle. — Rashmi

Most styles suit an oval face. If you wish to wear your hair loose, go in for a layered style in waves and curls. It is now in vogue. The curls should start from chin level. For the wedding, you can put up part of your hair and leave a section of it loose, with curls or ringlets, falling over one shoulder. A jasmine garland can be wound around it, or allowed to hang along the strands.

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