19.5.15

Six Summer Super Foods You Should Indulge In


Food for healthy beautiful skin
Warm weather begs for lighter meals and preparation methods, which may help slim you down and look radiant at the same time. Munching on fruits during hot weather keeps you refreshed while also being satisfying. A new ways to try fruit this summer could be to add it to the salad or spin it in a juicer with some ice, either way you keep your taste buds inspired and your skin thankfully radiant.

Berries.
No matter which type you prefer, berries are a skin super food. Excessive UV exposure can cause the skin to generate free radicals, leading to skin damage, wrinkles and premature aging. Berries, especially blueberries, are loaded with antioxidants that can help neutralize the effect of skin damaging free radicals. When I think of summer beauty foods, I can’t help but think of Strawberries. These sweet berries are one of the best sources of vitamin C out there, with 163% of the daily value per cup.

Mangos
This delicious tropical fruit is jam-packed with over 20 different vitamins and minerals. Like with carrots, beta-carotene, which gives mangos their orange hue, is converted to vitamin A in the body, helping to keep acne at bay. Mangos are also rich in alpha hydroxyl acid, which exfoliates and rejuvenates skin by speeding cell turnover rate.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are rich in lycopene and beta-carotene. Research shows that when tomatoes are cooked, they have even more lycopene. A diet rich in those nutrients may boost your skin's natural defense against sun damage and improve its appearance, according to a 2012 study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Tomatoes are also a good source of vitamin C. One cup delivers almost half of the daily value.
Tomatoes vitamin C and E enriched summer fruit

Hibiscus Tea
This ruby red tea is full of health benefits. Research shows it's high in antioxidants, including vitamin C and anthocyanins (usually found in tea blends, like red raspberry, so look for it in the ingredient list).

Rooibos Tea
Not only is Rooibos tea high in the polyphenols that help protect the skin from premature aging, it’s also caffeine free so you don’t need to worry about the dehydrating side effects that some teas and coffee have.  Rooibos is also soothing for the stomach so try a cup of tea if you’re feeling a little sluggish.

Chia Seeds
These tiny little seeds sure pack a lot of anti-inflammatory omega 3 fatty acids! Inflammation can show up in the skin both as breakouts and premature wrinkles, so arm yourself with some ch-ch-ch-chia.

All these foods can help you guard against inflammation, oxidative stress, and DNA damage and protect your skin against the sun's harmful rays. Of course, you should still wear sunscreen and avoid getting too much sun.

11.5.15

Lets Cut 7 Shaving Myths Down To Size


Gillette Venus
Women's pursuit of smooth, hairless skin has been a beauty constant for centuries. Over the years, new methods and dramatic product improvements have been progressively changing the history of hair removal. In 1880, when King Camp Gillette created the first modern day razor for men a revolution was born. Though it took another three decades before a razor specifically marketed for women was launched, but ever since then shaving has been a fashionable mode for quick hair removal among ladies. With inventions like mechanical epilators and laser hair reduction devices the women have been spoilt with choices but shaving still holds its niche among those who want a quick and safe way to get smooth hair free skin on the go especially among girls on a budget and those timorous of pain (say OUCH if you’ve tried waxing).

The custom of using shaving razors has been established as an efficient, painless and cost effective way to loose the body fuzz on the go since its inception, but it seems a lot of prickly questions have also been raised in female minds over the years about the side effects and aftermath of picking up a razor as a long term hair removal choice.

Today I am here as a woman of science and a dermatologist to help restore your confidence in shaving as safe and an up to speed mode of getting rid of unwanted body hair. Lets bust some of these rolling stone gathering a bit of moss myths and uncover the truth behind this fuzz-busting technique called —Shaving.

Myth 1: Shaving body hair makes them grow back darker, coarser & thicker.

Reality: As hair grows from the root to the surface it get tapered and refined during its journey to the surface pushing through the skin and rubbing against the clothing’s. Untouched naturally growing body hair is hence tapered and it lies flat on skin feeling soft and thin. Shaving the hair blunts its ends and makes it stand up and feel thicker. How thick or fine your hair is depends on your individual biochemistry and hormones. Heredity, genes, race, medications, physical and mental stress, and diet can influence these hormones. Only these factors can thus potentially alter the hair root, which lies few millimeters under the skin leading to modification of the nature (color, thickness and length) of the hair. Shaving razors only scrape the surface of the skin making it impossible for them to affect or alter the hair root, which lies deep under the skin.

Myth 2: Shaving causes nicks and burns

Reality: A tool is only as good or bad as the user, if you apply too much pressure the blade can cause nicks or shaving burns for sure. Using a fresh blade each time with a gentle slide and glide technique over a well lathered skin gives the best results with no nicks, cuts or shaving burns. Another tip to keep in mind while shaving is “The Ideal Shave Angle” the razor blade meeting the skin should be at 28-32 degrees to get the smoothest results. Statistics show that most shaving accidents are caused by using dull and/or dirty razor blades, insufficient preparation of the skin and hair before shaving, and using inappropriate equipment /products.

Myth 3: Shaving causes Ingrown hair and folliculitis

Reality: Research has shown that shaving with the grain is the best way to get a comfortable and close shave. Although shaving against the grain ensures that the hair is cut off very close to the skin, but it also dramatically increases the risk of razor bumps and skin irritation. Shaving scrapes hair from the surface of the skin. If your hair is slightly curly and you do a very close shave the hair can get trapped under the skin. Folliculitis only happens if you’re shaving under unhygienic conditions with an old blade harboring dead skin & bacteria.

Myth 4: Shaving causes the skin to become darker in color especially in underarm area

Reality: Shaving only scrapes the surface of the skin, if no extra pressure is applied there is no logical reason for the skin color to change. Some people apply a deodorant or anti-Perspirant immediately post shaving that might lead to irritation and post inflammatory hyperpigmentation. Pigmentation happens especially in darker skin type people as an aftermath of irritation of skin caused by the alcohol, perfume or Aluminum chloride in the anti-Perspirant product.

Myth 5: Shaving causes hair to grow faster

Reality: Absolutely not, natural human hair grows 0.35mm per day or 1 cm/month from the root and shaving the surface can’t change that.

Myth 6: Shaving shouldn’t be used on upper lip, face or bikini

Reality: Truth be told history shows us great beauty icons of all times —Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe and Cleopatra had one thing in common they all shaved their faces — upper lip included. Using a razor on your skin physically exfoliates your skin — it makes your skin more lustrous helping makeup to go on smoother, gives you a glow, and is great antiaging excercise. Why do you think men look so youthful as they age? They shave a majority of their lives!

Employed properly a razor blade can be used on any area of the body but in certain areas it does require some finesse to do it well. While shaving sensitive areas special care should be employed – wash and lather the area with shaving cream and start with a fresh sharp blade moving at an ideal angle of 28-32 degrees with short precise stokes moving with the grain of hair to avoid nicks and cuts. In bikini area regular exfoliation before and after shaving helps to avoid ingrown hair and bumps. If irritation or ingrown-hair is spotted use an antibiotic cream (Fucidin) twice daily for a quick resolution. Another word of advice keep the razor you use for your pubic area separate from the one you use on your face or armpits.

Myth 7: You can use shaving anyway you want dry or wet with same results

Reality: Not really shaving gives best results when used on wet skin with plenty of soap or shaving cream to soften the hair and make blades glide on the skin smoothly. Dry shaving can caused skin irritation with redness and skin burning along with unsmooth results.