Expert Skin Care

CELEBRITIES are always under pressure to look good, so it's no surprise that their bathroom cabinets are packed with top-of-the-range lotions and potions. However, many female stars shun leading brands and instead delve into their kitchen cupboards.

Hollywood A-lister Catherine Zeta-Jones recently revealed that she washes her hair with beer to get her gorgeous shimmering locks.

The Welsh actress, who is married to Michael Douglas, also divulged some of her other weird and wonderful beauty tips that are more commonly found in the kitchen than on a cosmetics shelf.

Ever wondered how she maintains her soft, glowing skin? The Intolerable Cruelty star - who turns 40 this year - moisturises with honey and salt to keep her skin looking youthful.

Instead of toothpaste, Zeta-Jones uses natural whiteners such as apples and strawberries to cleanse her canines.

Here we uncover other bizarre - and inexpensive - celebrity beauty secrets that will have you raiding the kitchen cupboards for the next-best-thing.

MILK
Supermodel Cindy Crawford is a fan of milk, but as well as drinking it, the model-turned-actress uses it to cleanse her skin. According to experts, milk contains antimicrobial and cleansing properties. Lactic acid helps dead skin cells deteriorate. Also reported to be a believer in the benefits of milk baths is Cameron Diaz, who uses powdered milk as an exfoliant on her skin which is prone to acne. Mixed with honey, milk helps the skin to glow.

TOOTHPASTE
Besides using it to keep her teeth white, American actress Jennifer Love Hewitt swears by using toothpaste for spots. If apimple appears, she applies a small amount of toothpaste to it, leaves it overnight, and that helps to clear it up.

OLIVE OIL
Pretty Woman Julia Roberts has an unusual beauty regime when it comes to nail-care. The Erin Brockovich star has been known to apply olive oil to her nails and cuticles. Soaking your nails for 30 minutes in a small cup of olive oil can improve brittle, dry nails. Olive oil is also good for you hair, skin and diet.

COFFEE
You can achieve shiny hair using coffee. It's a popular alternative to shampoo for Jennifer Love Hewitt. But coffee also has another use - and that's for beating cellulite, according to Halle Berry. It's the caffeine in it that helps rid cellulite because it increases blood flow and cellulite is related to poor blood supply.

WINE
Desperate Housewives all over Scotland will be trying out this beauty technique - if they crave smoother skin but don't mind wasting a glass or two of wine. Teri Hatcher, who stars in the hit US drama, is a firm believer in pouring some wine into her bathtub. It has a natural skin softener and exfoliant and wine grapes can draw toxins from the body. Some spas have introduced the latest 'vinotherapy' craze.

CRANBERRY JUICE
Pouring a cup of cranberry juice over your hair after shampooing can boost its shine. The juice does this by sealing the cuticle to add shine. It is said to enhance the colour of red or strawberry blonde hair. It's a favourite technique adopted by the likes of Nicole Kidman.

BEETROOT
Bollywood star and former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Shilpa Shetty uses beetroot as a blusher. She says: "If you want a natural flush, boil some beetroot in the microwave and rub a bit on your cheeks, over your moisturiser."

SALT
Salt is great exfoliator: after a bath or shower, sprinkle it on to your hands and rub gently over the skin to remove dry skin. It also acts as an alternative to mouthwash: mix salt with baking soda in a glass of water and gargle. It's thought to whiten teeth and remove plaque.

VINEGAR
If you are prone to bruising, vinegar is thought to help by reducing blueness and speeding up the healing process. Soak a cotton wool ball in white vinegar and apply to the bruised area for an hour.

YOGHURT
A yoghurt face mask is ideal for soothing tired skin or cooling sunburn. Apply natural yoghurt to a cleansed face for 15-20 minutes. Adding honey helps moisturise dry skin and, for oily skin, add a few drops of fresh lime juice. Rinse off with water.

Flowers have been long used to enhance beauty and to keep mind and body healthy. In India, the Indian Rose has been used by ancient Queens to make their skin soft, supple and fair, while in China, women drink Chrysanthemum soup to detox their digestive system and avoid bacterial infections.

Flower Therapy is seen as a hot new trend, much-welcomed by people who wish to de-stress themselves, and for those who crave for a rose tinted, flawless complexion.

According to experts, the flowers that do not have any side effects, but are packed with goodness of nature, have grown to be an instant hit among customers.

According to Hitender Chandra, an Aromatherapist in India, various flowers are used for different therapeutic purposes. For instance, lavender is an excellent antiseptic and has magical properties. It heals allergies, pigmentation, acne, excess oil secretion, and open pores, and hence tops the list.

Next in line are the Marigold and Sunflower that penetrate the skin and imparts wonderful glow.

Jasmine comes as a blessing for hypersensitive skin. More than anything, it is the visual impact of flowers and their fragrance that has high healing effect on our senses. It de-stresses mind and enhances skin tone.

Even a mere visit to a florist shop, or looking at arrangement of flowers, has a deep impact on one’s state of mind, and in general renders a happy and positive feeling. The fragrance of flowers rejuvenates the senses and peps up our moods, say therapists.

However, in a therapy room, it wouldn’t be sufficient if there are just few flowers or bouquets lying around. Rather, a complete environment with flowers is required, which renders a peaceful feeling, and this makes a lot of impact.

However, the goodness of flower becomes double when mixed with other herbal products, as is usually done in Flower Therapy. The flower pastes and tea barks are mixed with fruit pulp and other ayurvedic ingredients, such as cream and aloe vera gel, along with floral paste, which enhances their healing properties.

For the beauty-conscious in India, particularly in the ‘Pink City’ (Jaipur), Flower Therapy is proving to be a much sought-after treatment for skin ailments. Several clinics and parlors here are offering these therapies. Irrespective of the kind of problems, be it acne or dark circles under the eye, Flower Therapy seems to be the perfect quick-fix treatment.

Aromatherapy Benefits: Although some doctors doubt the efficiency of Aromatherapy, medical researches have scientifically proved that Aromatherapy may produce both psychological and physiological effects. Aromatherapy benefits includes stress and headache relief, sleep improvement, mood boosting, hormones’ regulation, muscles’ relaxation, immune system’s stimulation, blood circulation, skin diseases’ healing etc.

Buying Guide and Aromatherapy Safety: Entering into an aromatherapy shop can make you feel like walking into an aromatic paradise. However, due to great variety of aromatic products, choosing the best aromatherapy is not as easy as you might think. These buying tips can help you save money and avoid confusion. Although essential oils can be used by everyone, some precautions must be observed carefully. Inexperienced individuals should consult a qualified aromatherapist before trying to make any blend. Keep in mind that pure essential oils are very potent substances and must always be diluted with base oil before being applied to skin.

You might be surprised to find out that men are actually more prone to acne than women during the adolescence period. In addition, the number of adult men who suffer from acne is not that far compared with the number of women who have the same skin condition.

Acne cures for men and women are generally the same, although there are habits that are exclusive to the male species that must be taken into consideration when looking for male pimple solutions. Below are some guidelines concerning acne control for men.

1. Choose your shaving materials carefully. If you are already suffering from zits, shaving improperly might worsen the condition. To prevent skin irritation, use a sharp razor and always make sure that it is clean. If you have a habit of using after-shave colognes or shaving foams, choose the mildly formulated types; better yet, consult a dermatologist on what type of shaving kits fit your type of skin and what formulas will not aggravate your pimples.

2. Keep your face and your body clean. Wash your face at least twice a day. For men who suffer from back pimples, avoid wearing rough clothing, cotton will be preferable particularly if it's summer. Since men sweat more than women, changing your clothes regularly and taking showers will help, since sweat can make the pimples on your back worse and might even cause them to itch.

3. Keep your hair clean. If you're sporting a long mane, shampoo your hair regularly. The dirt in your hair can easily transfer to your face. Better yet, tie it back in a ponytail. If it will not take away from your style, avoid growing your hair in the summer months since it will cause you to sweat more and the rough ends of the hair's strands can irritate the skin, particularly at your back and the underside of your jaw.

4. Do avoid excessive alcohol intake and smoking. Although drinking and smoking might not cause acne, they can make your skin drier and more prone to breakouts. Alcohol does cause dehydration and smoking (aside from the other diseases it causes) will not exactly make you any healthier. A healthy body can translate to a healthy skin, trust me.

The guidelines above might be quite basic, but sometimes, it's the basics that we tend to ignore and forget. If you really want to have a clear, healthy skin, follow these tips and you will achieve your goal.

1. Medium Bridal Hairstyle
This wedding hairstyle is a choice for medium length hair. The bangs have a small sweep and the tresses are just allowed to naturally flow down with some touch. The ends are lightly curled out producing a complimentary style with the veil. A nice wedding hairstyle idea for woman with medium length hair.



2. Long Wedding Hairstyle
The second wedding hairstyle here is for hair that is a several inches longer in length. The hairstyle is center parted with wavy locks that fall gently past the shoulders. Instead of a veil, a floral tiara is used to add a touch to the overall style where a veil could take away from the overall view.

3. Updo Hairstyle for Weddings
The third wedding hairstyle idea present here is your basic, but really gorgeously done updo. A lot of women prefer updos because these hairstyles provide a unique appearance that no one attending the wedding can outshine. A great updo can make the bride gleam with radiance. This updo has a distinctive tie in the back and the hair is brushed back to form a prime place to add a tiara to top of the look.

1. Massage your feet. Rub feet to release tension, increase circulation and rejuvenate the skin.

2. Soothe your soles. Soak feet for at least five minutes in a container filled with warm water. Pat your feet dry and apply lotion to hydrate your feet.

3. Elevate your legs. Lift your legs above your heart while lying down to help reduce swelling.

4. Rotate your ankles. Cup the foot under the back portion of the heel to brace the foot and leg and turn slowly at the ankle five times. This loosens the ankle joint and relaxes your feet.

5. Point your toes. While standing, do toe raises, toe points and toe curls for five seconds; repeat 10 times. This alleviates toe cramps and strengthens calf muscles.

6. If high heels are creating a burning sensation on the balls of your feet, use colorful ball-of-the foot cushions such as Foot Petals Tip Toes. Not only do they pamper the feet, but they stop them from sliding forward by moving the center of pressure toward the heel.

7. If your heels hurt, you can put some spring in your step with the help of Spenco for Her Comfort Casual Insoles. Designed to absorb shock and curtail odor, they also prevent blisters, as well as cracked and callused heels.

8. If sassy party slingbacks are digging deep into your skin, create a protective barrier by using a moleskin or Foot Petals Strappy Strips to prevent blisters and strap slippage.

Just add water. Moisturizing means keeping water in your skin. In winter months when the humidity is low, water in the skin rapidly evaporates resulting in dry skin.

Grease is good. The basic job of a moisturizer is to hold water in the skin rather than to add water. Creams generally work better than lotions. Nothing holds water that is already in your skin better than petroleum jelly.

Time it right. Apply moisturizers right after toweling off, before the water in your skin that was absorbed while in the bath or shower has time to evaporate.

Don't skip. Water is a two-edged sword. Water IN your skin means moist skin, but water you bathe in (especially hot and soapy) strips your skin of its natural protective oils allowing more rapid evaporation. Five minutes after your shower your skin will be drier than before you bathed. ALWAYS moisturize after bathing.

Don't skimp. Buy products you can easily afford, and be generous when applying.

Keep it simple ... ingredients. The ingredients in moisturizers that work are safe and inexpensive. Fancy packaging, fragrance and extravagant claims boost cost. Look for ingredients like oils, glycerin, propylene glycol, ammonium lactate, glycolic acid and urea.

Keep it handy. Hands take a beating in winter. Moisturize every time you wash your hands -- more if possible. Keep your moisturizers scattered around the house, at work and in the car. Avoid greasiness by choosing products containing lots of glycerin. For most people waterless antiseptic hand cleaners are easier on the hands than repeated washing.

Soap sucks -- oil off your skin. Soap strips off your skins natural protective oils. Look for moisturizing cleansers which are widely available, and won't leave you feeling too squeaky-clean.

Getting it on -- your back. That very itchy central back is impossible to reach. Get your significant other to apply moisturizer whenever possible.

Desperately dry deserves a dermatologist. Excessive dryness can lead to eczema, and may require a visit to a dermatologist for treatment.