The Natural Way

Suparna Trikha Dewan offers natural solutions and home remedies for your beauty problems

I am a 16-year-old girl. My hair is very rough and sticky. Although I use a good quality shampoo but it has not helped matters. Should I opt for a conditioner? Please help.

Name and address withheld

Change your shampoo. It is very obvious that the shampoo is not suiting you. Also use strained tea water as an after-shampoo rinse.

Locket Chatterjee actor I try not to wear any make-up when I’m not shooting. I also ensure that I remove my make-up with the help of Johnson’s baby oil. Once the make-up is off, I use a face wash by Aroma Magic. I massage my hair with oil at least thrice a week and use a mild shampoo. Besides these, I try to sleep for at least eight hours a day to retain a fresh look!

I am a 16-year-old girl. I have been suffering from a severe acne problem which has left behind unattractive marks. I also have dark circles and if I apply almond oil to get rid of that, I get an increased burst of pimples. Please help.

Pooja, via e-mail

Drink 12 glasses of water daily. Grate potato and use as an undereye pack daily after cleaning the area properly. Also prepare a homemade scub using 1tsp each of sandalwood powder, lemon peel powder and fullers earth and 2tsp of masoor. Mix all these with rose water to make a thick paste. Apply this misture on your skin. When it dries, dab with coconut water and scrub off gently in a rotating manner. This should be done on alternate days and you will notice a considerable difference.

I am a 24-year-old man with oily skin. Earlier, I used to visit the local salon to get a shave. But eventually, my beard started growing all over my face and now has crossed my cheekbones and is nearing my eye cavities. Though I shave myself now, the problem persists. I really feel awful when I look at my face in the mirror. Is there any remedy? Will plucking help or will I apply a hair removing cream? Please suggest some remedy.

Name and address withheld

Go for a hormone test and check if you have hormonal imbalance. Also visit a homeopath to reduce the hair growth problem.

I am a 19-year-old girl. During summers, I tan considerably. I have an oily skin and sunscreens do not suit me. Please suggest a natural remedy.

Name and address withheld

Use an oil-free sunscreen at all times. Apply a sandalwood pack on your skin on alternate days to reduce tan and keep your skin glowing.

Cosmetic cures

Bridgette Jones has the most effective make-up tricks up her sleeve

I am a young student. I will be travelling abroad very soon and will have to stay abroad for a couple of years. I will therefore have to do my own eyebrows. Please tell me how I can manage on my own. Also, how will I be able to get the perfect shape?

Name and address withheld

An artful pair of eyebrows can make a face. And the opposite can break it. Your eyebrows are all about expression and definition — framing not just the eyes, but the face itself. Using your

eyebrows to your advantage can maximise your best features, camouflage facial flaws and take years off your looks.

As a general rule — the shape should start fuller in the front and taper off toward the end for an instant eye-lift.

Pooja Misra model-turned-anchor I have a combination skin and follow three basic regime — cleansing, toning and moisturising. Apart from this I honestly don’t do anything to take care of my skin and hair. I am loyal to Clinique, especially their water-based moisturiser. Apart from this, I just try to stick to a healthy diet

Balance is the key to a great shaped eyebrow. The perfect shape can vary from person to person, depending on the contour of the face and the appearance of the eyes.

The end of your brows should be neither too thin not too short. If the brows are over-tweezed, the face will seem fuller.

And if they are too thick, they will overwhelm the features.Tweezing takes a bit longer and can be uncomfortable, but it’s better than waxing for sensitive skin.

Here are five steps to the perfect eyebrows. Follow these steps and you will soon be able to do your eyebrows on your own and will simply have no problem during the time you will be staying abroad.

• It is important to find the right brow shape before you start doing your eyebrows.

• Position a pencil alongside your nose, aligning it straight up. This is where your brow should begin.

• Pivot the pencil across the middle of your brow in a way that its top is directly above the iris of your eyes. This is the highest point of the brow, and the point where your brow should arch for a perfect look.

• Continue to pivot the top of the pencil outward towards the top of your ears until the pencil forms a 45° angle with the side of your nose. This is where the eyebrow should end.

• Slide the tweezers underneath the hair, clasp the hair at the root, and tweeze it out in the direction of its growth.

• Apply chilled cotton pads over the brows to reduce the redness and close the pores. u