This season if you are going to set a standard or schedule to turn urself beautiful..or if thers any Upcoming weddings u need to attend, Or to any horror, if its ur own wedding..the following are the tips and tricks that will help you look your best...Ive made a lot of calculation pertaining to the things that I should do, along with my fellow friends and here we are, finally up with a 60 day grooming schedule
First and foremost, set yourself a goal. If you are a bride-waiting ofcourse it is the wedding that you target; if not aim for a festival celebration, a family wedding, a special aniversary... experts agree that a pre-planned beauty routine followed properly for a couple of months will give that "bridal glow" everyone raves about, where the "Confidence" plays the key role.
Remember the make-up comes later, first, get glowing skin and then enhance it with the right make-up.
THE COUNT BEGINS...Day 1: Consult a Dermatologist and get all your skin and hair queries addressed. If u r pretty much aware of all the stuff that goes well with u, U can start out all by Urself.
Day 2: Visit a Dietician and figure out your optimum weight. Get her to devise a tailor-made diet and exercise plan for you to look your body best. She may need you to undergo some medical tests; go prepared and armed with the results to save time. Don’t overdo the gym, swimming or even walking routine. Get as much exercise as you can to get your body in shape, but without stressing yourself out!
Day 3: Take a little time out – you have two experts’ advice. But add to it; work out a sustainable plan to add your own little steps bit by bit (you can crosscheck with your experts if you like). Eat smaller meals six times a day; increase your water intake (if you’re not already drinking at least about two 1-litre bottles per day); maintain a daily food diary; stay away from the five Cs: Colas, Chocolate, Cake, Coffee and Chips! Make a “healthy” lifestyle – take the stairs, walk to the market, and get your beauty sleep. Ask your friends and relatives to cooperate; set the alarm, get your house help to cook healthier meals and so on…
Day 4: Throw out old creams and lotions; indulge yourself, buy a range of products based on your needs (as per the expert’s advice), anti-ageing, deep moisture, and whitening… Opt for a brand that you have been loyal to, and that has had proven effects on your skin. If confused by conflicting advice, ask the dermatologist to recommend a specific brand – just make sure she’s not affiliated to any particular brand! Your kitty of good buys must include: Face wash, Toner, Daycream, Nightcream, Bodylotion, Make-upRemover, Face&BodyScrub, and a Facemask.
Day 5: Go for a body wax – this is important to check your skin’s sensitivity levels a long while before D-day. Also, this will also let you check your comfort levels with the salon expert. If you’re the slightest bit uncomfortable, switch to another. A body wax includes the limbs and the back. Your stomach and breasts are usually bleached, or epilator creams may be used to take off the hair. You can also opt for a bikini wax, which involves waxing the hair off the bikini line and further down south (a Brazilian wax) –check if your comfort levels allow you to do this.
Day 6: Visit the salon to get your beauty plan in order (manicure, pedicure, facials, face clean-ups, body massage and wraps, head massage, hair spas and any more such treatments) – it’s easier to go to a one-stop shop for all your needs, instead of going all over the place and getting a pedicure at one place and a facial at the other. Kaya, VLCC, Lakmé, Shahnaz Husain, Habib’s and other salons have chains all over the city; find the one that gives you the best value for money, nearest to where you live.
Day 7: If you’re to be a winter bride, and your trousseau has been decided, sit with the make-up artist you would like to go with and ask her to devise 3-4 looks for you. If you’re not happy with her, find another one. If you want a special look for any other memorable occasion, it’s still a good idea to figure out the ensembles you will wear and decide on your make-up, to complement them.
Day 8: Your plan in order and consultations done, indulge at the salon or… Get a hydrating facial, a head and body massage, and throw in a manicure and pedicure. Or do Urself the DIY Home made beauty routines.
Day 9: Just relax – watch a movie, get some sleep, read a book… (If you’re working, try to fit this into a workday off, not on the weekend, when you’re likely to have activities happening around you at home).
Day 10: Pay attention to your hair – follow your expert’s advice when it comes to scalp-related problems such as dandruff or weak roots. Visit your hairdresser and get the right shampoo, conditioner and styling products to use.
Day 11: Revisit your food plan and check your food diary – make sure you are following all that the dietician has advised you to do.
Day 12: Try a home remedy: After your shower, follow through with a milk-scrub. Literally. Dip a loofah in milk and scrub away – the milk will hydrate your skin and take away all the accumulated tan – and as a plus-plus, moisturise your skin!
Day 13: If you want / need a haircut, now is the time to do it – in the next 50 days or so, your hair won’t outgrow a cut; and if by chance it’s a terrible mistake, there’s still time to rectify it!
Day 14: Get your eyebrows shaped professionally – make a change if you want – go thinner(if urs is a skinny face) or thicker(if urs is a fatty face), the way you prefer. But it’s best to listen to the advice of a particularly well-informed or groomed friend. Here too, if things go wrong, there’s enough time to correct them before D-day.
Day 15: Try a never-before lip balm (try brands such as L’Occitane, The Body Shop, Elizabeth Arden) in tantalising flavours, and use it regularly to keep your lips soft and kissable… For more of a Desi touch, try Himalaya Herbals Lip Salve, Biotique Sunflower BioLipBalm, or Vaseline Pretoleum Jelly with Vitamin E is in the store, check them out.
Day 16: Take a day off. Go watch the latest “nothing-movie” and maybe indulge in some lingerie shopping with your friends… Buy a soft, fluffy pair of home slippers. Come home, wash the grime off your feet, apply a foot cream (Lush, The Body Shop, Dr Scholls, Avon, Oriflame, Himalaya Herbals FootCream…) or get your help to do so, slip your feet in the cushioned slippers… Relax.
Day 17: At your expert’s advice, make an appointment for a microdermabrasion or glycolic peel session, if need be. This will remove dead and damaged cells from your skin, leaving you feeling and looking fresh and youthful. Basically, this is the best time to do it, if u wanted it. If uve got sensitive skin, and wants to go all natural, I dont think this could be for u.
Day 18: Try grandma’s home remedy for skin lightening: besan, milk and haldi mixed into a paste and applied all over your body(follow this only if u r not allergetic to any of these ingredients). Keep on for 10-15 minutes and then scrub off with a loofah for rejuvenated skin. It always works! If Uve got Sandalwood stick..U can use that as well to lighten that crappy tan.
Day 19: Declare this a hair day – start with an oil massage in the morning; then shampoo off. Mix two portions of honey and one of olive oil and apply (yes, it’s rather gooey) to your tresses. Put on a shower cap, and shampoo again and condition after half an hour for glossy, shiny hair…
Day 20: Go through your perfumes – throw out any that have gone bad (a good indication is an eggy smell that arises after 5-10 minutes of application) and buy new ones.
Day 21: Apply a face mask that specifically suits your skin : fruit-based/moisturizing for dry skin, clay-based for oily skin.
Day22: Opt for a body massage to soothe away tension. Try a hot /cold stone massage that focuses on your body’s pressure points and makes stress disappear like magic… (Don’t hesitate to indulge at a quality spa.)
Day 23: Stubborn cellulite? Rub ground coffee mixed with body lotion all over your legs, hips and arms… Plan an intense Yoga session.
Day 24: Skip SPF too often and you’ll be left with age spots on your face. To combat these, rub lemon juice-for oily/combination skin , or Sandalwood-if uve got dry/sensitive skin, daily, follow up with moisturiser.
Day 25: A quick home remedy for dry hands and feet: Before going to bed, wash them well with a shower wash and scrub with a pumice stone. Apply a moisturiser and then a layer of petroleum jelly or glycerine. Slip your hands into gloves and feet into socks. Drift off to awake to soft skin…
Day 26: Dull hair? The same hair products used over and over can lead to product build-up in your hair… Starting this day, periodically, wash your hair with a clarifying shampoo to remove residue. Switch shampoos and conditioners often to decrease the chance of build-up. Follow the Oil Massage routine, which unclogs the build-up easily. Eating a healthy diet with Vitamins B and E also helps!
Day 27: Go for a good hair spa (most salons offer hair spas that involve a head massage, shampoo, an intense conditioner,
steam and then another shampoo and blow-dry). Get to bed early to de-stress.
Day 28: Make it a “do-nothing” day. Relaaax..n enjoy the space.
Day 29: Re-check your nighttime beauty routine. Always remember to take your make-up off, lest all your beauty treatments come to a head because of clogged pores! Use the make-up remover – soap and water is not enough even if all you’ve applied is kohl and a blush.
Day 30: A month gone, another to go. Stop and revise what you’re doing. Visit the dermatologist or the dietician again and revise your skin and fitness plans if need be. Ensure you get your beauty sleep for the month to come.
Day 31: Enlarged pores? Try tomatoes! You can make a “tomato lotion”: Take one tsp of tomato juice; add a couple of drops of lime juice. Apply on face and remove after 15 minutes. This reduces the appearance of pores.
Day 32: Stress causing break-outs? Keep your trusted zit-zapper handy but pick a home remedy to help you along: A mask made of grated apple mixed with a little honey is an excellent remedy for pimples. For the more adventurous, peel and mash eight cloves of fresh garlic and apply to the face, avoiding the area around the eyes. Leave on for about 15 minutes and wash off with a warm cloth. Use a face wash to get rid of the smell.
Day 33: Make sure you are using a good eye cream (La Prairie, L’Oréal Paris, Garnier or Iraya ). Make sure you use your ring finger for (the pressure exerted is gentler), keep your eyes closed, and just dab on the product lightly under and around the eyes. If u wanted to go all natural way, put on Potato slices, before u hit the sack and Cucumber slices at dawn.
Day 34: Get a luxury shot: a wine facial, a chocolate body wrap, a coffee scrub – use food-based spa treatments to tantalise your senses and nourish your skin. Check into a good city spa and pick your treatment.
Day 35: Drink two cups of green tea daily, starting now – the anti-oxidants will keep your skin fresh and youthful and flush out toxins from your body, giving you double benefits.
Day 36: Take out time every day, from today on, to meditate for 10 minutes. This will calm your senses, reduce stress and anxiety and bring an overall glow to your countenance. Of course, you don’t have to be a to-be bride to push up your calm quotient. Focus on a specific calming thought or vision, a verse, a piece of music, or your favourite deity; sit in a cool, quiet space and try not to move for the duration. You may find it difficult to do this for 10 minutes to begin with, but it does get easier as the days pass…
Day 37: You can turn any fruit into a quick facial mask by blending it with dahi or honey. Dahi works well for those with oily skin; those with dry skin should use a honey base. You can also use the fruits to condition your hair by blending them with your favourite conditioner, letting the mixture sit on your head for about 10 minutes. Then, using a hair dryer set on high heat for deeper absorption, shampoo as usual. For even deeper conditioning, mix the fruits with an essential oil such as almond oil.
Day 38: Another salon visit, another facial. Or follow a DIY Home Facial, which is a best option.
Day 39: Do your final lingerie shopping. Take the time to get fitted for the right size. (Remember to apply a cream or lotion with SPF whenever you step out.)
Day 40: Puffy eyes can be a problem. A sure fix is to splash ice-cold water onto your face for at least 5 minutes (longer if you can stand it). Or try the traditional approach: slices of cold cucumber placed on each eye. You can also buy eye masks to reduce puffiness (The Body Shop has one you can put in the freezer and place over eyes.)
Day 41: Treat your nails with some TLC'c To avoid breakage, always use a moisturiser after washing them. Start on a course of vitamins to make the nails stronger, after checking with your dietician. Apply a base coat on nails before applying colour to prevent discoloured nails.
Day 42: Here's how to enjoy a truly relaxing bath Take two teaspoons honey, 1 cup very hot water and a few drops of pure essential oil. Dissolve the honey in the water. Add the essential oil. Pour the mixture into your bath water. One cup is enough for your tub.
Day 43: Add extra brightness to your complexion: Take 1.4 cup dahi and 1.4 cup walnuts (very finely grounded). Mix well. Wet your face then gently work the scrub into your skin. Rinse off with warm water. Try this once a week, starting this day, and watch your face glow.
Day 44: Step up your exercise plan . focus on specific areas such as the stomach, triceps and buttocks . areas that tend to get flabby fast. Tone up with weights and cardio. Remember not to overdo it; get your trainer's advice at the gym.
Day 45: Coffee for your hair - Make a strong brew (espresso if possible) and allow to cool until only warm, not hot. Apply the coffee to dry hair and rinse with warm water after about 20 minutes to get glossy, shiny hair.
Day 46: Take a day off to detox – do a set of 10-20 Suryanamaskars to invigorate your body and senses. Eat plenty of fruits and crunchy, raw veggies all through the day; have lots of water and juice.
Day 47: Go for fun spa activities with your friends – indulge in a foot reflexology treatment, a body wrap and even a blow-dry, just for fun!
Day 48: Take a day off from beauty-related stuff and just have a gala time with friends or family. Let go just for today. Have that burger or cheesy pizza…
Day 49: If your skin is looking red, irritated or puffy, steep a bag of green tea for a minute, let it cool down, and dab it on your face. The anti-oxidants tackle the inflammation.
Day 50: Need a pep-up? Spray a light shot of fragrance into the bristles of your hair brush. Run the brush through from roots to ends , and you’ll end up with amazing-smelling hair!
Day 51: Ten days to D-day! Take stock of your beauty routine and stick to the recommended routines…
Day 52: Get your grooming bag ready for D-day – hair spray, hair pins or make-up remover wipes (try Kara or Oriflame), tissues, hand moisturiser, lip balm or the shade of lipstick you’d be wearing, a good compact and most importantly, a small vial of perfume and deodorant.
Day 53: Get your hair coloured if you have greys, else just get a trim and a deep-conditioning hair treatment or apply a henna pack (Biotique, Shahnaz Husain or VLCC) to keep up the shine in your tresses.
Day 54: This one is especially for the bride: Get your bridal make-up done to finalise every shade, every product used. There’s enough time to change anything you don’t like, and test if you’re allergic to a particular product.Get a photo clicked for referral.
Day 55: Exfoliate – get a body scrub (St Ives has some great scrubs) and if au naturelle is more your style, use the Forest Essentials Coconut Milk Body Scrub. For all home-remedy lovers – purée a papaya or two bananas in a mixer, add loads of sugar to it (don’t mix the sugar in lest it melts) and use this as a body scrub.
Day 56: A full body wax, face wax / bleach and eyebrow-shaping – this is going to be a painful day. Pop a painkiller an hour before your appointment to keep the pain at a minimum – and rub some ice on sore skin afterwards.
Day 57: A hair spa is a good idea; go get a L’Oréal or Kerastase treatment. Follow it up with a face clean-up, aromatherapy facial and a body-and-head massage.
Day 58: Get a manicure and pedicure – we love VLCC’s Paraffin Wax – they dip your hands and feet in warm wax as the last step – this ensures your hands, feet and nails are well moisturised and glossy.
Day 59: Today would be the “mehndi” day for many brides-to-be. To deepen the henna hue from orange to a lovely brown on your hands – roast some cloves on a hot pan (no oil) and then hold your hands over the “white” smoke that arises. Another age-old tradition is to mix lemon juice and sugar, and apply it to the dry mehndi that’s caked on – this will help the mehndi stick better. Remember to remove the mehndi; scrub it off – don’t wash off.
Day 60: Relax, take a long aromatic bath. Moisturise your skin well. Catch any stray hair on your face with a tweezer. Put on a mask and slather on body butter. Remember to drink lots of water. Tomorrow is the Big Day…
