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Body Care Tips - Beauty
Bath Smart
Good grooming and basic beauty care
begin in the bathroom. Bathing can be fun, not a chore and can make you
feel fresh and glowing. Personal freshness is essential for everyone.
The bacteria on the skin attacking the sweat when it reaches the surface
of the skin cause body odor. Perspiration odor doesn't start until about
the age of 10, when the special apocrine glands develop. These are found
mainly under the arms and between the legs.
Once a week, take time to have a lazy
bath night, and turn it into a beauty treatment. Make the bath water
soft and sweet smelling by adding some bubble bath, bath salts or bath
oils. Alternatively, you can soften the water with a large spoonful or
borax or powdered water softener.
Your bath won't do you any good if you
stay in it so long, as soaking will dry your skin, or if is too hot, as
this too is very drying. Twenty minutes is the longest you should
linger, and 38o C(100 oF) is the highest temperature you should have the
water. If you are not washing your hair, protect it with a shower cap,
as the steam will make curly hair more frizzy or straight hair lank.
Other things you might need for your
beautiful bath are:
- A loofah, friction strap or mitt
- A sponge
- A back brush
- A nail brush
- A pumice stone
- Soap or body shampoo
- Talcum powder
- Body lotion
While you are in a bath, rub yourself
briskly with a loofah, friction strap or back brush. This makes your
skin tingle, improving your circulation and encouraging blemishes to
disappear, but be careful if you have delicate skin.
Scrub your feet thoroughly, and follow
the foot care routine. The hot steam of the bath will open the skin
pores on your face. If you suffer from blackheads, you should be able to
press them out gently with your fingertips and remove with a clean
tissue. Or try the new blackhead removal strips that are available in
the market.
While you are relaxing in the bath,
this is a good time to apply a face mask- something you can do
occasionally than every week.
If you are not giving yourself a
facemask and have oily skin, wash your face with soap and water. If you
have dry skin, spread moisturizer on your face and let your steam help
it to sink into the pores. After your bath, rub yourself dry briskly
with a fairly rough towel. Now is the time to deal with unwanted body
hair. It is a matter of personal choice whether you get rid of on your
legs and under your arms.
There are many ways of dealing with
unwanted hair: shaving, using a depilatory cream or lotion or waxing. If
using a depilatory cream, follow the manufacturer's instructions
carefully. They may advise you not to use it immediately after a bath.
Even if you are careful about the time
you spend in the bath and the temperature of the water, your skin will
still need help, after your bath, to re-establish its correct moisture
balance. Use body lotion, and then dust yourself with talc.
After a bath, your nails are softened,
and this is a good time to give yourself a manicure and pedicure.
Milk, Oil and Honey Bath
(To soften and moisturize your skin).
Ingredients: warm water, one cup of
powdered skimmed milk, one teaspoon oil (baby or vegetable), two
teaspoons clear honey dissolved in one cup hot water.
Duration: 20 minutes
Directions: add all ingredients to
water, then lie back and relax for 20 minutes. Maintain the temperature
by adding hot water as necessary. Don't dry too vigorously afterwards.
Sea salt Bath
(To cleansing bath for oily skin)
Ingredients: Warm water, two cups of
sea salt, additional salt.
Duration: Ten minutes in all (five in
the water).
Directions: Pour the two cups of salt
into bath water to dissolve. Meanwhile, massage the additional salt over
your body with the loofah or friction mitt. Get into the bath, rinse
away the salt and soak for five minutes. Use plenty of body lotion
afterwards.
Mint Bath
(To refresh and revive you)
Ingredients: Tepid water, two
tablespoons dried mint leaves steeped in boiling water for one hour then
strained so that only water goes into the bath.
Duration: Ten minutes
Directions: Add the mint infusion after
running the bath. Don't have the water too deep as this will dilute the
benefits. Lie back for the first few minutes. Wash briskly with the
loofah or friction strap or mitt for the remaining five minutes.
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