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Beauty

Fuss-free hair for the monsoon

The rains are upon us, so spruce up your limp locks with some smart cuts and care for the season.
by Beverley Lewis 

The monsoon will soon be upon us. And while that is great news for a city wilting under terrible heat, it’s bad news for your hair.

Frizzy hairWhether you have short, long or medium-length hair, being caught unawares in a passing shower can wreak havoc on the tresses you work so hard to keep well-groomed.  Limp locks, frizzy halos and even scalp infections can prove extremely troubling, so be sure to give your locks a little TLC and you will be the belle of the ball.

Having lustrous and healthy hair is the dream of every woman.  However, in the monsoon season, extra care should be taken due to atmospheric conditions. The onset of the monsoons leads to hair care problems like stickiness, greasiness and dandruff. The heightened moisture makes your hair flat and its texture, dull. The result? You end up with dull, lifeless and frizzy hair.

Regain your crowning glory with these tips for great hair in the rains:

Head turner

The monsoon season can play havoc with your mane. Getting caught in a cloudburst is bound to wreck your well-coiffured hair.

In order to prevent such a mishap, tie your hair into a ponytail while traipsing about in the rain.  Hair is a lot easier to maintain when it is tied up. You could also get a little creative and leave a few strands loose around your face, to give that sexy siren look.

braidsAnother favourite that is making a comeback is braids. One can opt for a loose braid to achieve the out-of-bed look. This look can be used both in the boardroom and the bedroom.

A great trend this season is the pixie haircut. It is a little adventurous, but you only have to style it once in the morning, leaving you time to grab your cuppa and head out the door.

Or just leave your hair loose and long. Style it to look messy, and then let the weather take its course over the rest of the day. Your hair will look tousled and fantastic and no one will know how little effort it took.

Layered hairstyles are also becoming quite popular. For instance, a brilliantly-razored, many layered haircut for medium length hair with a few bangs that can be tied and combed on monsoon hair careto the side of the head with a dainty hairclip, is a great and ideal hairstyle for medium-length hair.

If you prefer the schoolteacher look, you can tie your hair in a bun. You can also complete this look with a pair of funky glasses, making it a good look for the monsoon.

Colour me bad

Vibrant shades such as purple, blue, pink or red, green are gaining popularity on and off the catwalk this season. However, coloured hair tends to lose moisture, and gets dry and frizzy. To avoid this, it is important to use a good colour care shampoo and conditioner. Also, use a serum or a leave in conditioner and go for regular hair spa or deep moisturising washing coloured hairtreatments. If you follow these tips you could end up with sassy, glossy tresses.

Get your swag on

Skip the styling products and go natural during the monsoons. This means that you must avoid using excess hair styling products such as mousse, hair gels, styling and fixing sprays and wax. These tend to clump up and become rather useless when they come in contact with air packed with moisture. If you must use a product to control the frizz, use a light slick of anti-frizz or shine serum and soon you and your tresses will be singing in the rain.

How are you getting your hair ready this monsoon? Share your tips with Beverley in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy blog.snapdeal.com, www.collegegloss.com, www.byouthiful.com, www.deal.com.sg)

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Guest writer

Mumbai is my lover

What makes all of us fall in love with this city? And is there a simple answer to this question?
Purva Desaiby Purva Desai

I’ve often wondered what’s kept me stuck to a city like Mumbai, to the point where I’m hostile about the idea of moving any place else. Wherever I go, I invariably begin to compare it to Mumbai.

Maybe I got Bombay-genised long ago, in the days when we partied till 5:00 am and going to J49 toh boss banta hi banta tha. I can’t pinpoint and explain to perplexed lovers of open spaces and believers of a quality life that for me, this is the best place to be. They keep asking ‘Why?’

Why? Because of everything. Terminology, food, places, people…I can go on and on.

I’ve observed on my travels that I’m a hopeless homesick who finds something missing in most places and which I feel Bom-Mumbai has – a vibrating, pulsating, encompassing heart!

I find it in the midst of a flood when the whole city is swimming and strangers parade in complete darkness, holding your hand and singing songs to cheer you and ensure you reach home safely.

I find it in the midst of a terrorist attack where the whole city marches courageously to Colaba to show that we love one religion: humanity.

I find it at a cricket match at Wankhede Stadium where everybody is cheering Sachin Tendulkar – then there’s no Gujarati, Maharashtrian, Punjabi, Sindhi, Parsi. We all belong to one caste. And when the whole city is out on the streets, celebrating and cheering till the wee hours of morning.

food in mumbaiI find it in the food – in the vada pavs, dabelis, pav bhaji, sev puri, ussal, missal and bhajjiyas. Here aloo pyaaj becomes kanda batata.

I find it in people even though you live alone – no one can be a stranger here. Your tai, bai, dhobi and bhajiwallah become the friends you talk to daily.

I find it in the chaos- the fast pace, lack of living space, the hurry to catch that train or run after that BEST bus. But in the end, you’ll always make it.

I find it in an autorickshaw where you are safe and secure in the hands of a rickshawwallah even at 2:00 am. Never mind his spitting (mostly paan) or the race he’s having with the BEST bus. Ignore that and you’ll survive.

I find it in Colaba where you realise that Shantaram makes you see the place in a whole new light and you wonder if foreigners know Mumbai more than you do. Maybe they do…heavy rain in mumbai

I find it on the streets where Zara, Forever New, Mango, Ann Taylor and FCUK all come under one roof for cheap – it’s surplus but still ORIGINAL.

I find it in the bars, clubs and restaurants where you’re as valued as a Bollywood star or celebrity.

In the end, maybe I’ve said too much or maybe I have not said enough. I can make endless comparisons, use metaphors, similes and give ‘hajjaar’ explanations, but the realisation is always one and always the same – I’ll have an eternal love affair with this city.

More things to love about Mumbai:

Purva Desai is an entertainment journalist with The Times of India (online). The Santacruz resident says she is up for anything spontaneous but that apart, she loves traveling, exploring different cultures and cuisines and meeting new people, apart from having a passion for yoga, dancing, reading, cooking and films.

(Pictures courtesy www.guardian.co.uk, www.bbc.co.uk, gulfnews.com, creative.sulekha.com, www.arrivalguides.com, blogs.wsj.com, winnersdelhinews.com, postnoon.com, www.indianaturewatch.net, kaapiandart.blogspot.com, www.buzzintown.com, www.desicolours.com, goindia.about.com)

Categories
Deal with it

75-year-old wins fight against Vodafone

Activist Bhagvanji Raiyani takes mobile phone operator to court over defective handsets in 2008, fights case for himself and wins.
by The Editors | editor@themetrognome.in

Bhagwanji_RaiyaniIt takes perseverance and gumption, and an unshakable belief in yourself, to stand up to somebody powerful for your rights. 75-year-old Mumbai resident and PIL activist Bhagwanji Raiyani did just that in 2008. Five years later, he won.

After the 75-year old veteran successfully argued his own case on April 30, 2013 before the State Consumer Redressal Forum, Vodafone coughed up a cheque of Rs 6,398 (refund of purchase price) and also a cheque of Rs 30,000 (compensation for legal expenses and hardships) on May 22, 2013.

Read his story below in his own words:

“I purchased two handsets for Rs. 6,398 in 2008 from Hutchison Max Paging Pvt. Ltd., a Vodafone dealer in Mumbai on which the name of Vodafone was inscribed. There was two years warranty on the handsets. Many a time they couldn’t get connected to the network and were giving (me) lot of trouble.I requested the dealer to replace the handsets with operational ones, but they refused.

I filed a case in (the) Consumer District Court, Bandra which ordered Vodafone to refund me Rs. 6,398 with Rs. 4,000/- as compensation for legal expenses and hardship I suffered. I didn’t accept the amount and appealed to the State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission, Maharashtra, Mumbai and argued the case in person on April 30, 2013. The Commission passed the order in my favour. Accordingly, I received a cheque of Rs 6,398 from Vodafone on May 22, 2013 as the refund of my purchase price and a further cheque of Rs. 30,000 as the damages.

My advice: fight for your rights, and never give up.

Bhagvanji Raiyani,

Chairman and Managing Trustee

Forum For Fast Justice

(Pictures courtesy www.presidentialdemocracy.org, www.timepass69.com)

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Wellness

Bottoms up? Or not?

Alcohol takes a toll on our bodies; it plays havoc with the skin and sustained consumption could even cause blindness.
by Beverley Lewis

Do you regularly enjoy a bottle or several bottles of wine? Or are you guilty of knocking back several rounds of tequila shots, only to wake up feeling and looking like you’ve been hit by a freight train? Well, the truth is that alcohol does take a toll on our looks and bodies, and the results aren’t pretty. Read on to see how consuming too much alcohol can play havoc with your skin and learn how you can minimise its beauty-zapping effects.

Alcohol ages you
alcohol ages youAlcohol accelerates the ageing process by dehydrating our bodies. That’s why, after a night of heavy drinking, you are likely to wake up thirsty.  Besides, it also forces our kidneys to work overtime to flush out all the toxins from the body. Excessive consumption of alcohol also leads to depletion of vitamin A within our bodies, which is needed by the skin for cell renewal. The result? Dry, greyish skin that’s prone to wrinkling.

“The dehydrating effect of alcohol and depletion of anti-oxidants makes the skin susceptible to free radical-induced damage resulting in dull skin, darkening (hyperpigmentation), dark circles, coarse texture, and development of wrinkles. So drinking too much alcohol can make you age at a faster pace,” says dermatologist Dr Rickson Perreira, Dr Minal’s Dermatherapie Centre, Mumbai.

Alcohol consumption = bad skin
Over time, drinking heavily can have other, more permanent, detrimental effects on your skin, like rosacea—red, irritated skin and sometimes even broken capillaries visible as unsightly spider veins on the skin surface and also in the eyes, leaving your eyes with an unhealthy bloodshot appearance.

According to Dr Apratim Goel, renowned cosmetic dermatologist and laser surgeon, Cutis Skin Studio, Mumbai, “Whatever the amount and the frequency of alcohol consumption, it Acnedoes affect the skin negatively, as it dehydrates the body of water as well as electrolytes, minerals and nutrients.”

Since it depletes the body of water and electrolytes, alcohol also causes bloating. Facial bloat is one of the most common side-effects of excess consumption of alcohol. It also leads to weight gain and cellulite. In addition, it enlarges the tiny blood vessels on the surface of the eye, which gives eyes the ‘bloodshot’ appearance. “Alcohol consumption also disturbs the REM sleep pattern, causing sleep deprivation, which can lead to puffy eyes and cause dark circles,” says Dr Goel.

You may lose your eyesight
How about the fact that you could lose your peepers? Because excessive drinking depletes the body of nutrients required to maintain eye health, it can also lead to a condition called ‘alcoholic optic neuritis’, which impairs eyesight and, over time, can result in blindness. Hair is also likely to suffer, as alcohol consumption can deplete the body of zinc, which can cause dry hair that is lacklustre and prone to breakage and split ends.

But if you must drink:
alcohol hangover– The next time you’re downing your favourite cocktails like they are going out of style, remember to have a tall glass of water between each glass of alcohol, as this will not only lower your chances of a nasty hangover, but will also prevent your skin from looking dull and lifeless the following morning.

– If you eat a small portion of complex carbohydrates and protein while binge drinking, you can slow down the absorption of alcohol into your bloodstream.

– Women also metabolise alcohol differently than men, as women get a higher concentration of alcohol in their bloodstream faster, which explains why they also feel the effects of alcohol much faster than men.

– Moderation is the key to limiting the damaging effects of alcohol.

– “B-complex and multi-mineral supplements help replenish some of the depleted nutrients due to excessive alcohol consumption, especially in those who follow a vegetarian diet,” says Dr Rickson. Foods rich in B-complex and minerals are lean meats, seafood, green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, legumes and dry fruits.

So the next time you’re enjoying a night out of the town, be smart about the choices you make and your skin and body will thank you for it.

Beverley Lewis has written for beauty magazines and has amazing tips to share. Have you experienced the ill effects of alcohol? Write to Beverley in the comments section below. You can also refer to additional information on alcoholism treatment from your doctor or from a trusted medical resource. 

(Pictures courtesy vivekbarunrai.blogspot.com, www.myheadsup.co.uk, www.nydailynews.com, www.medicinenet.com)

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Guest writer

Midnight at Marine Drive

A whole ecosystem springs up at Marine Drive in the hours when Mumbai sleeps, and a day begins for others.
Shama Arif Patelby Shama Arif Patel

1 am.

While it’s time for most of us to call it a day, the day begins for many at this hour. Right here at Marine Drive.

The day begins for a flower girl who gets a smile on her face after seeing the couples sitting hand in hand, for now she knows that it’s her time to earn her living. The day begins for her right then!

The day begins for an artist who hits Marine Drive at 11 pm every day. After keeping his belongings aside, he makes himself comfortable. Laying on the stretch, facing the sea, staring at the sky, he closes his eyes to let his exhaustion settle down. He takes drawing classes for children during the day and makes live sketches for people at night. After a good 45 minutes’ nap, he calls it a morning. Grooming himself and carrying drawing sheets in his hand, he gets going to earn his share of money.

A mimicry artist is thrilled to see a potential audience by the sea. He spots a group of people and begins an impromptu show right there. While some shower genuine praises at him, the others take this as their chance to mock him. While some offer him money, the others, like me, pray for his dream to come true. His hope begins right there!

It’s a new day for a chaiwallah who rides up and down several times carrying chai along with other eatables, making his bicycle a mobile basic grocery store. And this store manager marine-drive-seem to know exact need of the crowd visiting this place because this need becomes responsible for his family’s daily living.

The strength of tel-maalish (oil massage) men doubles as they seek to work their hand’s magic and release the tension in a lot of people sitting on that pavement! The onlookers may feel that people getting the maalish are stressed and tired with working hard and they remain completely ignorant to the life of that massager who is capable of relieving the stress despite his own stressful life. That maalish session which he executes with his whole heart becomes his blessing and earnings for the next 24 hours.

SONY DSCIt’s daybreak for those innocent street children and their mother, who roam around in search of food and money with a hope to get blessed with someone’s leftover snacks that becomes their only meal for the entire day. It’s a new day for another group of homeless children who walk around with naughty smiles and a twinkle in their eyes, accepting anything and everything that’s offered to them by people around – from a half-filled water bottle to the left over chana-chor garam.

Then, amidst these people are those who are filled with complains and whine about how nothing is going right in their life! People who are so engrossed in their problematic world that they become ignorant to these needs around them. And despite not having any of those fancy luxuries, these mid-nighters seem happy and content compared to those people who visit Marine Drive just to release their stress!

Would you trade your life to live someone else’s life? Would you be happy living the life of that flower girl or the artist or that stand-up comedian or those street dwellers? You may not want to live their life but you become a part of their life always. ‘You’ become a part of their new beginning every single day! And how wonderful would it be, if you offered a smile to these mid-nighters and gave them a happy start to their day!

We all are dependent beings trying to live independent lives. The kind of person you choose to become not only affects your life but also affects the life of people around you and that’s when you become the indirect support of many who begin their day at midnight. Life has many facets to it and each human being, I guess, is given a part to play. Make sure you play your part well, because now you know that you are touching lives every second just by playing your part in this life.

Shama Patel is a marriage and family counsellor by education, a writer by passion and a celebrity co-coordinator by choice. She also works part time for a telecomm company as a media and communication manager. In her free time, she loves to read, write and sketch. She gets enthralled by everything that nature has to offer. 

 (Pictures courtesy blog.jilllenafordart.com, www.lonelyplanet.com, www.hg2magazine.com)

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Beauty

Pack it in

Check out five simple DIY facepacks to make from scratch at home and beat the effects of a scorching summer.
by Beverley Lewis

Summer has already knocked on our doors and you can literally feel the scorching heat when you step out of the house. Besides dehydrating the body, the extreme temperatures can also play havoc with your skin, leading to wrinkles, dull, tried and sallow looking skin. Fret not, we show you how to beat the heat and look as fresh as a daisy with these five simply DIY facepacks , with ingredients straight from the pantry.

Rose garden
Rose water refreshes the skin, cleans the oil and dirt from pores and prevents black heads. It is a natural cooling agent and aromatic astringent that helps tone and hydrate the skin. multani-mitti-face-packs

Take 1 tbsp of Fullers Earth or Multani mitti and soak this in water for 15 minutes. When it becomes moist and pliable, add a teaspoon of rose water to the mix. Apply this on the face and leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes (see pic on right). After this, clean it off with cold water and voila, you will have fresh and dewy-looking skin.

Fragrant beauty
Using sandalwood powder on the face has a softening effect. It helps get rid of patchy and rough skin, as well as helps in getting rid of a tan and provides relief from sun burns and blackheads.

Take 2 tbsp of corn starch, 2 tsp of neem leaf juice, 2 tsp of sandalwood powder and 2 to 3 drops of olive oil. Mix these ingredients together and apply them on the face with a brush. Leave it on for about 30 minutes, allowing it to dry well and then rinse with cold water. Do this three times a week and you will notice a remarkable difference in your skin.

Get minty fresh
mint leavesMint has a cleansing, soothing and cooling effect, which makes it perfectly suitable for most skin types. Mint has properties that make skin soft and supple and clear up blemishes, blackheads and acne. It also helps get rid of a dull, sallow complexion.

Take 4 tbsp of freshly ground mint paste, 1/4 cup of ripe papaya pulp, 2 tsp of gram flour and 1/2 tsp of lime juice. Mix the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Leave this mixture one for about 30 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water to reveal a glowing complexion.

Peaches ‘n’ cream
If your skin feels and looks lacklustre, use this simple trick and you can get a soft, smooth and radiant complexion in a matter of minutes. For this, the main ingredient you will need is fresh cream, which is packed with AHA acids, which hydrate the skin making it plump and soft. It also gently exfoliates the skin to reveal healthier, glowing skin, fades dark spots, reduces redness and evens out skin tone. It is also anti-inflammatory and has anti-aging properties to keep skin young looking.

Make this pack thus: mix 1 tsp of cream to 1/2 tsp lime juice to form a paste. Massage this well into the skin and leave for 3 to 4 minutes. Rinse with cold water.

Got spice?
Turmeric is excellent for reducing acne, scarring, clearing an uneven skin tone, sunburns, freckles, wrinkles and tans. Turmeric protects the skin from free radicals and has powerful antioxidant properties.

Make a paste with 4 tbsp wheat flour, 1/4 tsp turmeric powder and 1/2 tsp ghee. Apply on the face and leave it on until it dries, which could take about 15 to 20 minutes. Then, wash it turmeric pasteoff with cold water.

OR extract a thick layer of cream from cooled milk. Add a pinch of turmeric to this and apply this mixture on the face. Leave for 15 minutes and wash with warm water. If you use either of these facepacks daily, you will be able to hold back the wrinkles.

Beverley Lewis has written for beauty magazines and has amazing tips to share. Write to her with a homemade face pack recipe of your own, in the comments section below.

(Pictures courtesy lewolfemagique.blogspot.com, tamil.boldsky.com, beauty-health.in)

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