skin and hair care tips

Skin

Water

The first, most important tip that I can give anyone is to drink lots of water! For the past few months I have been making an effort to drink extra water and it has made a huge difference in the appearance of my skin. It feels softer, smoother, and I no longer have acne, plus my skin is more glowy (!!!). If you are going about this, then I suggest you keep water bottles filled at whatever temperature you like, so if you prefer cold refrigerated water like me, then fill up bottles and keep them in the fridge at night. And note, there is no evidence backing up claims that cold water is bad for you, so don't believe the old wives tale!

Moisturization

Everyone's mom uses night cream, so  you might think that it's only for old ladies, but it's not! Even if you are young, you are never too young to use a moisturizer at night. Now, that doesn't mean you have to go out and buy a $300 pot of La Mer, but if you have a $2 jar of Vaseline, then go ahead and slather that all over your face at night (but maybe avoid your lips), and see the difference the next day.

Lips

During the day, I suggest you use a Chapstick, my recommendation is Burt's Bees Pomegranate Chaptick (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B002DPUY06/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1434276615&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=burts+bees+chapstick&dpPl=1&dpID=41wm5i800oL&ref=plSrch), which goes on more smoothly than the regular beeswax lip balm. Plus, it's not as dangerous to apply to your lips as Vaseline which contains petroleum jelly. At night you can use a thicker lip balm which will stay on, my recommendation is Philosophy's Hope in a Stick (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00FUSTF2G/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1434277130&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX200_QL40&keywords=Hope+in+a+stick&dpPl=1&dpID=31u6SQddZWL&ref=plSrch) but you can definitely use Burts Bees Beeswax Lip Balm (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0054LHI5A/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1434277236&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=burts+bees+lip+balm&dpPl=1&dpID=51hgH-osxEL&ref=plSrch).

Exfoliate

Exfoliate your face as often as you think works for your skin (depending on your skin type). I recommend St. Ives Apricot scrub, which I combine with any old foaming cleanser I have on hand and use on a daily basis (http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00J4YYOWI/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?qid=1434375225&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70&keywords=st+ives+apricot&dpPl=1&dpID=413i1ExOWFL&ref=plSrch).

Hair

Coconut Oil

Any old coconut oil will work, you don't have to buy organic coconut oil, but you should be diligent about applying this regularly to your hair. If you have access to a microwave then what I like to do is heat up the bottle for 15-20 seconds and apply slightly warm oil to your roots. You can leave it in overnight, but even half an hour is fine, then wash it out with your regular shampoo and conditioner. I recommend Parachute oil which is easily available at Indian stores.

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Moroccan Oil

I like to apply this to my dry hair to the ends to get rid of any frizz and calm down any split ends. Usually I will use this either after I have straightened or if I'm going au naturale then I apply it all over, except the roots, to get rid of all frizz. I recommend Organix Moroccan Argan Oil.

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Heat Protectant

Use heat protectant before you use any hit tools! Easy enough, but each product has its own directions so read them! I like to use CHI 44 Iron Guard which I spray on my ends after my hair is air dried and then just comb it through my hair a bit.

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Apple Cider Vinegar

This will make your hair so incredibly soft, but you definitely have to try it to believe it! What I like to do is take a bottle of apple cider vinegar, decant it into a spray bottle. Then in the shower I spray it onto the lower 2/3rds of my hair, then shampoo and condition the way I normally would. I use it every time I wash my hair which might be too much for people with delicate or fine hair, but it works for my thick hair. You can use any apple cider vinegar, I buy gallon jars from my grocery store, so anything you can find will work.

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Anagha C.