Complete Guide to Eye Massage

Do not rub the skin around eyes when you apply cream around them. The correct method is to start from the inner side of the eye moving towards the pulse spots. Exactly the same method should be applied for the upper lid. The correct method for the massage is as below:

(a) Pinch the eyebrows working from the nose out. Squeeze the eyebrows using the forefinger and thumb. This releases the eye tension and strain. Repeat seven times.

(b) Using the second and third fingers stroke around the eyes, applying pressure at the bridge of the nose and at the temples. Remember, do not pull or drag the delicate skin around the eyes.

(c) In the end, wipe off the residual grease, and apply a little skin tonic or mineral water, which makes your skin soft and glowing.

To maintain eye-health and lower eye tension, there are several easy exercises. For the self lubrication of eyes, either blink your eyes rapidly for fifty times or rotate eye­balls in a complete circle, first clockwise and then anti­clockwise, several times.

Easy Guide to Lovely, Sparkling Eyes

Bright eyes indicate glowing good health and vitality. If you are not healthy, your eyes will become dull and give a strained look. Much of a woman's magnetism and charm depend upon clear, lovely and sparkling eyes. The first and the most basic requirement for beautiful eyes is a good diet. The best vitamin for healthy eyes is Vitamin A. A diet which is rich will help to make eyes shine with health.

Strain, glare, dust particles and city fumes are among the main enemies of lovely eyes. Sleep is vital for bright shining eyes. Without sleep they become blood shot and tired-looking. Eight hours night sleep is a must. You can avoid strain by reading only in good light and by making sure that you can see clearly before undertaking any close work such as sewing or writing. Beware of the sun's rays and glare during the hot summer months. Eye strain and irritation can be relieved' and minimized by a good relaxing, eye-lotion used at bed time. This method cleans the eye area thoroughly, tones up tired, worn-out muscles and takes care of minor impurities. Half fill a pot having a wide mouth, with a mild solution so that the eyes can roll and move freely in the solution. Now rotate eye-balls in the solution. Beware of using the same lotion on both the eyes, because if there is a mild infection or inflammation in one eye, you will carry it to the other also.

Easy to Make Homemade Sunburn Recipes

No doubt Vitamin D produced by sun-rays is necessary for healthy bones, but the worst thing we could do for our skin is to expose it to the sun. The sun's reaction on the skin is similar to that of age. It dehydrates the skin leaving it thick, leathery, wrinkled, patchy and dry. It is advised to drink three to four glasses of lime water before going out in the sun. There are several easy-to-make Sun-tan lotions and creams to face ultra-violet rays. Here are a few easy to make, home-made Sunburn Recipes for you.


Oil and Vinegar Sunburn Lotion:
Mix together the following ingredients in a bottle:
1 cup olive oil (or sesame oil)
1/2 cup vinegar
1 teaspoon iodine
a few drops of perfume (lavender)


Oil and Tea Sun Burn Cream:
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons lanolin
3 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons almond oil
1/2 cup strong tea
perfume

Make strong tea, remove from the heat and strain it. Now melt oils in an enamel bowl over a water bath. Now slowly add the tea and beat continuously with a wooden spoon. Add perfume when it is cool. Lanolin and almond oil keep the skin moist, sesame oil has the properties to absorb ultra-violet rays. The tannin available in tea also absorbs the sun's burning rays.

Sesame Seed Sun Burn Lotion:
Grind 4 tablespoons sesame seeds to powder and mix it to one cup of rose water in a bottle. Keep it for 24 hours, shaking as often as possible. Strain and add 4 tablespoons Vodka or surgical spirit to preserve it.

Simple Guide to Homemade Astringents

Astringent lotion is used to tone the skin and is necessary to remove the last traces of grease and closed pores. Never choose a harsh astringent lotion. Astringent is applied to the oiliest places such as the sides of the nose, chin and forehead. When blemishes occur, it is good for yourself to cover them. This helps to close the pores and discourage the greasy excretions from building up too rapidly under­neath your make up.

Strong astringent lotions contain alcohol. Surgical spirit, too, is a good astringent but it smells too much. I do not recommend the use of strong astringents as they over­dry the skin, leaving it tight and dehydrated. Always use a milder tonic or astringent. Here are a few home-made astringent preparations for you.

Honey Water Astringent:
Mix the following ingredients together in a glass jar with an air-tight lid for a week, shaking it twice daily.
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons coriander seed
2 tablespoons nutmeg
1 tablespoon cloves
4 tablespoons grated lemon peel
8 tablespoons alcohol
4 tablespoons rose water
4 tablespoons orange flower water
112 teaspoon benzoin, and
1/2 teaspoon storax.

Rosemary Water Astringent:
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons rosemary
peel and pith of a 1/4 orange
peel and pith of a 1/2 lemon
4 sprigs of mint
1/4 cup alcohol or witch-hazel (for mild astringent) 1/2 cup rose water

Mix all the ingredients together in a large air-tight bottle and let it stand for 48 to 72 hours, shaking fre­quently.

Lemon Astringent:

Mix the following ingredients together in a large bottle for 24 hours, then strain and use for greasy skin.
4 tablespoons lemon juice or juice of 2 large lemons
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
8 tablespoons witch-hazel
2 tablespoons alcohol

Camphor Astringent:
Mix together in a large bottle 1/2 cup rose water, 1/2 cup witch-hazel, 1(2 cup distilled water, 1 tablespoon camphor spirit and 2 drops blue coloring. To make the astringent stronger, add a pinch of alum. Strain and use to tighten and tone the skin. This recipe is especially good if you suffer from large pores and spots. It can also be used as an after-shave lotion by men.

Simple Guide for a Fresh Spotless Skin

Wrinkles, skin blemishes, blackheads, acne, spots and sun-bum are all very common skin problems. Skin blemishes come into the blackheads, open pores, spots and acne categories and are mostly combined with the excessively oily skin. Causes can be numerous and among them are over-active glands due to puberty, a poor diet containing too many chocolates and fried foods, emotional disturbances and lack of sleep.

Open pores, blackheads, spots and pimples are all found easily on oily skins, especially when cleansing is not thorough. Blackheads are caused by overactive sebaceous glands which produce an excess of sebum. This oil comes up through the pores and if there is already grease or dirt blocking the exit of pores, a bump forms under the skin.

Acne is normally caused by an imbalance in the hor­mones. Nervousness, anxiety and tension are the other causes. When a skin is prone to blackheads and spots, it should be cleansed two or three times a day. Cleanse skin thoroughly whenever fresh make up is needed and also at night. Then tone the skin and help to close pores by patting on a skin tonic or mild astringent.

Homemade Nourishing Creams

Nourishing preparations include all the skin foods whether they are oil-based or of the moisturizing type, whether they are light and immediately absorbed or heavy and sticky, needing to be massaged into the skin. Hormone creams and lotions, vitamin products, serum ampoules, anti-wrinkle creams and lotions, biologically active prepa­rations all come into the nourishing group. Some of the easy-to-make nourishing recipes are given below.

Cocoa Butter Cream:
Heat the following ingredients together over a water bath, stirring them thoroughly:

2 tablespoons cocoa butter
2 tablespoons emulsifying wax
1 tablespoon beeswax
4 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon almond oil

When the ingredients are completely melted, remove from the heat and stir until the cream is cool. Add a few drops of perfume while stirring. This cream leaves the skin smooth without being greasy.

In case waxes are not easily available mix 2 tablespoons lanolin and 8 tablespoons almond oil (or sesame or safflo­wer oil) and melt these together over a water bath. It is really good for dry skin and neglected areas such as elbows, knees, feet and neck. If the cream has to be applied on oily skin, add 2 tablespoons rosewater (or ordinary soft water).

Elder Flower Cream:
Mix together 3 tablespoons almond oil, 4 tablespoons elder flower blossoms and I tablespoon lanolin in a bowl over a water bath. Let it simmer together for an hour, strain, and then add warm water slowly.

Honey Cream:
Honey is very useful for a dry, coarse and sensitive skin. To make a nourishing honey cream for sallow skin, mix 3 tablespoons lanolin, 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tea­spoon lecithin in a bowl and melt over a water bath. Slowly add 4 tablespoons warm water to it, beating continuously until it cools.

Homemade Rich Herbal Creams

Almost all skins need a moisturizer, even for oily types, but for the dry or mature skin a moisturizer is vital. The drier your skin the more lavish you should be with your use of moisturizer either in cream or liquid form. Apply it after cleansing and toning and always before making up. A thin film of moisturizer is helpful under a face pack for a very dry skin, which gives moisture to the skin cells.

While you are asleep the skin is busy replacing dead skin cells with fresh ones. Sleeping is very important for beauty because there is no outside influences to bother the skin. Every night a nourishing cream must be smoothed upwards over the face and from the chin downwards to relax tight muscles and accelerate circulation. If you feel the skin is especially dry, use a second application.

During menopause and afterwards when the body supplies of harm ones and other vital elements slows down, creams and lotions containing hormones and other Special extracts and serums, rich creams containing vitamins and concentrated oils, help to give the skin a more youthful appearance. Here are a few easy-to-make simple moisturi­zers. You can select any of them.

Almond Oil Moisturizing Cream:
Put 2 teaspoons beeswax and I teaspoon emulsifying wax into a bowl and melt over the water bath. When melted, add in 5 teaspoons almond oil. In a separate bowl, heat the water over the same water bath so that the two bowls are at the same temperature. Slowly add water to the melted waxes and oils, stirring all the time. Remove from the heat and continue stirring. When cool add a few drops of lavender oil.

Avocado and Almond Cream:
Ingredients:
3 teaspoons beeswax
3 teaspoons emulsifying wax
½ cup almond oil
½ cup avocado oil, and
3 tablespoons rose water

Melt that waxes in an enamel pan over a water bath, then add the avocado and almond oils. Now add the heated rosewater drop by drop, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and continue stirring till it is cool. While it cools, you may add a few drops of perfume. Both almond and avocado oils are fine and rich for the skin.

Comfrey Cream:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon lanolin
2 tablespoons white emulsifying wax
6 tablespoons beeswax
6 tablespoons almond oil, herb lotion, or infusion

Melt the oils and waxes together over a water bath, cool and store in a refrigerator. Take a couple of teaspoons of this cream, melt it and add a teaspoon of any herb lotion or infusion of your choice.

Easy Facial Exercises for You

The object of doing facial exercises is to improve and strengthen muscle tone and to increase blood circulation. Repeat each exercise ten times.
(1) Keeping the muscles tight, say EE, AH, 00 with your lips consciously stretched as much as you can.

(2) Open the mouth wide and roll your tongue as much as you can.

(3) Sit straight, facing a mirror. Now look up to the ceiling, stretching your 'neck as you do so. Still in the stretched upward position, turn your head to look over your left shoulder. Return to the front, then look over your right shoulder. Return to front and lower chin to right angle position with neck. This is a good facial exercise for double chin.

(4) Sit straight, facing a mirror. Clench teeth hard and curl back lips. Stretch corners of your mouth as far apart as you can in a grimacing expression. Hold the contraction for a count of six, then relax. Thrust lower jaw as far forward as you can, then relax. This is a good exercise for a flabby jawline.

(5) Sit straight, facing a mirror. Suck in cheeks, then blow them out alternately. Now smile with one side of your mouth only, pushing the half grin up and out. Repeat with the other side of your mouth. This is a good exer­cise for fat cheeks.

(6) Sit straight, facing a mirror. Suck in cheeks, then blow them out. Press both cheeks slowly with fingertips, but the air should not come out. This is another good exercise for fat cheeks.

(7) Sit straight, facing a mirror. Open eyes wide and raise eyebrows at the same time. Hold briefly. Lower brows bringing eyes back to normal size as you do. This is a good exercise for furrowed brows.

How to Massage Correctly and Recipes for Massage

Massage is also done with talcum powder. If you have an oily skin, powder massage is equally effective. Dab skin with a towel before a powder massage. Do not rub towel on the skin. After drying the skin thoroughly, dust it with any good talcum powder, preferably with a baby powder as this is milder and does not harm the sensitive skin. Be sure that your hands glide smoothly on the skin. If the face is not dry, the powder will stick to your skin and hamper the hand movement. Remember to spread a towel beneath your shoulders and head in order to avoid staining the bedspread below. If you have acne or pimples, avoid using greasy substance for massage. Even soap lather could be used as a massage medium, but this should be avoided as far as possible, as soap may in fact harm the problem skin.

Homemade Massage Paste:
This consists of wheat flour or oatmeal mixed into a paste with double cream. The paste has a deep-cleansing effect on the skin, removing dead cells and dirt.

Another way to make massage cream is to soak two handfuls of lentils in water overnight. Put these in the liquidizer with a small quantity of milk and wash yourself with the resultant mixture. This makes your skin shiny and smooth.

Homemade Massage Cream:
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons lanolin
4 tablespoons sun flower or safflower oil
9 tablespoons rose water

Heat the oils together and then slowly add the heated water. Add a tablespoon of winter green or camphor oil to make a really invigorating massage cream. To make this cream lighter simply add 2 tablespoons of petroleum jelly.

Home Made Massage Oil:
Mix these oils together and use
½ cup almond oil
½ cup castor oil
1 teaspoon camphor oil

Various Massage Movements

Stroking Movement
This movement consists in running your hand very lightly over the part of the body you wish to massage. This soothes the skin and calms and relaxes the nerves. All massage must always start and end with stroking. Start the movement very slowly, accelerating gradually and slowing down again before starting another movement. The position of hands should be easy and relaxed. The palms of the hands or the pads of the fingers must be in complete contact with the skin and slide over it upwards towards the scalp. Movements should be always upwards, never downwards.

Vibrating Movement
This needs the aid of a vibrating instrument of the vibro-massage type. The movements should be made up­wards as for hand massage. This is very useful for cheeks and chin massage.

Kneading Movement
This resembles kneading of the flour. The fingers are folded in the kneading gesture, and soft kneading motion is applied all over the face. For body massage, this stroke becomes firmer.

Pressing Movement
This movement is used to remove the lymph from 'bags' under the eyes. In this movement pressure is exerted with the fingers.

Pinching Movement
Pinching is done to the flesh between the index and the middle finger, resembling the action of scissors. This stroke is helpful for the wrinkled skin and also for obese people. It is very helpful to reduce double chin and saggy, puffy cheeks. For body muscles, the skin is pinched between the thumb and forefinger, and the movement should be a little rapid.

Percussion Movement
This movement tones up and stimulates. The exercise should be done briskly with the fingertips together. It is recommended for the cheeks. For body massage, this movement is done by applying the edge of each hand alternately on the part to be massaged in a very rapid rhythm. The aim of this movement is to aid the nutrition of the tissues and to produce a soothing effect on the nerves.

Squeezing Movement
This movement will break down cellulitis of the connec­tive tissue. Place the palins of your hands on each side of the part to be massaged and press your hands hard, as if you are rubbing your hands together.

Rapping Movement
This movement is done briskly with hands half closed.

Patting Movement
This movement is done with the backs of your bands half closed.

Clapping Movement
Give yourself small successive taps or smacks. The air contained in the hollow of the hand gives elasticity to the movement.

What can I do for Lines and Wrinkles?

Once you have lines and wrinkles, you can get rid of them only by plastic surgery. Massage and facial exer­cises can help prevent lines (but it cannot remove the old ones already on the face). By toning up the muscles and nourishing it, you can get rid of lines and wrinkles. There are several basic movements of massage such as stroking, vibrating, pressing, kneading, pinching, squeezing, percus­sion. rapping, patting and clapping.

Remember, whether you have lumpy, flabby, withered or sallow skin or wrinkles, your face can regain the ap­pearance of youth under the action of your own fingers. But you must help your daily self massage by thorough daily hygiene and a sensible diet. Lines and wrinkles usually appear on the forehead, temples, eyes, nose, cheeks, mouth and chin. Massage routine need only take a quarter of an hour. It keeps the muscles of the face and neck firm, forestalls the appearance of wrinkles and ugly concentrations of fat. stimulates the circulation and induces complete relaxation of the face.

To ensure these results, the self-massage must be as follows:

1. Toning, by means of rapid and energetic movements.

2. Calming, by means of slow and relaxing movements.

The best time to self-massage your face is at night before going to bed. Your features will feel more relaxed when you get up the following morning and your day-time make-up will look better. Before starting your self-massage, apply a vitamin cream (massage cream) to your face but not too thick. Allow your hand to run smoothly over your skin. To refine features which have a tendency to plump­ness use a slimming cream.

Homemade Herbal Skin Tonics Recipes for Toning

Here are a few Skin tonics recipes which are easy and quick to make. Try them and give your comments.

Rose Water Skin Tonic
It is one of the oldest skin-fresheners discovered by an Arabian dermatologist in the tenth century. Rose water is available at a chemist, but it is very easy to make on your own too. Mix rose essence in water and shake thoroughly. Two tablespoons essence of roses is sufficient for 4 ½ liters purified water.

Gypsy Rose Water Skin Tonic
Take 2 handfuls of dark, scented rose petals and put them into a jar or a wide topped bottle. Now put 1 liter of water and 200 gms. of sugar into the bottle or jar. Keep this mixture for 2 hours, shake again, then strain and store it in a cool place.

Rose Water and Witch-Hazel Tonic
This is the most famous home-made skin tonic of all. To make this lotion simply mix 3/4 cup rosewater and cup witch-hazel. If you have a very greasy skin you can use equal proportions of rose water and witch-haze1.

Flower and Herb Tonic
Mix 2 tablespoons of dried herbs or flowers or 3 handfuls of fresh ones to a pint of water. Pour the boiling water over the herbs and cover the pan to prevent steam from being lost. Let the herbs steep for a couple of hours. Strain and bottle.

Marigold Skin Tonic
Marigolds are known for their healing properties. Use either fresh or dried flowers to make this skin tonic. Mix 2 tablespoons of dried flower or 3 handfuls of fresh ones to a pint of water. Now add 2 tablespoons of witch-hazel. It is good especially for a greasy and spotty skin.

Hollyhock Skin Tonic
Put 3 tablespoons of hollyhock leaves into half a pint of boiling water. Cover and simmer gently for five minutes. Leave to stand for half an hour, then strain and it is ready for use. Many other flowers and leaves such as lilac, gera­nium, honey suckle, lime flowers, lavender anti dandelions can also be used in the same way to freshen and cure sallowness of the skin.

Elder Flower Water
Wash about a handful of elder flowers and mix 6 tablespoons of boiling water into a large jar. Let them steep overnight, and strain it the next day. In case you have dried flowers, use only 2 tablespoons.

Herbal Tonics for Toning

Always follow your cleansing routine by toning your skin with a mild skin freshener or with a medium stren­gth skin tonic. Toning removes greasiness remaining from cleansing preparations, closes pores, refines the skin and if you intend to make-up, it leaves a smooth clean texture which will hold the foundation and powder for long.

Basically skin tonics freshen the skin. The cheapest toner is simply to splash your face with cold water. Skin tonics are generally composed of infusions of herbs, flowers, vinegar, rosewater and witch-hazel. Stronger skin tonics or astringents dry the skin removing all traces of oil on the skin. They are suitable for greasy skins. A void using very strong astringents for any type of skin, as the harsh action of the alcohol toughens and coarsens the skin and prevents it from functioning normally.

Normally you should use your tonic or astringent with a piece of cotton wool, but if your skin is looking sluggish, pat it on with a brisk slapping movement. Toning stimu­lates the blood supply to the skin. Moisten folded cotton wool with your skin tonic and pat on the cheeks, the neck and chin. A void any areas with broken veins.

Special Massage for a Bride

Here is a special recipe for brides to be used daily at the time of bath for ten days before marriage. The following ingredients are mixed to a paste and rubbed thoroughly. They cleanse and stimulate the skin leaving it soft and shiny.

1 tablespoon dried, ground and sieved orange peel
1 tablespoon dried, ground and sieved lemon peel
2 tablespoons ground almond
a pinch of salt
4 tablespoons wheat germ flour
1 tablespoon ground thyme
a pinch of ground allspice
almond oil sufficient to make a paste
a few drops of jasmine oil (to perfume)

Homemade Bath Recipes

Every woman owes herself a little time each day to spend over her body. The easiest and the least time-consuming way to achieve it is to combine yourself a 'body beautiful' treat­ment with your bath. Choose a time at least once a week when you are likely to be undisturbed for about 30 minutes and enjoy a real beauty bath.

Take off your clothes, get into the bath and relax com­pletely for a few minutes. Now clean the upper part of your body (with soap or scrub). Rub every part of your body except breasts with the friction mitt. Pay particular attention to your neck which is the most neglected area of your body. Give care to your upper arms, elbows and shoulders too. Towel your body dry by patting and rubbing it very gently. After your bath, relax on your bed for a few minutes before making up and dressing. There are many ways of bathing, which can be easily and usefully adopted.

Milk Bath:
Cleopatra bathed in asses' milk and So also did Poppaca, the wife of Nero. Now-a-days it is unlikely that anyone could or would use milk for bathing, but you can emulate it by simply adding a handful of powdered milk to the bath water.

Soft-Water Bath:
Use of rain-water is very beneficial. If you cannot get rain-water, soften the bath water by simply adding a little sodium sesqui carbonate.

Vinegar Bath:
If you have an itchy, dry skin, add a cup of vinegar to the bath water. This is very effective.

Bran or Oatmeal Bath:
Oatmeal and bran contain oils and vegetable hormones which soothe and soften the skin. Use one tablespoon of oatmeal in the bath.

Honey Bath:
Add a spoonful of honey to your bath, it will not only relieve tiredness and sleeplessness, but will also leave the skin feeling smooth and satiny.

Epsom Salt Bath:
Two handfuls of Epsom salt added to a bucket of the bath water relieves tiredness.

Starchy Bath:
A few tablespoons of laundry starch and a teaspoon of glycerine added to bath water leave your skin feeling beautifully smooth, tight and soft.

Herb Bath:
Lavender, hyssop, mint, pennyroyal, borage, yarrow, rosemary, balm or camomile are useful herbs, which can be used in bath water either separately or in a mixture.

Bath Salts:
These are very easy to prepare. Mix two cups of ordinary washing soda with two tablespoons of potassium carbonate and a few drops of an aromatic essential oil (lavender and pine). Keep this mixture in a large jar and use about a tablespoon in each bath.

Washing Your Body

The superstition that soap and water are bad for the skin arose in the days when soaps were very alkaline and did tend to dry and irritate the skin.

With the advancement of techniques in the world, modern soaps often have lanolin and other oils to counter­act this drying effect. Cleansing thoroughly is a must for the skin, as the skin needs to be free from all oils and grease to allow it to breathe freely.

One of the most invaluable aids to a good skin is a complexion brush. Soap the skin and scrub. Use a small circular movement. The scrubbing stimulates the skin, brings blood to the surface, removes dead cells, smooths and cleans.

An Amazing Washing Secret

Soap your face well, adding a small handful of sugar to the lather. Massage this in for a couple of minutes, then rinse off with warm water. This scrub is good for a spotty and a sluggish looking skin.

Skin Care with Steaming

Steaming is beneficial for cleaning all types of skin. It cleans the skin of all surface dirt, stimulates the circu­lation and unclogs blocked pores. If your skin is dry, steam your face once a week. It can be used every day if you have a very greasy skin. Electrical devices are avail­able to produce steam and this process is known as Sauna Facial.

Steaming can be taken by leaning over a large bowl of boiling water, by covering your head with a towel and making a tent around the bowl. The steam will open the pores, loosen blackheads and bring spots to a head. Do not get too close to the boiling water, for if the steam is too hot, it might cause broken veins. To make steaming more beneficial, add a tablespoon of herbs to the water. Elderflower and camomile are the old favorites for this. You can also try lavender, thyme and rosemary for a stimulating cleanse. These herbs smell delicious. Steam your face for about ten to twenty minutes. By steaming blackheads come out of the pores and it becomes easy to extract them. If you suffer from pustular acne, I would not advise steaming as the steam and heat can spread the infection. If you have been extracting blackheads use a face mask containing curds, kaolin, cucumber or comfrey as these are astringent and healing.