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View our full gift range.

5 things not worth Stressing Over! {Health}

PS: And, keeping in mind the extremely stressful bridal season, I have guest posted the top 10 tips for brides at zuri.in. So, do not forget to check that out :)

So, the last few days have been quite irritable for me taking into account that I have not been well lately and also because I ended up causing too much damage to our vehicle and regretting over it. And, that one incident itself resulted in almost a one and half day of non-productivity!! 

The worse is that when we are in creative jobs instead of the routine ones, a lot of our productivity depends on what kind of mood we are in, at least it does for me. Which is why I can write a lot of posts in one stretch and none in another!! Well, finally, since I got over my non-productive stretch, I am trying to do everything to not to run into that rut again!! And, that is why I have decided to post only thrice a week - Monday, Wednesday and Friday so that I am not stressed about writing posts everyday!!

So, let us check out what are some of the things which are really not worth a dime to stress over! And, probably that will help you as well to deal with some of the everyday things in a positive way!!

Materialistic Things

Recently, I ended up banging my car. I have a history with electronic items, whether it is a mobile or laptop, nothing lasts with me for more than 6 months in perfect and pristine conditions. 

I have changed more than 4 laptops in last 3 years!! My present one does not have a battery, the speakers were damaged within a year of buying it, the control key came out within a month and, oh yes, the left hinge is broken!! 

Lately, something went wrong with my vaccum cleaner! And, the coolers I buy never seem to last. Somehow, my Sony Xperia is still managing well but it has suffered from some scratches :(

So, now, even if I go and buy something, I always let someone else choose the piece which I want to buy!! Absolutely essential for me if I want them to be in better condition. Anyways, jokes apart, if I started getting stressed about all these things, I would never get any work done. 

So, I would only say these things are really not worth stressing about. So, relax and enjoy. If your laptop has conked out, take a day off the internet and really enjoy your real world. Go and read a book. You would definitely love the change. 

Your Dreams

This is a personal observation. Yes, you should work your ass off for your dreams and aspirations but never lose sleep over it. Dreams and goals are supposed to make you feel good, not stressful. They are a place which makes you blissfully happy and ignites you with the passion of doing more. 

But, if they start stressing you, remember that probably you should ease off a bit and enjoy life more so that when your dream really comes true, you will not forget to be happy. Nothing is worth your happiness, not even your dreams. So, take a break. 

Learning Something New

Unless you are a student and have to clear an exam, learning should not be a difficult process. It should be fun. And, remember, that life itself is a learning platform so you are learning every single second. 

So, if you are really forcing yourself to do something, may be you do not have an aptitude for it or you might just not like it!! Worse still, it can be your choice of career as well. 

Just remember that make learning fun instead of stressing over it. You can find newer ways to accomplish the thing you are trying. For example, you really want to learn swimming but whenever it is time for classes, you find yourself making all the excuses, may be its just not worth it or just go with it and may be you will have fun at the end of it :)

Regret

Ok, so, this is one thing I would say NEVER to have. In fact, I have followed it up after learning something new (above point) just for a reason. Sometimes, it is difficult for us to learn things but if we leave them in mid way, we might end up regretting that why did I not finish *that thing*!! You really do not want that!! So, do whatever you really want to unless it comes to hurting people. Regret is one of the worse things in life.

Finances

So, this is the most tricky part. The more money we have, the more we covet. So, unless you are really below the poverty line and earning your wages on a daily basis and living a hand to mouth existence which obviously you are not, since you are lucky enough to surf the internet and read, there is really no need to stress about money. 

In fact, there is something in what Rhoda Byrnes says. The law of attraction. What we think becomes the reality of our lives! So, yes, if you think you are poor, you will get more poor but if you think you are comfortable enough, you would attract more money :) Positivity is extremely important. 

So, these are somethings for which being concerned or sad is actually very useless in life. Instead, direct that energy to being more positive and do something good instead. And, do not forget What You Think Will Happen So Always Think Good and Well. 

So, what do you think are the other useless things in life to worry about? 

Related Posts:

5 daily tasks which Stress you without your realizing them
Best ways to beat stress
Procrastination Increases Stress

Talaash - story of revenge or KARMA?

So, I finally watched Talaash today after waiting for an entire week and having it on my laptop for this long!!! I have controlled myself and worse still, I knew the climax before hand.

But, I was still interested in watching the movie. I know many people said its boring or has a very uninspired climax but I think no other story would have befitted the ending!!

I won't say I loved the movie but I loved the climax (despite knowing it!!!). Yes, the movie was boring but I loved the concept of how "you have to pay for your actions in the same life" has been portrayed.

There were so many small stories and lives portrayed with all of them having same struggle in life and everyone coping with it in a different way - Rani takes refuge in talking to her son's spirit, Aamir in his work, Taimur in finding a way out of this life using a short cut and ultimately pays for all he had seen and ignored! Finally, I was thankful that he did do one good at the end even if he lost his life in the process. Its not a movie for me but its a film which has a deeper meaning for those want to look below the surface.

Kareena's dialogues are amazing!! "Koi chahe kitna bhi duba ho, sahab, tair kar upar to aana hi padta hai" or some such line which I don't exactly remember but one can perceive it according to their own understanding if she was talking about pain, life or just the bodies itself.

Oh btw, I also watched Jab tak hai Jaan. Its such a cliched SRK movie and its ONLY for him that you should watch it. I love the romantic Sharukh but having Katrina as the opposite didn't just pan up!! Somebody mentioned her as constipated :D Yup, when she and Anushka shared a scene, her (KK) expressions were so confused!!

Anyways, I spent my weekend watching movies back to back. Two Vampire Diaries episodes, Talaash, Breaking Dawn, Jab Tak Hai Jaan, Laws of Attraction and I am totally exhausted. I am not even getting any inspiration to write on the blog so I am laying low for a while. Hope to get back soon :) 

Oh, btw, don't forget to check out the Soulflower giveaway, if you haven't already!! Today is the last day to enter and I shall get back with the winners really soon!!

The First Night

So, yup, I am gonna give you all the juicy details of the night. Make sure parental discretion is ascertained and you are above 18 years of age. As I mentioned in some earlier post, the pandits find some muhurtam/muhurat for this as well. Trust me, its pretty embarrassing.

There is a small pooja and the married couples come and bless us. No unmarried people are allowed near the vicinity. Then, we leave for the hotel. The entire process was itself so funny. And, you should check out the decoration of the room. It was so filmy or tv serial type :D I saw those swans in Bade Ache Lagte Hain. Btw, they do give complimentary cake!! Yummy :)

Ok, when your parents and in laws drop you into the honeymoon suite, its pretty weird and that was how it was for both of us. But, let bygones be that. We ordered for dinner and proceeded to the balcony for a candle light ambiance. And, then.....I fell!!! Huh...did you think I will ruin you children?

There was almost a feet of step in the balcony and I did not see and rushed out to the railing and it was all pretty dark outside and then dhadam. And, I was frozen. It was raining outside and I could not move. Somehow my hubby got me inside and I was shivering all the while and my ankle looked like an elephant. Nah, the night was not over there and then! I very humbly said we will not disturb and trouble our parents. And, then, I wake up at 3 at night with a horrible pain and then my guy does the perfect patnivrata pati role.

Can first night get more adventurous than that? :D And, since then I have been limping all around carelessly. Poor hubby got frightened looking at my dad's expressions :D My dad looked like I leave my daughter with you for one night and she ends up with a huge swollen ankle! What will you do later? But, gosh, had it not been so painful, the situation was pretty hilarious.

Related Posts:

The Engagement!
Week 5 Updates {Bridal Files} - Part II

Are you making the same mistakes as I do while exfoliating your face? {Skin Care}

photo credit: FoundryParkInn via photopin cc

So, now that winters are almost in full swing, hopefully you are doing what I am doing these winters! And, then, now my skin is absolutely perfect. But, then, I suddenly noticed my entire face is not so soft! In fact, one of my readers also sent out the same query. Check out!

I use fair n lovely face wash I also apply the same cream after my wash....n when I touch my skin honestly I do not feel anything like cracking and all...I sense it smooth...but at the same time when I touch the corner part of my nose I feel it rough n its like skin coming out! What should I do?

So, now you would have already understood what I mean to say in this post. So, let us see if we really exfoliate our face properly!! And, discuss what are the proper exfoliation methods. Lets start.

What is the best time to Exfoliate?

So, this is the first thing I would like to clear. Now, my favorite time is the night time. Because, a proper exfoliation in the night helps the moisturizer to soak in better. Also, exfoliating in the night avoids the fresh skin to get exposed to the morning sun! 

Where as, the morning time is a better time. Because, the skin rejuvenates in the night and in the morning, your face has a layer of dead skin which is ready for removal. But, then, the fresh skin is exposed to the harsher sun light and might tan unless one is diligent in applying sunscreen. Btw, exfoliating in the morning also helps the makeup go on better. 

So, you can decide which is the best time for you! 

What to use for Exfoliation?

So, what is your favorite ingredient for exfoliating your skin? For me, it is sugar and salt!! Well, is it really correct for my skin type? Ok, so sugar is an all-rounder when it comes to exfoliation and gives a smooth and perfect skin. For dry skin, it is quite hydrating and nourishing.

But, for oily skin, salt is an absolute must. Salt absorbs the oil and provides the minerals which sugar can not. It also detoxifies the skin which is why even people with dry skin should use salt once in a while for exfoliation. Do check out my homemade DIY body polishing scrub!

Never Exfoliate on Dry or even Damp Skin!!

Have you ever done this, anywhere on your body? Like scrubbing the dead skin on your heels or even nails? If yes, DO NOT ever repeat it. It is extremely harmful for your skin and you can end up injuring yourself. Exfoliate only completely clean and dripping wet, preferably soaked with warm water so that the pores are open, skin.

Don't forget these areas during exfoliation!

And, then, we take the scrub and apply it to the face. Start from the forehead and proceed to the cheeks in light circular motions. Be gentle and have a light hand. And, DO NOT forget these areas -  

• crevices around the nose where it generally gets dry and skin peels off - extend your nose as if you are removing blackheads and scrub the crevices thoroughly!
• corners of the lips - extend your mouth like you are applying the lipstick and scrub off the corners.
• inner curve below the lower lip and above the chin - extend the lower lip over the lower jaw to make the curve flat and scrub it
  
• on and behind the ears
• lips - press your lips tightly to avoid tasting the scrub :P, and, finally 
• neck lines - extend your neck like a giraffe and giving it a thorough scrub. Moisturise in the same way!!   

photo credit: FoundryParkInn via photopin cc

Leave the scrub on for sometime to help it soak into the Skin

So, now that you have scrubbed your face, leave it on for sometime while you finish washing or scrubbing yourself. That will make the skin even more softer and helps the active ingredients of the scrub to soak into the skin.

And, finally, wash off with luke warm water and last rinse should be cold water. Do NOT forget to Moisturize. Just because your skin is feeling awesome does not mean you forgo the skin care routine. So, do not forget to tone and moisturize your skin with your favorite oil or serum.  

And, now, we have one more thing!

Type of Skin and Frequency

Now, this has been said time and again that oily skin should not be exfoliated as often as dry skin. For one, oily skin if exfoliated regularly produces more oil causing more oiliness. And, dry skin accumulates more dead skin which needs to be removed regularly for a fresh and glowing look. So, twice a week is enough for oily skin and for dry skin, thrice a week of exfoliation is enough.  

So, what all steps do you follow? Do you have any exfoliation tips!!

Related Posts:
Dry Skin Causes and how to heal it?
Dry or Dehydrated; Moisturized or Hydrated!!
Excess Body Heat and Acne

Whats up, guys??

Ohk, so, I was missing from the blog for the last 2-3 days!! Trying to just adjust to the new routine and also facing a block so going through a little-off phase. So, I thought I would take a break till Sunday :) See ya folks and enjoy entering the giveaways....Soulflower one is ending on 10th!!!

Oh, btw, I wanted to share this big news that perfectskincareforyou.blogspot.in has changed into perfectskincareforyou.com. I bought the domain from blogger so any of the URL's would work and none of the past links will break. So, enjoy the weekend :)

The Chemical Preservatives used by "Organic" Beauty Brands

"Organic" doesn't always mean free from synthetic chemicals when it comes to your beauty products.

I am always frustrated when I come across a beauty product that is marketed as "organic" or "natural, but contains lots of synthetic chemicals.

Cream based products contain water. So they need preserving properly, otherwise your product could contain bacteria or fungus.

Products like bath salts, body oils and soap don't contain water, so don't need a chemical preservative (although some companies do stick them in for fun anyway!)

The challenge for beauty product manufacturers is how to fulfil a retailer's requirement to order in large quantities of product and then have them sitting on shelves for up to 5 years.

Many brands argue that a chemical preservative is a necessary evil. In particular Parabens are used to preserve cream products.

But because of all the recent reports about potential long term health problems associated with Parabens, most organic personal care companies are switching to alternative preservatives.

Some are cynically putting in anything that isn't a paraben, but is far more likely to harm you...customers just don't know about it yet! For example, there is no excuse for putting in Formaldehyde, a known carcinogen.

Other companies use a naturally occurring Paraben, Japanese Honeysuckle. It seems dishonest to me to market your products as "Paraben Free" if you use a natural Paraben.

In this post I wanted to highlight a few of the chemicals commonly used by natural skin care brands.

Before I do, I should mention that Pai products use only natural preservatives. Our cream products have an 18 month shelf-life from manufacture. It takes a bit more effort and cost to use only natural preservatives and it complicates the supply chain - but that's what justifies the price premium organic beauty products can command.

Always Read The Label
Companies have to put most of their ingredients on the label. They hope you won't read it - and if you do, they are pretty sure you won't understand it!

Pai was the first Organic Beauty brand to list all our ingredients in plain English. We have to put it in Latin (the INCI list) as well because of EU regulations.

Unless you have done lots of research, most of the ingredients won't make much sense. So I have put together a list of the most commonly used chemical preservatives below:


Alcohol 
Works as a preservative when present in concentrations of over 10%.

Used in such high proportions it can strip away natural oils and be unsuitable for sensitive skin or Rosacea sufferers.

If Alcohol is listed near the top of the ingredients list, then a large proportion of the product will be alcohol. 


Benzoic Acid
A mild skin irritant thought to exacerbate Eczema.


Benzyl Alcohol
Considered a skin and eye irritant and has been linked to Contact Dermatitis and Urticaria.


Formaldehyde Still used in some "natural" skin care products, Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and skin irritant.


Japanese Honeysuckle (listed as Lonicera Japonica)
While this might sound innocuous, this is a naturally occurring Paraben.


Parabens – Butyl, Ethyl, Propyl, Isopropyl, Methyl, Benzyl 
The debate rages on about these six preservatives. Recent studies have raised concerns over the gradual build-up of these chemicals in the body and linked them to hormone disuption and cancer.

More clinical trials need to be done but, at Pai, we exercise a precautionary approach. If we don't know enough about an ingredient, we don't use it.


Parfum
This term was traditionally used to hide the precise formulae of commercial perfumes.

However it is now a common fixture on beauty products' ingredient lists to hide a multitude of sins - from synthetic fragrances to chemical fixatives and preservatives.

200 different chemicals can be legally covered by the word "parfum".


Phenoxyethanol
Used by the majority of 'natural' and 'organic' skincare brands, this petroleum based preservative is a skin irritant.


Sodium Benzoate
Sodium benzoate is derived from benzoic acid which can occur naturally in berries. This common preservative was at the centre of a food health scare a few years ago.

In high doses it has been linked to DNA damage and the onset of degenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. In cosmetics it can cause skin and eye irritation.


Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate
Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate is a common paraben replacement but is a harsh skin irritant and is thought to break down into formaldehyde in the body.


If anyone has questions about ingredients or chemicals used on beauty products, just get in touch!