Try some exotic homemade hair masks

Make simple, inexpensive hair masks at home to treat your dry, damaged hair..

If your bad hair days last an entire weekend, your hair is not only screaming for attention but is also in dire need of some tender loving care. Don't wait for the weekend to treat damaged hair. There are simple, effective ways (which are not time-consuming) to care for your hair through the week. They are also quite inexpensive and no, you don't have to go hunting for some exotic ingredients either. The solution to your bad hair day lies in your kitchen.

Hair masks are easy to make and apply. All you need is a little time to be the proud owner of healthy, lustrous hair.

Egg mask
1. Beat two eggs alongwith their yolks with two tablespoons of water.
2. Massage the concoction into clean, damp hair.
3. Keep it on for ten to fifteen minutes and wash it off with a mild shampoo.

Going bananas
1. Mash one banana and mix it well with one beaten egg, three tablespoons honey, three tablespoons milk and five tablespoons olive oil.
2. Apply on hair and wash off with a gentle shampoo after 15 to 30 minutes depending on the extent of hair damage.

Yo yogurt!
1. Remove the yolk from an egg and beat the egg white till it is nice and frothy.
2. Add six tablespoons of yogurt to the potion.
Massage it into hair and wait 15 to 30 minutes for the magic to unveil.
3. Wash out with a mild shampoo.

Milk and honey mask
1. All you need to do is mix a tablespoon of honey with a cup of full fat milk.
2. Apply evenly on hair.
3. Wash off with a mild shampoo after 15 minutes.

Fenugreek mask
1. You need to keep fenugreek seeds overnight in a little water, enough to soak them not drown them.
2. Grind the seeds to a fine paste the next morning and apply it to your hair.
3. Wash it out with a mild shampoo after 15 to 20 minutes.

Olive and egg mask
1. Whisk five tablespoons of olive oil and two eggs to a foamy mixture.
2. Massage it in your hair.
3. Cover your head with a shower cap and leave it on for at least 30 minutes for the oil to penetrate into your hair.
4. Wash off with a gentle shampoo.

Banana and almond mask
1. Add a few drops of almond oil to one mashed ripe banana.
2. Mix it well and massage it thoroughly into hair.
3. Wash it off with a mild shampoo after 15 to 30 minutes.

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Lure of nips and tucks

Hollywood actress Jessica Alba had to veer a Chinese girl away from undergoing a cosmetic surgery. The surgery was a desperate bid by the girl to win over her boyfriend whose favourite actress is Alba. "I think you should never have to change yourself like that. If somebody loves you, they'll love you no matter what," Alba is reported to have told her. She was successful, but there's a larger group out there who don't think twice about going under the knife to change their looks. And that group is getting younger by the day.

Says Dr Sunita Dube, "Youngsters, including a segment of teens, ask to get a botox done. What they don't understand is botox was created for women above forties. These women have lost the elasticity in their skin, and botox helps them to regain it. Liposuction and breast augmentations are the other things that they seek out when they don't need to. It's a generation that simply can't wait to go under the knife. The fact that there has been a 20 per cent rise in the number of surgeries performed in the last three years indicates how popular cosmetic surgery has become."

Cosmetic surgeon Dr Mohan Thomas however pooh-poohs the recent report that states that teenagers are eager to undergo cosmetic surgeries. "There may be a few cases of teenagers undergoing cosmetic surgery, but that could be for corrective purposes. Statistics are just being blown to sensationalise the trend among teenagers. But yes, there are a lot of youngsters going in for cosmetic surgery at the slightest sign of discomfort."

What's disconcerting to most in the medical world is that not only is cosmetic surgery becoming common place, but that youngsters are going for it without making informed choices or taking a second opinion. In fact, female genitalia surgery has been on the rise abroad and scientists are expressing concern about the complicated surgery and find the method no different from the one involved in female genital mutilation, which is banned in most countries.

Doctors stress that those going in for cosmetic surgery should make an informed choice. "They have to invest a lot of time before taking the step for surgery. That means they should find the right surgeon, take a second opinion and not have any other medical problems that could aggravate after the surgery," says Dr Thomas.
And what if they get a case like the Chinese girl wanting to look like Jessica Alba? "These are unrealistic demands. If your body and face structure is something else, then trying to make yourself look like Hrithik Roshan or Aishwarya Rai is just not possible," says Dr Dube.

Dr Thomas echoes a similar sentiment. "You could want to look like Katrina Kaif or Deepika Padukone or have dimples like Shah Rukh Khan, but there should be something common in your structure to make you look like your idol. I avoid such cases as such people mostly have psychological issues like a poor body image called body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Fortunately, sex change is not that common here. It's a complicated surgery, and requires a lot of counselling before the person takes the step. After all, you cannot undo what you've undone!" concurs the cosmetic surgeon.

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Honey matters!

Honey not only scores high on the food-o-metre for its taste, but it's also highly recommended for its medicinal properties and health benefits.

One of the easiest foods to digest, honey is a good ingredient for beauty treatments too. Here we list some of the benefits...

- Honey is a healthy substitute for sugar in drinks and foods. When added with milk, it enhances the taste, as well as helps strengthen and boosts the immunity system of the body. You can also apply it on the toast or add it to the ice-creams.

- It's highly recommended for those interested in dieting. A glass of warm water in which honey and lemon is added, is a healthy way to start your day, as it cuts down the fat without compromising on the energy levels. It also increase energy levels, since its natural fruit sugars prevent fatigue during exercise.

- Honey has anti-bacterial properties that help improve digestive system.

- Honey is also known to have carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumour properties that may help in the prevention of cancer.

- Add a few drops of ginger juice to a tablespoon of honey and consume twice a day to treat sore throat.

- Easy to digest, giving kids two spoons of honey daily, makes sure that they have enough energy to sustain through the day.

- Its antiseptic properties inhibits the growth of certain bacteria and helps keep wounds clean and free from infection. It can be used as a natural cure in first aid treatment for wounds, burns and cuts as it promotes healing. Its antibacterial properties prevent infection and function as an anti-inflammatory agent, reducing both swelling and pain, and even scarring.

- Applying honey for 10 to 15 minutes on the face before washing off with lukewarm water, keeps the skin supple and fresh looking.

- Rinsing hair with two spoons of honey added in warm water, before washing thoroughly adds sheen to the hair.

- Adding one or two teaspoons of honey to a cup of chamomile tea before bedtime is a recommended cure to soothe nerves and aid in a sound sleep.

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