I found this category in the reviews section and felt it would be a good topic to write on. Now I am no grooming expert, nor would anybody call me stylish. But I believe in taking good care of my appearance and that’s where personal grooming comes in. Everybody is not blessed with good looks. So looking beautiful is not in our hands but looking well turned out is. All it needs is a little effort. Here I am listing a few ideas that have worked well for me (not including personal hygiene as I’m sure nobody reading this needs lessons for that!) :-
1. Moisturiser – Lets start with basic skin care. Using a moisturiser is a must for all. Unfortunately a lot of people misunderstand the concept. A moisturiser does not provide moisture to the skin. It only locks in the moisture already present in our skin. So it is very important that we apply the moisturiser to our face (or body) within a couple of minutes of patting our skin dry after a bath. No matter how expensive and branded the moisturiser, it won’t give good results if it is applied 10 minutes after the wash. Another mistake a lot of people make is to apply moisturiser only on the face but not the neck. The neck supports the head and is also the place where the signs of ageing start showing first. Moistursing the neck (front and back) is as important as moisturing the face.
Not to forget the rest of the body especially hands and feet. Our feet are the most abused part of our body as they support our weight the whole day. They are also the most ignored as they are hidden inside shoes most of the time and therefore, most neglected. Thankfully they don’t need much looking after either. I wash my feet with soap and apply a little body lotion or body butter before turning in for the night. This is enough to keep them in good shape. But the hands need moisturisation all day. I always keep a little bottle of body lotion in my purse and apply it everytime I wash my hands. This is very important as hands always show signs of aging more than our face. Example – 50+ actresses whose faces look under 40 but hands give away their age.
2. Sunscreen – Using a sunscreen is a MUST as sun exposure is the major cause of ageing. There is a misconception that sunscreen should only be used during the summer. In fact it should be used all year round, even during the monsoon as the harmful rays of the sun can easily penetrate the clouds. Also, sunscreen has to be applied at least 20 minutes before stepping into the sun. If one walks out immediately after applying sunscreen, its effectiveness will be zero. There are a lot of moisturiser-cum-sunscreens in the market but my personal experience is that it is better to use them separately.
3. Under Eye Cream – The eye area is very sensitive and therefore needs special care. Under eye creams are specially formulated for that purpose. The right way to apply under eye cream is through the ring finger as it puts the least pressure on the eyes. Usually people apply the eye cream before going to sleep in the night – this is very very harmful. The under eye cream should not be applied for more than 3 hours at a stretch. The right way is to apply it immediately after waking up in the morning and then wipe it off with wet cotton after a couple of hours. Can be repeated later in the day.
4. Clean Nails – Dirty nails are a complete no-no. This doesn’t mean that one should have regular manicures and pedicures. A simple nail-cutter does the needful. Well-cut and clean nails are an important part of personal grooming.
5. Hair – A good hair cut can make all the difference but I guess that’s not news to anybody. What I want to add is that clean hair is just as important as well-cut hair. One may wear the most stylish outfit and accessories, but if the hair is dirty or sticky, the whole effect is plain dowdy. I wash my hair every second day with a mild shampoo. It’s a myth that regular shampooing ruins the hair or causes hair fall. If the shampoo is properly rinsed out, it does no harm. But yes for regular use a mild shampoo is better than strong shampoos as they tend to dry the scalp.
Continued in comments section..........