Skin care before and after Holi

                      

The festival of colors, Holi, is the most vibrant of all Hindu festivals. It marks the end of winter in India and welcomes the spring season. On this festive day, people play with colors, meet and greet one another and create new beginnings. 

Holi colors are full of harmful chemicals which can kill the skin cells and can cause dryness. These colors make your skin sensitive. You start suffering from numerous skin allergies resulting in rashes, inflammations and itching.

 These colors penetrate deeply in the skin and don’t get washed off easily. So it’s better to take care of your skin properly before and after holi.

Skin care before Holi

                                                                                                       

Moisturize your skin properly.

Before going out to play holi, always apply mustard, castor or olive oil all over your body. Apply a good sunscreen lotion after applying oil on your body.

It is the best way to protect your skin from exposure to colors. Take some oil and apply it properly all over your body especially to the body parts that are exposed to colors. This will make your skin greasy and will not let the color settle deep into your skin. It will also make it easier to clean colors. Oil will create a thin layer on your skin which will protect your skin from direct contact form colors.

Moisturize your skin properly as the chemicals in the color simply absorb the moisture from your skin making it dry and rough.

The reason forapplying  a good sunscreen lotion after applying oil on your body. This prevents the harmful effects of the UV radiation that it can cause after mixing with the colors.

Cover most of your body parts

The less your body is exposed to colors the lesser are the chances of skin damage. Wear full sleeved clothes and full-length bottoms. Clothes are the best way to reduce exposure to colors as much as possible.

Oil your hair

Not just your skin your hair also require protection from the possible damage. Apply oil to your hair properly. It will help you wash your hair easily and get rid of all the color from your hair. It won't let the color stick to your hair. You should also make a bun while playing Holi to protect your hair. You can also cover your hair with a cap or a scarf.

Apply nail polish

You should also protect your nails from colors. Nail polish will protect your nails. It will stop the color from entering deep inside your skin through nails.

Protect your ears

The colors often get into your ears which are very difficult to clean. Before playing with colors, all you need to do is take some petroleum jelly and apply it on the outer portion of your ears. It will make the outer area of your ears greasy which will prevent the color from entering inside your ears.

Do not stay in wet clothes

Wet clothes can also cause irritation and rashes. Change your clothes and do not stay in wet clothes for long. You can also catch a cold if you stay in wet clothes throughout the day,

Protect your eyes

Your eyes are very delicate. While playing with colors do not let the colors enter into your eyes. Keep them away from your sensitive eyes. Wear sunglasses during the day.

If you face any kind of problem, irritation or allergy on your skin, you must consult a doctor. If the colors enter into your eyes and you do not feel any kind of relief after washing your eyes thoroughly then also you must pay a visit to your doctor immediately. Also, buy natural and organic colors to celebrate Holi.

 Skin care after Holi

If you have played with dry colors, then first of all wipe it with a clean cloth and then wash the face with cold water. Don’t use warm water to wash off the colors.

 Lemon acts as a natural bleaching agent so rub some lemon wedges on the skin and then wash it properly. Do not use soap to wash the face.

Apply a large amount of moisturizer on the face, leave it for 15 mins and then wipe it off with a piece of cotton. It acts as a cleanser.

Avoid repeat washing and scrubbing of the skin as this will make tour skin more dry and wrinkled. Some colors take time to go off.

You can go for facial or cleaning in the parlors after holi.

Dip a piece of cotton in coconut oil and then dab gently on the face. Wait for 10-15mins and then wipe it off to remove the colors.

Apply face packs made of vegetables and fruits to get that glow back on your face.

Skin is very delicate and it has to be cared properly. By following these tips one can have a safe and harmless holi.

Do not try to force clean the stains by vigorous rubbing as that can cause skin irritation and dryness

If you want to remove oil paint from your face, mustard or coconut oil can be used. Use cotton to apply the oil on your face and rinse it off gently with both hands

If you want to remove gulal or dry colour from your mind, never make the mistake of pouring water to wash it off. This only spreads the gulal all over your body and makes it stick. You need to try to dust away from the gulal by using dry hands first, and use water only when this does not work

For washing the colour off your hair, use a mild herbal shampoo or a home-made one. Soak shikakai, reetha and amla or Indian gooseberry overnight, boil and strain it in the morning and you have a very good shampoo ready. If you had already applied oil to your hair before playing with colours, it would not be too difficult to wash the colors off.

In case you are having trouble removing colour from your hair, take one tablespoon of lemon juice and mix it in a cup of curd. Apply this mixture on your scalp and rinse it. Use herbal shampoo or home-made shampoo mentioned above to wash the mixture off.

So now what you are waiting for …spread your wings and go out play holi to the fullest and have fun …Happy Holi from Gracious Avatar.

A List of Emotions And Facial Expressions

                        

Facial expressions are the voluntary and involuntary movements that occur when one or more of the 43facial muscles on the face are engaged.

They are a rich source of non-verbal communication and display a vast amount of emotional and cognitive information.

What kind of facial expressions are there?

A List of Emotions And Facial Expressions

Facial Expression/Emotion Happiness: Happiness is an emotion that is often associated with a state of mind that reflects contentment, satisfaction, pleasure or joy. Happiness is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to raise the corners of their mouth upwards.

Facial Expression/Emotion Disgust:

Sneer: to smile or laugh at someone or something with an expression on your face that shows dislike and a lack of respect

Scowl: to look at someone or something in a way that shows anger or disapproval

Glare: to express (as hostility) by staring angrily

Grimace: a facial expression in which your mouth and face are twisted in a way that shows disgust, disapproval, or pain

Facial Expression/Emotion Anger:

 Anger when you frown you make an angry face. The angry face you make is also called a grimace

Facial Expression/Emotion Fear:  

Among the six basic facial expressions (fear, sadness, surprise, happiness, anger, and disgust), fear and surprise are easily confused because surprised and fearful faces are “wide-eyed, information gathering” facial expressions.

Facial Expression/Emotion Sadness:

Facial Expression/Emotion: Sadness. Sadness is an emotion that is often associated with the feelings of disadvantage, loss, and helplessness. Sadness is characterized by a facial expression that causes someone to lower the corners of their mouth, and raise the inner portion of their brows.

We at Gracious Avatar help you to understand your body language and facial expressions and make the best use of it.

These learning’s are going to be helpful and make you different from others.

What is Self esteem?

Self-esteem means feeling good about yourself. People with self-esteem feel liked and accepted and are proud of what they do. They believe in themselves.

 So in a nut shell we can say that confidence and satisfaction in oneself is self-esteem or can also be termed as SELF-RESPECT.

Self-esteem reflects an individual's overall subjective emotional evaluation of their own worth.

It is the decision made by an individual as an attitude towards the self.

 Self-esteem encompasses beliefs about oneself, for example, I am competent, I am worthy, as well as emotional states, such as achievement, hopelessness, pride, and embarrassment. 

The self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, is the positive or negative evaluations of the self, as in how we feel about it.

There are 2 types of self-esteem High and  Low:

High People with a healthy level of self-esteem

§  Firmly believe in certain values and principles, and are ready to defend them even when finding opposition, feeling secure enough to modify them in light of experience.

§  Are able to act according to what they think to be the best choice, trusting their own judgment, and not feeling guilty when others do not like their choice.

§  Do not lose time worrying excessively about what happened in the past, nor about what could happen in the future. They learn from the past and plan for the future, but live in the present intensely.

§  Fully trust in their capacity to solve problems, not hesitating after failures and difficulties. They ask others for help when they need it.

§  Consider themselves equal in dignity to others, rather than inferior or superior, while accepting differences in certain talents, personal prestige or financial standing.[13]

§  Understand how they are an interesting and valuable person for others, at least for those with whom they have a friendship.

§  Resist manipulation, collaborate with others only if it seems appropriate and convenient.

§  Admit and accept different internal feelings and drives, either positive or negative, revealing those drives to others only when they choose.

§  Are able to enjoy a great variety of activities.

§  Are sensitive to feelings and needs of others; respect generally accepted social rules, and claim no right or desire to prosper at others' expense.

§  Can work toward finding solutions and voice discontent without belittling themselves or others when challenges arise.

Low Low self-esteem can result from various factors, including genetic factors, physical appearance or weight, mental health issues, socioeconomic status, significant emotional experiences, peer pressure or bullying.

A person with low self-esteem may show some of the following characteristics

Heavy self-criticism and dissatisfaction.

Hypersensitivity to criticism with resentment against critics and feelings of being attacked.

Chronic indecision and an exaggerated fear of mistakes.

Excessive will to please and unwillingness to displease any petitioner.

Perfectionism, which can lead to frustration when perfection is not achieved.

Individuals with low self-esteem tend to be critical of themselves. Some depend on the approval and praise of others when evaluating self-worth. Others may measure their friendliness in terms of successes: others will accept themselves if they succeed but will not if they fail.

So we at Gracious Avatar help you to build your Self-esteem and how you should value and perceive yourselves.

We help you in developing your personality for life time in the following manner:

·         like and value yourself as a person

·         are able to make decisions and assert yourself

·         recognize your strengths and positives

·         feel able to try new or difficult things

·         show kindness towards yourself

·         move past mistakes without blaming yourself unfairly

·         take the time you need for yourself

·         believe you matter and are good enough

·         believe you deserve happiness.

So Stay happy and have a strong Self Esteem.

Carry your beauty with dignity .

WHAT IS SPF SUNSCREEN?

        WHAT IS SPF SUNSCREEN?

                       

          Sun Protection Factor Explained In Brief

SPF measures sunscreen protection from UVB rays, the kind that cause sunburn and contribute to skin cancer.

SPF does not measure how well a sunscreen will protect from UVA rays, which are also damaging and dangerous.

Dermatologists recommend using a SPF15 or SPF30 sunscreen. Higher SPFs don't provide much more protection.

What is SPF Sunscreen?

SPF, or Sun Protection Factor, is a measure of how well a sunscreen will protect skin from UVB rays, the kind of radiation that causes sunburn, damages skin, and can contribute to skin cancer.

If your skin would normally burn after 10 minutes in the sun, applying an SPF 15 sunscreen would allow you to stay in the sun without burning for approximately 150 minutes (a factor of 15 times longer). This is a rough estimate that depends on skin type, intensity of sunlight and amount of sunscreen used. SPF is actually a measure of protection from amount of UVB exposure and it is not meant to help you determine duration of exposure. 
 

For best protection, experts recommend using a minimum SPF sunscreen of 15, applying the proper amount 2mg/cm² of skin and reapplying every 2 hours.
 

The SPF (Sun Protection Factor) scale is not linear:

·         SPF 15 blocks 93% of UVB rays
 

·         SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB rays
 

·         SPF 50 blocks 98% of UVB rays

It’s complicated, but to keep it simple, most dermatologists recommend using a SPF 15 or SPF 30 sunscreen.

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Why You Should Wear Sunscreen?

 

Let us have a look at the interesting reasons that why you should wear  sunscreen throughout the year

1. Safeguards from Harmful UV Rays:

The continuously depleting ozone layer has put us at a higher risk of getting affected from the harmful rays of the sun. While you do need the sun for your daily dose of Vitamin D, it does not imply that you should put your health at risk! Applying sunscreen actually blocks these harmful rays from penetrating the skin and triggering skin disorders.

2. Averts Premature Aging:

All of us love to have younger looking, radiant, and healthy skin. And, this is one of the most convincing reasons to start using sunscreen. It shields your skin from developing signs of aging, such as wrinkles and fine lines. Studies reveal that people below the age of 55 who used sunscreen had 24% lesser chances of developing these aging signs than non-sunscreen and occasional sunscreen users.

3. Lowers Skin Cancer Risks:

While you started using sunscreen mainly for beauty reasons, this health benefit came as an advantage. Wear your sunscreen daily and over the days and months to shield your skin from the risk of various types of skin cancer, especially, melanoma. This is the worst type of skin cancers, which can be life threatening for women, particularly those who are in their 20s.

4. Lowers Blotchiness and prevents sunburns on Face:

Apply sunscreen liberally on your face to prevent the onset of that irritating blotchiness and eruptions of red veins. This is also essential to prevent the onset of acne and other sun rays- induced damages.

Sunburns weaken your skin, subjecting it more to bruises. Your skin may suffer repeated attacks of peeling, swelling, redness, hives, and itching. And, this comes from the influence of UVB rays. The blisters can escalate the risk of skin cancer.

5. Prevents Tanning:

Tan is healthy – this concept still persists. However, what you should be aware is that while you are sunbathing to tan, you are at the risk of being harmed by the harsh ultraviolet B rays. Choose a sunscreen that has a minimum of sun protection factor 30 to prevent tanning induced by UVB. And, make sure you reapply sunscreen every two hours, especially if you have a sensitive skin. Or, just after your exercise, as sweat could wash away the protective coating.

6. Enhances Health of the Skin:

The essential skin proteins, such as collagen, keratin, and elastin are protected by sunscreen. These proteins are required for keeping the skin smooth and healthy. Make sure your sun block has titanium oxide in it for endowing these benefits to the skin.

7. An Extensive Variety to Choose From at Reasonable Rates:

There are countless variants of sunscreens available in the market today. Plus, they come at an affordable rate. There are countless sunscreen recipes online that you could prepare at home too, making them even more cost effective.

How to Use Sunscreen?

How to use sunscreen every day? There are a few factors that you need to keep in mind while picking up the sunscreen and using it everyday:

1. Always read the ingredient list and make sure your sunscreen contain the following:

·         Titanium dioxide

·         Octyl methoxycinnimate (OMC)

·         Avobenzone (also parsol)

·         Zinc oxide

2. Opt for a broad spectrum sunscreen lotion or gel that is non-comedogenic and hypoallergenic. Such sun creams will shield you from ultraviolet rays, both A and B, while safeguarding you from rashes, clogged pores, acne, and sun burns.

3. Choose a sunscreen that is waterproof and comes with a minimum SPF of 30.

4. Always apply sunscreen half an hour before you come into contact with the sun.

How Often to Use Sunscreens?

Sunscreens act as a shield against the harmful UV rays which penetrates every time your skin is exposed to the sun. It is therefore advisable to use sunscreen every day. You may not notice the benefits now, but the advantage of using sunscreen is felt in the long run. If you are out in the sun for a long time either working or enjoying a sunbath in the beach, it is better to reapply sunscreen after every two hours to protect your skin from sunburns.

There is no specific time to start using sunscreen. It is always better to be late than never. Enjoy the sun 365 days with a liberal dab of sunscreen.

We at Gracious Avatar help you to understand your skin and assist you with the right product also we help you to know how and why you should use a particular product as per your skin type.