Normal skin: This skin type is neither oily nor dry. Beautiful as it is, it needs care, if it is to last. People with normal skin start showing signs of age and wrinkling sooner than others. Daily cleansing, toning and nourishing is the adequate care for normal skin.
Oily skin: In this kind of skin, oil producing glands are overactive. They produces more oil than is needed, which oozes up, giving the skin a greasy shine. The pores are enlarged and the skin has a coarse look. This kind of skin also suffers from blackheads, pimples & acne. Oily skin needs special cleansing to keep the pores unclogged.
Dry skin: Majority of the people have dry skin. Your skin lacks both sebum and moisture. It looks fine textured, transparent, patchy and fragile. There are many factors which affect dry skin and make them even ore dry. For instance, washing with soap & water not only removes grime but also the natural oils that protect the skin. Exposure to the sun, air- conditioners and heaters also take their toll. Dry skin always needs moisturiser which increases the water content of the outer layer of the skin, giving it a soft, moist look.
Combination skin: This type of skin has a greasy area, while the rest is dry or normal. The forehead, nose and chin, i.e. the T-zone, may be greasy and the rest dry. Combination skin are very common and are one of the most frequently misunderstood and mistreated skins. This type of skin requires separate treatments for each area. However both the dry and greasy area needs moisturising.

If you want a good skin, the most important thing is to take care of it daily. Make it your habit. Your diet also plays an important part, so does getting adequate sleep and exercise.
If you like your skin to be young forever, follow these basic rules:
1. Cleanse your skin twice a day with products suited to your skin type.
2. See a beauty therapist regularly after the age of 25
3. Learn to treat the skin according to its type.
4. Avoid sun.
5. Avoid smoking.
6. Drink 8 glasses of water daily.
7. Use a face mask once a week.
8. Exercise regularly.
9. Remember that a regular care & routine pays you back.
10. Neglect accelerates ageing more than anything else.

First thing on your routine should be cleansing. Most of us use some kind of make-up on our skin, so cleansing is very essential. A cactus cleanser with a lemon base is the best. Cactus is ideal for rehydrating the skin. The cleanser must be massaged gently, into the skin, paying particular attention to the creases of the nose under the chin, neck and ear lobes.

Second step is toning of the skin, toning removes the last stages of cleanser and dissolves dirt. It is good if you use skin toning lotion. A skin tonic, with mint and honey base would be excellent for delicate & parched skin. Skin tonic braces the skin and tightens the pores, especially under the eyes and on the jaw line.

Third step is nourishing the skin, if you want to prevent it from dryness. Every night, a nourishing cream with preferably an orange base, should be used. If you feelthat your skin is very dry, use a second application. A nourishing cream with vitamin E would work wonders.
Supplying moisture to the skin by use of suitable cosmetic aids is the only way to prevent the skin from drying up.

Home beauty recipes and remedies have been around for centuries. Remarkable remedies were discovered purely out of necessity. Over a period of time, many home remedies have proven to be effective and natural, therefore healthy! Making your own beauty products costs a fraction of what you pay for over-the-counter preparations. 
Keep in mind any allergies or sensitivity you may have to some ingredients; such as glycerin, lemons, strawberries, eggs, etc. Check with your doctor or dermatologist if you are not sure you can use certain ingredients.
Pamper your skin with these face packs
1. This is an excellent remedy to get rid of those ugly acne scars. Blend the sandalwood paste and rose water and apply on the scars. Keep it overnight and then wash it off with cold water the next day. This does wonders to your skin!

2. Lemons also have exfoliating properties: rub half a lemon on your face with a hint of sugar granules to remove dead cells and lighten a tan. You can also rub on hyper-pigmented areas like elbows to lighten them. Mix with a little cucumber juice to make a natural astringent. Condition your hair with the juice of one lemon mixed with a glass of lukewarm water or get rid of dandruff by rubbing your scalp with hot oil and lemon juice.
Ways to achieve a Smooth Skin
1. Mash the bananas along with milk and then apply on your face. Wash it off after 20 minutes. This makes the skin smooth and supple.
2. Blend the egg white and honey well and then apply on the face. This makes your skin smooth and helps to reduce wrinkles.
3. Blend turmeric powder with milk and apply on the face. It removes the tan and helps to reduce the facial hair. Scrub it off with a good face scrub and then wash with cold water. You can also keep it overnight.
4. Mix oatmeal along with curds and tomato juice and apply on the face. Keep it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. It helps to remove the tan and lightens the skin.
5. Apply raw sliced potato on the face. Reduces blemishes and other scars.
6. Cucumber juice is an excellent astringent. Applying cucumber juice on the face tightens the pores. Wash it off after 15 minutes.
7. Applying turmeric powder along with limejuice removes the tan. Limejuice is a natural bleach.
8. Dried orange peels mixed with curds help reduce blemishes and scars. Wash it off after 15 minutes with cold water.
9. Honey makes the skin glow. It makes the skin soft and smooth. Helps reduce wrinkles.
10. Citrus face packs and sandalwood face packs are excellent for oily skin.
11. Rubbing ice cubes on the face tightens the pores and increases blood circulation.
Lemon as a beauty aid
Start your morning with a combination of half a lemon of juice and an orange, squeezed in hot water, sweetened with honey.
For weight watchers & those on a reducing programme, lemon is excellent. Since it helps in depigmentation of the skin, it is useful for those suffering from blemishing and blotchy skin.
Lemon as a hand lotion: Mix lemon juice to rose water and rub on hands to get smooth hands. Rub granulated sugar and the juice of a lemon together till the sugar is dissolved. Then rinse it off. Do this regularly for a month and see the difference.
Lemon as bleach: rub lemon halves on elbows, heels and toes and then rinse off.

It's the one day in your life when everything, just everything has to be perfect. From your hair to your make up to your clothes to your shoes. And its no easy task ensuring that you look that way. A lot of careful planning and coordinating goes into creating the perfect look for the perfect day.

Scary? Yeah. But not if you follow these simple practical tips to get your make-up in order for the big day. Do go in for a prior consultation with your beautician at least a week before the wedding. Take along your wedding outfit and samples of the jewellery you would be wearing. Another good idea is to take along references of looks you like from magazines and ads of the kind of look you like, so that the beautician is not working blind towards creating your look.  The most basic must do's are to coordinate colours. If your outfit is a blazing pink, you cannot dare to wear red lipstick and nail polish.  Do get a great beautician and hairstylist. No point in settling for a budget beautician when the look of an entire lifetime is at stake. When you plan your make-up, think about the camera. You don't want to look too chalky or pasty or even sallow. Here from the experts, is all that goes into making a bride look like a bride. "Every bride is unique, therefore we try and give a unique look to each bride that is distinctively her," says Doris Godambe, hairstyle expert, who works as a team with her husband Bharat Godambe. Much sought after by brides for their ability to make a bride look like a movie actress, the duo have done the make up and hairstyling for most of the recent brides in Mumbai. "A good clear skin is a great base to work on," says Bharat. The first thing to do is the base. A well applied base, can even out your complexion, cover spots and pigmentation and conceal dark circles. Use a yellow based concealer for heavy duty coverage. Do use your base as a method of contouring your face, with the help of darker and lighter shadowing. You can create the illusion of a perfect oval face, you can make your nose look perfect and your chin a little less dominating if you use base and contouring well. For a bride, make-up should always err towards creating the illusion of perfection. Says Clint Fernandes, make up expert, "The look right now is glitter and sheen. A great dramatic look would be one with high gloss and sheen over eyelids and lips." But for those who like their look a little more traditional, the matte finish make-up is a great option.

DO insist on water resistant and long lasting make-up, you don't want it to melt in the hot light of the cameras. And waterproof mascara is a must have, after all, you wont look great racoon eyed after the bidai. For a bride, the traditional heavily kohl lined eyes is a great look to have. With clever make-up application you can make your eyes the perfect almond or doe eyed shape. DO emphasise the socket of the eye with subtle play of dark shadow on the socket and highlight just under the brow bone. If you could, do go in for false lashes and then brush a coat of mascara through them to make them look a little natural. Contour your cheeks with a natural shade of blush with a subtle highlighter to add that bridal glow. Your lips are an important part of the look, as important as the eyes. Line your lips with a lipliner a shade darker than the lipstick you've chosen and then fill in the lipstick with a brush. Blot it gently with a tissue and powder with pressed powder and repeat the liner and lipstick routine. This will help your lipstick last longer. Another point to remember is to make sure your neck, your back and waist (basically any part of the body that shows through your ghagra choli ensemble) are all the same skin tone. Therefore do use body make up to even out skin tone and cover blemishes.

Terrific hairstyles that make you look positively gorgeous. Gone are the days when what your hairstyle was didn't really matter because you invariably had to cover your hair and half your face with a ghoonghat. The contemporary bride shows off both her glorious hairstyle and her confidence, therefore, what you do with your hair is critical to making or breaking your look. 

Getting those glorious hairstyles sported by models and film actresses is not something only the glam world can achieve, you too can get the same look with the help of your hair stylist.

Check out in advance with your hairstylist what style will go with the shape of your face, your outfit and yes, even your groom. Yes, groom. For instance, if your to be hubby is much taller than you, an uplifted hairdo will narrow the height divide, while if your groom lacks in the height department, you might want to have a low slung hair do to keep yourself at the same height as he is.

Here are some unusual yet practical styles for the big day.

Style One: Pile your hair into a ponytail on the top of your head. Pull out little individual sections of the hair and roll them carefully into little horizontal loops, and apply some slick wax to each section. Use a straight pin to hold each hair loop in place. Finish with a spray of setting lotion. You might want to add some hair ornaments or pearl pins in each section to add interest.

Style Two: Apply hair mousse to wet hair and rough dry it. Divide hair into two sections and back comb the top half. Form a quiff with this and fasten at both ends with hair grips. Twist and fasten the bottom half with hair grips at the base of the quiff. Here you have an elegant upswept style, that is ideal for the sophisticated look. If you want to soften the look, you could pull out strategic strands around the face and gently curl them with heated tongs and set them with setting wax.

Style Three: If you want to wear your hair low, try this. Make a zig zag part through the center of your hair and sprinkle some gold glitter in the parting. Section each zig zag and part it through the width of the head. Pin each section at the base of the neck. Use a tiny rubber band to hold the hair together at the base of the neck. Take a section from the bottom of this ponytail and wind it around the band to conceal it. Use mousse to make this hair manageable and gently fluff it around in gently curling waves.

A final word of advice-do make sure whatever products you use in your hair are not going to lock your hair rigidly into a mould of cement. I remember my long awaited suhaag raat turning into a frayed nerves night with my grandly elaborate hair do refusing to let me put my head down on the pillow. After all, you do want him to be able to run his fingers through your hair later...

So go ahead, and make your mane, truly your crowning glory.

All the months of planning and preparation for a wedding can really take their toll on you. 

Here are some effective ways to destress and look fresh, dewy-eyed on your wedding:

1. Yoga to improve energy levels, posture, flexibility, body tone, concentration and relaxation. Very effective in getting those knots you've tied yourself into, undone. 
2. Visit a spa where they provide the full treatment. You know, something like a full body aromatherapy massage and a facial full of rich minerals to nourish your skin, followed by a relaxing hydrotherapy or milk bath. Make sure you go for something that alleviates stress, pampers you and restores vitality. 
3. Do some trampoline jumping to get the roses back in your cheeks. 
4. Get your beauty sleep. Don't let anything disturb those rejuvenating eight hours. 
5. Listen to soothing music while you soak those poor achy feet in a tub of warm, sudsy water. (Ignore this option if you're in the middle of winter unless you want to replace the dewy-eyed look with a drippy-nosed one).

Smile - it increases your face value. You've undoubtedly been paying great attention to D for Diet for that perfect 10 figure. But what about D for Dentist for those perfect 32? So while you're reinventing your figure to fit into your fabulous bridal attire, don't neglect your smile. Remember it's going to share the spotlight with you. As the gracious and demure bride you'll have a lot of smiling to do, and no designer outfit, however gorgeous, is going to come to your rescue. So don't let your smile let you down.

It's amazing what a transformation a good dental job can achieve for your face. It would be wise to get an appointment with your dentist a few months before the wedding. Don't wait for the last minute. You don't want to appear for your wedding with a swollen face and cotton between your pearly whites, do you?

Let your dentist attend to those cavities and get a root canal done if necessary. That's as far as the vital aspects are concerned. On the aesthetic front, there's a lot that cosmetic dentistry can do to give you a radiant, breath-taking, incandescent, million-watt smile.

A good cosmetic dentist will first study your facial structure and then work on your teeth so that they will flatter your face. You can get your smile tailor-made for you. Whether it's small teeth you want, or an endearing, overlapping incisor, nothing is impossible these days for your dentist. Your cosmetic dentist may not look like Cinderella's fairy godmother, but her drill can do as good a transformation as her magic wand.

Coating, capping and polishing. These are some of the options that cosmetic dentistry offers. Coating your teeth helps if the enamel on them has worn off. You can cap your teeth too, but only if they are chipped or broken.
Capping healthy teeth (involves cutting original teeth) merely to enhance their appearance is not recommended. You want to fix, not cause irreparable damage to the pearls that you inherited.

Coffee, tea and nicotine leave residues that build up over a period and darken the teeth. If your teeth are stained, perhaps you should consider polishing or whitening them. You can buy a whitening kit from your dentist or avail of the do-it-yourself whiteners available in the market. The contents bleach supercial stains on the enamel making the teeth appear whiter. Having fixed your smile, all you need to do is brush and floss your teeth regularly. Finally, use a minty breath freshener, and of course, smile, smile, smile.

You have a month to get married, and your skin is well, ah so dull.
What do you do? Where do you go? Here are some quick solutions to ensure you look your glowing best.

1. Schedule a regular series of skin treatments and facials from your beautician leading up to your wedding day. 
2. Skin looks its best two days after a facial, so schedule the biggest skin treatment facial at least two days before Dday. 
3. Do start regular home treatments, there is something to be said for haldi, milk cream and gram flour baths that make your skin glow. 
4. Make a solution of equal parts of glycerine, lime juice and rose water and refrigerate. Use all over face and body after a bath. 
5. Start conditioning your hair with deep conditioning treatments every alternate day. Sit with your beautician and decide on what low maintenance, high style hair cut could take you through your pre-wedding events and wedding day styles. 
6. Get on a detox diet. Switch to raw veggies and fruits. Drink tons of water. You lose weight and your system stays clean. Voila-glowing skin. 
7. Use a raw potato slice on your face as often as you can. It's a natural bleach and exfoliator. 
8. Do schedule in a weekly manicure and pedicure, you want your hands and feet to look their best. Leave the all over body waxing till three days before the wedding. 
9. And lastly, get enough of your beauty sleep. You'll need it.

Your Hair You need to keep your hair in style and you need to keep it protected from sun, wind and other damaging elements. The sun bathing you may do on the beach (If you're honeymooning on the beach) strips your hair of its natural oils, resulting in straw hair. Solution : Use a straw hat or a scarf. Do remember to condition your hair thoroughly with intensive conditioner after every wash. Rinse your hair after every swim, even in a pool. Chlorine can wreak havoc with hair condition. Style - Use clips and interesting hair accessories to hold your hair off your face. Shoulder length hair looks great left seductively loose around your face.  Must do - Get a great hair cut before your wedding so that your hair is in its best shape ever.  Secret tools - Do carry a hair drying system with you to add instant volume and glamour curls in a jiffy.

Your Make-up

You have to carry the radiant, blushing bride look through your honeymoon. Do ensure that you have a natural blush at hand to keep you glowing naturally. Don't slap on the colour though, just use a slight hint to create a slight flush. Blend colour well. Carry along a big fluffy brush to help you blend blush on the apples of your cheeks.

Creating cheekbones is passe, instead use colour on cheeks. Use a sheer wash of eyecolour to accentuate the shape of your eyes. Do keep along a jojoba lip balm to keep your lips moisturised and unflaky. Use a lipliner to define the shape of your lips, plump out thin lips or narrow down overfull lips. Fill in lip colour with a lip brush -- use a light shade if your complexion is fair and your lips are narrow. For fuller lips you can go darker.

Powder your lips after the first coat, and reapply lipstick for longer staying power. Or get one of the longstaying lipsticks available in the market --Revlon, Maybelline, Avon, Lakme, Orchids and L'Oreal all have slimsticks with longstaying benefits.
For the night

Use a light base that matches your skin tone. Use a concealer to hide your spots and dark circles. Use loose powder to set your face and dust off excess with a big fluffy brush. Use a powder blush or tinting powder (Indian Earth from Oriflame) for a soft glow.

Use a complementary eyeshadow to define your eyesockets and line your eyes with either pencil or liquid liner close to the lashes. Apply two coats of mascara, either black or coloured, for that final touch and you're set. Line your lips and fill in colour with a lip brush.
For the day

Use a concealer for your dark circles and spots, and put a thin veil of sheer colour with a gel blush. Use a natural brown eyeshadow or eyeliner and slick a coloured gloss on lips. The aim is to look attractive without looking made up.
Make up tips

1. To help make up stay use an oil free foundation and compact. 
2. Colour your entire lips with pencil before layering with lipstick. 
3. Do use waterproof mascara if you use contact lenses. You don't want to look racoon eyed. 
4. Use a top coat and a nail hardener to make your nail polish last. 
5. Line your inner lower eyes with white pencil to make them look clearer and brighter.