5 Tips for Great Hair

I often get asked how I manage to have such nice and thick hair. I thank all my friends and family who compliment me wholeheartedly (all the time). Today I am sharing my favorite 5 tips for good hair. I have tried and tested a lot of shampoos, oils, serums, masks etc. and this is what I have come up with – “Our hair need inner strength (just like our body)”. Think of it this way - 'It does not matter how expensive your facial creams are, if your skin does not have a natural glow to itself.'
So today, I am sharing my personal favorite 5 tips for great hair with you all...

Exercise and eat a lot of protein.
Before you think I am crazy, who keeps on talking about fitness, let me explain. Everything starts and ends with nutrition and exercise in my life. If you are not healthy internally, how can you think any amount of hair oil or shampoo will impact the quality and growth of your hair. Hair products are just external. They have no role in making your hair stronger from the roots. For that you need to make sure, your hair gets plenty of moisture and protein from your diet. So drink lots and lots of water, eat healthy home-made food, include lots of vegetables in your diet and don't forget to keep a good check on your protein intake!

Keep them dandruff free
Then comes the cleanliness part. Now, do you suffer from occasional breakouts on your cheeks or forehead? If the answer is yes, you may be suffering from dandruff! Each one of us suffer from dandruff every now and then, since our scalp keeps shedding its skin in the form of dandruff (Did you know that?) So whether you have oily or dry hair, you may have dandruff (and you may not even know about it)! The solution is to wash your hair with a good medicated anti-dandruff shampoo once every 10 days. Also due to dandruff, the roots of your hair may not be able to breathe fresh air, which causes hair fall and breakage. Keep your hair clean (like, all the time). Enough said.

Moisturize them well
Once we have taken care of the health of our hair and roots, we can now switch up one level and think of moisturizing them externally. There are various types of oils available in the market these days. Though my favorite is coconut oil. I have been using it since my childhood days and my mother swears by it! Warm oil massage really helps in stimulating blood-circulation. A good head massage also calms the mind.

Wash it with a good shampoo
Each one of us are blessed with different kind of hair. Some have oily, some have combination, some have thick and frizzy (like me) and some have those gorgeous natural curls! Hence, all of us should look for different requirements from a shampoo. One may not suit all. Try to find a shampoo that suits your hair type and matches your needs. Make sure to use a shampoo with natural ingredients, since harmful chemicals destroy the natural oils of your hair. Don't just go ahead and buy a shampoo simply because it works best for your friend or sister! Read the label, make sure it does not consist any harmful chemicals and it's made for your hair type.

Too much of anything is bad + Trim them too
Don’t wash your hair too frequently. Over shampooing not only washes dirt but also washes the natural oils from your hair. It makes them dry and brittle too (and we don't want that, right?). Unless you have very, very oily hair, washing them everyday is a bad idea. Also, do not oil your hair too much (or too often), it attracts dirt. Similarly, do not use too much of hair conditioner, it weighs them down.
Last but not the least, do not forget the importance of a regular trim! You must get rid of those ugly-looking, hair-spoiling split-ends!

So these are my five hair rules. Follow 'em to believe 'em!
Also, tell me about your hair secrets too, I am always eager to add more to my list!

Cheers!
Ritika

Read full posts of these pictures here - Picture 1 / Picture 2 / Picture 3 / Picture 4 / Picture 5 / Picture 6

In my Beauty List - October 2013

It's been a long time since I shared my favorite beauty products on the blog. Though last time I promised I would be posting my favorites once a month, however, I failed to do so.. I blame my laziness for that..
Anyway.. let's look at my current favorites..

The Body Shop Banana Shampoo and Banana Conditioner - Another great shampoo and conditioner duo. Guess what? My favorite fruit is banana (after mangoes)! And this shampoo feels nothing but as if I am applying mashed bananas on my head. That's a finger-licking smell for me in the shower, which is awkard, I know. I resist hard not to eat it. It would be more awkard if I do that, I know. Ok, try it to belive it!
On other note, it leaves my hair with beautiful natural curls. It cleans the hair, adds volume at the roots and my hair feel like dancing all day!
Will I buy it again - I must be joking if I say no!

The Body Shop Vitamin C Moisturizer SPF 30 - A nice tangy smell of it makes it even more special! A nice sunscreen for all skin types. Quickly gets absorbed in to the skin. It does not make my skin look greasy at all.
Will I buy it again - I keep changing sunscreens, so I would like to try something else.

Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Daily Scrub - Winters are not a good friend of our skin. Specially, for me cause I have combination skin and hence I like to scrub my face every alternate day. A facial every month also does the job, but when I came across this product on the shelf of the drug store, I knew I had to give it a try.
The first time I washed my face with it, I experienced such supple smooth facial skin that I wanted to keep on touching my own cheeks. It has very tiny scrub particles in it, which not only cleans the skin but removes the dead cells leaving skin feeling soft, supple and shiny after every wash. It feels very refreshing after that! Try it and you will know what I am talking about.
Will I buy it again - Of course, why not!

The Body Shop - Coconut Shower Cream - In case you are wondering, Body Shop did not pay me. I am a huge fan of their products. And this one is again true to it's promise. It has a very rich coconut fragrance. And if you are not a coconut fan, this product many not be for you. It leaves the skin soft after every bath. Love it.
P.S. I feel like eating it in the shower! (but haven't yet!!)
Will I buy it again - Hell, yeah!

Rimmel London Soft Kohl Kajal Eye Liner Pencil - It glides on very smoothly and stays put for up to 5 hours. Back in India, there are too many brands selling kajal pencils or kajal sticks. But here in States, I don't get to find 'Kajal' pencils. After I ran out of my Lakme Kajal Pencil (which lasted me for more than 4 years, by the way), I have been searching for one good Kajal stick here, but could not find anything good. I was more than happy to find this one the other day when I stopped by at a drugstore to pick up few Q-tips. It was worth the wait.
Will I buy it again - I don't mind trying other products as well.

What are your favorite products at the moment? Share with me..

Disclaimer: All the views are my own. I have not been paid or compensated in any way by any brand.

Cheers!
Ritika..

In my Beauty List - Feb 2013

Hi everyone! Thank you for such a wonderful response on my previous post. Need not say, my husband loved it the most! Re-living those special moments is a definite turn on. What say?

Thought of starting a new section in the blog, apart from the musings of my life. I will be posting about few products I am loving lately.
Here goes the first list.
Note: All the views are my own. I have not been paid or compensated in any way by any brand.

1. Tigi Bed Head Control Freak Shampoo, Conditioner, and Serum - By far the best shampoo, conditioner and serum combination I have found for my super frizzy hair. It not only controls the frizz but also locks in the moisture. And how can I forget the bubblegum fragrance of the this range opens up my senses in the mornings.

2. Keratin Complex Style Glowtion Potion Styling Oil Styling Oil - I got this haircut done by one of the local salon here, where the hairstylist suggested me to try this product. She also applied it on my hair before blow drying. I love the effect it has on my hair. They are well in control, no flyaways and the style remains intact plus no stickiness.

3. Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Refining Moisture Cream Complex - Though it’s a moisturizing cream, I apply it at night before going to bed. The texture of the cream is a little hard, so a little goes a long way. It's great for dry skin, especially in winters.

4. The Body Shop Born Lippy Satsuma Shimmer Lip Balm - Totally love the smell of this lip balm. And it also adds shimmer to the lips. A must try, I say.

5. SCHWARZKOPF Got2b OIL-LICIOUS Calm & Shine Styling Oil Triple Oil - It actually came free with the Schwarzkopf Dry Shampoo that I bought (got a smaller size). I really liked the effect of this oil on my hair. It doesn't make my hair greasy at all. Actually it's texture is thick, so a small pea-size amount is enough for my short hair length. The warmth of the palms activates the product. I apply it as a leave in conditioner. It smoothes out the frizz and tames the hair.

6. Maybelline Volum' Express Colossal Waterproof Mascara - Classic Black - It's my favorite mascara. I am hooked on to it ever since I bought it for the first time. My eyes feel bare without this applied on them. I don’t leave home without it.

That's my list for now! 
Would love to hear which products are you loving these days, or what else should I try? Do share with me.

Cheers
Ritika

Monsoon Special

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.

Happy Monsoon everyone! So how's it going with the rains..? It feels good. I love the rains. I love the feeling of it on my face. Water pouring down, on and off, creating that amazing romantic scene from our Bollywood movies. Rains always remind me of those sexy romantic songs from our movies which were picturised in the rains.
Well, on one such rainy day I was out, and this is what I wore. Hot-pants are life savers some times. It rained so much that evening.. and I was thanking myself for not wearing jeans or full pants. As it becomes uneasy to walk in wet pants and its not good for the skin too.
I was carrying a water proof bag that day, which deifintely helped.

Things to remember, in monsoons:

1. Make-up: Avoid heavy make-up, keep it to the minimum. The lighter the make-up, the more you will be able to enjoy the weather. If required, use good quality water-proof stuff. Personally, I can't leave home with out my kajal and lip balm. That's the only thing in monsoons that I wear on my face.

2. Hair: The problem with managing hair in monsoons is that the humidity in the atmosphere makes hair frizzy. Hence, the go-to hair styles should be slick ponytails, messy braids or classy buns. Other than that, wearing a scarf or a hat adds up to the glam quotient. I would also recommend using hair protector products depending on your hair texture. Avoid hair-sprays and hair gels.

3. Skin: It's good to use a non-soapy cleanser which can wash away the dirt with out drying the face. Use a toner post face-wash. Exfoliate (I swear by this rule). Never ever EVER step out with out applying a good sunscreen.

4. Footwear: Just slip in to those colorful rain boots, jelly slippers or sandals. Avoid leather in the rains. Anything open toed and water proof works best!

5. Accessories: What could be better than a colorful umbrella! Remember that song from the Bollywood movie 'Chalbaaz' where in Sridevi looks super cute in the raincoats with umbrellas. It's time to create the same magic! And yes, colorful water proof bags are super handy too.

 6. Clothes: Most importantly, wear light fabrics, like cotton, linen etc. Give your jeans some rest and go for capri pants, linen trousers, skirts, hot-pants, the list is too long. Its good to stay way from whites and other very light colors. Wear the most colorful pieces from your collection and enjoy the colors of rainbow.

I like rain. Actually I love it. Do you?

Very well then, let's get wet!

Cheers to the rains!
Ritika

Tank: Espirit
Shirt: Old Navy
Shorts: Promod
Bag: Bought from Florida Airport
Flats: Stilettos
Watch: Titan
Leather Cuff: Random

My Hair Care Routine

I LOVE my hair! Keeping hair clean and tangle free is the best thing you can do to your hair. I wash my hair thrice in a week with a moisture rich shampoo because my hair is dry. Though I love the fall and effect of the 2nd day hair but keeping them clean is quite important.

The quality of hair also improves by oiling them regularly. It not only increases the blood circulation in the hair, but also promotes growth, makes hair soft and manageable. I oil my hair twice in a week followed by a good massage. It is really not that important to keep oil in the hair for more than 2 -3 hours as it only attracts dirt and makes hair dirtier.

I get my hair trimmed once in 6 weeks as it keeps my hair thick from top to bottom and also eliminates any kind of split ends. For any kind of hair thinning or dandruff problems, it is always better to consult a dermatologist immediately.

Diet is another essential factor when it comes to hair growth. I drink lots and lots of water, eat fresh vegetables and fruits which adds luster to my hair. Needless to mention, living a healthy and tension free life is the shortcut to great hair!

Though products come secondary in my opinion, but they also bear their own importance when it comes to building a healthy routine for hair care. I rarely blow dry my hair. I let them air-dry. The natural waves look beautiful. Here are the shampoos, conditioners and oils that I am using currently.

Shampoos & Conditioners:

TRESemmé Moisture Rich Shampoo & Conditioner

Dove DRYNESS CARE Shampoo & Conditioner

MATRIX BIOLAGE Deep Smoothing Shampoo & Conditioner

Deep conditioning:

Schwarzkopf Bonacure Repair Rescue Treatment

Hair Oils:

Himalaya Herbals Revitalizing Hair oil

Olive oil

I would love to hear what products you use to keep your mane shining! Good Day!