Image by Aniket Kanade Photography
We are right in the middle of festival season with Diwali being right around the corner. We are sure you are getting invited to all those fun dos which are such a huge part of the festive season. Probably you are planning to throw a few parties yourself. A girl has obviously got to look and feel great and we have just the right tips for you to gear up and get festival ready.
Skincare
MUA Chetna Thakkar Bridal Studio
Sun protection
Use a sunscreen, always. We cannot emphasize how important this is. Make this a ritual before you step out of our home and be sure to apply sunscreen on your neck too. Your skin will thank you years later as well.
Cleanse-tone-moisturize
Follow the Cleansing, Toning and Moisturizing Mantra religiously. The festive season will be a time where you will be using makeup on your skin regularly and the cooler and dryer part of the year is not exactly skin friendly. It leaves most of us with dry skin so invest in quality make up products and use an alcohol-free cleanser to rid your skin of makeup, oil, grime and pollutants. Depending on your skin type use the right products for toning and then slather on a moisturizing cream or serum. Start this routine as soon as you can and you will see a difference.
Pay special attention to the hands and feet
Use a night cream on your face and neck. And don’t forget your hands and feet either.
Exfoliate
The dry season also needs you to exfoliate so either invest in a good one or do one yourself at home. Simply whip up some basic ingredients such as a combination of honey, lemon juice, oats and olive oil or papaya, yogurt and sugar. You can also use tomatoes and raw milk. Leave these on for some time and remember to pamper your skin with a moisturizer after washing off.
Get professional treatment
Sneak in a facial clean up and a body treatment to rejuvenate your skin. If you are going to be wearing ghagra cholis, all the more reason to do this so that you can flaunt your flawless back.
Eat Healthy
No skincare routine is complete without eating right. It is tempting to eat all that gorgeous looking mithai and dig into those fried goodies. But rein in your temptation and don’t gorge on too many of these. A lot of times excess sugar and oil can lead to skin breakouts and the festive season is not exactly a time you want to be sporting dull looking skin and pimples. Remember to eat healthy and drink plenty of water.
Hair-care
MUA: Chetna Thakkar Bridal Studio
Like with skincare, start your hair-care routine as early as you can. Hair undergoes a fair amount of damage especially due to strong heat during blow drying, coloring, hair treatments and pollution.
Oil Massage
Now is a perfect time to use that tip our mothers and grandmothers always told us about –a good old warm oil massage. Slightly warm up either coconut oil or olive oil and massage it gently onto your scalp. Dip a towel in hot water, squeeze off all the water and cover your hair with this warm towel. Do this a few times. Leave the oil for at least a couple of hours before shampooing it off. This hot oil and towel treatment never fails to work miracles. Your hair will begin to feel and look more nourished.
Condition
Moisturizing your hair is just as important as moisturizing your skin. The festival season coincides with the cooler months and this can lead to dry and frizzy hair. Use a leave in conditioner or use a conditioner after you shampoo your hair to protect your hair.
Image Soham Sawant Photography
Go Easy on the Heat
As far as possible blow dry your hair on lower heat which is going to be a lot kinder to your hair than straightening it.
Hair Masks
Just like your skin would love you for the face masks, your hair will like the pampering that comes from using simple hair masks like yoghurt or ground and soaked methi/fenugreek seeds. Leave this on for some time and shampoo it off like always.
Stay Hydrated and Eat Fruits
Go easy with commercial hair products and make sure to stay hydrated and stock up on fruits and vegetables as part of your daily diet.
Playing dress up
Traditional and fusion
This is a good time to bring out those sarees, and glam them up with fancy cholis. If you don’t want to go the whole six yards, pick up ghagra cholis or the in-vogue anarkalis. You can also wear ethnic kurtas over palazzo pants. Don’t forget to accessorize your outfit with a potli or a clutch.
Get Creative with the Bindis
Image by SnapStories
You can never go wrong with a nice big red bindi. If maang tikkas are your thing, make sure to have a couple that you can team up with your outfits.
Rings and Anklets
Don’t forget to groom your hands and feet for the festive season. Get a nice and bright looking manicure and pedicure. Opt for open toed footwear and blingy toe rings and anklets. Mojdis looks great with Indian wear too.
Earrings
If neck-pieces aren’t your thing, get yourself some statement earrings. You may not need any other embellishments as far as jewelry is concerned.
Highlight those Eyes
Since a lot of the partying and catching up will happen in the evenings, be sure to highlight your eyes using kajal, eyeliner and a darker colored eye shadow. Don’t forget the mascara to lengthen and plump up your eyelashes.
Bolder Lips
Pick bolder lip colors like red or plum to match your darker colored outfits. If you have picked pastel shades, try a peach or pink lip color.
Accessories for the Hair
As far as hair is concerned, if you want to sport a pair of stunning earrings, put up your hair in a chic bun or braid. If you like flowers, add a small gajra to your bun or dress up your hair using the myriad hair accessories available.
We hope these tips help you get started on getting festival ready and dazzling everyone around!
