Weekend Wrap

he weekend is here. You can finally relax. In fact, we would suggest you pamper yourself silly.

Switch off your land and mobile phones. It's time for Operation Me. And all you need to do is follow these simple instructions:

Lock up the alarm clocks, switch off the doorbell and sleep in.

Start your D-I-Y spa day with two glasses of warm water to cleanse your system, followed by a glass of chamomile tea. For those who want a simpler solution, tender coconut water will do just as well.

Sit in the most creative corner of your house. Become aware of the sounds that surround you. Try and focus your concentration on the rhythmic pattern of your breathing. This will calm your mind and let the stresses of the week flow out.

Put on your favourite CD and adjust the volume to a comfortable level to set the mood.

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If a head massage is your thing, beauty therapist Charul Agny recommends regular use of warm coconut oil (or castor oil in summer and warm olive oil in winter). Apply a herbal hair conditioner made from reetha, amla and shikakai to your scalp.

Ladies, rid yourself of your chipped nail enamel. "Your hands -- and nails -- must be clean. No one likes to see half-eaten nails or polish that has worn out its welcome," says model Carol Marie Gracias. "That's why I avoid nail polish!"

Shape and file your fingernails. Immerse your hands in hot water laced with shampoo or bath salts and rose petals. Remove when well soaked, clean cuticles, moisturise and, if you like, paint your nails a favourite colour.

As for their counterparts -- the male of the species -- try the same routine. You might find that you enjoy it.

Soften toenails with cream as your feet luxuriate in a tub of hot water. Bath salts or shampoo and rose petals in the water will soften, relax and clean your feet while you soak. Well-known beauty expert and owner of Nirmala's Herbal Clinic, Dr Nirmala Shetty, says, "Often, we forget that feet are part of our body too. Warm water, cream, rose petals, bath crystals or even shampoo are great to soothe your feet. Women and men, especially in the metros, should take time off to do this during the weekends."

Remove your feet from the water half an hour later and dry them. Trim your nails, scrape the soles of your feet and clean your cuticles.

Head for a luxurious bath. Relax, be a water baby to your heart's content. There's no need to keep an eye on the clock. Condition your hair for 10 minutes for best results, says Sandrine Verrier, hairstylist at the Lakme Beauty Salon. "Never, ever apply conditioner on your scalp. It is meant to moisturise and work on your hair strands, not your scalp. And don't waste a perfectly good conditioner by applying it for less than 10 minutes. You are not letting it work on your hair -- the conditioner has no effect then."

Pamper your feet with moisturiser and slip them into comfortable house slippers or socks.

Treat yourself to a facial. Those below 25 could use a facial once every two or even three months. Those above 25 should consider a facial every month.

Cleanse your face with a deep pore cleanser. Former model and now popular television actress Rakshanda Khan -- who will provide the sidelights for SET MAX's coverage of the ICC Championship Trophy -- says, "No day is complete without cleansing my face. There was a time when I would go to bed with my makeup on and that was the worst thing I could do to my skin, ever! Now, my cleansing routines last 10 minutes every day and longer over the weekends. I consider that absolutely essential to keep my skin clean and allow it to breathe."

Men, this is the right time to shave. If your skin is compatible, go the steam route too. Wipe and dry. Moisturise and massage your face with upward movements.

Use honey mixed with cold milk or any pack you are comfortable with on your face. Place cotton dipped in cold cucumber juice on your eyes while you wait for the pack to work its magic. Rinse off. Remember to use sun block if you are heading out.

Lastly, look into the mirror and meet the new, rejuvenated you.

Do you have beauty tips you'd like to share with rediff readers? Let us know.

Illustration: Uttam Ghosh