Beauty Talk

Sadia Moyeen Beautican, La Belle

Q. Dear Sadia,
I am one of your readers writing from Sylhet and I'm 17 years old. I have a couple of problems, which sure are making my life quite miserable! To start with, I am very conscious of my hair and nowadays, it is being quite a trouble. I have short, straight and normal hair. But lately, it's getting oily only two days after I shampoo. It has this tendency of sitting flat on to my scalp. I rarely apply hair oil, which I know is wrong but I can't stand the feeling. I've used some of your tips...like applying lemon juice and vinegar. I've also used Fa's volumising shampoo for greasy hair. Instead of being a life saviour, it makes my hair fall. Do you have anything else to make my life easier? Please tell me some names of good products that I can use. There's another thing that I would like to know and I hope you'd be able to help me out on this one. I've been wearing glasses since I was eleven. It has made some marks on the sides of my nose and also makes as if my eyes have sunk in. I know all those who wear glasses have this same misfortune but isn't there ANYTHING that can be done about it? I am planning to use contact lens but whenever I take off my glasses, I hesitate. I look incomplete without it, kind of weird! I hope you get what I mean. My last problem is blackheads. I have a pretty normal skin but I have blackheads only on my nose. I have used blackhead remover, those stickers are from two companies ponds and some other brand which I can't remember. The thing is THEY DON'T WORK! They just don't. I've applied hot water with a towel but how do I do the next step? You've once mention of a commodome or something like that...how does that work? Is there any other way I can get rid of this menace? Please help!

Stop using Fa's volumising shampoo if it is not suiting you and making your hair fall. Try using 'Ice Blue' Revitalizing shampoo by 'The Body shop'. It is for an oily scalp and will also add volume and body.

The marks on the bridge of your nose will become darker if you keep wearing the same glasses and not do anything about it. Use 'Fair and Lovely' anti-marks cream everyday on the dark spots. If you are uncomfortable with contact lenses then at least change to a lighter frame for the glasses. Don't compromise on quality. Perfect solution would be to do away with the glasses permanently. You will soon get over this awkward feeling and learn to like yourself with contacts.

Follow the instruction on the blackhead removing method. Damper your nose, wet the strips properly. Hold it down on your nose for sometime and let it dry. It slowly starts working. If you're not happy with it, have them removed professionally at a salon once a month. They will use a commodome to extract them.

Q. Dear Sadia,
I am a thirteen-year-old girl and I really need your help. My hair is very rough and dry and extremely unmanageable. But after conditioning my hair, my hair tends to become a little manageable, but when I step outside home, it again becomes very dry, frizzy and of course I cant manage it. Moreover, my hair is very wavy, with awkward curls and when my hair gets rough, it becomes entangled with knots. And two years ago, I was affected by typhoid and for two consecutive times. Since then, my hair growth decreased, nearly stopped. But I want to grow it long. The size of my hair is now just up to my shoulders. I am extremely slim and I feel, may be all of my problems are caused by lack of nutrition. But I m a very busy student, and cannot spend time to take care of myself.

I also have skin diseases, (exima), in my palms, and I have pimples on my face. I using neem soap for that, as my mother suggested that its very good. The pimples are almost gone, but still there are some left and there are some ugly marks all over my face.

So please can you help me out and give advises, so that I can get rid of my numerous problems. I'll be glad if you consider. Thank you, "P"

Dear 'P'
Use a shampoo & condition, which have anti-frizz properties to shampoo your hair. Apply a little Livon Silky Potion before brushing your hair.

Its true that being sick does affect the state of your skin and hair but take heed its not permanent. Eat healthy and drink plenty of water and you will see a change in your hair as well as skin.

Mom is right about using neem products for your skin. Apply Fair & Lovely anti marks cream, or 'Fade out' on the spots every night.

Q. Hi Sadia,
I am 15years old and I have got some serious scalp and hair problems. I have got a lot of dandruff, particularly on the right-hand side of my crown. The flakes are very big, ugly and sticky, and I have to scratch them a lot to get them off. I have been taking homeopathy for this problem and though the dandruff reduced, I still have a lot left on that particular area of my crown. Could you please spot this problem and help me cure it? My hair used to be really silky and totally straight. But now its more or less rough and not that straight anymore, although I oil my hair with warm oil thrice- four times a week before every shampoo and wrap a hot towel around my head. Could you please help me cure this dandruff problem? Also, I have a lot of pimples and acne (I guess, as anyone would call) on my back and I can't wear low-backed clothing. Its almost impossible to reach the back to scrub or apply packs, so how could I get rid of them? I've tried rubbing Clearasil but its hard. Please help me.

You must visit a dermatologist the main reason for the loss of quality in your hair as well as your skin could be related to your dandruff. This is not a regular dandruff and requires medicated shampoos. If possible contact Dr Kabir Chowdhury. His chamber is in Malibagh. Tel No: 8317033/8127379. Apply neem and uptan paste for your back problem. Massage gently and remove.

Dandruff flakes can really irritate the skin on the face and body as it is constantly coming in contact with it.

Q. Hello sadia,
How are you? I have some problems
Recently my hair, which was silky before, has become dull and rough. Can you suggest which shampoo can I use in this unbearable hot weather? Any light shampoo?

Is there any remedy to prevent this dullness of my hair?

You frequently tell about fair polish. What is it actually? Is it a lotion? Where can I find it?

My face is very oily. How can I control oiliness in the summer? Please help me out. Thank you very much and take care. Farhana

Dear Farhana
Answering question seriouly,
1. Herbal Essence (Clairol) or Timotei Herbal Shampoo.
2. Condition after shampoo. Oil once a week. Use vinegar to rinse your hair after shampoo & conditioning or use Livon silky potion.
3. Fair polish is a face mask you'll find it at beauty salons.
4. Fair polish is a two in one action removes excess oil as well as brightens the skin. Costs Tk. 200 at La Belle.

Q. Dear Sadia,
I wanted to know your advises on how to maintain long hairs, before your advised that I should inform you about my hair condition and things I applied. My hair is DRY and wavy. In order to remove that wavyness, I had applied Wellastrate to straighten my hair. It did work on my hair but not to the extent I had expected because my hair is not as straight as it stays right after a shower or wash for few minutes. Before applying Wellastrate my hair wasn't straight even after a wet touch or may be showers. It becomes bouncy when my hair dries up. I also have dandruff that goes at times but comes back again. I used Selsun blue and Himalaya Anti-dandruff (a herbal shampoo). I have seen many wet gels and creams but none worked effectively on my hair. I mean these failed to sustain the wet look or shine in my hair.

I want to keep my hair straight, soft and give it a wet look so that it brings some shine in my hair. Could you please bring me an effective solution and suggest what products I should use to make it work with total care for my hair and preventing hair loss. I would highly appreciate your recommendations. I am keeping my hair long and that's why I want to give it a good shape. Also suggest me how I should maintain my long hairs.

I am thanking you in advance because I know you would help me out. Best regards, Saif

Hello Saif,
Chemical straightening sometimes dries the hair. Have deep conditioning treatment at a salon once a month.

Oil your hair twice a week. Condition after shampooing, apply conditioner to the entire length of the hair not just the scalp. Once in a while apply a pack made with 1 banana (mashed) 2 tbs olive oil, 1 capsule vit E, 1 tbs conditioner. Mix well. Keep it on for ½ an hour shampoo off and condition.

For a clean kitchen

In Bangladeshi household very often we see that kitchens are not in proper hygienic condition. Restaurants are even worse. Clean kitchen is important in order to stay healthy. Often we overlook some very important essentials. Here are a few ways of doing it right.

Clean food and grease from stove daily. If possible, clean under and behind stove. Clean up food spills, crumbs and liquids on countertops and floors immediately. Empty trash daily. Clean and disinfect garbage cans and recycling bins weekly. Let the cans dry out before you put in a new garbage bag. Keep the sink area dry, use disinfectant underneath the sink and keep the area clean and the cabinets too. Have all the leaks repaired.
Clean the outside and inside of the refrigerator. If possible, vacuum underneath. Wash and dry dishes as soon as possible after eating. Wash floors regularly.

 

UNDER A DIFFERENT SKY

Another place another time another life

She woke up this morning trying to breathe through her mouth. Her nose has given up performing its duty, now clogged with germs and her throat closing in with night-old mucus. She puts the covers over her head. She's had this flu for last 3 weeks. Missed a good amount of school, absolutely didn't try anything to make up for lost time and has no intention to either. She can hear her mother chat away in the next room on the phone, the television is on and running full volume, music video of DJ Doll "Kabhi ar kabhi par laga teri nazar saiya ghayel kiya retune mera jigar" is flooding their 700 square feet apartment, just another closet in the Bengali side of Queens.

She lifts her tiny 7 year old body up and gets out of bed, stepping on piles of used tissues, dirty laundry and scattered text books. She looks around their half lit room, where they always have to have the lights on to see clearly even during the day; her single bed next to a full bed where her parents sleep. Or rather her mother sleeps and her father randomly drops in. Her father, who drives taxi cabs during the night and works at a local grocery store during the day is rarely ever home. He usually drops by between 4pm and 10pm. Sometimes he takes 3 hour naps. During that time she sits quietly with her mother, or watches her mom make jhal gosh, alu bhorta and daal, or kumra bhorta and rui mach, the same old Bengali food that keeps them going. The rice that apparently doesn't have much nutritional value but gives her father the energy to stay up to make his circles around town, picking up passengers.

Sometimes she feels like jumping into bed next to her snoring father, she wants to hold on to his almost unconscious body, his very out-of-shape stomach and back, she wants to curl up next to him and feel his breath touching her curls…but she never does…she is afraid he will wake up, that he will not get his 3 hours of sleep, that he might even get upset and get a bit violent (just a small slap or two) so she remains in the kitchen floor with her open text books, geography and English, reading, writing, thinking of another place, another time and another life.

She walks over to the small area where her mother has fit in a small couch and a television, her mother's favorite corner, where she watches Bangla/Hindi soaps, music videos and cooking shows. She looks at her mother who just hung up her phone and now staring deeply into the television screen at the dancing girl who doesn't really look like a girl or a woman but more like a confused transformation of something in between. Her mother is wearing make-up, eye liner and lipstick, her sari is worn with those special detailed knots and niches to make her body look a bit more friendly than it really is. She knew instantly He is coming. Whenever He comes her mother is a bit dressier, a bit cleaner than she usually is around her father and her. He usually stops by around the afternoon and sometimes even late at night. But all these days she didn't know the frequency of His visits until this flu happened and she had to stay home for weeks. She has to call Him Chacha, as He is her father's friend, but she knows He is more than that…He is also her mother's friend, a good friend, they are the kind of good friends who need a lot of privacy behind closed door, a door that she can never cross but can only imagine breaking.

She stands next to her glowing mother. Her mother bopping her head to DJ Doll's hip movements. She wants to tell her mother to turn the television off, to lock the front door, or better yet to put on her shoes and go out, both of them off for a day trip, maybe they can even stop by the grocery store where her father is bagging others' groceries, orange juice, olive oil and two and half pounds of green beans.

But she says nothing. Her mother touches her head, claims she has a fever and regrets the fact that they can't afford to go to the doctor as they don't have insurance. Her mother picks her up, lies her down on the couch, covers her with a blanket that smells half like curry and half like moth balls. The door bell rings, her mother fixes her sari, glances at the half broken hanging mirror, and then walks towards the door.

Under the cover she closes her eyes, prays for some more sleep, prays for another place, another time another life….

 

By Iffat Nawaz