Beauty After Twenty

A woman having a perfect, petal-smooth and rosy complexion is the envy of all women. Wherever she goes, heads turn in her direction in admiration; such a complexion cannot be acquired without an effort. It has to be cultivated slowly and gradually by nurturing it carefully from within and without.

Up to the age of 25 the skin is naturally supple, glowing and alive, but it is after the mid-twenties that the skin slowly starts losing its fresh and youthful appearance and acquiring a parched look. This is because the cells deep within the skin layers are no longer able to retain their moisture, and the beauty of the skin mainly depends upon the moisture contained in the cells. The skin, which cannot retain its moisture, turns dry, rough, dull and wrinkled. Therefore, in order to avoid looking prematurely old, you should try to observe a basic skin-care routine after you pass your mid-twenties so that the cells in your skin can retain maximum moisture and your skin remains firm, moist and young right up to old age.

Some people believe erroneously that moisturizing creams and lotions alone will keep the moisture level of the skin in perfect balance. No surface addition of moisture and no man made lubricant will help you unless you look after the inner life of your skin where beauty and youth really begin.

Therefore, if you want to stimulate your cells to activity for a new look and the feel of youth, feed it regularly with a diet rich in proteins and vitamins B and C. Also, take at least six glasses of water every day, one glass of carrot juice and one pint of either milk or buttermilk. Besides looking after the inner life of your skin, you should also look after its outer life.

It is a good idea to use home-made moisturizing cream regularly after the age of 25 onwards, because this cream helps keep the skin soft, dewy and alive. But before applying any cream, remove all traces of make up with home-made cleansing cream. Foundation cream is not soluble in water and does not come off even with soap. Therefore, a cleansing cream is a must for removing every trace of makeup and grime sooty and coaly dirt. To make the cream take one tablespoon of gram flour and mix to a paste with cream of milk. Stir in a few drops of lime juice and a pinch of turmeric powder. Mix well and apply it with your finger-tips over your face and neck. Leave it on for a few minutes and then tub your face vigorously with your hands. The paste will go on falling as you rub. Remove the clinging paste with hot water, splash on cold water. Blot dry and then apply this home-made cream on the face and neck. Blanch and grind four almonds, one walnut, a couple each of peanuts and charoli to a very smooth paste. Mix in four tablespoons of cream of milk, 2 tbsp of cucumber juice and one table-spoon each of honey and rose water. Mix well and store in a small bottle. Massage it on the face and neck in circular upward movements, firmly and gently. This cleansing cream should not be just patted on the skin but it should be rubbed hard into the skin so that the oil it contains is picked up by the glands. Leave the cream on for 20 minutes and then wash off After you cross 25, use only moisture laden foundation creams. Apply little lip gloss on your lip sticks to keep them soft and pretty.