If you think diamonds are a girl's best friend, think again! Nothing is more cherished than a clear complexion and fresh skin. But sometimes problems such as pigmentation disorders can leave you with uneven and patchy skin. There are many treatments available in the market to tackle this problem. But, before you opt for any chemical treatments, let us tell you about simple remedies to get a salon-like fairness at home.

Causes of skin pigmentation:
Skin pigmentation is basically discolouration of skin that can lead to an uneven skin tone. There are varieties of causes behind skin pigmentation. Skin pigmentation can be genetic predisposition. Other causes for it can be over exposure to sun, stress, acne scars, fluctuating hormonal levels, or environmental elements such as pollution.

10 Effective homemade remedies to get a glowing skin:

1. Mix some carrot pulp with multani mitti (fuller's earth) to make a thick paste. Crush a vitamin C tablet and add it to the mixture. Apply it evenly on your face, keep it for twenty minutes before you wash it off. Repeat this every week.

2. Take 4 teaspoons of milk powder and mix it with hydrogen peroxide into a paste. Add glycerine and apply this mixture on the pigmented areas. Leave this for 15-20 minutes and rinse off with cold water. Hydrogen peroxide and glycerine are easily available at a local chemist shops.

3. Peel a potato and add a few drops of water on its surface, and then rub it on your skin to reduce pigmentation marks. Potato juice helps in lightening pigmentation marks on skin.

4. Mix powdered oatmeal and yoghurt with a few drops of lemon and tomato juice. Apply it on the affected areas once a week to see visible results.

5. Mix basil leaves and lemon juice together and apply it on the affected areas to treat the pigmentation marks.

6. Scrub your body with sugar mixed in olive oil. Scrub until the sugar melts completely. You can use this on your hands, legs, neck and other affected parts of your body.

7. Mix 1 teaspoon each of lemon juice, honey and almond oil. Massage your face with it for fifteen minutes to get a naturally glowing skin.

8. Adequate water intake helps to removes toxins from the body thus freeing you of all skin related problems.

9. Mix raw papaya with raw milk and massage it on your face for ten minutes. This mix is an effective cure for blemishes on face.

10. Washing your face with buttermilk helps in reducing dark spots.

Try these simple home remedies to tackle skin pigmentation related disorders. Regular skin care, a balanced and healthy diet, and a few skin care precautions on your part will help you to maintain a natural glow on your skin.

People today have adopted an extremely busy lifestyle. They are so into their professional lives and daily chores that they completely neglect their own self. After a tedious working day, when they return home, they hardly get any time to relax and rewind.

If you too are one of those who comes straight from your office and retires to bed before nurturing your skin, then this one might just prove beneficial for you. Here are some night-time beauty secrets that you must try, to get a glowing skin. 

#1. Always remove your makeup
Before you go to sleep, remember to remove your makeup. Not removing your makeup can adversely affect your skin by blocking up the pores. If you regularly leave makeup on your face overnight, you can get a dull and pimply skin. Your skin also does not get to renew itself or breathe overnight. This results in a loss of glow and freshness from your skin. Look for a gentle makeup remover that is alcohol-free, and cleanses your face completely.

#2. Use a sulphate-free cleanser
For younger and supple-looking skin, always avoid sulphates. They are strong detergents that can leach vital moisture and nutrients from your skin. So, look for the cleansers that do not contain sulphate. Such gentle cleansers typically use milder cleansing agents that avoid stripping the skin of its rejuvenating oils. When washing your face, apply the cleanser on wet skin, rub gently in circular motion, and then wash off for best results.

#3. Avoid toners
While most of us believe in the mantra of CTM, or cleanse-tone-moisturise, the fact is that toners are at times unnecessary. In fact, most toners can damage your skin due to their high alcohol content. Alcohol will dry out your skin, leaving it duller and more damaged over time. So, do not fall for the toner hype and avoid using them on a regular basis for the betterment of your skin.

#4. Always use an eye cream
Eyes are one of the most neglected parts, when it comes to following a beauty regime for your face. You put cream everywhere except for your eyes, leaving them to fend for themselves. But, you must not ignore this vital area. Get a gentle, non-allergic eye cream that contains retinol, peptides, vitamin K and/or vitamin C. These agents will reduce pigmentation, improve blood circulation and reduce fine lines, giving your under eye skin a much needed rejuvenation.

#5. Moisturise your skin
No matter how oily you feel your skin is, you must not forget to moisturise it at night. After you wash your face, apply a gentle gel, lotion or cream, depending on how greasy your skin is. This would ensure that your skin gets the proper nourishment it needs. To prevent the ageing of skin, look for retinol, peptide or alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs)-based creams to improve collagen synthesis. To avoid acne, salicylic acid or AHAs are the way to go. And for pigmentation, vitamin C, kojic acid and alpha arbutin are the vital ingredients that will help give your skin the brightening it needs.

#6. Go for home-based remedies
Home-based remedies are undoubtedly the best way to take care of the health of your skin. They are easy to make and have huge benefits for your skin. So, below are some easy-to-make home-based remedies for your skin. 

For dark circles: 
To get rid of dark circles under the eyes, put black tea bags in the fridge. Once they are cold enough, take them out, and keep them on your eyes. Let them stay for 10 minutes and remove. You would not only feel relaxed, but regular application of this will also remove the dark circles completely.


For dull skin: 
To bring back the glow of your dull skin, mix buttermilk and mango together in a mixer. Apply the paste on your face, let it stay for 10 minutes and then wash it off. The natural lactic acid present in buttermilk helps in skin rejuvenation and brightening, while mango gives your skin an antioxidant boost. Do this once a week for best results.

Good skin care — including sun protection and gentle cleansing — can keep your skin healthy and glowing for years to come.By Mayo Clinic Staff
 
Don't have time for intensive skin care? Pamper yourself with the basics. Good skin care and healthy lifestyle choices can help delay the natural aging process and prevent various skin problems. Get started with these five no-nonsense tips.

 1. Protect yourself from the sun
 
One of the most important ways to take care of your skin is to protect it from the sun. A lifetime of sun exposure can cause wrinkles, age spots and other skin problems — as well as increase the risk of skin cancer.

For the most complete sun protection:

Use sunscreen. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 15. When you're outdoors, reapply sunscreen every two hours — or more often if you're swimming or perspiring.
Seek shade. Avoid the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., when the sun's rays are strongest.
Wear protective clothing. Cover your skin with tightly woven long-sleeved shirts, long pants and wide-brimmed hats. Also consider laundry additives, which give clothing an additional layer of ultraviolet protection for a certain number of washings, or special sun-protective clothing — which is specifically designed to block ultraviolet rays.
 
2. Don't smoke
 
Smoking makes your skin look older and contributes to wrinkles. Smoking narrows the tiny blood vessels in the outermost layers of skin, which decreases blood flow. This depletes the skin of oxygen and nutrients that are important to skin health. Smoking also damages collagen and elastin — the fibers that give your skin its strength and elasticity. In addition, the repetitive facial expressions you make when smoking — such as pursing your lips when inhaling and squinting your eyes to keep out smoke — can contribute to wrinkles.

If you smoke, the best way to protect your skin is to quit. Ask your doctor for tips or treatments to help you stop smoking.

3. Treat your skin gently
 
Daily cleansing and shaving can take a toll on your skin. To keep it gentle:

Limit bath time. Hot water and long showers or baths remove oils from your skin. Limit your bath or shower time, and use warm — rather than hot — water.
Avoid strong soaps. Strong soaps and detergents can strip oil from your skin. Instead, choose mild cleansers.
Shave carefully. To protect and lubricate your skin, apply shaving cream, lotion or gel before shaving. For the closest shave, use a clean, sharp razor. Shave in the direction the hair grows, not against it.
Pat dry. After washing or bathing, gently pat or blot your skin dry with a towel so that some moisture remains on your skin.
Moisturize dry skin. If your skin is dry, use a moisturizer that fits your skin type. For daily use, consider a moisturizer that contains SPF.
 
4. Eat a healthy diet
 
A healthy diet can help you look and feel your best. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins. The association between diet and acne isn't clear — but some research suggests that a diet rich in vitamin C and low in unhealthy fats and processed or refined carbohydrates might promote younger looking skin.

 
5. Manage stress
 
Uncontrolled stress can make your skin more sensitive and trigger acne breakouts and other skin problems. To encourage healthy skin — and a healthy state of mind — take steps to manage your stress. Set reasonable limits, scale back your to-do list and make time to do the things you enjoy. The results might be more dramatic than you expect.