Ask Shahnaz

Beautician Shahnaz Husain offers suggestions and answers queries. Send your queries to askshahnaz@gmail.com

March 30, 2014 03:53 pm | Updated May 19, 2016 12:39 pm IST - chennai

Neha Sharma

Neha Sharma

Does climbing stairs reduce belly fat? If so, how many times should I climb?— Gayathri

Climbing stairs helps burn calories and reduce weight. However, to reduce your tummy you need to do specific exercises. After consulting your doctor, try the following exercises. Lie on the floor, with your feet together, arms at the sides. Lift your legs approximately six inches from the ground, and hold the position for a count of ten. Then lower your legs to the floor. Repeat this exercise three to four times and increase the number of repetitions gradually. For the second exercise, keep lying on the floor. Bend your knees, keeping your feet on the floor. Get up to a half-sitting position, your arms outstretched in front of you. Lower your body again to the floor and repeat the exercise three or four times. Or, you can learn yoga and practise it daily.

I have a flaky scalp. I use very little shampoo, but the problem still persists.— Nivalia

Apply a non-oily herbal hair tonic on your scalp daily, using cotton wool and leave it on. Wash your hair with a mild herbal shampoo three or four times a week, using very little shampoo and taking care to rinse it off well with water. Half-an-hour before a shampoo wash, lightly massage your scalp with two tablespoons of vinegar. Once a week, heat some olive oil or til oil, and apply it on your scalp at night. Leave it on overnight. The next morning, apply the juice of a lemon on your scalp, approximately15 minutes before a shampoo wash. Include fresh fruits, salads, sprouts and yogurt in your daily diet. Drink six to eight glasses of water daily. Add the juice of a lemon to a glass of water and drink it first thing in the morning.

Is the use of vinegar good for the hair? Can I use a conditioner and vinegar simultaneously? If so, what is the procedure?— Sathika

Vinegar helps restore the normal acid-alkaline balance of the scalp. Concentrated shampoos, pollution and sun-exposure, can disrupt the normal balance. Vinegar also helps reduce dandruff. If your hair is dry, or if you have dandruff, you can apply vinegar on the scalp with cotton wool approximately15 minutes before a shampoo wash. After a shampoo wash, apply very little creamy conditioner only on the hair and not on the scalp. Leave it on for two minutes and then wash it off. Or, apply a leave-on conditioner or hair serum. Apply it similarly, but do not rinse it off.

My face gets dry after I wash it. What should I do, since you had advised me not to use cream or moisturiser?— Prasath

Cream should not be used on oily skin, or on acne-prone skin. You had written that your face is prone to blackheads and boils and I felt that the boils could be acne. Blackheads and acne can occur together. The face wash or soap may be causing dryness. Use a pure glycerine soap, and wash your face only twice a day. Mix one teaspoon of pure glycerine with 100 ml of rose water. Store it in an airtight bottle in the fridge. Use a little of this on your face after washing it, to relieve dryness. It will suit your skin type.

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