Shahnaz Husain is the pioneer of herbal care in India where herbal beauty care today is fashioned after the treatments and products devised by her. With a crusader’s zeal she has taken the Indian herbal heritage to every corner of the globe, achieving unprecedented international acclaim. Today, she heads the largest organization of its kind in the world, with an integrated system of more than 400 franchise clinics in India and abroad, supported by ranges of Ayurvedic formulations. She has been in the business for 32 years.

Q: During pregnancy what care you should take for your skin, can u give some of good tips ?

A: During pregnancy, you should care for your skin according to its type. Usually, the estrogen levels are high, so the skin actually feels and looks better during pregnancy. However, you should use a sunscreen and try to avoid sun-exposure as much as possible, because there is a tendency to develop dark areas during this time. These occur on the cheeks and forehead. For an oily skin, avoid thick creams. Use a rose or lavender based skin tonic. And use a facial scrub at least 3 times a week. For dry skin, cleanse with a gel or cream, nourish the skin at night with a rich cream. Cleanse the skin only twice a day.

Q: I want to do a professional beauty course. Can u guide me for the right course which I can do. Basically this is a career move. I am tired working for the last 6 years. Please help.

A: You can do a Diploma Course in Beauty Therapy. There are many such courses. Our school in Delhi has these professional courses and we also have branches in many cities and towns. The beauty course should include some elementary business management and clinic management, so that you can open your own clinic.

Q: I woulk like to do bleaching and facial at home myself. As i have small kids, i cannot spend time for beauty parlours. So can u please tell me what are the steps for bleaching and facial and what are the names of the creams to be used

A: I do not advocate bleaching of the face. Therefore, I cannot tell you names of bleaching creams of ingredients. You can enquire at a good beauty parlour or cosmetic store regarding bleaching. For a home facial, first cleanse the skin, using a cleanser according to your skin type.If your skin is normal to dry, use Shacleanse. Then, dip cotton wool pads in a rose skin tonic (or Sharose) and use them to tone the skin, wiping and patting the skin. If you have dry skin, take a good nourishing cream, like Shalife, and apply on the skin. Then massage it into the skin, using circular strokes and slightly upward movements. Wipe off all cream with moist cotton wool. Then apply a face mask according to your skin type. Shayouth for normal to dry skin or Shatex for normal to oily skin. When it dries, wash off.

Q: respected madam,how to apply simple facial makeup.and with what liquid should i mix the surma and how to apply to the eyes.

A: Foundation is the first step. But, before applying foundation, it is necessary to apply a moisturizer. Wait for a few minutes after applying the moisturizer, to allow the skin to absorb it. To select foundation, go for creamy ones for dry skin and water-based ones for oily skin. Apply powder to set the foundation. If your skin is dry, avoid using powder after foundation. Use a dark brown, or dark grey eyeshadow on the eyelids close to the lashes and stroke it upwards and outwards. Then use an eye pencil, or eyeliner to define the eyelids, close to the lashes. Apply mascara on the lashes, to add brightness to the eyes and thickness to the lashes. It lends glamour to the make-up, specially at night. A roll-on mascara is easy to apply. I would advise you to use eye pencil or kaajal. Shaeyes kaajal contains natural ingredients.

For lipstick, line the lips first with a lip pencil, as this helps to define the shape of the lips. It is best to use a lip pencil which is one shade darker than your lipstick. Fill in colour with a lip brush. Even if you apply a little more, you can always blot it with a tissue. This helps to ‘set’ the colour. Add a touch of lip gloss on the centre of the lower lip. Remember to use a blusher as this helps to add colour. Apply on the cheeks and blend outwards and slightly upwards, using a brush. Add a slight touch of the lip-gloss or glitter on the top of the cheekbones.

Q: My mummy is 51 yrs. old. She is medium complexion. Her face was very clear without any marks. But now I notice that a lot of black til has appeared. and also many small marks. I don't know what it is called, acne/black heads/white heads? Once consulted skin specialist who advised to take treatment from him. He puts some acid type lotion with pointed stick on it and he said after 4-5 days it will fall down. But it is spreading all over the face, neck and also on nose. What is the remedy? Please reply on my email.

A: It is difficult to diagnose what the problem could be without seeing it. However, as the skin specialist said they would “fall off”, it could be a condition of warts. Sometimes warts can be caused by a viral infection and spread all over the area. I would suggest you go for homeopathic treatment if it is a wart condition.

Q: Hi, I have completed my engg and am wearing specs from class 6 as a result of which my eyes have sunk. I have been using contact lens for the past two years. Please suggest a remedy.

A:  You could try applying an almond cream daily, wiping it off with moist cotton wool after 10 minutes. You should be having a nutritious balanced diet and daily exercise. Do some deep breathing exercises and exercises for the eyes. Look out for an article on eye care and exercises in tips4me site.

Q: Hair loss due to hard water - I have recently moved to a place where we get hard water. Ever since I have started losing lot of hair, it falls even if I just move my fingers through them.

A:  Hair loss can be caused by hard water and also by mental stress. I would advise you to use a mild herbal shampoo. Go for weekly oil and henna treatments. This would soften the hair and also promote growth. However, avoid massage of the head. You should apply a herbal hair tonic daily (like Shatone, which is non-oily). Ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements. Have sprouts and curd daily. Try to relax by doing deep breathing exercises.

Q: Please suggest a safe and effective remedy to stop hairfall.

A: The cause of the hair fall has to be determined. Dandruff, nutritional deficiencies, stress, hair damage (due to use of chemical lotions for dyeing, straightening, perming etc) are some of the causes. Apply a hair tonic daily (Shatone). Apply warmed coconut oil once a week, without massage. Include sprouts and curd in your daily diet and ask your doctor to prescribe vitamin and mineral supplements. Do deep breathing exercise daily.