Looking cool in the hottest months of the year is no easy task. Heat and humidity can ruin your make-up you have taken pains to apply. Here are some tips for you to look and feel cool. 1. Don’t over-do on foundation Humidity and hot weather go hand in hand in Mumbai, so your skin won’t need lots of moisturising. Opt for a lighter moisturiser to avoid excess oil and unwanted breakouts. Applying heavy foundation is a bad idea, since it will melt away. Blotting your face with tissue every time you sweat takes away a bit of the foundation, leaving your face patchy. Keep your foundation layer very thin, by adding a drop of water or moisturiser; ...

Q: What kind of make-up suits oily skin?A: Water-based make-up works best for oily skin. Use mattifying products to keep the oil on your face under control. Summer trick: Pat your face with drinking soda, before you apply a mattifying lotion. This is an effective oil-control make-up trick.

Treat dandruff: Mix one tsp hot castor oil, one tsp coconut oil and one tsp til oil. Massage your scalp with this solution. Leave it on for half an hour, and rinse. Follow this routine twice a week. Dandruff cleanser: Soak 2 tsps fenugreek (methi) seeds in water, overnight. The next morning, grind the seeds and apply the paste on your head. Leave it on for half an hour, and rinse with soapnut (reetha), Shikakai or a herbal shampoo. Follow this routine twice a week.

Ironing your hair over a long period of time can cause severe damage, making it dry and rough. Deep condition your hair with a protein-enriched conditioner. For hair growth: Add one tsp lavender oil to a bowl of castor or coconut oil. Heat the mixture, and massage it into your scalp at night. Rinse in the morning.

Prevent a tan: Mix equal quantities of almond oil and malt vinegar. Apply this mixture on your body an hour before bathing. Natural soap: Mix gram flour (equal quantities of green gram and Bengal gram) with milk or rice water. Scrub it on your body, and rinse. Technorati tags: Beauty tips & Remedies

Use this home remedy to lighten the colour of your lips: Crush a few rose petals, and mix with a small quantity of butter. Apply this mixture on your lips at night. Follow this beauty routine every night for a week, and you will notice a difference. Make sure you use a lipstick from a reputed company.

Use this face mask for a natural glow: Mix one tbsp milk powder, two tbsps honey, the juice of half a lime and a pinch of turmeric. Apply the paste on your face and neck. Leave it on till it dries, and rinse. Follow this beauty routine two to three times a week, and you will notice a difference in your complexion.

Trim your hair regularly. Do not wash your hair with warm water. Add one tsp of lavender oil to a bottle of castor or coconut oil. Heat the mixture, and massage it into your scalp at night. Rinse in the morning. Follow this beauty routine at least twice a week. Hair fall: Mix the milk of half a coconut with the juice of half a lime. Massage it into your scalp. Leave it on for six hours, and rinse.

Cleansing scrub: Mix 1/4 cup Multani Mitti, 1/4 cup dried orange peel, and two tbsps sandalwood powder. Store the mixture in a container. Mix one tsp with water, and work it into your skin. Cleansing mask: Mix 1/4 tsp Multani Mitti, some tomato pulp, cucumber juice and yoghurt. Leave it on your face for 20 minutes, and rinse. Toning Mask: Mix one beaten egg white, one tbsp yoghurt and Multani Mitti. Leave it on your face till it dries. Use this toning mask at least twice a week.

Use this beauty regime daily: Clean your face with a mint cleanser. Then, mix one tsp water with one drop Patchouli essential oil, and use it as a skin toner. Follow this up with a fairness gel from a reputed company. Apply this face mask twice a week: Mix 1/4 tsp Fuller’s Earth, some tomato pulp, a little cucumber juice and yoghurt. Apply the paste on your face and neck. Leave it on for 20 minutes, and rinse.