Find a cure for smelly feet!

Our expert Rima Soni has some quick tips

My feet smell. Please help. I always wear fresh socks, air my shoes, and have generally good hygiene.
- Anila
Smelly feet require a daily foot bath with 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar. The water should be room temperature, not hot. Soak your feet in this water and dry after 10 minutes; then, dust with sandalwood powder or baking powder to arrest the foot odour. Keep your shoes to air in the sun, and drink 8 to 10 glasses daily.
What is a good, homemade astringent? I've tried cucumber juice, but that doesn't seem to work because I keep getting blackheads.
- Name withheld
Rub a slice of tomato on the face and leave it on your skin either overnight or for a couple of hours. This works as an excellent astringent for shrinking pores, clearing pimples and brightening skin tone.
I have been a fan of your column ever since I came to the UAE. I have tried different beauty remedies that you have suggested for others and they work wonders for me too. I am currently undergoing my fifth laser hair removal session. The problem is that I now have spots, like small pimples or scars, in that area, which started cropping up after the treatment. Everyone has started to notice the marks, as I used to have very fair, blemish-free skin before. Please can you suggest something to help me get rid of these marks? I apply sunblock every day and avoid the sun.
- Amelia
Thanks for being a follower of my column. I am glad it has helped you through the years. For the spots, take a teaspoon of aloe vera gel, add 6 drops of tea tree oil and 3 drops of vitamin E oil - and massage the mix onto the area every morning. Wear sunblock (you can wear your makeup on top) . Do this until your skin gets better.
My husband is a smoker, and thanks to this disgusting habit, his hands have now acquired a yellowish tinge. He's promised to quit but, in the meantime, do you have a remedy for his nicotine-induced stains?
- Elizabeth
Smokers' fingers do get tinged with brown stains over time, and can look quite ugly. The best treatment to clear these nicotine stains is to rub them with a lemon or orange peel. The lemon or orange oil will help to brighten skin tone, but I would suggest leaving the oil on overnight for best results.
Someone recently gave me a bottle of flaxseed oil. I'm a little wary of ingesting it (still doing research on the matter!) but can it be used for any natural beauty treatment? Would really appreciate any suggestions!
- Sonia
Flaxseed oil is a good source of omega 3 and fatty acid. It promotes healthy skin, hair and nails. Undernourished dry skin, hair and nails can benefit greatly from this oil by giving the three a good massage with it.
(Got a beauty-related query? Write to Rima Soni at wknd@khaleejtimes.com)