EVOO + lemon juice = great nails

I'm a 13-year-old girl and I love your column. I want your advice for two problems. Firstly, it's a little too hard for me to get shapely nails. Second, I have many marks and nail scars on my face and they are a little too dark. Please help.
- Name withheld
The quality of your nails, hair and skin is directly linked to your diet. Eat fresh, green vegetables, seasonal fruits, nuts and lean meat, fish and eggs at least thrice a week. If you're vegetarian, add cottage cheese, yoghurt and legumes to your diet. Don't forget to drink 10 to 12 glasses of water a day. Add 1 tablespoon gelatine to your diet. Dip your fingers in 1 teaspoon warm extra virgin olive oil, mixed with a few drops of lemon juice; massage nails thoroughly and keep on all night. You will see great improvement shortly. For the scars, make a mask from almond powder, honey and orange juice; mix well and apply on the face. Scrub off with damp fingers after it dries. Do this daily to fade the marks.

I am 26 years old and from Kerala. My problem is hair loss and dandruff. I have an oily face, issues with odour due to sweat, and finger joints that are changing colour. Can you please suggest an effective remedy?
- Name withheld
For hair loss combined with dandruff, mix 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel with 9 drops of tea tree oil. Mix well and massage into scalp; leave on overnight. Rinse off next day with filtered water. Avoid shampooing every day. Do this every alternate day. For oily skin, rub a tomato slice on your face every day and rinse off after 30 minutes with cold water. Avoid splashing hot water on the face as it opens pores and activates the natural oils. Add a few drops of mint oil or squeeze lemon juice to your bucket of water during your bath for a final rinse to reduce body odour. I'd recommend consulting a doctor for the change in colour on your finger joints.

I am an 11-year-old girl who loves your column and makes sure to not miss even one. My hair is long but not thick. Can you please suggest a natural home remedy for it? Your reply will be highly appreciated.
- Anjaleena
Thank you very much for following my natural home remedies. To add thickness to hair, add 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel (fresh or 99% organic) to 1 tablespoon of castor oil. Massage into your hair (preferably after making the hair slightly damp first). Leave on overnight or for a couple of hours. Another simple treatment is to mix 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel and 1 teaspoon of castor oil. After shampooing, squeeze water out of your wet hair and apply the mix. Comb through and leave on all day. Do this thrice a week for best results.
   
My daughter is just eight years old, but since she was six, she developed mature sweat odour and growth in her armpits began. I consulted an endocrinologist and got all her tests done. Due to IUGR and low birth weight, she is likely to undergo all the changes a little earlier. I'm deeply concerned about this. The hair growth in her armpits is still scarce but she can't wear sleeveless garments anymore. She also has some pigmentation in the area. Please suggest effective remedies for reducing the pigmentation and removing/reducing the hair to maximum possible extent. She's still very young but has started developing a complex due to all this.
- Name withheld
I am glad you wish to take charge of the problem. In a jar, prepare 12 tablespoons of oats powder, 10 tablespoons of lentil flour, 1 tablespoon of lemon rind powder and 5 teaspoons of turmeric powder. Teach your daughter to take 1 tablespoon of the mixed powder and add a little rose water. Apply this mix on the underarms and even on the face. Scrub off after it becomes dry. This will lighten the pigmentation and lift the underarm hair too.
(Got a beauty-related query? Write to Rima Soni at wknd@khaleejtimes.com)

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