FUNERAL OUTFIT IDEAS

Traditionally, funeral etiquette suggests men and women wear black clothing that’s conservative and respectful. Black or dark colours are most common, but some cultures expect mourners to wear a less traditional funeral colour.

The weather and location of funeral services can also play a factor, so try and consider these elements before you decide what to wear.

not all cultures consider black as the appropriate colour for a funeral. For instance, black is considered inappropriate at a Hindu funeral or Sikh funeral; instead, mourners (both male and female) are expected to wear white

In South Africa, red is sometimes worn as a colour of mourning. For a Ghanain funeral, it’s traditional for members of the community to wear black and white while the immediate family will wear red and black.

In Thailand, purple represents sorrow and is often worn by widows during the mourning period. Purple is also worn in Brazil alongside black.

In Papua New Guinea, a widow applies a stone-coloured clay to their skin while mourning their husband.

Many African, Caribbean/West Indies, humanist and non-religious funerals in the UK and across the world will opt for more vibrant colours. Wearing bright colours to a funeral can reinforce the celebration of life.

Smart black or dark suits – this can be worn with a white, long-sleeved shirt and tie.

A pair of smart trousers – jeans and other casual trousers are not appropriate for a funeral. A pair of smart full-length or ankle grazer trousers in a dark colour can be a good option.

Plain black tie – for many people this is optional, but it is recommended if you want to look especially smart.

A skirt or dress – these should be knee-length and not flashy or revealing, normally with tights.

If you’re attending a winter funeral, be sure to wear warm clothing and bring additional layers – especially for graveside funeral services. Black or dark coats, jackets, scarves and gloves may be worn.

If you are attending a celebration of life, woodland burial or a funeral in an alternative venue to a place of worship or crematorium, you may find that the family of the deceased are expecting a less formal attire for these occasions. They may request a less traditional dress or may have a personalised theme they would like you to adhere to.

NATURAL HAIR BODY REMOVAL

 

Body hair removal is such a task! It’s painful and time-consuming and can often leave you with a red bump, a rash or a hefty bill. While some women carry their body hair with pride, others prefer to be hair-free. From waxing to shaving and even laser, we go through it all for smooth, flawless, hair-free skin. Here are some home remedies that can help you reduce hair growth and lighten your hair.

Raw Papaya Paste With Turmeric Smash a small amount of raw papaya into a juicy pulp and add one to two tablespoons of turmeric powder to it. Mix this into a paste and apply all over your face and body. Let it stay for 15 – 20 minutes and wash off. Apply this once or twice a week regularly for 2-3 months. Papaya contains the enzyme papain which helps reduce hair growth. Turmeric contains the antioxidants to fight bacteria and thus works best for sensitive skin. 

Potato And Lentils Paste Soak a cup of lentils or moong dal in water and leave it overnight. The next morning, grind it to a paste. Pick one full potato, grate it and extract the juice with a spoon or a clean cloth. Now mix this juice with the lentils and add a tablespoon of honey and lemon to it. Apply this mixture on your body and face and let it stay for 20 minutes. Once it is dried, you can rub with your fingers and wash it off. Potatoes are rich in acidic properties and act as an active bleaching agent. This helps in lightening your hair and reduces the rate of hair growth. When mixed with lentils, the paste helps in pulling out all the unwanted hair with absolutely no side effects.

Cornstarch And Egg  Try this peel off mask. Take one raw egg and separate the egg white from the yolk. Add a teaspoon of cornstarch and sugar to the egg white and apply the thick paste on your hands or legs. Increase the quantity of the ingredients based on the area you’re applying it on. You’ll feel the egg mask tightening on your skin after about 20-30 mins. Peel off the mask then and pat dry. Egg contains skin nourishing properties and while cornstarch and sugar help remove hair and dead skin cells. 

Sugar, Honey, And Lemon Mix a tablespoon each of sugar, lemon, and honey and heat it mildly until this turns to a wax-like paste. Add some water if needed and apply it on a small part on your body. Cover the area with a waxing strip, pat and strip off in the direction opposite to that of your hair growth. Sprinkle some cornstarch or talcum powder on the area before you begin the process. Once you are done, apply some moisturizer to refrain from dry skin. Honey acts as a natural moisturizer while sugar helps remove dead skin cells by exfoliating the skin. Lemon is an effective skin bleach and all three ingredients together work magically in getting rid of unwanted hair.

Baking Soda And Turmeric Mix one tablespoon of baking soda with one tablespoon of turmeric powder. Add some water and mix the ingredients to form a paste. Gently massage after applying and leave it on for 15 – 20 minutes. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry. Turmeric is an antioxidant and baking soda acts as a gentle scrubber. Together, the two ingredients work to reduce hair growth.  

Oatmeal And Banana Scrub Mix two tablespoons of oatmeal with one smashed banana to make it into a paste. Now apply this mixture on the required regions and gently massage in the opposite direction to that of your hair growth. Let it rest for 20 minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry. Oatmeal acts as a gentle body scrubber and banana helps softens your skin. When you massage this mixture, not only does it remove all unwanted hair but also reduces further growth. Follow this if you have dry skin.

Oil Massage A hot oil massage with castor oil, coconut, mustard, tea tree, sesame oil or olive oil can actually help reduce hair growth!  When you regularly indulge in a hot oil massage, the friction that is caused on the skin makes your hair thinner and lighter. Regular massage can actually help close down the hair roots over time. So along with reduced hair growth, you also enjoy a relaxing and rejuvenating time. Isn’t that interesting

Garlic Juice Garlic is another staple that can be easily found in your kitchen or is easily accessible. Just pick few garlic cloves, smash and extract the juice out of it. Dip a cotton ball in this juice and apply it on the areas of your skin which has unwanted hair. Leave it for 15 – 20 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Follow it up by applying your favourite moisturizer to get rid of the pungent smell of garlic. Garlic is a great source of sulphur, selenium and zinc which aid in the hair removal process. 

Cornflour With Milk  Mix half a cup of cornflour with one small cup of milk to make it into a paste. Apply the paste all over the area that you wish to remove the hair from. Leave it for 20 minutes or until it is completely dry. Now peel it off and pat dry. When cornflour with milk paste is applied on your skin, it quickly sticks to the hair follicles and holds it tight. All the soft hair is pulled away when you peel off the mask.  

Rosewater And Alum Powder Alum is commonly used for water purification and also as an ingredient in deodorants and aftershaves. It is easily available in stores in the form of powder or rocks. Mix half a spoon of powdered alum to three teaspoons of rose water and apply the paste on your skin. Leave it on for about 45-60 minutes and then wash off with cold water. Apply a moisturizer or coconut oil to keep your skin soft and hydrated. Alum helps in getting rid of wrinkles, cracked heels, removes unwanted hair and rose water hydrates, tones and gives your skin a natural glow. This powerful combination proves to be the perfect solution to get rid of unwanted body hair.  

Basil Leaves And Onion Crush 5-6 basil leaves and add thin onion layers from one whole onion to make it into a paste. Apply this mixture on the unwanted hair and leave it for around 20 minutes before you wash it off. If you repeat this process twice a week regularly for a few months, you’ll see a noticeable difference in your hair growth.  Basil leaves contain anti-inflammatory properties and antioxidants to free your skin from rashes, wrinkles and pimples. Onion is another great source for healthy skin. When mixed together, the paste helps reduce hair growth.  

White Pepper And Camphor Grind few camphor balls to powder and take 2 tablespoons of the same. Mix it with 2 teaspoons of white pepper and apply it on the hair that needs to be removed. You can mix this with any carrier oil to make it a paste before you apply. Leave it for 15 minutes before you wash it off with warm water. Repeat it once a week continuously for 1-2 months to see the difference.  Camphor is rich in antifungal and antibacterial properties and is a much-needed ingredient to cure various skin related issues. White pepper acts as a scrub and helps in the process of hair removal. 

Gram/Chickpea Flour Scrub Gram flour or besan is an age-old method that even our grandmothers used to get rid of body hair naturally. Mix half a cup of gram flour with any carrier oil like lavender or olive oil. Add curd to this mixture and apply on the area you wish to remove hair from. Leave it on for about 15-20 minutes or till it turns dry. Now with the help of water, gently massage your skin and wash it off. Gram flour is one of the best natural scrubs that works wonders on your face and body to eliminate impurities and pull out unwanted hair. 

Chamomile Tea Chamomile tea is known to lighten your hair colour and is a remedy that our grandmothers used back in their time. Take two bags of chamomile tea and brew it for a few minutes. Allow it to cool and apply it on the area that requires attention. Leave it on for 20 minutes before you rinse it off. Continue to do this every week for a few months and you will find your hair begins to lighten naturally. Chamomile tea is a natural hair lightener. What really happens is that your hair soaks up the golden yellow colour of chamomile. The results are much better visible in sunlight and vary based on the natural colour of your hair.  

HOW OFTEN YOU SHOULD REPLACE YOUR UNDERWEARS

 

despite adequate and frequent washing of your garments, you should refresh your collection approximately every six months to avoid excessive bacteria build up.

Wear a fresh set of underwear before going to bed or after a shower rather than the same pair you have been wearing all day. For workouts, you may consider wearing underwear that's well-fitted and absorbs moisture. And just like you might change out of your sweaty gym clothes after a good workout, your underwear should be changed too.

It’s important to note that the 6 to 12-month recommendation is just a guideline, and there isn’t an exact science to determine how long your underwear will last. Instead, there are several signs you can look for if you think it might be time to say goodbye. 

Stretch – The elastic around your legs and waist will lose its give over time. If you notice that your underwear has lost its stretch, it’s time to move on to a new pair.

Fit – Once the stretch is gone, your underwear won’t have the smooth, glove-like fit you want them to have. Saggy underwear isn’t comfortable, nor are they an attractive option under your clothing.

Frequency of wear – The underwear you wear more frequently is more likely to accumulate bacteria than those you only wear on special occasions.2 The risk for serious health problems is low, but you’re better off avoiding infection altogether by replacing your regular rotation often.

KOURTNEY & TRAVIS ITALIAN WEDDING

“They do,” x3! Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker  got married for a third time, this time during a big wedding ceremony in Italy surrounded by their famous friends and family members

The Dolce & Gabbana dress boasted corset detailing and a dramatic lacy skirt and billowing train, while she wore her jet black tresses swept up in an elegant updo.

The stunning headdress which draped over Kourtney's elegant bun, was adorned with floral embroidery and boasted an image of the Virgin Mary on the trailing veil.

Travis, 46, was spotted arriving at the ceremony in a smart dark suit with a white shirt and his famous bald tattooed head clearly visible as he negotiated his way through the floral displays into the garden venue.

The ceremony was held at Castello Brown in Portofino, Italy, on Sunday, May 22. The bride’s family, including sisters Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Kendall Jenner, as well as her mom, 

Kris Jenner and three children, Mason, Penelope and Reign — whom she shares with ex Scott Disick — were all in attendance for the beautiful event. The groom’s children — Landon and Alabama Barker, as well as he stepdaughter Atiana De La Hoya, whom he shared with ex-wife Shanna Moakler — were also spotted.

 

HANDLING TEENAGERS

 

Now that you’re raising a teenage child, the demands on your time and energy are different from when your child was younger. Friends and peers will become more important to your child in these changing years, but this doesn’t mean you’re less important. You still play a big role in your child’s life – and strong relationships with both family and friends are vital for your child’s healthy social and emotional development

Being a parent to teenagers can be a challenging, worrying and sometimes distressing time. While teenagers are pushing against the system in their search for independence, as parents you can feel rejected, criticised and confused. The home can become a battleground with constant power battles and high emotion.

The average teenager's body is changing at an alarming rate, as hormones shift and surge, the body, brain and emotions are on a permanent rollercoaster.

The extremes of emotion that teens go through are also partly due to hormones. Boys are coming to terms with large quantities of testosterone surging through their bodies while girls have to cope with the mood swings that accompany oestrogen.

The psychological goal of adolescence is to become independent from parents and establish their own identity and place within society. This involves building their own friendships and controlling their own emotional responses. Making their own decisions and moral choices based on consequences and conscience rather than fear of punishment. Developing their own beliefs and plans for the future.

It is an exciting time for teenagers, but also a very scary and challenging one. A time when the support and encouragement of parents is essential to their successful transition into adulthood.

Separate the behaviour from the person. Remember all their good qualities and try not to be overpowered by what you don’t like about their behaviour right now. Your teenager may be behaving badly but that doesn’t make them a bad person.

Set clear and consistent boundaries which also respect their boundaries to help them to foster their own sense of security whilst in inner turmoil. Be ready to discuss the rationale behind your behaviour and your rules. Remember that they're learning from you how to be and think like an adult.

Be prepared to manage the conflict and arguments, repair your relationship with your teen and move on. If you don’t find a way to let go of past resentments they won’t either. Small disagreements soon build into huge arguments leaving you both wondering what happened.