International Beauty

Other Brazilian beauty secrets that I particularly like for their simplicity are the use of beach sand and coffee grounds as exfoliants and cellulite reducers.

So next time you're just sitting on the beach, don't just sit there...do like the women of Brazil do and start rubbing some sand into your suntan oil. Your thighs will thank you!

If you're not close to the beach, try Lush's Sandstone Bar which was inspired by these Brazilian beauties!
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The Indian woman relies on various spices, dairy products and food items to achieve a flawless complexion. Thus popular Indian beauty tips profess the use of gram flour and turmeric to scrub the face clean while lemon juice mixed with honey makes for a great bleaching pack.

In fact, Indian beauty secrets are replete with such homemade medication. You will find the Indian woman reaching out for her concoction of cucumber juice, glycerin and rose water instead of the sun block cream obtained from the store shelf, while her toiletry includes lemon, milk, saffron and salt.

Lemon rubbed over freckles lightens them while a little alum over lemon is a guaranteed antidote to mottled and pigmented complexion. Milk and salt applied on the skin softens it. Using saffron with milk to counter pigmentation is a widely recommended Indian beauty tip while honey is used as a moisturizer.

Solah Shringar--or 16 adornments--is an integral part of every Indian bride-to-be’s beautifying ritual. It starts with an oil massage before the bath, an application of gram flour, turmeric and mustard oil or butter, culminating in a bath in milk and rose water. This 16-step ritual encompasses the conventional cleansing, toning and moisturizing routine that all beauty experts stress on.
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Asian women and particularly Indian and women of the Middle East are noted for their extremely beautiful eyes. And with a little definition, these eyes simply look ethereal. Thus a dash of pale green, cool gray or peach colored eye shadow, a forest green or brown eyeliner or kohl smudged for a smoky eyed look are the oft-advised Asian beauty tips on eye makeup.

Asian beauty secrets profess plum hues with red, brown or mauve undertones for lips that speak volumes. Beiges and pink mauves also complement Asian looks while Asian beauty tips are unanimous on one point: bright pinks and oranges are a definite no-no for soft Asian features.

Asian women have hair that is generally thicker than that of the rest of the world’s population. Hence they do not take well to lightening and generally end up looking garish. However, this thickness enables Asian women to experiment with various flattering haircuts.

A preference for all things natural is evident in the Asian beauty tips practiced in the spas. Here you will find beauty treatments like detoxification with pure sea salts, the use of milk, yogurt, papaya and buttermilk as skin softeners and various aromatherapy oils like lavender, ylang-ylang, sandalwood and rosemary.

Also high on the natural beauty tips list is the white camellia nut oil, widely used by the Japanese women for hydrating and softening the skin. It is especially beneficial for treating pregnancy-related stretch marks (Titanic star Kate Winslet had used it) and inducing hair growth. It is also popular as a facial oil.

Seaweed is a popular presence in the Japanese beauty tips. It possesses excellent cleansing and toning properties and is reputed to impart an ethereal glow to the skin.

The Chinese beauty tips swear by their white tea, with its much-publicized anti-ageing properties.

Asian beauty secrets are actually quite simple to follow and they are becoming increasingly popular as a means to achieve that rare Asian charm and grace.