Desi Diva

By Shweta Govindarajan

While our Desi Diva editor takes a few weeks off, check out these classics from our archives. A new Desi Diva feature will be back in June.

Easy Ways to Change Your Look for Spring

Plus, smooth legs for skirt season and cute hair without daily shampooing

Q: I have a drawer full of makeup that I hardly touch – I just seem to gravitate toward the same black eyeliner/berry lipstick ritual day after day. What can I do to vary my look?

A: We all have this problem – we know what looks good, so it’s hard for us to try new things. But the answer is deceptively simple: just don’t wear the same kind and amount of makeup all the time.

If you always wear eyeliner, think about going without it – or wearing less of it. Or, if you’re really brave, think about wearing a new color other than boring black, which can look harsh in the daytime. Plum, green or brown are all sexy and sophisticated choices and look fabulous on South Asian skin. And don’t worry if you don’t have eyeliner pencils – shadows are easier to apply and often look better. Your drugstore aisle offers plenty of color options, and Sephora carries its own pretty little single eye shadow shades for $9 each.

Lipstick is a lot easier to play around with, mostly because there’s an endless array to choose from. Skip the brown shades popular among South Asian women and lighten things up this spring by dotting your lips with Benefit’s Benetint rose-colored stain for dewy, kissable lips. Or for a sexy look à la Marilyn Monroe, line and fill in your lips with Mac’s Mahogany lipliner and apply Mac lipstick in Dubonnet with a lip brush to control the amount. Top it off with a coat of Viva Glam V Lipglass and say goodbye to your humdrum makeup days for good.

Q: I’ve got pretty long hair, and it gets greasy pretty quickly. Washing it every day is not an option, and with my busy schedule, sometimes I have to go for three days in between shampoos. How do I still keep my hair looking cute?

A: One of the best ways around three-day-old hair is to pull it into a ponytail—it’s a classic look that will never go out of style, and it’s more fun than buns, which can make you look older. High ponytails can seem girlish or gym-bound, so try wearing your pony at or just above the nape of your neck. Ponytails consolidate the strands and avoid the clumpy look that greasy hair has when worn down. Don a pretty clip on one side and presto—no one has to know the last time you lathered up.

Worried your ponytail’s too pedestrian? If you need to wear your hair down but are put off by the grease, try this trick used by the pros. Sprinkle a handful of baby powder along your part and gently rub it into your scalp. If necessary, feel free to sprinkle powder in any other places that need a little de-greasing. However, be cautious about how much you put on—too much and you’ll turn your hair gray or even white, and then you’ll really have to hit the shower. After you’ve applied the powder, run a brush through your hair to distribute the powder and then blow dry the remaining powder out. Another solution? If your hair’s greasy just one day after a wash, some recommend pressing blotting paper along your part to soak up the oil without the risk of accidentally aging your hair.

Q: Spring is here, and I want my legs to be smooth and silky! Trouble is, every time I shave I seem to get little red bumps. What's going on?

A: Warm weather kicks hair removal into high gear, and shaving is one of the fastest ways to get rid of unwanted hair. But a lot of us seem to take shaving shortcuts that can make for a nasty finish. If you've got a penchant for a good, old-fashioned shave, the first thing to remember is that you must change your razor regularly, even if the blade seems to keep cutting even after three weeks!

Shaving with a dull razor is the primary culprit of the red bumps, which are the result of ingrown hair – hair that grows in by itself or that is trapped under the skin. If you shave everyday, general wisdom calls for switching your razor every 10 days. But if your skin is especially sensitive, change it every Sunday.

To minimize skin irritation, try waiting until the end of your shower to shave – your skin will be hydrated and the hair will be wet – prime conditions for a clean cut. Although many of us shave from the ankle up, going against the grain can also cause ingrown hair. Next time, try running the razor in the direction of hair growth. If you’re a soap-and-water kind-of gal, think about using a shaving gel or a body wash instead. Soap has a thinner consistency than gels or creams, and probably doesn't provide the amount of lather you need for a nick-free shave. Here’s a tip: Conditioner makes for a great leg lube in the shower, especially those formulas that have an added moisturizer.

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