It's time you added bling to your smile

Want to add a dazzle to your smile this Diwali? It's easy, really. TOI tells you how.

Most of us nurse a secret wish to have a smile dazzling enough to light up a room.And though some are blessed with such dazzlers, others have to keep wishing.Well, the wait's over.Thanks to modern dental innovations, you can actually add that dazzle to your smile and this Diwali! How? Well, all it takes is a cosmetic dentist and the latest tooth jewellery! No, no, we don't mean gold teeth or outdated stuff like that.Tooth jewellery now literally translates into a single stone, usually a small artificial diamond, which is pasted on a tooth using a special adhesive. And what's more, Kolkata youths are taking to the fad like ducks to water!

Priyanka, a city-based interior designer in her early twenties, decided to get her teeth embellished around a year and a half back. "I just went to my dentist for a regular check up and noticed this amazing sparkle on her tooth. I instantly knew that I had to get it too. Now, everywhere I go, people ask me about my bejewelled teeth! It sure does make me feel good!" she said, adding that one needs to have the right attitude and confidence to be able to flaunt tooth jewellery.

The stones, which are available with most cosmetic dentists, come in different sizes, colours and shapes such as stars, flowers and hearts.

Sandeep Bhattacharya, regional sales manager of a leading company that deals in dental jewellery, said, "The trend has been big in Mumbai and Delhi for quite a while now. In Kolkata, though, it has been a little slow in catching up. But more and more students and young professionals are opting to get their teeth jewelled these days. For one, the process is painless and second, it's reversible." As for the process, Dr PK Banerjee, a dentist who has been providing this service for years, said, "It's all about making oneself stand out in a crowd.

Mostly, it is young college students who go for it." Dr Anushka Khetan agreed, saying, "Though I once had a woman in her 50s who wanted to get a jewel on her tooth, most patients are youngsters in their early 20s." She added that women were more fascinated by this style trend.

The dentists said the process is painless and takes less than an hour. It is absolutely non-invasive, which means it involves no cutting or drilling of the tooth. "The tooth just needs to be chemically treated slightly, to make it ready for the stone.

After that, it's just about sticking the stone to your tooth with a specially manufactured adhesive," said Dr Banerjee, adding that though the process seems easy, it takes a skilled practitioner to get it right.

Dr Khetan, who, too, has a tooth jewel, said, "It's easy to remove too. One visit to the dentist is all it takes." Priya Lohia, a college student of 19, sported a tooth stone for six months before removing it. "I was always clear that I didn't want it on my tooth permanently. It was just a kind of wish that I had to fulfill. I did it and I quite liked the experience!"

How to choose your nail polish

Choosing the perfect nail colour is not an easy job. If chosen carelessly, it might end up making your hands look dark.

Always keep your complexion in mind while choosing a shade. Pale-for-pale and dark-for-dark is the mantra. Warm shades like bronze, wine and mauve work best for ladies with medium to dark complexion.

Nude shades and colours like pale rose suit people with brighter skin tones.

How to make natural lavender mask

To make your own soothing mask at home, here's what you need.

A lavender face mask is a great way to reduce stress and feel relaxed when you are worked up. It always soothes you especially if you've been going through a troubled phase. However, getting hold of something from the market is pretty tedious, since you may not know whether it is available easily or not. Here's how you can make one at home and store it for a long duration of time.

What you need -
¼ tbsp organic honey
4 drops of essential lavender oil
1 tbsp yogurt
½ tsp olive oil (optional)

How to make it - Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl and keep it overnight in a refrigerator. Before applying the pack, wash your face well with normal tap water, pat it dry. Make sure that the pack is not too watery and not too thick. Apply it evenly on your face and neck. Keep it on for 20 minutes and wash it off with normal water. You can also take a few drops of lavender oil and massage it on your face and leave it overnight.

Use honey everyday for glowing skin

Raw honey can be used, not just in our breakfast cereal or dessert, but also get glowing and younger looking skin. Abundant in antioxidants, honey is known to have antibacterial properties too.

Here's how you can use honey for your skin every day.

-If you have an acne breakout, you can get rid of them using honey. Gently dab honey on the acne-affected area. You can also mix it with tea tree or lavender oil for an extra boost.

-Use a mix of honey and coconut/jojoba oil as a skin cleanser. It not only loosens the makeup but also acts as a moisturizer

-For dry skin, mix honey, vegetable oil and lemon juice and apply on the skin. Leave for 10 minutes and wash off.

How to care for your cuticles

Spare some thought for your cuticles the next time you think about your nails. Cuticles are important because they protect your nails from damage. Often, cuticles get weak and hard because they are cut or bitten, which you should never do.

Not only does cutting the cuticles weaken them, it also causes infection and problems like white spots or lines and ridges. A bacterial infection will hinder your nail's growth and can also cause a lot of discomfort. If at all you want to push your cuticles behind, do it gently. Avoid using cuticle clippers completely and make it a point to moisturise your cuticles as well. Not applying hand cream will cause dryness and that, in turn, will make them peel, or worse, crack.

If your cuticles are weak, apply petroleum jelly every night before going to sleep. And use a good hand cream during the day. Also, when you visit a parlour for a manicure, insist that all tools are sterilised. And don't forget to tell your nail technician to go easy on your cuticles. Tell her you are okay with your cuticles being pushed back, you don't want them cut. If you spot any redness that persists for more than a couple of days, make a trip to your doctor, it could be worth investigating. It is also advisable to go easy on acetone. Not only will constant use dry out your nails, it will also wreak havoc on your cuticles. And wear gloves while doing your daily household chores.