Blog Posts by Beyond the Beauty Pages, SELF Magazine

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

Refined pores are the first step to a smooth, flawless complexion--but they can also be the hardest to achieve. My grandmother swears by this overnight fix for shrinking enlarged pores and prepping your skin for clearer days.

Related: 20 Superfoods for Weight Loss

Large pores can be worse if you have oily skin because dirt and oils become trapped more easily (making them larger). This recipe calls for lemon, which is great for toning and reducing the appearance of your pores as well as drawing out oils, and almond to keep your skin moisturized.

1. Take 4 or 5 almonds and soak them in hot water for a half hour so they become soft. Then, break them down with the back of a spoon until they become a paste.

2. In a bowl, combine the almond paste with 2 - 3 teaspoons of lemon juice.

Related: Snack Attack? Chow Down on These Sweet 100-Calorie Eats

3. Apply this to your skin, focusing on your t-zone (it works great if you leave it on overnight) and then

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

Packing can be one of the least thrilling parts of your weekend getaway. From running through your mental checklist for the umpteenth time to choosing between the most practical items to pack vs. your can't live without em' favorites. With these travel-sized weekend essentials, you can rest assured there will be plenty of wiggle room for your new to-die-for pair of boots.

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

Ever since Alexander Wang sparked a slew of long, romantic side braids back in Spring 2010, the look has taken on a life of its own. This season, we loved the disheveled side braids and coral lips that graced the runway at the Lela Rose Spring 2011 Collection.

The look was even popular among guests at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Here's how you can create the style at home.

This style works great on long hair, but don't be afraid to experiment if your hair is on the shorter side:


1. Part your hair on the side. If you have bangs, choose the side opposite them.
2. Separate hair into three parts, Take one two - three inch pieces of hair from the front of your hair on either side and gather the rest of your hair in the middle down your back.
3. Pull this middle section to the side opposite your part, split it into three sections and braid it (if you prefer a fishtail braid it'll look fab, too!)
4. Gently push the braid up between your thumb and

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

Looking through old photos, I noticed my grandmother always had long, silky and very shiny hair. Even in the old black and white photos, the shine showed through! At 86, she still has long hair and while a lot of it has gone grey, it's still silky and shiny as ever. What's her secret?

Coconut milk!

She swears by the scalp-nourishing properties in coconut milk and hydrating avocado. Olive oil is her secret for softness and shine. Growing up, she'd use this often on herself and my mother and it's a must before a big event!

Bonus: Considering a cut too? Check out how a shorter do would look on you (risk free!) with Your Virtual Makeover!

What you need:
1 ripe avocado
1/2 cup coconut milk
3 tsp olive oil

What to do:
1. Mash the avocado with a large spoon until it's completely smooth
2. Combine the coconut milk and olive oil, stirring rapidly to make sure it's mixed in well.
3. Warm up the mask in your microwave, about 20 seconds or until it's

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

AXE Shower Gel commercials; we've all seen them. A guy slathers some on in the shower and when he steps outside, stampeding women are upon him like hungry hyenas. While most men have come to accept this as wishful thinking, the scenarios presented in these ads have stirred up quite a debate: Are we women really attracted to the smell of AXE?

Well according to Vanessa Minnillo, new spokeswoman for AXE, the answer is a loud, resounding yes!

AXE teamed up with the Sports and Leisure Research Group and polled hundreds of guys and girls at six major US colleges and Universities. 65% of girls agreed that a guy's cleanliness was attractive and a huge part in determining whether or not she would date him.

"Girls prefer a guy with a just-showered smell and women associated the smell of AXE with being clean. Cleanliness and sexiness go hand in hand," said Vanessa.

Vanessa brought along these stats:

• 66% of girls thought that a guy who put more effort into

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

At BCBG Max Azria, Maybelline New York Makeup Artist, Charlotte Willer, gave models pretty eyes that pop - without mascara! Here's how to get the look:

Related: 20 Ways to Get Perfect Skin

Charlotte described the look as,"barely there, confident and neautral, characterized by soft, neutral tones and no mascara."

Face: Apply Dream Liquid Mousse Foundation all over, like you would a moisturizer, for a poreless and luminous look.

Brows: Charlotte defined brows with Define-A-Brow Eyebrow Pencil. When you leave out the mascara, brows become the focal point of definition in your eye, but should remain soft and easy.

Bonus: 20 New Ways to Burn 200 Calories!

Eyes: A creamy golden-shade all over the lid for a muted affect.

Lips: Charlotted applied Color Sensations Lipstick in "In the Buff" on lips and followed with a lip balm for a hint of shine that's not glossy.

More From SELF:

• Hungry? Try one of these 30 healthy snacks
• Lose weight faster: 6

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

With fall rolling in, we're reminded that cold dry months--and even dryer lips--aren't far behind. If you want to pamper your lips and look pretty, try a berry gloss! It'll warm up your entire complexion. Here's an at-home recipe make your own strawberry lipgloss that looks and tastes delicious!

Bonus: 20 New Ways to Burn 200 Calories!

What You'll Need:
-6-8 strawberries (If you prefer a deeper color cranberries are great, too)
-1 tiny of drop berry-red food coloring
-1 tablespoon olive oil
-1/2 tablespoon honey
-2 drops Vitamin E oil
-1 cheese cloth
-1 small tin (you can recycled one from an old lipgloss)

What to do:

Related: 20 Ways to Get Perfect Skin

1. Heat the strawberries, olive oil and vitamin E oil and honey in a microwave or on your stovetop until it boils.
2. Use a long-handled spoon to crush the berries completely so their color runs out.
3. Let the mixture cool and then strain it through the cheesecloth to get rid of the

By Pia Bhattacharya, SELF magazine

Fine, straight hair can be a headache when you're looking for a little extra oomph. Through the years I've loved and lost many volumizing shampoos and conditioners, created cocktails and mixed brands - all in search of a no-fail formula. Well, here are 5 new favorites that had my hair looking better than ever!

1. Fekkai Full Blown Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, $35 each: You don't have to douse your hair in shampoo for it to work. This concentrated formula packs quite a punch - so don't let the size of the bottle fool you. It also left my hair really shiny and soft, a nice surprise since many volumizing formulas have my hair looking fuller, but dry and thirsty.

2. Liqwd Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner, $32 each: I've always been very wary of conditioners; in my experience they weigh down my hair and leave my strands lifeless by noon. This combo is a must-have for fine hair. My hair took a day or two to get used to it - but every day after that