Holud hungama

The Hindi songs to dance to are very two years ago. Now, we have a wide variety of rhythmic wedding music in Bangla! Love songs, wedding songs, and so much more to dance to.

I can see my sister getting cold feet while the women in the parlour are doing her make up and she's fidgeting on the seat. On the evening of her holud, she looks at me with scared eyes expecting me to give her some words of advice. On the contrary, I'm sitting next to her with a big grin on my face just waiting to step in and start dancing! Yes, all I can think about is the big holud hungama!

Of course, the wedding is the most important part of any bride or groom's life. Beginning from their clothing, to jewellery, to accepting the fact that they're about to start a new life altogether, there's so much for them to be worried about. As for the siblings and cousins, their main worry and excitement lies solely in the holud. Their thoughts are mostly about what songs to pick, how to choreograph the dances, which of their best friends are going to perform, how many songs to dance to, what to wear for the dances and so on and so forth.

Justified enough, the holud counts for a lot more than just putting on some turmeric on the bride and groom's faces in order to make them look perfect for the wedding. The holud…is a war! It is a war between the youngsters of both households. It's a competition to see which house emerges victorious in terms of presenting the most entertaining show. This includes clothing, decorations, dalas, the dances and the music. The more fun the guests have at your side's holud, the surer you are that yours is definitely better!

Now, to make sure the guests have the kind of fun you want, there are a lot of tricks you can call upon. Just dancing to some random music won't work. Nowadays, most children seem to choose any kind of fast Hindi music to make sure their dances are rhythmic. They forget that the more wedding related the songs are, the cuter and more fun the dances look. Since it's a holud, it already has a theme and it's the most fun theme to work with.

Dancing solely to Hindi songs is very two yeas ago. Now, we have a wide variety of rhythmic wedding music in Bangla! Love songs, wedding songs, and so much more to dance to. Yes, you can use one or two Hindi songs to brighten things up a notch, but it's best to stay as traditional as possible.

Traditional holuds are back…and back with a bang! 'Amar gorur gari te bou shajiye' gives you the perfect scenario of a cute couple about to be wed. Absolutely ideal to dance to at a holud! There are songs like 'Jadu', 'Panjabiwala', 'Dola de' and so many other tracks by Mila and Habib that are easy to dance to and bring that certain perk to holud dances.

Sometimes, randomising some sweet love songs can do the trick. And putting on a little skit works like a charm. Acting out the love story of the bride and groom with songs that suit the situation can be enough to bring a smile to the guests' faces.

You should always remember, the more you enjoy, the more the entertainment for the audience. So, the one thing you should always keep in mind is that you have to let loose and have as much fun as possible.

So, as I sat there grinning like an idiot, I said to my sister, 'Don't you worry, once you see us dancing…you'll forget all you inhibitions'. And she knew it was true, even she was starting to get hyped about it all, hyped about the long awaited 'holud hungama!’

Pre-wedding facials

One of the most common compliments a bride hears is how her much her skin is glowing on her wedding day.  This is partially due to the inner happiness the bride is feeling but also due to the numerous skin treatments she may have undergone prior to her special day. Selecting a facial best suited for your skin type can be tricky with all of the new products on the market. From the scientific (sound and light wave treatments) to the bizarre (“You’re going to rub fish eggs on my face?”), Bibi has listed a simple guide that will help you select the perfect facial for your skin. Whether you are getting married or just want to look your best, facials are an important part of healthy glowing skin. Caviar Facials      One of the most intriguing facials, also very high end, is the caviar facial. Experts rave about the amazing benefits of this facial on all skin types. Hong Nguyen, a certified medical aesthetician with Genesis Day Spa in Houston, has been working in skincare for over 10 years. She describes the caviar facial as “more outstanding than any other regular treatment.”  She explains, “That’s why it’s more expensive. Caviar gets the skin to produce more collagen elasticin. This makes skin look firmer and smoothes out wrinkles.”      Collagen elasticin is a rubbery protein that women’s bodies begin to lose around age 30. This causes eyelids to droop and necks to sag, which leads to premature aging. Nguyen says the anti-aging caviar facial is applied as a masque and smoothed onto the face by hand. The mask is left on for a length of time and then cleaned off. For best results the caviar facial can be combined with a DermaSound treatment.

DermaSound Technology       Upgrading a standard facial with DermaSound technology is worth it, says Nguyen, because the benefits of the facial will be last longer. But what is DermaSound? “Derma Sound is a machine that uses sound waves to massage the facial into the skin,” Nguyen says. “With the hands, the epidermis doesn’t absorb the facial 100 percent.” Electrons in the skin respond better with DermaSound vibrations, which allows the skin to absorb more electrolytes, something the body needs to maintain optimum moisture levels resulting in younger, hydrated skin.      But don’t expect to find these machines everywhere. Each machine costs a salon upwards of $5,000, so the treatment is fairly exclusive. Other facials can be combined with DermaSound to produce benefits like softer, smoother skin, fewer wrinkles and a more even complexion. Best of all, Nguyen says that the DermaSound procedure is a gentle treatment that can be done the same day as the wedding.      “It is a very relaxed facial,” she says. “The procedure takes about an hour and 30 minutes.”  Different from chemical peels that can leave skin red and irritated and take days to heal, the caviar facial combined with DermaSound allow clients to leave the same day with beautiful, healthier skin similar to the results of a peel. Also, unlike a chemical peel, which requires the skin to be classified for the proper level of treatment to be applied, it’s good for all skin types, she adds. Photo Facial      Another new innovation in the maintenance of younger-looking, smoother, more even skin is the photo facial, also called Photofacials or IPLs (Intense Pulsed Light). Photo facials are used to treat skin with spots from sun, aging, some scars, eczema or Rosacea. It also helps clear up areas of brown spots or redness and can be used on the neck, hands and chest. Aestheticians direct a spectrum of light, which reaches deep down within the skin specifically on places where the pigment has been damaged. This treatment uses focused colors of light to treat specific complexion problems and helps achieve a more even skin color and texture.      However, even though this treatment is highly effective, isn’t a one-shot deal. For maximum benefits, women have to return up to five times for treatment and the face won’t always be ready for makeup directly after a session. Nguyen explains that light waves work on skin because they are anti-free radical and antioxidant in nature, which means they fight the daily toxins that skin absorbs from sun, pollutants and alcohol. Nguyen says yellow helps tissue repair, red helps rejuvenate and blue is used for acne treatment. “The light is put on for 60 seconds per area and takes about 24 minutes for the entire face. Clients begin to see results after 3 treatments.”      For the best results, the treatment should be repeated every 10 to 14 days with up to five visits for best results. This means brides should plan to start IPL treatments seven weeks to two and a half months before the wedding.

Other Specialized Facials  For brides who want to be pampered before wedding pictures, but don’t have the Hollywood-style budget for higher-end facials, Nguyen suggests High Performance Facials which use a specially designed “lift-off” mask infused with minerals, vitamins and other essential ingredients. These facials take a little more than an hour and the results are immediately visible. Such masks are calming and tighten the skin.      Before undergoing any treatment, schedule a consultation with an aesthetician to see which treatments you will need and how long individual facial treatments will take. Ask about your specific skin tone and type and the results you wish to achieve. Be sure to also discuss at home follow up care so that you can extend the results of your facial treatments. With the right regiment and treatment, you can have glowing skin just in time for your special day!