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Trick

Amal Clooney Has a Shoe Trick That’s the Secret to Elevating Any Outfit

by jummy84 November 3, 2025

written by jummy84

We all know Amal Clooney has elegant style. But if you study her looks as closely as we have, then you might have noticed that the secret to her timeless style actually lies in the shoes she wears. Amal Clooney’s shoes always brings that extra touch the outfit needs to become next-level sophisticated.

This styling trick is easy: Always add a personality shoe. For example, when Clooney wears a basic white dress, she adds an animal print pump that instantly makes the look more interesting. With plaid pants, she chose a two-tone black and white heel that feels unexpected and exciting. Neon sandals, meanwhile, help brighten up a neutral top and pants. Clooney’s closet is always classic, but her taste in footwear can be quite playful and fun.

Let’s take some more style inspiration from Amal Clooney’s shoes, shall we?

Personality Shoes At A Glance

Two-tone heels

Amal Clooney in two-tone pumps

Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty Images

November 3, 2025 0 comments

Lifestyle

Psychologist shares 5 unique ways to de-stress anywhere, anytime: 4-7-8 breathing trick, squeeze hug and more

by jummy84 October 10, 2025

written by jummy84

Updated on: Oct 10, 2025 07:16 pm IST

Build your mental resilience with the help of these 5 stress reducing techniques that calm you down.

With the relentless pace of life these days, from chasing deadlines at work to fretting over what to make for dinner, stress inevitably creeps in. Regardless of the scale of stress, you find yourself in a state of distress. In simple words, stress is a biological and emotional reaction to any perceived threat. Life tends to throw curveballs, making stress appear anytime and anywhere.

Hug yourself to feel the strain release from your body. (Picture credit: Freepik)

Letting stress bottle up and stay for extended periods may have unintended effects on physical health, making stress management a key priority for mental wellbeing.

ALSO READ: Stress affecting liver health? Yoga expert shares 4 breathing techniques to boost natural detox

To uncover some easy stress-bursting techniques, Aakriti Bhanjo, Counselling Psychologist at Rocket Health, shared with HT Lifestyle how to de-stress efficiently.

She shared an interesting analogy on why stress management is essential and explained, “In today’s fast-paced world, our minds are often overwhelmed and overstimulated. Just like a car cannot keep running smoothly without regular servicing, our minds also need intentional pauses to recharge so they can continue steering us through life’s journey.”

Aakriti revealed these 5 quick ways to de-stress anytime, anywhere:

1. 4-7-8 breathing technique

To practice this method, begin by breathing in for 4 seconds, then hold your breath for 7 seconds, and finally breathe out for 8 seconds.
Repeating this cycle 3-5 times can help activate your body’s rest and digest system.

2. Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This technique involves contracting and relaxing different muscle groups of your body in a specific order.
Begin by sitting in a quiet place and focus on a set of any area, such as flexing your calves. Slowly hold the tension for a few seconds and then let it go.
Continue this for different muscle groups to increase your sense of relaxation awareness.

3. Doodling

Scribble sketches to de-stress. (Picture credit: Freepik)

Doodling is a great tool to help you return to the present if you find yourself engrossed in stressful thoughts.
Simply take 5 minutes to draw endless loops, spirals, or patterns.

4. Squeeze Hug

Start by wrapping your arms around yourself, hugging yourself, and gently squeezing for 20- 30 seconds.
Breathe slowly while doing it. You can also rock yourself back and forth.

5. Purposeful walk

A 10-minute mindful walk can make a lot of difference.
This practice involves walking slowly, focusing on the feeling of your feet touching the ground while synchronising your breath with your steps if comfortable.

When you make stress management a part of your daily routine, you become more resilient and can navigate stressful moments in your day better without getting too overwhelmed.

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.

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October 10, 2025 0 comments

Lifestyle

Makeup Mantras: Rasika Dugal reveals her beauty secrets, favourite winged liner trick and a sunscreen mistake to avoid

by jummy84 September 26, 2025

written by jummy84

Actors don’t always rely on layers of makeup and hours in the chair for luminous skin and effortless charm. For Delhi Crime and Manto actor Rasika Dugal, skincare starts with fitness and good sleep, while makeup is about enhancing—not hiding—her natural features. In this candid edition of Makeup Mantras for HT Lifestyle, Rasika talks about her glow-from-within secrets, the only two products she can’t live without, and the quirky DIY hack she uses to draw the perfect eyeliner every time.

Rasika Dugal believes in simple makeup mantras.(Instagram/ Rasika Dugal)

Q. Shooting schedules can be harsh on skin. How do you keep yours healthy and glowing amidst the lights and long hours?

Rasika Dugal: Exercise! It’s the best skin hack. There is nothing that makes the skin glow more than a good workout. But it can’t be at the cost of good sleep. So, a good workout after a good night’s sleep is my mantra. It can be tough to do both when I am shooting. On those days, I choose one or the other. Exercise well. Drink lots of water. And remove the make up as soon as you don’t need it!

Q. What are the makeup products you always carry in your bag, no matter what?

Rasika Dugal: Lip balm and Kajal.

Q. International brands or homegrown Indian brands for makeup: What do you prefer and why?

Rasika Dugal: Whatever is tried and tested and works best for my skin. Sometimes, the most recommended brands don’t suit your skin and a lesser known brand just clicks. It about what your skin needs at that time. Initially, I experiment with a few products to see what works. Once I find something that works for me, I pretty much stick to it till my needs change. Because what is suitable for your skin also keeps changing with age, with the weather, and so on.

Q. Do you have a go-to sunscreen that works under makeup without leaving a white cast?

Rasika Dugal: ISDIN photoprotector. Blends into the skin well and feels light. Sunscreen is a must these days. I have made the mistake of not wearing sunscreen when I am indoors. And that’s a no-no.

Q. One makeup trend you secretly can’t stand?

Rasika Dugal: I am not a fan of bling on the face.

Q. A DIY beauty hack you want all your fans to learn?

Rasika Dugal: Use tape to get your winged liner right! It’s a great hack. Just put a small tape on the edge of your eye in the direction in which you want the liner. And then you don’t have to worry about the liner being swiggly or messy. Once you remove the tape, it’s a nice, neat line!

Q. Is there a makeup look from one of your characters that you were not comfortable with?

Rasika Dugal: Makeup is about the details. It is amazing how one tweak can change so much. For example, whether you brush your eyebrows up or not can just make you look so different! I like to use make up effectively for character work.

Wigs or hair extensions are great for changing the look of a character. Especially, when there is a time jump in the script… But they are the most uncomfortable to wear throughout a shoot day. They can be heavy and no matter how good the quality, the clips hurt after a couple of hours. They are the first thing I want to take off when the director says pack up!

Q. Share your guide to a 5-minute makeup routine for all lazy women out there!

Rasika Dugal: For a lazy day: Moisturize really well, put on some sunscreen. Wear Kohl. Glossy lip balm. And you are ready to go.

For a not so lazy day: In addition to the lazy day routine, apply a nice primer. Add some concealer to the undereyes. Then use very tiny dots of it (because concealer is typically heavier than foundation) on other parts of the face and blend, so that the undereyes don’t look patchy. Brush up the brows and done!

For anything else: 5 minutes is too ambitious!

Q. What’s the weirdest place you have ever done your makeup in?

Rasika Dugal: In a cab in France! On my way from the airport in Nice to Cannes. My flight was delayed and I had to make it in time for the announcement of my film ‘Manto’! I had quickly changed in the airport loo and figured that the only way I would make it in time would be if I did my make-up in the cab. The driver was obviously not thrilled. He kept mumbling throughout the hour long drive. Thankfully, I don’t speak French!

Q. Fill in the blank: “I feel most beautiful when _.”

Rasika Dugal: I am wearing Kohl.

September 26, 2025 0 comments

Lifestyle

Fitness trainer who lost 20 pounds in 4 months says doing this ‘2 minute trick after dinner’ can help you burn more fat

by jummy84 September 13, 2025

written by jummy84

While the way forward from being overweight or obese may seem to be exercise or dieting, the reasoning may be far more complex, ingrained in how your body processes food and, in turn, manages vital hormones like insulin. Weight loss is not all rocket science, as the solution is about embracing smart habits, one of them being walking after meals.

Your body is less likely to store fat if the blood sugar levels are not high,(Shutterstock)

ALSO READ: Weight loss coach suggests 4 strength training exercises for women to target back rolls, flabby arms and belly fat

Christine Stines, who lost 20 pounds (9 kg) in four months, often shares weight loss tips based on her experience. In an August 12 Instagram post, she revealed: “Fat loss becomes so much easier just by doing this two-minute trick after dinner. ”

What goes on when you eat something?

Let’s first zero in on the missing piece of weight management and how it all revolves around how the body handles sugar and insulin. Christine explained the process, “So when you eat, your blood sugar naturally rises and in response your pancreas releases insulin, which is the hormone that carries that out of your blood sugar and tells and tells your body to store this as energy.”

But here’s where the problem lies, as the fitness trainer highlighted that when insulin levels are high, fat burning stops, and if the body keeps producing insulin, due to frequent snacking, high stress, poor sleep, hormonal changes, or inactivity, it can lead to insulin resistance.

But how is the blood sugar management related to fat burning? She added, “Your body needs more insulin to do the same job that keeps you stuck in fat storage mode twenty-four seven, even if you are eating really healthy and clean, and the more fat you have, the more your body craves sugary food, which then makes this even harder.”

How to lose belly fat?

The belly fat is stubborn, more so if it stems from hormonal imbalances, like insulin problems. (Shutterstock)

Belly fat is often the result of blood sugar problems. She revealed that there are two ways to go about dropping belly fat. One is limiting glucose and insulin spikes, and the other is making sure you remain sensitive to insulin, so when it does go up, it comes back down quickly, and you can get right back to burning fat.

Christine cited a study published by the Journal of Sports Medicine from 2022. The findings suggest that just a two to five-minute walk after meals can lower post-meal blood glucose by up to 30 per cent. While standing is also good, the benefits are not extensive.

So why does a brief walk after meals work? Christine revealed, “It works because your muscles act like a sponge, and when they move, they pull glucose out of your bloodstream without needing extra insulin, and if it gets stored in your muscles, it doesn’t get stored in fat cells. So less blood sugar equals less insulin, equals less fat, equals more fat burning.”

But if you think you need to hit a specific step count or hop on a treadmill, the fitness trainer explained that a simple walk works just as well, as it signals the body that it’s active and doesn’t need to store extra fat. So you don’t need to really store fat.

Note to readers: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.

This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice.

September 13, 2025 0 comments

Fashion

This Simple Styling Trick Is The Best Way to Layer Basics

by jummy84 August 20, 2025

written by jummy84

While I may spend countless hours every day obsessing over all things fashion, my best outfits are often when I’m not overthinking them. The unattainable, effortlessly cool vibe, which we all tirelessly try to curate (myself included), should be precisely that, effortless. So I propose we take a step back and start with the basics. Literally.

I spotted this layering trend on my FYP about a year ago, and since then, I’ve seen it everywhere. It is simple, easy, and effortlessly cool. Doubling up on basics is my favorite layering technique. Loved by fashion people everywhere, I’ve put together a how-to on the best way to layer basics. With style inspiration from stylist Marianne Smyth, Oslo-based fashion person Nnenna Echem, and style enthusiast Amaka Hamelijnck, you can trust you’re in good hands. Keep scrolling for inspo and tips, plus how I’ve styled this life-changing layering technique.