They won't let you quit!

By Rinky Kumar

Sale season, that new Blackberry or even a holiday in France, you want it all! So you're planning to wait around until the end of the financial year for that much deserved raise and bonus. Well darlin', given the current recession scenario, the chances of a fat (ter) pay check are super low.
Disappointed? Think quitting is the answer? You may drop in your papers but be ready for a tempting offer from HR which will make you change your mind.

Don't believe us? Read on to find out the steps your company will take to keep you coming into work.

Indispensability quotient

Assessing 'key critical areas' (read: how indispensable you are to the company) is the first step that your superiors and HR manager would take.

"We identify if an employee's cost of replacement is high, how much time and effort was invested in training that individual. We also identify how she is important in achieving an organisation's goals," says Pallavi Lawlekar, HR manager at a leading MNC.

Time please!

If you are absolutely keen on leaving your existing work place in the hope that your future job will assure you a hefty salary, then you will be given adequate time to re-think your decision.

"We try to explain to the employee that the future cost-to-company (C2C) will not be as much as his existing C2C, thanks to the recession," says Yanjana Thuain, HR manager in a financial broking firm. She adds that the individual is also given time to understand the real-world situation.

Free advice

Expect this for sure. Everyone, from your boss, to your colleagues and the HR manager will spout words of wisdom. While some of your colleagues will encourage you to leave, just so you are out of their way, your true friends will say, 'how much they will miss you'. Your boss will all of a sudden find you an 'asset'.

"When I threatened to quit, my boss and HR manager sat me down and explained to me how in the next few years, I could be heading an entire team and why I had bright prospects in that organisation," says Rucha Cherodian, an advertising executive.

Take a hike

This is the most obvious solution. If you are unhappy with your current salary and designation and are contemplating to quit, then you are sure to get a shot in the arm. The catch is - you need to be in your boss's good books and equally good at your work for that much-desired hike.

"If a person is deserving and an asset to the organisation, then his designation can be changed. Not only that, in most cases, we give him more responsibility as an additional benefit, so that he feels he's needed in the firm," says Thuain .

Perk it up

If you are thinking of quitting simply because you are not enjoying your job, then you might be suggested an employee referral programme. This includes an opportunity where you can rope in your friends or acquaintances in the same company and get a rise in your salary.

If you are lucky, your boss might also send you on a foreign trip where you can forget your 'sorrows'.

"I was tired of my job. All of a sudden, my boss sent me on a junket (an all-expenses paid trip) abroad. I was ecstatic," says 23-year-old Deepali Shah, a media professional.

So, this time around when you threaten to quit, just give into temptation instead!

Cream conundrum

By Rinky Kumar

Diamonds might be a girl's best friend but cosmetics and makeup come in a close second, thanks to our vanity insanity. All of us nurture a desire to have smooth, radiant baby soft skin.
Apart from the daily cleansing, toning and moisturising regime, we are often advised to use a variety of creams to pamper ourselves. If you are confused about the various creams available in the market, thanks to the commercials that hound you on television, here's some help.

Here's our guide to the most commonly used creams and how they work wonders on your skin.

Day cream

Day cream, as the name suggests, is a cream meant to be applied in the day. According to cosmetic dermatologist and laser surgeon Dr Apratim Goel, its sunscreen ingredients work as a sun protection as well as moisturise the top layers of the skin. Some day creams also contain vitamins as well as alpha hydroxy acids or AHA which are skin rejuvenators.

Night cream

You can now wake up with refreshed skin, thanks to the night cream. It's a much needed vitamin for tired, stressed skin. "The metabolic activity of skin cells is highest at night and so is the absorption of the active ingredients. In other words, when we are sleeping, our body is repairing itself," says Dr Goel. A good night cream should contain collagen, elastin and essential lipids to help refresh your face while you sleep. Night creams are also essential to keep your skin moisturised.

Moisturiser

Moisturiser is a product that hydrates the skin, and/or protects the skin from dehydration. It not only replaces the water lost from the skin but also prevents its loss to the surroundings. It also protects the skin against the drying influences of the environment such as the effects of the sun, cold and heat. Lack of use of moisturiser can make your skin rough. It can also lead to premature ageing, explains Dr Goel.

Sunscreen

Your once flawless complexion can get sunburnt or tanned, due to the harmful ultra-violet rays of the sun. Sunscreens protect the skin against the damage of UV rays. According to Dr Goel, the effectiveness of a sunscreen is graded by a numerical factor called sun protection factor or SPF.

"It can range from 5-100 and above but for Indian weather conditions as well as Indian skin types, anything from 25-50 is good for use." Sun protection products can be classified as UVB blockers, UVA blockers, and physical blockers. A broad-spectrum sunscreen protects against both UVA and UVB light. Sunscreens can act either by:

• Chemical absorption of radiation energy.
• Physically blocking by deflecting or scattering UV radiation away from skin.

Under eye creams

These are special formulations that reduce the pigmentation, dark circles and lines under the eyes. "Look for skin creams that contain Vitamin C or K, elastin, collagen, Vitamin E, AHA and kinetin. An under eye cream is necessary because the under eye skin is devoid of any oil glands. So it has to be moisturised daily," suggests Dr Goel.

An eye cream prevents further moisture loss, assists the skin in absorbing moisture from the air and stimulates blood circulation.

Now that you know the real meaning of creams, take your pick and look your radiant best.