No, you don’t need to shell out pots of money every time you want to indulge in a beauty ritual. Your home kitchen can very well be a treasure trove for beauty solutions you did not even know existed. Shama Nimkar tells you how with a little dedication and effort over a period of time, natural remedies can help you achieve the skin of your dreams.
In today’s times, having beautiful and flawless skin almost feels like a dream to many. The changing weather, an unhealthy lifestyle, erratic sleep cycles and deleterious eating habits not only affect our body and mind, but also our skin. The soaring pollution levels and the skin’s daily exposure to the sun are known to be some of the primary reasons for skin damage.
While we have make-up and cosmetic treatments at our disposal to hide all our imperfections, there is no substitute for natural beauty. A good make-up look might garner you a lot of compliments but what matters at the end of the day, is the visage that you see in the mirror after cleansing your face of all its make-up. After all, artificial beauty can go only so far.
What really makes a difference is following a good skincare regime and moreover, the right skincare regime. “What works well for one may not work well for another. This is because everyone has a different skin type and it’s crucial for one to use ingredients that suit their skin,” says Suparna Trikha, a well-known beauty expert and an entrepreneur with her own line of beauty products made using natural ingredients.
Treat a sun-tan
The most common problems when it comes to your skin are tanning, acne and ageing. “The best solution to get rid of a sun-tan would be to prepare skin-lightening masks or packs and apply it to your face. The packs work like magic if all the ingredients are blended well and mixed to perfection,” Trikha advises.
Face pack for combination and oily skin
• 1 tsp tulsi
• 1 tsp multani mitti
• 1 tsp sandalwood powder
• ½ tsp lemon juice
Application: Mix the above ingredients well, apply on freshly-washed towel-dried face. Keep for 15 minutes and rinse off with cold water.
Face pack for dry skin
• 4 cubes of mashed papaya
• 2-3 tbsp of oatmeal
• 1 tbsp almond paste
• 2 tbsp of full-fat cream
Application: Apply on freshly-washed towel-dried face. Leave for 15 mins. Rinse off with cold water.
Say no to acne
Acne is stubborn and it takes a lot of struggle to fight it. Nonetheless, clearing your skin of acne and its scars is not impossible. “Follow a healthy diet. Maintain a clean face at all times and apply face-packs on a weekly basis,” says Smita Deshpande, Partner at Orchid Beauty Skin and Hair Academy, Pune. She suggests making a simple face pack with natural ingredients that would benefit acne-prone skin.
Face pack for acne-prone skin
• Mint leaves
• Tulsi leaves
• Tulsi powder
• Neem powder
• Rose water
Application: Blend all the ingredients together and create a paste. Apply on dry face and wash off.
Goodbye wrinkles
While ageing of skin is inevitable, one can always delay the obvious. Deshpande suggests creating a face pack with ingredients readily available in your kitchen that is guaranteed to give you a youthful and radiant visage. Afterall, nobody likes to have a dull and wrinkled skin.
Face pack for ageing skin
• 1 tbsp milk protein powder
• 1 tbs honey
• ½ tbsp almond oil
Application: Blend everything well and apply it to your face.
How it helps: This mask rejuvenates the skin and gives it a youthful glow. The vitamin E in the pack is helpful in preserving the skin texture and quality. It helps in tightening the pores and moisturises your skin well. Applying face packs and masks to your skin will leave you with visible effects and your skin complexion as well as the texture will definitely improve.
Make natural ingredients a part of your daily skincare regime
Apart from using natural ingredients to heal damaged skin, they can also be used as a part of your day-to-day skincare regime. Start by cleaning your face with a good cleanser. “Cinnamon has great anti-microbial properties. Powder it and mix with 1 tbsp honey and sugar granules. Use this mixture as a natural scrub to remove the dead skin and impurities from the face,” says Dr Austin, Head-Research and Development, Cholayil Private Limited. Follow it up by toning your skin as well. “Skin toners are very important for people with oily or acne-prone skin as it cleanses the skin and closes the pores by tightening the cell gaps. Preparing a toner depending on your skin type will have a magical effect. Mix apple cider vinegar and water in 1:1 ratio and add half a cup of green tea, cucumber juice and aloe vera gel. Shake it well and then apply it on the skin to soothe and repair the skin,” continues Dr Austin. “Rose water along with camphor proves to be an excellent skin-toner for oily to combination skin,” adds Trikha.
What makes natural remedies so good for the skin?
Right from ancient days, our forefathers have stressed enough on the importance of Ayurveda in the skincare and healthcare routine. Deshpande states that it is always safer to rely on natural remedies, as the chances of their side-effects on your skin are lesser than those of creams and cosmetic products which unlike natural ingredients, have added chemicals to them. At the same time, she cautions people against picking wrong products for their skin type. “It is critical to analyse your skin before applying any type of cream or serum. Choose a product that is meant for your skin type else it may cause breakouts,” she suggests.
Who said beauty has to come at a price!
