Actress Soumili Biswas interacts with the residents of Haltu at the GoodLife Talk Show on Sunday afternoon. Picture by Aranya Sen

Though the Pujas are round the corner and a lot of shopping needs to be done, many residents of Haltu preferred to spend their Sunday morning at The Telegraph Connect ? the readers’ meet, games for kids and GoodLife Talk Show ? at Kshudiram Mancha.

Looking lissome in a blue silk sari, actress Soumili Biswas turned up to share her thoughts on beauty and healthcare with readers of The Telegraph.

So, what’s her secret in staying slim and sexy?

“Exercise,” said Soumili, whose big-screen stints include Tarun Majumder’s Aalo and Haranath Chakraborty’s Gyanrakol. “It is a must, at least for 10 to 15 minutes every day. You could do yoga or go jogging.”

For a glowing complexion, Soumili sticks to a daily routine of cleaning her face with a toner and then dabbing some moisturiser.

“I don’t like going to parlours and so I rely mostly on home-made face packs. To clean my face, I use milk. It helps a lot in removing the dirt and grime,” offered Soumili, who sticks to a diet low on junk foods and high on fruits.

“I want to make my hair look glossy like yours. What is the easiest option?” asked a middle-aged mother. “You can use a pack of eggs, curd and a few drops of lime juice before bathing. Apply the pack on your hair and leave it for an hour before washing it off with shampoo. And it’s not good to shampoo your hair every day. Every alternate day is fine,” suggested Soumili.

Using the pack for a month-and-a-half would make one’s hair silky and smooth. An even better alternative is to use henna twice a month, said the svelte actress.

Her recipe: soak the henna overnight in tea liquor, mix some curd and apply it on your hair, leave it for an hour-and-a-half and wash it off.

More queries poured in, from skin problems to cracked soles. “With the onset of winter, my skin starts peeling. What should I do to rectify the problem?” asked a worried home-maker. Moisturising is the only way out, said Soumili.

To a teenager troubled with sunspots, Soumili advised the use of tomato juice. “But if the spots remain for long, you must consult a doctor,” came the word of caution.

On the use of sunscreen lotions, the advice from the popular anchor of TV show Syllabusey Nei was: “Apply the lotion at least half-an-hour before stepping out in the sun. Otherwise, you run the risk of getting tanned. But sunscreens apart, one must also try and carry an umbrella.”

“Are fairness creams effective in removing suntan?” asked one of the backbenchers. “I don’t think fairness creams are effective. Honey, curd and lime juice are very good natural bleaching agents. A mixture of all three is a handy pack. One can also use mashed papaya, which is very good for dull skin. If making the pack everyday is a problem, you can store it in the fridge,” Soumili offered.

A few others sought help from cracked heels in the winter months to which Soumili suggested a foot bath at home.

The way to go about it: add a few drops of shampoo in lukewarm water, soak your feet for 20 minutes and scrub the soles with a brush. Then, dab some foot cream or a few drops of glycerine on the sore spots?

So, put your best foot forward for the Pujas.