CLEAN YOUR FACE

Women are often not aware of their skin type and use products which are fabulous for their friends but disastrous for themselves. Identify your skin type and use the pack that’s right for you.

Dry skin

Dry skin is usually flaky and looks dull around the eyes and on the cheeks. It also needs constant moisturising. Wash your face with milk and oatmeal instead of soap. For extra nourishment, make a pack with 10 almonds, two table-spoon oatmeal, four tablespoon full-cream milk, two tablespoon china clay, juice of half a lemon and one mashed avocado. Apply on face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes. Dampen cotton wool with cold milk and wipe off. Splash your face with cold water and apply a light moisturiser.

Combination skin

The skin on the T-zone — nose and forehead — is usually oily and dry around the eyes and cheeks. Cleanse the centre part with an astringent and the remaining face with a cotton pad dipped in cold milk. Apply a pack made of half a cup of powdered dry peas, mixed with three tablespoons of curd, juice of one lemon and half a cup of papaya pulp. Apply it for 20 minutes and wash it off with ice-cold water. Better still, rub an ice cube dipped in rose water on the T-zone. It prevents enlarged pores and blackheads. Make ice cubes with rose water so that you can rub your face with them whenever required.

Oily skin

Such skin usually looks greasy and dull as the sebaceous glands secrete more oil. They need a thorough cleansing routine to remove clogged pores and the surface grime. You need a face pack which will rejuvenate and also tighten the pores and exfoliate. 

Mash six strawberries with a teaspoon of brandy, two tablespoons of fuller’s earth, a few drops of rose water and two tablespoons of breadcrumb. Apply a thick layer on the face and neck and leave on for 20 minutes. Strawberries have Vitamin C and certain acidic properties, which leave the skin sparkling clean. Avoid using heavy creams as they only clog the pores.

CROWNING GLORY

Dull and unkempt hair ruins the most beautiful appearance. Your scalp also requires nourishment. There is nothing wrong in washing your hair every day because a clean scalp helps to grow healthy hair. Use a mild shampoo, but don’t experiment with too many varieties. With the onset of spring, it’s important to get rid of the dryness that sets in during winter.

Rub warm oil in your hair. For best results, mix two tablespoons each of olive oil, castor oil and coconut oil and warm it. Apply gently in a circular motion. Leave on for at least an hour, shampoo and pat your hair dry. It’ll be bouncy and shiny.
Haircare should vary according to hair type, so it is important to classify your hair first.

Oily hair looks greasy and limp and is often prone to dandruff. Regular washing is a must for oily hair. After shampooing, try rinsing your hair with a glass of stale beer (better for your hair than your waistline!). Also strain a glass of black tea and mix with the juice of one lemon and use it as the last rinse. Watch your hair come sparkling alive.

Greasy hair can be made to feel wonderful by applying a pack of four tablespoons of fuller’s earth with the juice of one lemon, half a glass of beer, two eggs, powdered neem leaves and two teaspoons of powdered fenugreek seeds. Add some milk to make a smooth paste. Apply and wash after an hour.

Banana bouncer For dry hair that looks frizzy, use a conditioner. To make it manageable and lustrous, mix six mashed bananas with two eggs, two teaspoons of  olive oil and one teaspoon of fenugreek seeds. Apply and cover your hair with a shower cap. Shampoo after 30 minutes and dry your hair by brushing from the nape to the end of the strands.

WATCH THAT BACK

When it comes to beauty treatments, our back and neck are always the most neglected — and the first to show signs of ageing. Whenever you go for a facial, make it a point to include your neck and back as well. It is also important to do some neck stretching exercises every day; they help relieve stress.

Soak yourself in a tub of warm, frothy water. Add 20 drops citrus oil, 20 drops almond oil, lemon slices and a handful of powdered milk and rose petals. Use a jute brush to exfoliate dead cells and apply the following pack on the back and neck.

Neck scrub: Mix one cup gram flour, juice of one lemon, two tablespoons of ground lentils (lal masoor), two tablespoons of milk and tablespoons of wheat husk. Mix it all together and leave on the neck and back for 20 minutes. Scrub off with rotating movements and rub some moisturiser.

If you’ve got the time, indulge in a herbal oil massage. It works wonders. Make it your springtime resolution this year!
Make these natural treatments a part of your weekly routine. As the sun’s rays warm your back, shine and stand out in the crowd.

Suparna Trikha is a nature care expert and a columnist. Find her on Facebook @suparnatrikha. If you have questions, write to her at t2onsunday@abp.in with your age, skin type and other details