Durga Puja and all its ensuing festivities will soon be upon us. Even as you put finishing touches to your Puja shopping, spare some thought for your skin. Sometimes it becomes impossible to take time out to spend long hours pampering yourself. So, here are some natural remedies which will take just five minutes of your time and work wonders!

PIMPLES CAUSED BY DRYNESS

For those of you who sprout pimples in the middle of the cold season and have very dry skin, stop thinking there’s something wrong with you or that you have gone back to your teens! Yes, one can get pimples even from dryness. Make this wonderful nourishing oil and massage two drops into wet skin after you have washed it. You can do this daily.

50g neem honey
50ml olive oil
50ml sesame seed oil
10 drops of geranium oil.

FROWN LINES

The forehead has nerve endings that make it vulnerable to tension and damage below the surface. Worry, stress and tension lead to regular frowning and ultimately frown lines. Besides boosting your vitamin intake by including fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet, try and consciously relax the forehead muscles by pinching them gently with your fingertips. Also apply the following mask to soothe the lines:

2tsp (teaspoon) neem honey
A pinch of turmeric powder
A pinch of camphor
Mix well and apply on the skin for about 10 minutes. Wash off with cold water.

STABILISING MASK

For premature wrinkles, rosacea and acne on sensitive skin. If you feel that you are beginning to see those fine lines around the lips and eyes, stop them right away with this stabilising natural pack that you can conjure up in minutes. This is also for people who have extremely sensitive skin and rosacea, a condition in which facial blood vessels enlarge, turning the cheeks and nose reddish.

2tbs (tablespoon) gramflour
1tsp fresh cream
2tsp water
A pinch of salt
Mix all the ingredients well and apply on the skin for 10 minutes and wash off with tepid water. 

LIP MASK

Smoking, drinking alcohol and inadequate water intake can lead to dark lips, besides the fact that there can be internal issues or hereditary problems. Make the following lip mask and use it daily for five minutes to nourish and lighten the lip area.

1tsp almond powder
1tsp fresh cream
1tsp raw grated potato.

SCANTY EYEBROWS

A lot of women have this problem and I have seen the most amazing results by massaging 2 drops of castor oil into the eyebrows daily for two to three weeks.

MOISTURISER FOR DRY SKIN

Dry skin can often feel leathery and parched and requires nourishment and hydration. Make this wonderful natural moisturiser which works as a superfood for the skin and promises to make your skin super soft in minutes:

3tsp aloe vera gel
3tsp rice bran oil
1tsp ghee
2tsp rose water.
Whip all the ingredients together and massage the required quantity into the skin.

DARK CIRCLES

Dark circles can make you look older, ill and haggard. A quick recipe to reduce dark circles is to massage almond oil and papaya mash around the eyes and apply the following mask:

2tsp almond paste
1tsp grated cucumber
A few drops of lemon.
Put a thin bandage gauge on the eye area and put this mask on while lying down and relaxing. Leave on for 10 minutes and wash off.

 NAIL RIDGES

Many a time you cannot apply nail polish because of uneven nails. This unevenness is known as ridges. To smoothen these out, take the following:

Lemon halves
1tsp olive oil 
A rough hand towel.
Dip the lemon half into the oil and rub on the nails, massaging in gently. Now take the towel and rub vigorously on the nails. This done for two to three minutes daily for a week will even out the nails and make them shiny and smooth.

PIGMENTATION

This annoying discolouration of skin is basically an internal problem but can make the skin look bad. The following exfoliator will help reduce dark patchy pigmentation and clarify the skin. You can use it daily as part of your skincare routine:

3tsp oatmeal
3tsp almond powder
2tsp honey
The juice of half a lemon
Milk to make a smooth paste.
Mix all the ingredients and apply on the skin for five minutes, dab with milk when semi-dry and wash off with water. 

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