I’m 19 years old and I have combination skin. I have used different types of products and remedies but none has been effective. Could you please suggest some products for skincare and some tips?
Farishta Hussain
Dear Farishta, always treat your skin like two individual skin types — the T-zone being oily and the cheeks being dry. You can use 2 teaspoons (tsp) honey on your face, to which you have added 1 tsp powdered camphor. Massage your skin with this on alternate days and wash off after five minutes.
One of the most invigorating scrubs for a combination skin that can be done twice a week would be to mix 2 tsp orange peel powder with 1 tsp sandalwood powder and 1 tsp fuller’s earth. Stir in approximately 1 tsp fresh mint paste and a little rose water.
Apply on the whole face for 10 minutes, dab with milk and scrub off in a rotating manner. Wash skin with chilled water from the fridge and pat dry. This should be done regularly for cleaner and clearer-looking skin.
Most people with combination skin make the mistake of using heavy creams on their face, which makes the skin look dull and lifeless. Honey being nature’s magical moisturiser, will take care of the moisturising and nourishing and you will not need to use a cream.
I’m a 28-year-old woman with regular hair. I wanted to know the correct procedure of preparing and applying henna for both colouring and conditioning purposes. When should I oil my hair and how regularly should I apply henna?
Sunita Saraff
Henna should always be applied on clean hair, which goes against so many women who apply it on the day their hair is due for a shampoo. I have seen women make a complete hotchpotch of what to put into their henna. Here’s a simple and effective recipe to darken the natural colour of henna and not give it an orange hue:
♦ 250g good quality henna
♦ 1 cup strained black tea water
♦ 2 tsp strong coffee powder
♦ 2 tsp burnt amla powder (which can be done in an iron vessel)
♦ 50ml water, to which you have added walnut bark and simmered until it reduces to half.
Mix all the ingredients in an iron vessel and leave it out overnight. The next day apply on the hair from the roots, creating a crown on your head and covering all the hair. Leave on for a minimum of two hours and rinse off.
DO NOT SHAMPOO.
Oil your hair with a good quality Mahabhringraj oil and shampoo after two hours.
My mother is in her mid-40s and is expecting menopause soon. She has a family history of early menopause and dry skin. Lately she has developed facial hair above her upper lip as well as on her cheeks. She is also suffering from hair fall at an alarming rate from both her scalp as well as her eyelashes. Could you please suggest some natural solutions?
Name withheld on request
Peri menopause is quite normal at this age and the drying of skin due to fall in estrogen is normal too. Your mother can start applying a good-quality rose massage oil all over her body. This should be done at least twice a week. Putting 1 tsp almond oil into the navel the last thing at night when lying down on your back and gently patting the navel until all the oil is absorbed will also help reduce dryness. For the sudden hair growth, she needs to see a doctor and go in for some tests.
Ma’am, your beauty solutions are very effective and useful. I’d like to thank you for that. Lately, I have developed some facial hair above my upper lip. It’s not like a moustache, yet visible enough to cause embarrassment to a 15-year-old girl. I have combination skin. Also, it seems as though my eyebrows, which are very thick, are beginning to get joined. Could you please suggest an effective natural remedy?
Name withheld on request
My dear girl, you are blossoming into a young lady and all the vices that go with being one! Hair growth is very normal and the only way I think you should deal with it at 15 is to get it threaded. The eyebrows can be plucked or threaded too, but please go to a professional for this, one who is good at her work and has a hygienic place.
I have a dry face as well as dark circles. Is there a natural solution that you can suggest please?
Tapaswiny Tripathy, 17
Dark circles and dry skin can be handled with the use of almond oil. I would suggest that you massage the skin with 1 tsp almond oil daily, followed with the application of sandalwood paste. Both these ingredients have a lightening effect on the skin. However, dark circles can have various causes, like low intake of water (you need at least 10 glasses), prolonged illness, lack of proper balanced diet, vitamin deficiency and low haemoglobin, sleeplessness, stress and even hereditary causes. You need to find out and deal with it appropriately.
Suparna Trikha is a nature care expert and columnist.
Find her on Facebook @SuparnaTrikha.
If you have questions for her, write to t2onsunday@abp.in
