Dec. 20: Beauty is a fragile gift, Ovid had said — a truth that helps cosmetic companies around the world laugh their way to the bank.

Women in the Northeast, particularly those in the city, sure know how to take care of this fragile asset, beauty expert Blossom Kochhar certified.

“The skin type of people in the Northeast region is dry with more pigmentation than people in the other parts of the county. But the girls here and in Guwahati are very aware of what beauty regime to follow to keep their skin good looking. They are also very fashion-conscious,” said Kochhar, the chairperson of Blossom Kochhar Beauty Products Pvt Ltd.

Kochhar, who has a chain of salons across the country and abroad, opened a salon in the city two years back.

Speaking on the importance of using herbal products which are “kitchen cosmetics put in a bottle”, Kochhar said, “There are many herbal products that are available in the market. But one should examine the ingredients that are mentioned in the packets.”

The preservatives that are used in herbal products are mainly chemicals but the client should look for products that have obtained from natural sources.

Stress, which is a quintessential part of city life, can be fought using herbal aromatic oils.

“Like other cities in the country, here too, people are subjected to stress. Aromatic oils can be a good option to fight stress,” said Kochhar.

Some of the useful essential oils are lavender, orange, jasmine and rose. “Lavender oil is good to fight stress, has antiseptic value and also induces sleep. Orange oil can give a ‘feel happy’ sensation. And if one wants to calm down, one can use rose oil,” said Kochhar.

Since aromatic oil is concentrated, one should use it with a base oil.

“I use olive oil in winter. To this, I add a drop of lavender oil and it helps me to relax a lot,” said Jyotsna Roy, a resident of Ulubari.

The youths of the region are not only conscious about their skin and hair care but are also keen to take up beauty care as a profession.

At Kochhar’s institute where students can get a degree and later a post-graduate degree in aesthetics and spa, students from the region outnumber those from the rest of the country.

“The young people here are very eager to take this profession seriously,” she said.