This summer, enjoy flawless skin the natural way.
With the oppressive heat back, so is the tendency to develop acne, rashes, sunburn, tan and other skin issues. Natural home remedies are the best way to protect your skin in summer. A diet rich in fruits and veggies, coupled with lots of water and uninterrupted sleep, will make your face glow.
Skin Win
Your skin type changes according to the season and may result in various skin conditions. However, with the following home remedies, you will definitely see a visible difference in the health, hydration and texture of your skin.
Normal skin
Is neither oily nor dry. It appears smooth and pores are barely visible. It usually reflects good health.
tips:
— Use a tinted moisturiser with SPF 30-50.
— Make a mist out of black or green tea with a few drops of lavender oil and one tsp aloe vera juice. Put it in a spray bottle and refrigerate. Spray on your face several times a day or post cleansing.
— For cleansing: Take one tsp baking soda and one tsp water. Make a paste and apply on your face in circular motion. Leave on for about five minutes and rinse. It helps remove all traces of chemicals from your skin.
— You can also cleanse your face with raw cow’s milk using cotton.
— For a face pack: Mix one tsp each of milk powder, almond powder, honey and rosewater to make a paste. Apply on your face and let it dry. Rinse.
—A carrot glow pack is great for nourishing your skin after sun damage. Peel one carrot and boil it in water. Mash and add a little honey to make a thick paste. Apply on your face and leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Repeat this once a week.
Dry skin
Is flaky and has a dry, parched appearance. It has small pores, so it’s unable to retain moisture. It leads to mature/ aging skin and rosacea.
tips:
— Use a tinted SPF 30-50 sunscreen or water based UVA+UVB sunscreen. Avoid alcohol based toners.
— Make a mist of rosewater with a few drops of glycerine and lemon. Put it in a spray bottle and refrigerate. Spray on your face several times in a day.
— Apply olive oil on your face and scrub it lightly with one tsp whole milk powder. Rinse it with warm water.
— Apply boiled rice water on your face frequently. Starch helps hydrate and it’s a perfect moisturiser.
— Apply jojoba oil and sweet almond oil after a warm shower.
— For a face pack: Mix equal quantities of honey and whole milk with a little cornflour to make a paste. Apply on your face and rinse it off when dry.
— Take one tsp each of egg white and carrot juice. Mix well and apply on your face. Rinse it off with warm water after 15 minutes.
Oily skin
Has thick, greasy, enlarged pores. It usually leads to blackheads and acne as it attracts dirt. But this skin type ages late as moisture content and oil glands keep the skin supple.
tips:
— To sweat-proof your makeup, rub ice cubes on your face to tighten pores and then apply a base.
— Use a tinted moisturiser with SPF 30-50 or a water-based sunscreen instead of a heavy cream/ oil base.
— Make sure to keep all the mists, lotions and gels in the fridge before using, as it helps to shrink the pores and makes them tighter.
— A mist made of cucumber juice or lemon juice in rosewater and aloe vera juice works wonders.
— Add few drops of lime juice to skimmed milk/ powder and cleanse your face regularly.
—For a face pack: Mix one tsp each of orange peel powder, oat powder, honey and a squeeze of lemon juice with a little rosewater. Apply on your face and let it dry. Rinse.
Combination skin
Is dry and oily. The area around the chin, forehead and nose are oily. And the area around the eyes and jawline is often dry. This skin type has large pores and is prone to blackheads.
tips:
— Make a mist of rosewater with one tsp cucumber juice and a few drops of lemon juice.
— Cleanse your face with coconut oil, lemon juice or honey to brighten your complexion.
— For a face pack: Mix multani mitti with sandalwood powder and rosewater. Apply once in 15 days to remove excess oil from your ‘T’ zone.
—Applying papaya pulp with a tsp of milk powder for 10 minutes keeps your skin balanced and sparkling.
Sensitive skin
(CONDITION OF BOTH OILY AND DRY)
Is prone to rashes and irritation. It has to be handled with a lot of care.
tips:
— Use a mist made of chamomile and lavender-based water.
— Add a few drops of lavender oil to cold water. Dip your towel in it and wipe your face.
— Mix one tsp each of liquorice (mulethi) powder, honey and aloe vera gel. Apply on your face and keep it for 15-20 minutes. Rinse.
—You can also apply chilled aloevera gel, especially when back from stressful weather conditions.
Pigmentation skin
Is another skin condition that appears mostly in summer. Sometimes due to medication, liver abnormalities, overexposure to the sun and radiation too there could be unevenness in colour and pigmentation. Certain food allergies can also cause darkening of skin.
tips:
— Apply potato juice on the affected area. Leave on for 10 minutes and rinse.
— For bleach: Take one cup raw cow’s milk/ yoghurt/ fresh cream; add a pinch of organic turmeric and a few drops of lemon juice. Mix well and apply in a circular motion on your face. Leave it on for 10 minutes and rinse.
—Mix rice powder with two tsp milk. Scrub your face lightly with it and rinse. It’s a great skin lightening scrub.