All those pricey bottles that claim to make your beauty woes vanish have one thing in common, they come loaded with chemicals.
Everything you need for great skin and hair is in your kitchen. The food we eat vitalizes our system, offers it minerals, vitamins, and nutrients. If we dip into these food products for external application, their capacity to heal does not diminish. Nature’s gifts – fruits, dry fruits, herbs, vegetables as well as flowers are rich in properties that can only enhance the skin and hair. So why not fashion your cosmetics from the bounties of nature to ensure that your body is only exposed to products that are 100% natural. Here is the list for 10 effective natural regimens for your glowing skin and shiny hair.
1. Problem: Dark Circles
Solution: Oatmeal
- 2tsp grated potato juice
- 2tsp grated cucumber juice
- 2tsp oatmeal powder
- 1tsp almond oil
Mix the ingredients together. Dab two cotton pads in the solution, and place one pad on each eye for 5 minutes. Remove the pads, and notice the difference!
2. Problem: Pigmentation and Discolouration
Solution: Coconut
- ¼ cup grated coconut
- ¼ cup pistachios
Grind the two ingredients into a smooth paste. Massage this paste on the pigmented area for 5 minutes. Those with acne or boils must not massage, but simply dab the pack on. Leave it on for 5 to 10 minutes, then wash it off with water. Apply the pack twice daily.
3. Problem: Pesky Acne and Oily Skin
Solution: Green gram lentil
- 2tsp green gram lentil powder
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ tsp sandalwood powder 1 pinch clove powder
- 10 dashes (1 dash=2 drops) cucumber juice or water
Mix the green gram lentil, turmeric, sandalwood, and clove powders with water or cucumber juice. Apply all over the face and neck. Avoid the eyes and the area directly around them. Wash off the pack after 5 minutes with cold water. This pack can be applied twice daily.
4. Problem: Dry, Chapped Lips
Solution: Pumpkin
- 2tsp pumpkin paste
- 2tsp coconut cream
- 1tsp honey
Mix the ingredients. Chill the paste in the freezer for 10 minutes. Apply two to three times a day on the lips.
5. Problem: Dull Lips
Solution: Orange
- ¼ cup orange pulp
- ¼ cup honey
Blend the orange pulp and honey in equal proportions. Apply two to three times a day on your lips.
6. Problem: Ageing Skin
Solution: Almonds
- 4tsp coconut milk
- 10 to 12 almonds
- 2tsp almond oil
- 1tsp honey
Soak the almonds overnight. Peel, grind them the next day into a paste. Mix the almond paste with coconut milk, almond oil, honey. Massage this pack on the face and neck. Wash off with lukewarm water after 5 to 10 minutes.
7. Problem: Hair Fall
Solution: Fenugreek
- 5 red hibiscus Flowers
- ¼ cup fenugreek seeds, soaked overnight
- ¼ cup curry leaves
- ¼ cup fresh coconut
Grind the petals of the hibiscus flowers with the other ingredients; then strain it through a sieve. Massage the liquid into your scalp. After 10 minutes, wash it off with cold water. Use a mild herbal shampoo and conditioner.
8. Problem: Hair Loss in Patches
Solution: Onion
- ¼ onion
- 5 fresh aloe vera leaves
- 10tbsp mustard seed oil
Grind the onion till you get a pulp. Grind the pulp of the aloe vera leaves to get a cup of fresh juice. Mix the pulp and the juice with the mustard seed oil. Apply the solution to the bald patches. Wash off with cold water, and with a herbal shampoo and conditioner, after 20 minutes. Apply twice a week.
9. Problem: Dry Hair During Winter
Solution: Egg Yolk
- 2 egg yolks
- ¼ cup papaya paste
- 2tsp curd
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 2tsp coconut oil
- 4 drops ylang-ylang essential oil
Blend all the ingredients, except for the ylang-ylang essential oil, in a mixer. Pour this paste into a glass container. Now add the ylang-ylang essential oil. Apply the solution across the scalp and along the length of your hair. Tie your hair in a bun, and wear a shower cap to avoid staining. Wash after 20 minutes with a mild herbal shampoo and conditioner. Follow this ritual at least once a week.
10. Problem: Damaged, Coloured Hair
Solution: Banana
- 1 banana, cut into slices
- 1 slice ripe papaya,
- ¼ cup olive or sesame or almond oil
- ¼ cup thick coconut milk
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 dashes lavender oil
Grind the ingredients in a mixer into a smooth paste. As in the case of henna, partition the hair, apply the paste to the length of each segment, and twist each section. Tie the hair into a neat bun, and cover it with a shower cap. Wash after 20 minutes with an aloe vera-based shampoo and conditioner. Apply this pack twice a week for nourished locks.