Winter care for skin

BEAUTY CORNER

Fuller’s Earth or multani mitti has been used extensively for skin care. It is natural clay, white or light beige in colour. It contains several minerals which work well on oily skin. It also has astringent properties, and refines and tightens the pores, improving skin texture. It also tones and brightens the skin, leaving it smooth, soft and glowing. It helps acne- and pimple- prone skin by reducing oiliness and keeping the pores free of oil. It can be used along with ingredients like sandalwood, neem and mint to treat pimples and acne. Its clay-like texture tightens the skin and serves as a useful face pack.

Fuller’s Earth can be combined with many kitchen ingredients to make a facepack.
Try these at home.

For oily skin: Mix Fuller’s Earth with rose water into a paste and apply on the face, avoiding the lips and the area around eyes. Wipe face with cotton wool soaked in water once the pack dries off. For combination skin, apply the mask on oily areas of the skin.

For pimples/acne: Mix Fuller’s Earth with sandalwood paste, rose water and neem leaf powder. Apply the same way and wipe off when it is dry.

For normal skin: Mix Fuller’s Earth with honey and yogurt into a paste. Apply on the face and wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes.

For pimple marks: Mix Fuller’s Earth with rose water and lemon juice into a paste and apply on the face. Wash it off when it is dries.

Fenugreek facts           

Be it an upset stomach or cramps, fenugreek (methi) is known for its powerful healing quality. The seeds also help to control dandruff. Fenugreek contains lecithin, which  helps moisturise the hair and can be used by those who have dry, damaged or brittle hair.

Fenugreek seeds should be soaked in water overnight. Grind the soaked seeds into a paste and apply  on the scalp. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes and then rinse well with water. You can also add olive oil to the paste. This helps fight the presence of dandruff.

The water in which the seeds have been soaked can be used to rinse hair. It helps in preventing dandruff and lice infestation. It also adds body and shine to the hair.
Add fenugreek seeds to your weekly/monthly henna treatment. Here’s what you should do:

Mix together four teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee decoction, two raw eggs, one teaspoon of fenugreek seed powder and tea powder to henna powder. Make it into a thick paste. If the hair is dry and brittle, add two teaspoons of oil. Apply the henna paste and leave it on for at least two hours.

Sandalwood oil

Sandalwood oil has powerful healing properties and is one of the best known natural germicidals and antiseptics. It helps to soothe rashes, pimples, acne, boils and such eruptions. However, it should not be used by itself and has to be mixed with other oils or lotions in the right proportion.

Make your own fragrant massage oil with sandalwood oil. Add eight drops of sandalwood oil to 100 ml of any pressed vegetable oil, like olive oil, almond oil or sesame seed (til) oil. This mixture will be fragrant. Sandalwood oil can also be added to other hair oils, in the same proportion.

During summer, add sandalwood oil to your bath water. It is a natural coolant and also has a calming effect on the mind.  Add eight drops of sandalwood oil to 100 ml rose water to make an effective skin tonic.