How to get a beauty treatment with natural ingredients

Many of us are blessed with good skin and hair but over the years, external and internal factors affect our beauty and that makes us turn to cosmetic products that are expensive and loaded with chemicals. If you are looking for solutions to get that glow back in your skin or to get rid of other woes like cellulite and blackheads, here’s what you can do. This festive season, look your best without spending anything at all. Here are natural remedies that are easy and quick. Chirag Mohanty Samal shows you how to whip up beauty treats at home.

You’re in a celebratory mode, and it’s time to look your best. But for that, you don’t need to spend a bomb. Instead of booking expensive appointments at the salon, check your kitchen closet— it holds the secret to magic potions that will clear zits, pores, acne and other skin woes. Beauty expert Suparna Trikha and ace dermatologist Dr Deepali Bhardwaj come together to figure out natural home remedies for every single problem. Feel good, look good and celebrate the good times!

Banish cellulite

Let’s get real—there’s no instant solution to get rid of cellulite, but consistent use of scrubs over a period of time will make a visible difference. This home-made scrub battles cellulite, wrinkles, blackheads and dull skin. Olive oil, which is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, draws out the free radicals and improves blood circulation. It also moisturises and protects your skin from dehydration. “Sugar acts as an exfoliator and helps open and clear pores, and aids the skin in absorbing the ingredients,” says beauty expert Suparna Trikha. Since scrubs help in exfoliating the skin, you don’t have to use them every single day. Once in a week or 10 days is a good idea.
Ingredients:
1 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup sea salt
2 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon
2 tbsp honey
Method:
Mix all the ingredients well in a bowl. Apply the scrub to damp skin and rub with your fingers in a circular motion. Let dry for about eight minutes and then wash off with cold water.

Blackheads be gone

Blackheads are ugly and irritating. In essence, they occur when your skin is clogged with excess sebum or hair follicles. Our nifty face mask hydrates your skin, removes oils and impurities, and reduces pores. Cinnamon is a natural healer and improves blood circulation to make your skin look supple and radiant. “Honey acts as a natural adhesive that pulls out impurities from the pores. It also has antibacterial properties that keep germs at bay,” says Dr Bhardwaj. If you have oily skin, you are likely to have blackheads on your nose and it is important to keep the area clean.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp cinnamon powder
2 tbsp mashed raw papaya
2 tbsp honey
Method:
Mix ingredients into a paste and apply a layer on the affected areas. Put a small strip of clean cloth on this paste, sticking it properly. Let the paste dry, and then yank off the strip. Rinse your face with warm water and moisturise. Repeat 2-3 times a week to witness significant reduction in blackheads. You can also use some warm water before you apply the paste so that the skin loosens and your pores open up.

Goodbye wrinkles

It ain’t easy getting old... or is it? A combination of antioxidants, sloughing away dead skin, and moisturising ensures that your wrinkles are minimised and you look younger for longer. This scrub has pomegranate, an ingredient with more antioxidants than red wine, and is also rich in anti-ageing compounds like vitamin C. Oatmeal exfoliates dry skin, and honey restores moisture.
Ingredients:
1 cup oatmeal
2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
2 tbsp buttermilk
2 tbsp honey
Method:
Coarsely blend oatmeal and pomegranate in a food processor. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, and mix in buttermilk and honey. Apply the scrub on your face, let it dry and wash off with warm water. When applying scrubs on the face, it is best to do so in circular motions so that it does not feel too harsh on your skin and exfoliates it better.

Battle dryness

Sometimes, the problem can be just that you’re just not feeding your skin well enough. A few items from your closet will fix that immediately. This cream is non-greasy and has flexible ingredients, which means you can replace almond oil with jojoba oil and shea butter with cocoa butter. “Shea butter is a great moisturiser—the vitamin A found in it is known for its exceptional healing properties. It can improve skin conditions such as blemishes, wrinkles and eczema,” says Dr Bhardwaj. The vitamin E in coconut oil moisturises and aids in repair of worn out or dry skin. If you have extremely dry skin, you can use this pack every day as it is not a scrub and does not harm the skin if used regularly.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/8 cup shea butter
1 tbsp aloe vera juice
1 tbsp almond oil
5-10 drops lavender oil

Method:
Heat the shea butter and coconut oil till they melt. Turn off the heat and add aloe vera juice, almond oil, and essential oils and stir to combine well. Let it cool and store in a jar. Apply it every night before you go to bed so that it works on the skin when you are asleep.

Blemish-free in three

Sometimes, as Lady Macbeth found out, one damned spot can ruin everything. We’ve got your back...err face, with this mask that gently makes your skin clearer. Lemon, a citric fruit, has mild astringent properties that pushes oil out from the skin. “Lemon will also help reduce acne,” says Dr Bhardwaj. Beer is rich in vitamin B, yeast and saccharides that help dissolve dead cells. The proteins present in egg white improve the elasticity of skin and even out the tone.
Ingredients:
1 egg white
1/2 cup beer
2 tsp fresh lime juice
Method:
Beat the egg white and beer together. Add the lime juice and mix well. Apply this paste on your face. Let dry and rinse with cold water. Once the pack is applied, do not talk or make too many facial expressions until you wash it off.

Stand up to the sun

Tans might sound glamorous, but sun burns, cancer and skin damage are very real concerns. Experts recommend wearing sunscreen even indoors. Most sunscreens available in the market contain toxic ingredients. But this one is skin-friendly, effective and cheap. Many of the ingredients like almond oil, coconut oil, zinc oxide, carrot seed oil and shea butter have natural SPF. This sunscreen works for moderate exposure in the winters.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup almond oil
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup beeswax
2 tbsp zinc oxide
1 tsp carrot seed oil
2 tbsp shea butter
Method:
Mix all the ingredients except zinc oxide in a thick glass jar. Take a saucepan and fill it with water. Place the glass jar in the saucepan, with the lid on loosely, and let simmer. When the ingredients start to melt, shake the jar. After all the ingredients have melted, add the zinc oxide. Stir, remove from the stove. Let cool and pour it into a container. Apply this potion liberally on your face and any other body parts that are left exposed in the morning. Reapply every two hours for maximum benefits. However, if you are stepping out in the harsh sun, do use a regular sunscreen as this may not provide the required sun protection.

Fuel your feet

In our tropical country, dry feet are a constant problem. And given that we wear sandals and open footwear, it’s imperative that we ensure our feet look soft and nourished. This foot toner has just two ingredients and promises quick results. Alum is known to soothe irritated skin and smoothen wrinkles and fine lines. Glycerine, on the other hand, is highly moisturising, water soluble and non-toxic. It hydrates dry skin and is effective against ageing.
Ingredients:
1/3 tsp powdered alum
100g glycerine
Method:
Prepare a solution by mixing the two together. Refrigerate. Dip a cotton ball in this mix and wipe your feet with it 2-3 times a day. You will see results in a few weeks and to fasten the process, you should moisturise your feet before going to bed. This will keep them soft for longer.

Zap that acne

Using toner is a must if you have acne prone skin, travel outdoors (as dirt tends to cling to your skin) or want to cleanse off heavy sunscreen or makeup. “Antioxidant-rich green tea is known for its anti-bacterial properties. This makes it a potent weapon against acne,” says Suparna. Green tea also helps fight inflammation and thereby reduces rashes and blemishes.
Ingredients:
7 tbsp green tea powder
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
5 drops of essential oils like lavender, eucalyptus or rose
Method:
Mix all the ingredients and store in the refrigerator. Use it in the morning and before going to bed for best results.

Get back that glow!
Of all the skin issues, pigmentation is the trickiest. Even if everything else is great, dark patches can rob you of that perfect glow. This face mask has tamarind, a natural, strong bleaching agent, and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) that remove pigmentation and dark patches.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup tamarind juice
1 tbsp baking powder
1 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
Method:
Mix all the ingredients to prepare a smooth paste. Apply it on body parts that look dull and dark. Rub with a loofah, then wash off with warm water.

Manage the mane

If you have frizzy hair that has a mind of its own, you probably turn to serums and lotions to make it stay in one place. We share a hair pack that can replace your chemical-laden hair products and do the same job as well.
Ingredients:
5 spoons apple cider vinegar
2 spoons olive oil
Water
Method:
Dilute apple cider vinegar with water and then add olive oil to it. Pour the liquid in a spray bottle and shake well. Now spritz it on your mane especially the strands and this will help calm down the frizz. You can even carry the liquid with in your bag and spray it whenever you feel your hair is getting frizzy again.

Get soft, silky hair

Love tresses that are soft and silky, who doesn’t right? If your hair has lost its sheen, you can fix it at home with a few natural products like honey and curd. Both will add the much-needed lustre while making the mane soft.
Ingredients:
5 spoons honey
1 cup curd
Method:
Mix both these ingredients together to make a thick paste. Now wet your hair and then apply it on the strands and even the scalp if you want. Wear a shower cap and leave it on for 15 minutes. Now wash off your hair with a mild shampoo. This will leave your hair feeling soft.
Not just us, but even celebrities are big fans of natural ingredients and often use them in their daily skin and haircare routine. From Priyanka Chopra to Shraddha Kapoor and Sonam Kapoor to Kareena Kapoor Khan these Bollywood beauties trust home remedies to help with daily beauty care and surely they don’t disappoint.
Actor Surveen Chawla says, “I stay away from creams and lotions that contain harsh chemicals. The more you try to fix your skin with them, the closer you move to ageing, wrinkles and various other skin issues. I apply a natural face mask of honey and lemon to moisturise and de-tan my face every day and this works for me. I never go to sleep with makeup on. At night, I apply almond oil and honey to my face and massage it for five minutes before washing it off.”
If you are worried about any of these skin and hair problems, do include these home remedies in your beauty routine.
With inputs from Kriti Saraswat Satpathy