Working women have it tough. In between rushing to work and back, juggling car pools, co-ordinating with baby sitters, cooking and house-keeping, they scarcely have time to take a deep breath. As far as visits to the beauty parlour are concerned, they are at the bottom of the priority ladder! But fear not, help is at hand.
Unboiled milk is an excellent cleanser. Dip a piece of cotton wool in a little cold milk and rub it gently on your face. You will see a lot of dirt on the cotton. Keep cleaning your face in a circular upward movement until the cotton comes out completely clean.
Ice-cold water is an excellent astringent and skin freshener and serves to close the pores that have opened while cleansing. It also tones the skin.
Sweet Butter Cleansing Cream: (For Dry Skin)
Whip sweet, unsalted butter, transfer to container with a tid lid. May be stored at room temperature away from heat sources or refrigerate.
Watermelon juice clears the skin of all its blemishes leaving it fresh and lovely. Grate a watermelon, squeeze out the juice and apply it on your face for 15 minutes. Now wash it with hot water and then splash on cold water.
Orange & Oats Scrubbing Grains
1 cup dried orange peel
1 cup cooked oatmeal
1 cup almonds
Place peels, oats, and almonds in food processor, blend until mixture is a fine powder. Place some in the palm of your hand and moisten with a few drops of warm water. Rub paste onto face with a gentle circular motion. Rinse with warm water.
Fenugreek leaves (methi) cure pimples, blackheads, dryness and early appearance of wrinkles. Make a paste of these leaves and apply it every night. Next morning, wash off with warm water. This improves your complexion.
Tea leaves and lemon juice helps prevent hair fall. They also lead to soft and shiny hair. You need to boil the leaves in water and strain out the tea. Add a little lemon juice to this concoction and wash your hair with it. Rinse your hair thoroughly.
Milk and Honey Cleanser:
Mix 1 tsp warm honey with 1 tablespoon milk or cream. This recipe should be prepared fresh each time.
Bengal gram flour (besan) mixed with curd can be applied daily on your face and hair! It will not only give you a glowing complexion, but also long and lustrous locks.
Orange juice is great for an instant glow. All you need to do is dip your fingers in the juice and pat your cheeks, chin, neck and forehead. Wash off after ten minutes.
Honey Cleanser (For Dry Skin)
Castile soap
1 Tsp Honey
Wet face. Pour a little castile soap into the palm of your hand, add honey. Mix honey and soap into a lather, wash face.
Cream or malai is a very good moisturizer and it needs to be applied to replace the oils that are lost while cleansing and toning. It will keep your skin supple and young.
Equal quantities of corn flour, jowar flour (atta) and cream (malai) can give you an instant facelift. You need to make a paste and apply it on your face. Wash it off after it dries. While jowar atta will remove the dead cells, corn flour will tone up and tighten the skin and the cream will moisturize it.
Cabbage juice mixed with a little yeast and a tablespoon of honey is an excellent remedy for dry skin. Leave a thick paste on your face for about 15 minutes for best results.
Lettuce juice mixed with an equal quantity of rose water and a few drops of limejuice is an excellent remedy for oily skin. It should be applied for at least 30 minutes for best results.