Spruce up for the festive season with these beauty hacks

The festive season is around the corner. Add glow to your skin, lustre to your hair and shine to your nails. Here are some tips:

1. Fruit Pack:

Fruits like banana, apple, papaya, avocado, oranges can be mixed together and applied as a face mask for all skin types.

• Papaya, rich in enzymes, cleanses the skin of dead cells and helps cell renewal. Banana tightens the skin.
• Apples and oranges are rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Avocado is rich in antioxidants, hydrates the skin and has powerful age control benefits.

Apply and wash off after 30 minutes.

2. Facial Spray:

• For oily skin: To 200 ml of distilled water or mineral water, you may add 5 drops of Lavender Essential Oil.
• For normal to dry skin: To 200 ml distilled water or mineral water, add 5 drops of Rose Essential Oil and half teaspoon pure glycerine.
• For acne prone skin: To 100 ml distilled water or mineral water, add 3 to 4 drops of Tea Tree Oil.

Keep the spray bottle in the fridge. Home beauty recipes should not be made in large quantities.

3. Rejuvenating Face Mask:

• To add radiance, take half-teaspoon pure coconut oil and add 2 teaspoons oats, one teaspoon almond meal and 3 teaspoons orange juice.
• Mix into a paste that does not drip.
• Apply on the face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes.
• Wash it off after 20 minutes.

The pack is rich in antioxidants and Vitamin E, with powerful anti-ageing benefits.

4. Skin Toner:

Green tea is a powerful antioxidant.

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• Take half cup water and 2 teaspoons green tea.
• Bring the water to a boil. Put tea leaves in a ceramic bowl.
• Pour the hot water over it and keep for 2 minutes. Strain and cool the liquid.
• Apply on face with cotton wool to tone the skin. Leave on.

5. Body scrub:

• First apply olive oil or sesame seed oil.
• The best body scrub is the age-old ‘ubtan’ made at home with wheat bran (choker), gram flour (besan), curd or cream of milk (malai) and a pinch of turmeric (haldi).
• All these can be mixed together and applied on the body, about 20 minutes before bathing.

It helps to clear away the dead cells and make the skin clean, soft and smooth, while bathing.

6. Remove Tan:

• Take sesame seeds, dried mint leaves, one tablespoon each lemon juice and honey. Crush the sesame seeds coarsely and powder the dried mint leaves.
• Mix them with lemon juice and a little honey and apply on the face and arms.
• Rub gently on the skin.
• Leave on for a few minutes and then wash off with water.

Sesame seeds actually have sun protective properties and also soothe sun-damaged skin. It helps to remove tan and produce an even colour tone. Mint has a stimulating effect and adds a glow to the skin, while honey moisturizes and softens the skin.

7. Moisturising hair mask:

• Mix aloe vera gel with two teaspoons vinegar, one teaspoon pure glycerine and one egg.
• Mix them together well. Massage lightly into the hair.
• Wear a shower cap and leave it on for half an hour before washing the hair.

8. Condition your hair:

Henna packs help to add shine, body and bounce to the hair.

For oily, dandruff prone hair, add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs and enough “tea water” to the henna powder, mixing it into a thick paste. If you do not wish to use egg, add more tea water.

• To make tea-water, boil used tea leaves again in enough water. After boiling, you should have about 4 to 5 cups of tea-water.
• Cool and strain and add to the henna paste.
• Apply the henna on the hair and wash off after an hour with plain water.

Shining nails:

• Take warm pure almond oil and soak the fingers and nails in it for 10 minutes.
• Massage the oil on the nails and on the skin around nails.
• Wipe off with a moist towel.

The nails can also be ‘buffed’.

This is usually done with a piece of chamois leather. It should be gently rubbed with the chamois leather. It helps to remove discolouration on nails and also makes the nails shiny.

Now that you know these handy and simple hacks, get set going on your beauty regime and enjoy the festive season!