SUN GODDESS

Herbal queen Shahnaz Husain on how to look after your skin and hair in summer.

Summer can be a bane, especially for people with oily skin. Sweat and oil secretions increase, which get deposited on the skin and hair, making them look greasy and also attracting dirt and pollutants. The skin loses its glow and the hair, its lustre.

Summer essentials


 Summer calls for deep pore cleansing, especially for oily skin. So after washing your face, use a facial scrub.

 A good skin tonic is a must to cleanse and refresh the skin. A flower-based skin tonic, containing rose, is ideal. Or, use rose water.

 If the skin is dry, a light moisturizing lotion may be used during the day and under makeup.

 Cleansing at night, before bedtime, is most important.

 Excessive exposure to the sun can dry hair, making it brittle and leading to split ends. Always apply a conditioner after shampooing hair.

 Chlorine in the swimming pool and salt in the sea water can make the hair dry, matted and dull. Hair is porous, but it can absorb only that much and no more. So, wetting your hair before a swim actually helps protect it.

 It is quite safe to wash hair daily, but use a mild herbal shampoo.

Henna treatments help cleanse the hair and add lustre.

Home care

Here are some summer home remedies for skin and hair care:

Exfoliator (scrub): Mix three tablespoons almond meal with enough yogurt. Apply on the face, and leave it on for 20 minutes. Then, moisten with water and scrub gently with small circular movements. Wash it off with plenty of water. For dry skin, do this once a week. For oily skin, scrub thrice a week. Avoid using scrubs on pimples.

Cooling Cleanser: Mix some milk with cucumber juice. Soak cotton wool in it and wipe face with it. For oily skin, add lemon juice.

Cooling Mask: Cucumber juice (or pulp) can be mixed with two teaspoons powdered milk and one egg white. Put the ingredients in a blender to make a smooth paste. Apply on the face and neck, and rinse off with water after half-an-hour.

Cleansing Papaya Mask: Papaya pulp can be applied on the skin like a mask. Wash it off after 20 minutes. Papaya contains enzymes which soften and cleanse
the skin.
Summer Mask: Take one tablespoon each of honey, orange juice and rose water. Mix it with three tablespoons oatmeal. Apply on the face and neck. Wash it off after half-an-hour.

To Reduce Oiliness: Mix one tablespoon multani mitti with rose water and apply this paste on the face. Wash it off when dry.

To Cool & Remove Tan: Mix some cucumber pulp with yogurt and apply on the affected areas daily. Wash it off after 20 minutes.

Cooling Foot Bath: Add half cup lemon juice in one-fourth bucket cold water and soak your feet in it. It cools, cleans and removes odour.

For Hair Damage: If caused by sun, salt water or chlorine, take a cup of honey, half cup of olive or sesame seed (til) oil and two tablespoons  lemon juice. Stir well and keep it overnight in a glass jar. Massage a little of this mixture into the hair before shampooing. Keep it on for an hour and then wash the hair.

For Dull Hair: Mix one teaspoon each of vinegar and honey with one egg. Beat well.  Massage the mixture into the scalp. Then wrap the hair in a hot towel for 20 minutes, before washing the hair. Your hair will have more body and look shiny and manageable.

Summer Hair Rinse: To add shine, add the juice of a lemon to tea water and use as a last rinse after shampooing. Tea water can be made by boiling used tea leaves again in enough water. You should have five cups of tea water after boiling. Cool, strain and add the juice of a lemon.

Beer Rinse: Rinsing the hair with beer helps add shine and body to the hair. Take beer, add the juice of a lemon and use as a last rinse. Leave it on for five minutes and then rinse off with plain water.

Rose Water: Add the juice of a lemon and half cup rose water to one mug of water and use it as a last rinse. Removes odour and has a cooling effect. A

To add shine, add the juice of a lemon to tea water and use as a last rinse after shampooing.

*Courtesy: Savvy