As we practise social distancing and isolate ourselves in our homes, we’re slowly learning to make the most out what we have. Trying out new recipes everyday instead of ordering, working out with online apps instead of hitting the gym and watching movies with our loved ones instead of going out, these activities have formed our new routine. However, one sphere where most of us may have a hard time adjusting is our beauty routine. Our Nykaa wishlists and carts are stocked up, but there’s no way to get those products anytime soon.
The lockdown is a great time to go back to the treatments our moms and grandmoms used to practise in order to ensure great skin, hair and nails. Most of their remedies use simple ingredients found in every home, are easy to prepare and will give you great results.
Ciceroni presents to you, tried and tested Ghar ke Nuskhe so that you can slay with your beauty routine during the lockdown!
1. Besan, Haldi and Malai – Version 2.0
With the summer setting in, we can feel the heat from inside our homes itself. It is important to stay hydrated and ensure that our skin feels the same. Hence, it is essential to opt for a skincare routine that hydrates your skin while also giving you that glow.
RJ Janavi, programming head at 93.5 Red FM says, “I was introduced to the magic of besan, haldi and malai as a kid by my mom. Many moons later, I understood my skin better and added few ingredients while removing some to come up with my personal recipe. I added curd and honey as they provide the skin with much-needed hydration besides having anti-microbial properties. I have also added lime along with some rose water in addition my mom’s skin staples.”
The mask gives a refreshing glow and nourishment to the skin. Try this now.
2. Coffee, Sugar, Banana, Rice-flour – Pancake or Mask
Parul Parikh and Binali Parikh Dalal, the mother-daughter duo of Sakhi Beauty Clinic Baroda, one of the most loved beauty clinics in Baroda, swear by this elaborate beauty routine and vouch for the results. It takes 20 minutes but is completely worth the time. No, don’t make pancakes, make a mask.
Step 1: Mix 2 teaspoons of milk with little honey. Take a cotton ball and gently wipe for 2-3 mins in upward direction
Step 2: Mix sugar, coffee with very little water; take it on your finger tips and scrub the face for 3-4 minutes. This gives you an immediate glow.
Step 3: Bananas: Smash a banana properly and apply it all over your face. Leave it for 1 minute and then gently massage for 3 mins. It will leave you with baby soft skin.
Step 4: Combine rice flour with malai. Make a paste, apply it on your face and leave it for some time remove before it dries off. This will tighten your skin and make it look younger. It works well for sensitive skin too.
All roads lead to kitchen for scouting.
3. Sensitive skin nuskha – Red Dal, Aloe vera and Gulab Jal
For Kajal Rajora (25) and Sakshi Rajora (23), getting good skincare products would often turn out to be task since both of them have sensitive skin and would ending up having allergic reactions to most products they bought. That’s when their mom concocted a home remedy to improve the skin, the one that girls use till date.
Sakshi says, “Our mom came up with a very simple remedy for our sensitive skin and even today, when we’re both living away from home and doing corporate jobs where we work 60+ hours a week, we get time to practise this routine since it’s very convenient.”
Grind red dal, aloe vera gel and gulab jal into a fine paste. Put it on your face for 7-10 minutes for instant tan removal and glow. Try putting it twice in a week for best results.
It works like magic and the ingredients are easily available in every household.
Mask it before you cook your Instagram worthy dishes.
4. Coffee Mask – Indian answer to K- beauty masks
Ever thought you could use your coffee powder or coffee beans for your skin? If not, you are in for a surprise. Coffee has several benefits for the skin- it reduces acne, removes dead skin and black heads and tightens your skin to reduce aging and wrinkles. It retains the moisture in your skin and helps it look fresher.
Vaishakh Sudhakaran uses a coffee scrub and a mask for his skin regime.
“All you need for the scrub is coconut oil and coffee powder, whereas for the mask you need coffee powder, honey and rose water. The scrub is to be applied first. Ensure that the amount of coffee powder is much more than coconut oil, while you make the scrub. If you put more oil, the mix won’t be grainy enough to use as a scrub. Rub it on your face thoroughly for about 5-10 minutes, especially on your nose, to remove blackheads and
dead skin. Wash off the scrub with water only. Let the oil remain on the skin. Apply the pack immediately after the scrub, when the pores are still open. Let the pack stay for about half an hour. Follow this routine twice a week. The antioxidants in coffee help to remove the dead skin. Honey has antibacterial properties, which helps reduce acne. Honey also tightens the skin, reducing wrinkles.”
Move over K-beauty masks, we have a desi coffee hero.
5. Onion and Hair Oil – Lock this Hair Mask
You may not have access to ready-made hair masks or the latest haircare launches of the season, but you can give your hair a much-needed booster dose with home-made masks. Dr Bhoomika Thakkar loves her long hair but like so many of us, she also struggles with seasonal hairfall. However, she has a quick home remedy that not only helps prevent hairfall, it also restores the shine in your tresses.
She says, “Seasonal hairfall is a common problem faced by many women but solving this is not such a big task after all. While all the hair masks we buy online and from branded stores are great, simple home remedies are truly magical in showing results. My go-to home hack for solving hairfall is a simple mixture of hair oil and onion juice. You can use any type of hair oil and mix it with onion juice. Start with your roots and then apply all the way till the tips. You can use the mask twice a week and you will see great result in a month’s time.”
Get rid of those hairfall woes and bring back the shine in your hair, with this trusted home remedy!
6. Olive Oil and Lemon – Nail it
While a lot of us remember to take care of our skin and hair, nailcare often gets ignored. In these times of lock-down when we are all managing domestic chores too, brittle and broken nails will become the new norm. But you can deal with it better with few ingredients from your kitchen to keep your nails clean and nourished.
Lemon juice is great for nails. You can take one tablespoon of lemon juice and add it to a large bowl of water. Add a teaspoon of baking soda to the mixture and stir well. You can then dip your nails in the mixture for good 10 minutes after which you can scrub your nails with a brush. This acts as a good cleanser and helps deal with discoloration.
Other home remedies for nails include dipping your nails in olive oil for 10-15 minutes and then washing your hands thoroughly. You can also use rose water to clean your nails, after washing your hands and fingers.
In these days of lockdown, as we hope for the best to come and try our best to keep a positive outlook, let us show some love to ourselves by adopting these trusted home remedies for healthier skin, hair and nails.
What is the one #GharKaNuskha you swear by? Tell us in the comments below
