During Diwali Look after your skin and hair

Festive season is just another reason to take care of your skin and hair.

Diwali, 'row of lights,' is just around the corner and women get busy with cleaning, shopping and decorating their houses to celebrate the festival of lights with feasts and festivities.

The festival falls during the season, which brings with it, its own woes and pleasures. The dryness that comes with cold can wreak havoc on skin and hair.

One needs to keep the skin moisturised and protect it from sun-exposure. And what better way do it than with natural ingredients.

"Right there, on your kitchen shelf, are many ingredients that can add a glow to your skin," says beauty expert Shahnaz Husain.

Here are a few tips from Husain:

-Tone the skin daily with chilled rose water applied on cotton wool pads. Apply the moist cotton on the cheeks following outward and upward movements, ending each stroke at the temples, while applying gentle pressure. On the forehead, start from the centre and go outwards on each side, again ending at the temples. For the chin, use circular movements. Once finished, pat the skin briskly with the rosewater-soaked cotton wool pads.

-A "pick-me-up" face mask can leave your skin clean and glowing. Mix honey with egg white and apply it on the face. Wash off with water after 20 minutes. For those with very dry skin, mix honey with egg yolk and a little milk. Leave on for 20 minutes. Rinse off with water. After washing off the pack, give the skin a compress with the rose water-soaked cotton wool pads, which instantly removes fatigue and gives a natural glow.

-Use a facial scrub twice a week. It can work wonders on the skin, helping to remove dead skin cells and make the skin brighter. Mix ground almonds with yogurt. Add dried and powdered lemon and orange peels, and a tinge of mint (pudina). Apply the mixture on the face and leave on for a few minutes. Then, rub gently, with small circular movements while washing off with water or. Alternatively, you could make a facial scrub with walnut powder, honey and lemon juice and apply the same way.

-If your hair is looking dull, give it a quick conditioning treatment before your shampoo. Mix one teaspoon each of vinegar and honey with one egg. Beat them together and massage the mixture onto the scalp. Then, wrap the hair in a hot towel for twenty minutes, before washing it.

-Mix honey and lemon juice in equal quantities. Add egg white and apply daily on the face. Wash it off after 20 minutes for soft and glowing skin.

-Fruit packs are great for adding radiance to the skin. They can also be applied daily. Mix grated apples with ripe papaya pulp and mashed banana. Yogurt or lemon juice can be added to the mixture. Apply it on the face and leave it on for half an hour. Wash off with plain water. This not only adds a glow, but also removes tan and softens the skin.

-Dried and powdered curry leaves (kari patta) can also be added to face packs, as it is said to add a glow to the skin. It can be mixed with Fullers Earth (multani mitti) and rose water into a paste. Apply on the face and wash it off when it is dry. Multani mitti also cleanses the skin and is particularly useful for oily skin.

More important than these hacks, good health and physical fitness are imperative for radiant skin.

It is also directly related to the kind of nutrition the body receives. It is essential to include a variety of natural foods like fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts, yogurt, fresh fruit juices, leafy green vegetables, 'dalia', oats, and green tea in your diet.

One should also drink plenty of water to maintain healthy skin and lifestyle. 

-ANI