According to a latest research by Bionsen, a UK-based natural deodorant company, we are the "hosts" of 515 chemicals in our grooming and make up everyday. These are lethal chemicals present in most of our favourite cosmetics and have an adverse effect on our our skin and body. The chemicals are used in producing cosmetics to increase their shelf life. We are inducting in our bodies, cocktails of industrially produced dangerous chemicals which are also present in our household cleaners. Eg. Parabens and Methyleparabens, the most commonly used preservatives lead to serious health problems, are found in 16,000 products including our moisturisers and toothpastes.
Our shampoos contains an average number of 15 chemicals(most worrying chemicals: Sodium Lauryl Sulphate, Tetrasodium and Propylene Glycol: possible side-effects may be irritation, possible eye damage), foundation -24(allergies, disruption of immune system, links to cancer), lipstick-33(again allergies and links to cancer), deodorant-15(most worrying: Isopropyl, Myristate, 'Parfum'; possible side effects: irritation of eyes, skin and lungs, dizziness, headaches and respiratory problems), body lotions-32, (most worrying chemicals are methyleparaben, propylparaben etc.; side-effects: harmonal disruption, Nail varnish-31(fertility issues), Perfume-250 (most-worrying Benzaldehyde; possible side effects: irritation to mouth, throat & eyes, nausea, linked to kidney damage), Fake tan-22 (harmonal disruption, rashes), Hairspray -11 (most worrying: Octinoxate, Isophthalates; side effects: Allergies, irritation to eyes, nose and throat, harmone disruption, blusher, eye shadow and many more.....
We go for chemical and ready-made cosmetics because in the 24/7 world, we do not have time for natural products. But we cannot overlook the above mentioned side effects of cosmetics of even big companies. We cannot totally avoid the make-up, skin and hair care products but can reduce to some extent by going for natural cosmetics. Home-made cosmetics created from natureal ingredients are more effective, cheaper and do not have any adverse affect on the skin.
There are innumerable home remedies from our food basket, but following are some tried n tested, easy-to-do, instant to little tedious home remedies that can knock off a few years your age if followed from a few to many, regularly:
CLEANSER
1.Take a few drops of gulab jal (rose water) in a cotton swab and wipe your face as you get up in the morning or any time during the day.
Cut some square pieces from a cotton roll or make cotton balls or take the readymade cotton balls and put them in a small airtight container/box with gulab jal sprinkled. Keep the box in your purse/bag, on your dressing table or in the refrigerator(in summers). Use these wipes to clean your face, neck, ears and elbows after you return home or any time during the day or before retiring to bed. Rose water, whether it is home made or "Gulabari" from Dabur India has the properties of cleansing, toning and moisturising and suits all skin types.
2. Clean your face and neck with raw milk on a cotton wool when you get up and go for your morning tea in the kitchen. This will not take more than a minute, and you have avoided a chemical cleanser once. You can use your favourite cleanser when you have your bath.
3. When you eat an apple, apply the inside of the peel on the skin for a cleansed skin.
4. Oats/barley are real good for the skin. Keep a box of oats/barley(powder available in the market) and a small bowl in your bathroom shelf. Make a paste with water, wait for a second for it to become soft and apply gently. Let it remain on your face and neck until you finish your bath and then rinse. It can be applied all over your body too. There can be variations:
i) A drop or two of gulab jal can be added for more refreshing skin.
ii) For dry skin or in winters, add a drop of olive or almond oil and/or honey as your time permits
iii)For oily skin or in summers, little curds/lemon juice can be added.
5. Cleansing lotion: Stir 1/4 tsp. of lime juice + 1 tsp. of milk + 1 tsp.cucumber juice. Apply and leave for 15-20 minutes. Then wash off. This lotion cleanses and purifies the pores of the skin.
6. Lime juice/vinegar mixed with water is excellent as a cleansing lotion for oily skin.
If you make it a habit of using natural products, even the tedious ones may become simple if you are determined to make your skin look young and attractive.
TONER
Its gulab jal again, use the rose water wipes/balls as used for cleansing.
ASTRINGENT
1. A slice of tomato or cucumber has astringent properties and can be instantly applied all over your face (except the eye area).
2. In a tbsp. of tomato juice, add a couple of drops of lime juice/curd/fuller's earth and apply on our face, wash after sometime - effective for shrinking enlarged pores.
3. Buttermilk applied on face and neck with a cotton swab daily reduces or closes over-sized pores.Leave for 15 min. and wash off. Again this can be applied for a few minutes, while you prepare for your bath( just to save time).
REFRESHER
1. Refreshing mist: Store rose water in a plastic spray bottle, and spray your face and neck at the end of a long day-it, revitilizes your spirits. Can be kept in the fridge for a cool mist.
2. The rose water swabs/wipes from your bag/fridge will do the job any time.
MOISTURIZER/NOURISHING /ANTI-AGEING/PACKS
1. A drop or two of olive/almond/rose water in the last few rinses of your bath can moisturize your body in seconds.
2. Pluck and apply the gel/pulp from the aloe vera leaf on your face and hands anytime,(wash after sometime) to get a soft and refreshed skin. Aloe vera is colourless, odourless and has magical effects on the skin. It makes face glow instantly. Suits all skin types and even reduces acne/pimples. Aloe vera plant can be grown even in a small pot.
3. Anti-wrinkle cream: If you have time of just a minute before your bath, then applying fresh cream is the best option for a soft, smooth, purified, wrinkle-free face.
4. Dip a piece of cotton wool in milk and pat all over your face. Wash off after 15 minutes for a soft and smooth skin.
Cleopatra, the queen of Egypt used to bathe in milk for that extreme beauty. The lactic acid in milk contains alpha-hydroxy acid which, not only hydrates and nourishes the skin but also aids in regeneration of cells to get a younger, fresher skin.
5. Little salt added in milk - for a petal soft skin.
6. Juice of cabbage can reduce wrinkles and delay ageying.
7. Honey is a natural moisturizer. Apply it all over your face and neck and rinse after sometime.
If you have an oily skin, add a few drops of lime juice/curds. If having dry skin, mix little ripe banana, it tightens your skin too.
8. To remove roughness from the skin and make it petal soft: Add a few drops of carrot juice to 1/4th tsp. of melted honey and apply on the rough skin. After 15 minutes, remove with cotton wool soaked in water to which a little sodium-bi-carbonate has been added. The result will be too good to be true.
9. Milk mixed with melted butter softens the dry skin.
10. Laugh, and not frown to keep wrinkles at bay.
EYE CARE
You cannot completely erase the fine lines, but can reduce the appearance and delay them from forming.
1. Apply almond or olive oil and gently massage with your ring finger(this finger gives the lightest pressure on the delicate eye area) and leave for 10 minutes till you u get ready for the bath. Before going to bed also you can apply, but dab softly with a wet cotton wool before sleeping (if you do not remove and sleep you may get puffiness under the eyes).
2. Fresh cream is again the best option for fine lines and crow's feet. You do not have to spare special or extra time, just a tint with the ring finger, massage for a second and leave till you prepare for the bath. You will not smell the cream because you are applying prior to your bath.
3. Keep half a dozen spoons in your freezer. Keep one by one under your eyes to get rid of puffiness under the eyes.
4. Keep swabs of cotton dipped in rose water on your eyes for tired eyes and to get a refreshed look.
5. Grated raw potatoes, tied in a gauze, also makes a good compress for crow's feet and puffiness.
6. For dark circles, intake of 8-10 glasses of water helps.
SCRUB
1. In South India, people finish their meal with curd and rice, imagine how cool it is for the body and system. It is good for the skin too. Exfoliate your skin by making a scrub of rice powder (available with the grocer's) and curd. This scrub is useful in removing blackheads too.
2. Suji (semolina) with milk/curd/rose water (according to season and your skin type) also makes a good scrub. Soak it in a bowl for 1-2 minutes and then use.
3. Lather up your face with a face wash, add half a tbsp. of sugar granules and massage very gently, rinse off.
FAIRNESS & SUNBURNS
1. A pinch of bicarbonate of soda in a little milk acts as a mild bleach.
2. Whitening pack: Mix 2 tbsp. of curd+3 drops of lemon juice+a pinch of turmeric(+2tbsp.besan optional).
3. Soak a very small piece of lemon in 2 tbsp. of milk for a few minutes. Apply the milk on face after straining.
4. Similarly soak some pieces of cucumber in milk for few hours and apply the milk on sunburns.
Cucumber juice, potato juice, vinegar, curds, buttermilk and lime are skin whiteners as well as sunburn aids, these are good for oily skin because they have a drying effect; for a dry skin a drop of almond/olive oil/cream can be mixed or a nourishing cream can be applied afterwards.
Natural bleach: Apply sandalwood paste(soothing)+drops of lemon juice(skin lightener)+turmeric(antiseptic)+aloevera(glowing effect).
ANTI- ACNE
1. Grind in mortar n pestle the leaves of fresh mint/neem/tulsi(basil) according to the availability and apply the juice. Wash after 10 minutes.
2. Boil a few leaves of neem, cool and apply with cotton on pimples/acne. You can also freeze the neem extract in ice tray and it can be used any time. This water or cubes can be mixed in bath water for an anti-bacterial and refreshing bath especially in summers and rains.
3. Apply a pinch of turmeric in a tsp. of curds. Wash after some time.
LIP BALM
1. By applying mustard oil or desi ghee on your navel before going to bed and before bath in the morning, you can make your lips soft naturally and reduce the application of a readymade balm. When applied twice daily, over a period of time see a noticeable softness.
2. Pluck and apply the gel/pulp of aloe vera on your lips to remove the tan.
3. Apply fresh cream on cracked lips.
4. Use a scrub of 2 pinches of sugar with 2 drops of olive or almond oil on lips.
5. For chapped lips, mix one tsp. of honey to a few drops of rose water. Apply before retiring at night.
ANTI-MARKS, STRETCH MARKS
1. Cut a piece of potato, rub it on your face and leave it on for 2-3 mintes. Wash off. Good remedy for blemishes.
2. Pour orange juice in ice tray and freeze. Use these cubes on your face. Orange juice contains Vitamin C which helps in erasing spots and marks.
3 .To remove blemishes, soak 1/2 tsp of red gram overnight, grind and apply the pack for a markfree radiant skin.
4. For light stretch marks on legs and hips: Drink 12-15 glasses of water and 3 glasses of buttermilk(diluted with more water) daily. Apply 1tsp.til (sesame) oil+ 1/2 tsp. olive oil and massage --this gives equal benefits of anti-stretch mark cream. Patience is required in both --cream as well as natural remedy.
Remember, "ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN A DAY".
DEODORANT
1. Adding drops of eude-cologne/lemon/rose water/neem water/vinegar to your bath water makes the bath refreshing; does the job of a deo.
2. Your sweat will not smell when you keep your stomach problems away.
3. If diluted vinegar/radish/turnips tops are rubbed under the armpits as well as eaten regularly, perspiration odour will dimnish.
HAIR CONDITIONER
1. Drops/spoons of lime/vinegar/milk/used, rinsed and strained tea leaves in the mug for a last rinse will give an extra sheen and bounce to the hair.
2. Oil hair before shampoo, hot towel treatment can be given.
3. Henna is a good conditioner too.
4. Sprinkle cornflour on your hair and then brush the hair when you don't have time to wash hair before a party. Cornflour absorbs the grease from the scalp.
ANTI-DANDRUFF
1. Very few people know that the extra water that is drained from cooked rice is an excellent remedy for dandruff. Cool the water, apply on scalp, leave it on hair for sometime before washing it off.
2. Apply lemon juice on the scalp before washing hair.
3. Mix equal parts of water and vinegar and apply to the scalp, before shampoo.
4. Apply curds mixed with little methi(fenugreek powder available with the grocer's). Leave it on scalp for 20 min. and shampoo.
SHIKAKAI SHAMPOO
Take 200 gms. each of Shikakai leaves, Reetha powder and Olive powder, little orange peel (optional). Soak them in water over-night and boil. Strain when cool. This makes your hair shiny and strong.
HAND CARE
1. Rub your hands with mustard oil and then wash with soap. It will not only remove filth, also make them super soft. Keep a small bottle of mustard oil near your wash basin.
2. Keep lemon handy in the kitchen as it acts as a whitener, softener and nail cleaner. Rub lemon halves over hands and elbows every time you get a chance.
3. Rub your hands with potato slice n lemon for removing stains.
4. Equal amount of vinegar n lime juice massaged on hands acts as whitener.
5. Rubbing sugar/salt with water/vegetable oil/lime on rough hands and elbows helps to soften.
MOUTH WASH
1. Rose water, used as mouth wash, cleans the mouth and lends fragrance.
2. Whenever you get a chance, pluck and chew a guava leaf. Rinse mouth. Best option for mouth freshener and sparkling teeth! A few leaves can be plucked and stored in a polythene bag in the refrigerator.
3. Tender neem leaves can also be chewed, neem is bitter but it purifies the blood.
3. Tender neem leaves can also be chewed, neem is bitter but it purifies the blood.
4. Aniseeds(sauf)/cardamom can be chewed after meals.
FACE PRIMER
Rub ice cubes on your face before applying make up and, the make up will last longer. It also improves blood circulation and makes the skin healthy.
NIGHT CREAM
1. Before retiring to bed, mix a few drops of lime in a spoon of milk(if you have an oily skin) or in a spoon of cream (if dry). Gently massage it well on your face and neck. Rinse off.Your complexion will become clear in a few days.
A good diet, a daily regime of Yoga/exercise/physical activity and your confidence will bring out your natural glow, beauty and radiance.
