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The present times herald a veritable victory over chemical cosmetics in the form of natural beauty aids. Joy, happiness and confidence for sure contribute
vastly to your beautiful appearance. A smooth supple skin is of course an added bonus. So, here are some tips to care for your skin through the seasons.
Basic skin types may be classified into five broad categories- normal, dry, oily, combination and sensitive skin. The skin is made up of
protective layers of cells supported by nerves, glands and blood vessels. Your skin lives and breathes. Cells move up to the surface where they are shed and replaced. This topmost layer is protected by the body's natural oil and moisture. It is essential to
carefully plan out a beauty routine to attain a flawless, petal-soft complexion.
The first step to your beauty routine is cleansing your skin. Cleansers are formulated to remove surface grime and dirt as well as dissolve stale
make up from the skin. A gentle massage will help to float out deep down make up and other impurities.
How do you recognize your skin type?
NORMAL SKIN ---
is finely textured with no visible pores, spots, or blemishes, soft and velvety to the touch, and unwrinkled. Normal skin has to be treasured and preserved, as it is liable to change, if neglected.
OILY SKIN ---is
caused by overactive sebaceous glands that give rise to large open pores. Larger pores, in turn, lead to blackheads, blemishes and acne. The appearance of blackheads and blemishes is due to clogged oil and dirt in the pores which is not removed instantly by
cleansing. Oily skin begins to have an oily shine within a few minutes after wash or make-up. This makes it difficult to hold make-up. However, oily skin has an advantage of ageing very slowly, but deep cleansing must be thorough.
DRY SKIN ---is
a sensitive skin type which comes in blotches, tends to peel off easily and feels tight after a wash. Lack of moisture results in dry skin and this skin type is more prominent around the eyes, mouth, lips, sides of mouth, and forehead. Cleansing, toning, moisturizing
form an integral routine of this type of skin. Dry skin is highly susceptible to diet, extremes in weather and harsh perfumed skin care products. Dry skin also has another disadvantage. Wrinkles appear faster giving you a prematurely aged look. A generous
application of moisturizer will produce a skin which would be on par with the 'enviable' peaches and cream complexion.
COMBINATION SKIN---As
the word 'combination' suggests it is mix of two different skin types on one face. More often this skin type is the result of a badly cleansed and neglected skin. It is easily recognizable as it is oily down the T panel, that is the forehead, nose, chin. The
skin gets this oily look down the T panel while the rest of the face appear and feel dry. Combination skin needs scrupulous cleansing. It is a good idea to use a face mask for oily skin down the T panel and a mask for dry skin for the rest of the face. This
method of treating the combination skin works ideally to give a perfect, balanced effect.
SENSITIVE SKIN----
This type of skin is extremely delicate and vulnerable. It is easily susceptible to freckles, itchy spots and blotches. Dermatitis and allergies caused by chemical cosmetics are common problems of a sensitive skin. It is best to discontinue the usage of strong
and harsh skin care products as well as perfumed creams and moisturizers.
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CLEANSING CREAMS AND SCRUBS
Herbal cleansing creams are light creams that remove embedded grime and stale make-up without stripping your skin of its natural moisture. Here are some easy to make cleansing
potions.
HERBAL CLEANSING CREAM
Ingredients:-
5teaspoon olive oil
5teaspoon fresh coconut oil
5tablespoon cucumber juice
2teaspoon glycerin
4teaspoon beeswax
A pinch of borax
Method----Melt the oil and wax by the double boiling method. Warm cucumber juices, glycerin and borax in a separate bowl until borax is dissolved. Add the
cucumber, borax and glycerin mixture to the oil and whisk the mixture till it thickens. Cool. Excess may be stored in the fridge.
ALMOND CLEANSING CREAM
Ingredients:-
5 tablespoons almond oil
1 tablespoon white wax
2 tablespoon lanolin
1 tablespoon rose water
Method----Melt wax and lanolin by the double boiling method. Stir continuously. Slowly add rose water and almond oil. Remove from heat
and allow to cool. May be stored in a glass bottle.
Note--- For all cleansing creams, you may add a few drops of perfume of your choice once the mixture has cooled down.
COMPLEXION SCRUB
A complexion scrub works wonders and leaves your skin with a healthy , shining glow. Complexion scrub is an effective means of removing
the dead cells from the surface of the skin. The slightly, abrasive tiny grains present in a scrub , stimulates and gently sloughs away dead and flaky skin . A fresh, smooth look is left behind.
A complexion scrub must be used once a week to loosen ingrained impurities from the pores. For dry skin types a scrub once a month,
will suffice. Scrubs are an excellent product for oily skin.
HOME MADE SCRUBS
ORANGE PEEL SCRUB
Ingredients:-
4tablespoon orange peel powder
2tablespoon oatmeal powder
2tablespoon wheat germ powder
METHOD ----- Mix all the three ingredients and store in an airtight container. Use as and when required. For an oily skin, add a few drops of lemon juice
or cucumber juice to the water in which you dip the muslin bag containing the scrub. Gently
rub the wet muslin bag on to the face and neck for at least fifteen minutes. Use circular movements and wash off withtepid
water.
GREEN GRAM SCRUB
Ingredients:-
4 Tablespoon green gram powder
2 tablespoon besan
2 teaspoon sandalwood powder
METHOD-----Combine all ingredients together and store in
an airtight container.
WHEAT GERM SCRUB
Ingredients:-
1tablespoon oatmeal powder
1tablespoon wheat germ (powder)
1tablespoon skim milk powder
1teaspoon sandal wood powder
METHOD-----Mix the ingredients together and fill in a small muslin bag. Dip the muslin bag in lukewarm water and gently rub on face and neck in circular motion for at least
15 minutes. Finally wash off with tepid water. |