Shahnaz Husain
Face packs or masks play a vital role in skin care, because they perform so many functions. They complete the cleansing process, dissolving impurities, softening dead skin cells and removing them. In summer, naturally cooling ingredients can be used to make face packs. Clays like fuller’s earth (multani mitti) have a cooling effect. Rose water is also a natural coolant.
In summer, when skin eruptions are common, you can add sandalwood paste, or paste of neem, tulsi or mint leaves to a multani mitti face pack, to soothe sensitive and rashy skin. Fruit and vegetable packs are popular during summer. They contain vitamins and minerals and nourish the skin. Some packs, like a papaya pack, removes dead skin cells, as papaya contains enzymes. In fact, most fruits can be used for face packs during summer, as they help to cool and refresh the skin. Ingredients like cucumber, papaya, melons, etc., are known for their cooling effects. They also soothe the skin, while many of them help to remove sweat deposits and reduce oiliness.
Here are some ways to use natural ingredients for summer skin care:
Cooling Mask: Cucumber juice (or pulp) and watermelon fruit can be mixed with two teaspoons powdered milk and one egg white. You can put the ingredients in a blender, for a smooth paste. Apply on face and neck and rinse off with water after half an hour. For oily skin, leave out milk powder.
For Oily Skins and problem skin: Take one tablespoon lemon juice and one tablespoon rose water. Add crushed mint leaves and let it stand for one hour. Strain the leaves and add the liquid to multani mitti, mixing it into a paste. Apply on face and wash it off after 20 minutes. Helps to reduce oiliness, refreshes and cools.
Mix egg white, lemon juice and honey and apply like a mask. Wash off after 20 minutes. Lemon and Egg white have cleansing effects and reduce oiliness. Egg white also tightens the skin, while honey is a powerful natural moisturizer.
To one tablespoon honey, add watermelon juice, 3 teaspoons oats and one tablespoon rose water. Mix together and apply on the face. Wash off after 15 minutes.
Cleansing Papaya Mask for all skin types: Papaya pulp can be applied on the skin like a mask, washing it off after 20 minutes. Or mix it with multani mitti.
Cleansing and Skin Lightening Mask: Mix cucumber and papaya pulp with one teaspoon yogurt, one teaspoon honey, 3 teaspoons oatmeal and one teaspoon lemon juice. Apply on the face and wash it off after 20 minutes.
Fruit Mask for all Skin Types: Fruits like banana, apple, papaya, watermelon can be mix together and applied on the face. Keep it on for 20 to 30 minutes. Papaya is rich in enzymes and helps to cleanse dead skin cells. Banana tightens the skin. Apple contains pectin and helps to cleanse the skin. Orange is rich in Vitamin C. It restores the normal acid-alkaline balance.
For sunburn: Apply yogurt or buttermilk on the face and wash it off after 20 minutes. Or, crush sesame seeds (til) coarsely and mix honey. Apply on face and arms and wash off after 20 minutes. Soothes sun-burn and sun-damaged skin in summer.
Normal to Oily Skin & Combination Skin:
For Oily / Combination Skin: Take grated cucumber or cucumber pulp. Add lemon juice and rose water in equal quantities. Apply on the face and wash it off after 20 minutes.
Oily / Combination Skin: Mix besan and curd into a paste, add a pinch of haldi and apply on the face. Wash it off after 20 minutes. You can add dried and powdered mint (pudina) leaves to the pack.
Mix together two teaspoons honey, a little milk and rose water, dried and powdered lemon peels into a paste. Apply two or three times a week on face and neck. Wash it off after 20 minutes.
Normal to Dry Skin:
Take two tablespoons ground almonds and add watermelon pulp and one teaspoon honey. Apply on the face and leave on for 15 minutes. Wash off with water.
Take one tablespoon choker (wheat bran), one teaspoon each orange peel powder and curd and one tablespoon aloe vera gel. Mix together and apply on the skin, washing it off after 30 minutes.
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