Busy in our day-to-day lives, we forget to take care of ourselves, especially our health which is all the more important while living in cities, where pollution is causing many problems. Breaking it down into categories, not only do we catch viral infections, but our skin is also affected. The most common skin problem is acne or “pimples” which appear when we forget to protect ourselves from dirt. Even if you are taking care of yourself in terms of diet and exercise, skincare is often overlooked. Eos brings you a few tips and tricks that you must’ve heard from your grandmothers but never paid any attention to. Here goes:

CONCEALER WHO? (COFFEE AND HONEY UNDER EYE MASK)

Take half a tablespoon of coffee and one teaspoon of honey, mix them well until a smooth paste forms. Apply it under the eyes with the help of a flat brush or your fingers, making sure that there is a slight gap between your lower lash line, keeping your eyes safe. Keep it on for 10-15 minutes and then wash with lukewarm water. Caffeine helps get rid of dark circles and dark spots. Honey melts coffee into the skin, giving you the exact amount of caffeine.

Repeat this procedure once or twice a week. Nothing is better than using natural ingredients over a high-end eye cream.

Our grannies have clever tips up their sleeve. Here are some about skincare that we may not have paid attention to

BENTONITE MASK (MULTANI MITTI)

The use of mud mask is popular these days. If you ever visit Sephora, Ulta or any Pakistan-based store or view facebook pages, you will find high-end brands such as Origins, Fresh and Boscia, selling clay masks for a very high price. In order to have a budget-friendly skincare routine, consider buying yourself locally available multani mitti (bentonite clay) which anyone living in Pakistan knows about. After using this tip one can say that all the myths about multani mitti in Asian countries were true.

Take two to three tablespoons of multani mitti, one teaspoon of organic apple cider vinegar and two to four drops of lemon. To dilute this mixture, add some water until it has medium consistency. Apply it to your face and leave it to dry, which approximately takes 15-20 minutes. Both apple cider vinegar and lemon brighten up and rejuvenate the skin. This mask also removes dullness and helps restore your skin, making it acne free.

BYE-BYE ACNE MASK (TOMATO AND SUGAR)

Slice a tomato in half and dip it in finely milled sugar. Rub it well and let the tomato juice sit on your skin. If by chance you see any tomato seeds on your skin with sugar, start massaging your skin with your fingers. Sugar and tomato both work as natural exfoliators. Tomato juice is beneficial for your skin as it brightens and adds a glow to it. The secret benefits of tomato juice are that it also reduces large pores, removes excess oil from the skin, increases collagen production, and helps skin cells regenerate, while lycopene in tomatoes increases the skin’s protection factor against pollution.

ROSE AND ALOE VERA MASK

Boil one cup of water and add a cup of rose petals. Turn off the flame and set the pan aside to let it cool. Take some aloe vera in a bowl and add freshly-made rose water to it until it reaches a medium consistency. Apply this to your skin before going to bed to get a gleaming, clean and glowing skin. Rose and aloe vera benefit the skin and overall health and one must be grateful for having both the items locally available. The Egyptians used to call aloe vera the “plant of immortality.” Having said that, aloe vera can help restore your skin from several problems such as sunburn and dry skin as it acts as a moisturiser, as well as treats acne. The antioxidant properties of rose water help to strengthen skin cells, regenerate skin tissues and also help maintain the skin’s pH balance by controlling excess oil.

TURMERIC ALOE EXFOLIATOR (ALOE VERA, TURMERIC AND HONEY MASK)

Turmeric has always been the key element of desi totkas (home remedies). Ask anyone which granny advice they have followed and the most probable answer would be turmeric mask of various kinds. The one which has truly benefitted many in the West as well is the turmeric-honey mask with aloe vera.

Take one tablespoon of aloe vera, half a tablespoon of turmeric, and one teaspoon of honey. To get a medium consistency, you can add water to dilute the mixture if it is grainy. Apply it to your skin for 10-15 minutes and massage gently. Turmeric helps to brighten dull skin, and rejuvenates the complexion. Honey is a natural antibacterial, and thus is great for acne treatment and prevention. Having moisturising and soothing properties, it helps create a glow and its clarifying property opens up the pores. Aloe vera benefits have been mentioned earlier.

Natural ingredients are far better than chemically-processed ones for your skin. These days one can also see such DIY treatments all over social media. However, with the number of videos being available, you may wonder which one to try first. The above procedures are affordable, practical and will leave your skin looking ravishing and fresh as ever.

Published in Dawn, EOS, August 12th, 2018

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