The onset of summer brings its own set of challenges – dry and irritated skin, frizzy hair, dandruff and many more problems. Your skin and hair need something extra, apart from your routine products. Here are five ingredients that are lying around in your kitchen or home that can help you battle the summer.
Yoghurt
Apart from being antifungal and antibacterial, yoghurt found in your kitchen has proteins that can actually help your hair and skin. It helps you to fight sun tan by breaking down your dead skin cells and leaving a refreshed skin underneath. It also helps to tighten your pores and gives you the summer glow that you have always dreamt about. It moisturises your skin and deals with sunburn, which makes it a perfect ingredient to add to your face mask. Using a yoghurt and bentonite clay hair mask can keep your hair from getting frizzy and boost its growth. Yoghurt also eliminates dandruff and leaves your hair well-conditioned.
Rose Water
Carrying around rose water in a spray bottle is a great way to deal with the rising temperature. Whenever you feel tired, spritz rosewater on your face to feel refreshed and cleansed a couple of times. It is also one of the best toners around; it helps curb oil production on your face. One of the most important tasks in skincare is to keep your pores clean and rose water helps you do just that. You can also add a splash of it in cold water and use that to wash your face for a healthy glow.
Turmeric
We have all heard people rave about the antiseptic quality of turmeric found in your kitchen, but what really helps in the summer is the anti-inflammatory quality of it. The combination of yoghurt and turmeric is great for sunburnt skin and applying it every couple of days helps to bring out the skin’s natural glow. But be wary of the notorious colouration that turmeric leaves behind; so use it minimally.
Coconut Oil
Moisturisation is always very important, no matter the season, and coconut oil is probably one of the best moisturisers out there. All you need to do is apply it to your skin and hair and let it soak into it for 30 minutes every week. You will be rewarded with the most supple skin and lively hair with continuous usage. It also comes in handy as a make-up remover and breath freshener. By practising oil pulling, which is just swishing a tablespoon of coconut oil around your mouth for 10 minutes every day after you wake up, you can eliminate bad breath and also improve your gum health.
Chickpea Flour
This is one of the skincare obsessions of many grandmothers in the Indian subcontinent. It fights acne and tightens your skin. By putting on a pack of humble chickpea flour found in your kitchen, rosewater and turmeric you can brighten your skin better than any other cosmetic or skincare product you can find. Slightly coarse chickpea flour can also be used as a scrub by combining it with coconut oil.
Now that you are familiar with a few of these ingredients, you can potter around to find and create your very own beauty regimen and rejuvenate you skin and hair in no time!
Rachel has a deep passion for wellness and beauty and regularly
writes on wellness, skincare and travel. Rachel can be found on
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