Herbs for your hair and skin

To get a healthy glow on your face many women these days are relying more on alternative therapies or remedies, and it's truly a wise decision. There are many miraculous herbs in the storehouse of Mother Nature to give you a glowing skin naturally. These herbs detoxify your skin making it glow like anything. So, it is often wise to resort to the herbal remedies rather than invest on costly skin cosmetics. Here are a few herbal beauty tips that every women need to know about:

Identify good natural coconut oil

Pure natural coconut oil should taste and smell of fresh coconut. It should be white in colour. Check if it is cold-pressed, since nowadays cold-pressed oils are available. Pure or Organic should be written on the label. It should be of a reputed company.

Oil for oily hair

Oil should not be applied on oily hair. However, if there is sticky dandruff, heat pure olive oil and apply on the scalp, using cotton wool and rubbing gently to dislodge the flakes. During winter, if the hair is dry and scalp oily, olive oil or sesame seed (til) oil may be applied.

Dark brown pigmentation on skin

For dark brown patches on skin, apply a sunscreen with high SPF before going out in the sun. Mix rice powder with curd and use as a facial scrub once or twice a week. Apply only on the dark patches and rub gently on the skin with tiny circular movements. Leave on for a few minutes and then wash off with water. Mix honey and lemon juice in equal quantities and apply daily only on the dark patches. Wash off after 15 minutes with plain water. Twice a week, apply face mask. Mix 2 teaspoons oats with one teaspoon each of ground almonds, honey, curd and lemon juice, or egg white; apply on the entire face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off after half an hour.

Natural face pack for open pores solution

Mix multani mitti with rose water into a paste and apply on the areas with open pores twice a week. Wash off when it is dry. Or, mix oats with egg white and apply on the areas with open pores twice a week. Wash off when it is dry.

Natural ingredients to treat facial hair

Home remedies do not remove facial hair but are said to lessen facial hair growth if used regularly over a period of time. Make a thick paste of sugar, lemon juice and water and apply it in the direction of hair growth. Wash off when it dries. Apply it once or twice a week. Apply a paste of turmeric powder and milk and rub this on the skin with a circular motion. It is said to discourage facial hair, but it may leave a slight yellowish colour on the skin.

Side effects of eye liner, hair colour

If there is lead in the eyeliner, it can lead to allergies, itching or irritation. Hair dye can also cause allergies, as well as pigmentation or discolouration of the skin. It can also lead to dry hair, hair breakage, split ends and even hair loss.

Natural ingredients can be used for hair and skin as daily routine

I condition my hair with henna once a week. Curd, oil, catechu (kathha) and 12 eggs are mixed with the henna paste. No water is added. The hair is fed by the nutrients in the blood stream, so I take a small bowl of sprouts daily. I also use a herbal hair tonic, which contains trifala.

Prevent acne and pimples

Pimples and acne occur on oily skin. So astringents are needed to reduce oiliness. Cucumber has an astringent effect. Apply cucumber juice by itself on the face and wash it off with plain water after 15 minutes. Or, mix cucumber juice with a little rose water, for an astringent-toner. Green tea works well as an astringent toner. Soak green tea leaves or a tea bag in hot water for half an hour. Cool and strain and use the liquid on the skin. Sandalwood paste can be applied on the pimples, acne and boils. Tulsi leaves and pudina (mint) leaves can used.

Boil a handful of leaves on a very low fire in 4 cups of water for one hour. Leave it overnight. Next morning, strain the water and make a paste of the leaves. Apply it on areas with pimples and rash. The water can be used for rinsing the area.