HEALTH/BEAUTY SPECIAL..KITCHEN PARLOUR

KITCHEN PARLOUR 

You don’t need expensive beauty products if your hearth is stocked with oats and good old coconut oil

Dark patches? Rashes? Lifeless skin? It could well be your skincare product that is causing it despite
    promising to remedy these ‘ills’. We don’t need statistics to prove that the beauty products market in India, composed of skin care, hair care, cosmetics, fragrances and bath and shower products is thriving. According to some estimates, the multi billion dollar beauty industry in India will grow at 18 per cent annually over the next three years. Advances in biotechnology have spurred an entire area of research called green chemistry, where ‘natural’ products and stricter regulations have led to safer personal care products.
    However, research also shows that 90 per cent of branded face washes contain the chemical Sodium Laurate Sulphate. Almost all skin products such as creams, lotions and body washes contain preservatives like parabens and concentrated form of alcohol. The chemicals may be listed on the bottle. What’s not stated is that over a period of time, these chemicals react when exposed to UV rays and lead to pigmentation, rashes and heightened sensitivity to the sun. They also change the natural PH (acidity or alkalinity) of the skin.
    Given the situation, just what are you supposed to apply on your skin?
    Skin specialist Diya Dembla proffers an answer: Oats and coconut oil, both common ingredients in a regular kitchen.
    “Natural food is allergy-proof in the long run. It is absorbed by the skin faster. Even something as basic as face wash contains penetrators, which are aggressive agents that force ingredients into the skin to do its work.”
    Bandra-based Dembla recommends oats, grains and pulses to curb the excess oil on your skin. “The fibre in oats not only helps to absorb excess oil, but also suits all skin types,” she says. “If your skin is oily, constant exfoliation allows healthy cells to come to the surface, enabling your skin to inhale oxygen for repair.”
    Dembla shares three easy-tomake DIY packs that will help you rejuvenate your skin. OILS

FOR YOUR FACE
Using oils to match skin type helps enhance better moisture absorption.

For oily skin, apply extra virgin olive oil

For dry skin, coconut, and flaxseed oil are ideal

If you have inflamed skin, apply rose oil. In cold weather, sesame is the best oil to use as it improves blood circulation.

OATS SCRUB
»INGREDIENTS: A tablespoon of oats, a tablespoon whole milk, drop of coconut oil (for normal, dry and pigmented skin), or rose oil (acne prone, red, inflamed skin). »METHOD: Crush oats into a powder. Add milk to oats and let it sit for some time. Once the oats have bloomed into the milk, add a drop of oil according to your skin type. Apply and then wash it off after 10 minutes.

»BENEFITS: This pack has a mild scrubbing action and helps keep the skin clean and smooth. It also helps settle mild redness, rashes and inflammation and keeps pores clean without leaching too much moisture.

GREEN TEA AND MUD PACK
»INGREDIENTS: Green tea boiled and cooled (one bag makes six applications), and half to four tablespoons of multani mitti, one drop of coconut oil added to the paste. You can make and store for a week and use it every night. Mix the ingredients to a fine paste, apply every night on clean face. Let it sit for 10 minutes and wash off.

»BENEFITS: Green Tea is a great antioxidant for mature and dark, pigmented skin. »TIP: Once you scrub, replenish the skin by applying the booster pack, or just go for the green tea pack. Do this twice a week, just before sleeping.

 

ROSE BOOSTER PACK
»INGREDIENTS: Dehydrated rose petals (two afternoons in the sun), rose water and rose oil. Crush the dehydrated rose petals into a powder with a wooden spatula. Mix ingredients and let it sit for a bit. Apply and then wash it off after 10 minutes.

»BENEFITS: No matter what skin type you have, your pores go through different phases of opening and closing to help keep the skin clear. This pack is best for those who are prone to inflammation, or blackheads, whiteheads and acne.

Reema.Gehi  MM120824