Following tips from our expert ensure a carefree winter for all those who dread it.
Skin
For itchy skin, add half a cup of vinegar to a bucket of water. Use it at the end of your bath.
Add a tablespoon of honey to your bath water. This also has a softening effect and relieves fatigue.
Add a handful of powdered milk to your bath water. This nourishes dry skin.
Make your own massage oil by mixing almond oil with sunflower oil and adding a few drops of rose or sandalwood oil. This leaves the body with a pleasant fragrance and is much better than using perfumed oils which are available in the market.
Drink a warm glass of water with some honey and lemon juice first thing in the morning for a glowing skin. For one, it keeps the system flushed and aids the processes of elimination of wastes. Lemon juice is also rich in vitamin C, while honey has several vitamins and minerals. The body easily assimilates juices and honey. This combination is also a way of supplying important essential nutrients.
Honey is also a powerful natural moisturizer. Apply on the face and wash it off after 20 minutes.
Consult a doctor about taking a course of Vitamin A and E. You need to take moisturizing products. Use cleansing gels instead of soap. A lemon-turmeric pre-bath cream is very helpful. Apply honey on the face and wash it with plain water after half an hour.
As a home remedy, you can mix wheat bran (choker) with one teaspoon each of honey, yogurt and egg white. Apply this on the skin and wash off when dry. If you get pimples, you should have an anti-pimple lotion.
If you have a normal to oily skin in the T-zone with open pores: Use a light liquid moisturizer on areas where the skin feels dry. Avoid heavy and oily creams. A rose-based skin tonic would be ideal.
Elbows
For dry crusty elbows, mix together one-teaspoon vegetable oil, one teaspoon lemon juice, and one teaspoon honey. Rub this into the elbows daily.
If you have a thin and dry skin, (especially on hands), apply milk cream whenever you feel dryness. Avoid detergents and harsh soaps. Apply a mixture of glycerin, lemon juice and rose water on your hands before going to bed. This will soften your hands and reduce the dryness.
Lips
To get rid of chapped lips, apply an almond cream with lanolin. Leave it overnight. Cream of milk can also help soften the lips. Sometimes lipsticks can cause dryness. Try using lip-gloss for some time.
To get rid of dry skin around the mouth, apply honey mixed with choker on the area after washing the face. Wait till dry, rub off gently with cold raw milk, then wash it off. Thereafter, apply a light moisturizer around the mouth. Use this treatment 3 times a week.
Hair Care
Air conditioners have a drying effect. So does exposure to the sun. You should give your hair and skin protective treatments. This means, you should apply moisturized products. Oil your hair at least once a week, leaving it overnight and rinse the next morning with a mild herbal shampoo that is meant for dry hair. Yoghurt can also be applied for extra nourishment. Also, you can mix one teaspoon honey in a mug of water and use it as a rinse. Henna conditioning treatments should also be taken once a week.
Frequent washing does not harm the hair, it is the shampoo you use which can be harmful. Use mild herbal shampoos (Shamla is for dry hair). Use very little shampoo and rinse well with water. After you shampoo, mix the juice of one lemon in the last mug of water and use it as a last rinse. Oil your hair – the night before you shampoo – twice a week. Weekly henna treatments will help to improve the condition of your hair. Avoid rubber bands, wire rollers and hair dryers as they can cause split ends and dryness.
For dry and frizzy hair, use hot oil therapy (heat pure coconut oil and apply on the scalp with cotton wool. Leave it overnight, wash the next morning) at least twice or thrice a week. Use a good conditioner after shampoo and a hair gel to reduce the frizziness of the hair.
Hands
If your hands are dry, soak them in warm milk for ten minutes.
A luxury treatment for hands: – Take two eggs, four teaspoon almond oil, and one-tablespoon rosewater. Beat it all together. Add half spoon benzoin tincture drop by drop and mix it. Apply this onto the hands. Wear loose cotton socks on the hands and leave on the preparation all night. Rinse off with plain water next morning.
Feet
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