We Indians have been bestowed with a number of kitchen ingredients which are a natural way of getting flawless skin and silky hair. Our dadis and nanis have been using their age-old homemade remedies since forever which is why their skin and hair still shine like a star. In fact, we all grew up following their footsteps, applying ubtans and getting that late night ‘champi’ which in all ways worked wonders.

With the changing era, people do not have enough time to carry out such homemade remedies anymore. Plus, we’ve got artificial masks, cosmetics, facials and so much more to beautify our skin, which in some way is the shortcut. While all this was happening, our desi nuskhas had already taken a back seat. But, thanks to this lockdown, we all have eventually gone back to our roots. Our skin and hair care routine has been constant in this quarantine as we had time to do all that self-care which was much needed.

Today, let’s discuss these age-old methods of keepingthe skin glowing and achieving those lifelong hair goals like Rapunzel’s.

Face masks

Ubtan is the most popular face mask at every Indian’s home. Since our birth to the wedding day and ahead, we all have used these for years. Prepared with the basic kitchen ingredients, it is the easiest way to exfoliate your skin without burning a hole in the pocket.Apart from its skin glowing abilities, it also helps in removing dead skin cells, cure tanning, acnes or evening out the skin tone. In short, ubtan can work like magic for the skin. You can also tweak it your own way, according to your skin type. Let’s know in depth about these secret beauty spells.

1. All skin types: Take some turmeric powder (haldi), gram flour (besan), rose water, (gulabjal), sandalwood (chandan) and milk. Mix all these together to prepare a paste, apply it on your face and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. See the difference on your skin afterwards.
2. Acnes and pores:For the skin which is prone to acnes and pimples, it is said that neem, aloevera and honey are the best bets.Even massaging the skin with coconut oil once in 2-3 days can help in healing scars and giving you a glowing skin.
3. Dry skin: Wheat bran, milk, honey and almond oil can help getting rid of dry skin. Experts say people who tend to have dry skin should always keep their skin moisturized. The most natural way of moisturizing the skin is with coconut oil, honey and aloevera.
4. Oily skin: If your skin is too oily, take some almonds, grind it into a paste and apply it on your face.Egg whites and lemon juice too have anti-bacterial abilities that absorb oil from the skin.

Hair masks

Who doesn’t have legit hair goals? Especially, the ladies, once in a lifetime, you might have come across a person who had just the perfect hair and wished for hair like theirs. We all do! Hair care is equally important for both men and women. There are some effective and tested remedies which can add to the health of your hair without a lot of effort. When a good hair day can just make you happy instantly, imagine it for life! So many hair problems, here are the solutions.

1. Hair fall: Probably, the most common problem for both men and women.Fenugreek seeds or methi dana is one of the best ways to control hair fall. Grind them to a powder, mix it with curd and apply it on your scalp. It not only acts as a great hair softener but also curbs hair fall. Even onion juice and egg masks are said to be great for this.
2. Whitening of hair: Hair whitening is also a major problem amongst our generation. It might happen due to various reasons, one of which, being lack of vitamins. Boil some curry leaves, mix it with coconut oil and massage your hair regularly to reduce greying of hair. Even eating and applying amla masks on your hair works wonders.
3. Shine and volume: If you’re looking to add shine and volume to your hair, banana masks are the best. Use ripe bananas, mix with coconut oil and milk and apply it on your hair. It not only adds volume but is healthy for all hair types.