Homemade face packs to beat winter beauty woes

Shahnaz Husain *

Fretting over dry skin or acne-prone skin in winter ?

Winter is the dry season and the skin loses moisture to the atmosphere. Therefore rehydrating masks should be used. Actually, face masks are an important part of the skin-care routine. Knowing your skin type and specific needs helps to select the right ingredients.

Home-made face masks, containing moisturising and nourishing natural ingredients, certainly help to hydrate the skin.

Here are some moisturising face packs for Winter:

Aloe vera gel or juice can be applied directly on the skin daily. Leave on for 20 minutes and wash off with plain water. Aloe vera is a natural moisturiser and helps the skin to retain moisture. Aloe Vera keeps the skin soft and suits all skin types.

Mix half a teaspoon honey with one teaspoon pure almond oil and one teaspoon dried milk powder. Mix into a paste and apply on the face. Remove after 20 minutes with plain water. Dried milk powder nourishes and softens the skin. Almond oil provides the emollients. It softens the skin and suits dry skins.

Oily and acne prone skin can also suffer from lack of moisture in winter. Mix half teaspoon honey with egg white and one teaspoon curd. Add fuller’s earth (multani mitti) to mix into a paste. Apply and remove after 20 minutes with water.

For all skin types, mash a banana and add a little rose water. Apply on the face and wash off after 20 minutes. Banana hydrates, nourishes and tightens the skin, while rose water tones and moisturises.

Carrots are rich in Vitamin A and are of particular benefit for nourishing dry skin in winter. They have a soothing effect on the skin, making it soft, smooth and supple. In fact, it can be applied to soothe dry, sensitive skin. Carrots can also be used as a face pack. Boil them in a little water. Cool and mash. Apply the pulp on the face like a pack and wash off with plain water after half an hour.

Mix half a teaspoon honey, one teaspoon rose water and one teaspoon dried milk powder. Mix into a paste and apply on the face. Remove after 20 minutes with water. It suits normal to dry and combination skin.

Take honey and yogurt and add a few tablespoons of red wine. Apply this on the face and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse with plain water. This softens and moisturizes the skin, removes tan and also adds a glow.

For oily skin: Mix half teaspoon honey with the white of an egg and one teaspoon lemon juice. Add fuller’s earth or Brewer’s Yeast powder. Mix into a paste and apply. Remove after 20 minutes with water.

For oily skin with enlarged pores, add lemon juice and a little milk to oatmeal. Apply the paste and remove after 20 minutes with water.

Mix honey with one teaspoon orange juice and apply on the face, to make it soft and smooth. Wash off after 20 minutes. Honey suits all skin types.

For oily and acne-prone skin, mix two teaspoons curd and a little turmeric. Wash off with plenty of water after 15 minutes.

Applying mayonnaise or egg yolk on the face also helps to relieve dryness in normal to dry skin.

For all skin types, mix 3 teaspoons choker with one teaspoon each of ground almonds, honey, curd and egg white. Wash off after 20 minutes.

Apply a Fruit Pack. It suits all skin types. Mix grated apples with ripe papaya pulp and mashed banana. Yogurt or lemon juice can be added to the mixture. Apply on the face and wash off after 30 minutes with plain water.

Fresh and soft rose petals can be used for a face pack. Take a handful of rose petals. Wash and grind into a paste. Add one teaspoon each yogurt and honey, as well as 2 tablespoons dried and powdered orange peels.

Apply on the face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes and wash off with plain water after 20 minutes. The fragrance of Rose is said to have a calming effect on the mind. It induces relaxation and gives a sense of well being.

For an oily skin, mix red wine and green tea with Fuller’s Earth (multani mitti) into a paste. Apply on the face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off when it dries.

Beauty is the outcome of regular care…..and it is never too late to start taking care of the skin.