A popular subject for memes post-lockdown is how women will survive without their regular grooming in parlours. Photographs of hirsute faces and limbs of a woman can be nightmarish even as the memes are sexist and represent an average man’s idea of a woman’s lifestyle.
Sexism aside, for most women, absence of beauty salons is a major problem and one may find her beauty regime being disturbed. But beauty expert Shahnaz Husain can help you draw up a routine for beauty care and utilise the ample time that the lockdown has provided us.
Can you be bothered to apply make-up during lockdown that has been extended till May 3? Some women may find an opportunity to do so when they go out for essential shopping during relaxation hours.
This is a long, boring and stressful time but it also gives you the perfect opportunity to detox or upgrade your beauty routine and to make working from home a transformative period by exploring new makeup trends and improving your skincare routine in extra time.
Since the global community is under self-quarantine, you should aim at looking your best and feeling beautiful in your personal space so that you stay productive, healthy and in high spirits while observing social distancing.
With limited exposure to the sun, pollution, dust and grime this is the perfect time to whip up some home remedies and concoctions for your skin even if you cannot go to a parlour. You can try something new and change what you’re applying on your face and body every morning and evening in routine matter during your busy schedule.
Ask yourself what does your skin need right now? Is it hydration? Is it a deep cleanse? Is it an anti-ageing boost? Then, adapt your products accordingly while indulging in some guilt-free self-care.
We are going to share with you some herbal beauty tips which can be used daily.
Avocado face mask
Homemade avocado face masks are among the best natural masks which nourish and revitalise the skin and are non-greasy. This fruit is packed with skin-friendly minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium, copper, magnesium, vitamins A, E, B and K and unsaturated fats.
One mashed avocado with one teaspoon of honey works fine as both act as natural moisturisers. Take a fully ripe fresh avocado and mash it into a creamy pulp in a bowl. Add one tablespoon of honey and one tablespoon of fresh plain yoghurt and stir until it turns into a uniform paste. Apply on skin and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse off the mixture with lukewarm water and pat dry your face with a soft towel. This mask works wonders for mature, wrinkled and dry skin.
Always use a ripe avocado for making face masks. To make the avocado mask cool and refreshing, keep it in your fridge for a couple of minutes before applying it.
Your skin is constantly exposed to pollutants and environmental aggressors even if you are not going outside. Indoor pollution can be up to five times more concentrated than outside. You need to essentially protect your skin with sunscreen while at home.
Apply sunscreen
Sunscreen should be applied every day to exposed skin, and not just if you are going to be in the sun. During lockdown, when you are going to be indoors, apply sunscreen on the areas not covered by clothing, such as the face and hands. Sunscreens can be applied under makeup. Sun protection is the principal means of preventing premature ageing.
You may be harming your skin if you don’t wear sunscreen indoors. That’s because, the glass window you are close to effectively blocks most ultraviolet (UV) rays, it does not block all of them in equal measures.
Don’t reserve the use of sunscreen only for sunny days. A recent study has revealed that sand reflects 25 per cent of the sun’s rays and snow reflects 80 per cent of the rays. You should apply sunscreen on all exposed areas of the face, ears, hands and arms. Coat the skin liberally and rub it in thoroughly. Don’t forget that lips get sunburned too, so apply a lip balm that contains sunscreen. Your sunscreen should have an SPF of 30 or higher that provides broad-spectrum coverage against sunburn and tanning etc. You should prefer water-resistant sunscreens so as they cannot be easily removed by sweating or swimming.
Avoid heat hair tools
Another thing that you can avoid for the next few weeks is using heated hair tools such as blow dryers, curling irons, tongs and straighteners and allow your hair to dry naturally as you have sufficient time. The heat styling tools can cause breakage, damage and drying. Once washed, lightly pat your hair with a towel. Then leave hair to dry naturally for at least 15 minutes. Once hair is towel-dried, use a wide-tooth comb to detangle it. Be very gentle with your hair at this stage. Wet hair is weaker and more prone to breakage.
Moisturise hands
We are all washing our hands more often that leads to a lot more hand eczema cases. All that washing and hand sanitiser dry out the skin. Many people are experiencing cracked and chapped hands due to excessive washing of hands. If your hands are cracking, coconut oil is one of the best things you can use. You can also use the regular, original petroleum jelly. You can use castor oil on your face as it can be beneficial to your skin.
Have a luxury bath
You can try one of the following bath additives. Some of these can remove fatigue while others replace oils or relieve itching. Select one according to your need. A bath that leaves your body soft, smooth and perfumed can make you feel really good.
Honey bath: Add two tablespoons of honey to a bucket of bath water. It is said to induce relaxation and leave your skin soft and moist.
Vinegar: Add two tablespoons of vinegar. This helps to relieve itching.
Eau de Cologne: Adding a few drops of cologne makes you feel cool and leaves the body fragrant.
Almond oil: Add one tablespoon of almond oil to your bath water if you have a dry skin.
After-bath body lotion: Mix 100 ml of rose water with one tablespoon of pure glycerin. Keep in a bottle with a lid.
Face mask: Mix ripe papaya pulp with two parts honey, two parts yogurt, two parts powdered dried orange and lemon peel and three parts oatmeal.
Tips: Your bath or shower water should not be too cold or hot. Give your body a scrub with a loofah or sponge. This helps to stimulate the skin and removes dead cells, leaving the body thoroughly cleansed. Pay special attention to areas where the skin is hard, like the elbow, knees and feet. If you have dry skin, use glycerine soap. A baby soap is also gentle on the skin.
After drying the body, apply a moisturising lotion while the skin is still damp. This helps to seal in the moisture.
Apply the face mask and while it is drying, soak cotton wool pads in chilled rose water and apply over the eyelids. Lie down and relax for 20 minutes. Wash off the face mask.
Have an organic pedicure using natural oils and extracts. You will need a nail brush, pumice stone or a heel scrubber, nail clippers, emery board, cotton wool, cotton buds, massage cream, polish remover, nail polish and a small tub for soaking the feet.
After removing old polish, soak feet in warm water after adding some herbal shampoo, oil and coarse salt. Let the feet soak for 15 minutes. Then clean the nails with the brush. Use the pumice stone on the heels and side of the soles. Avoid metal scrubbers. You can also scrub the entire feet with a rough towel or loofah. Wash the feet in clean water. Dry with a towel.
If your nails need cutting, better use a nail clipper. Toe nails should be cut straight across. Do not cut the cuticles. Do not use sharp instruments to clean the nails. Apply almond oil and push back cuticles gently with a cotton bud.
Then give feet a scrub treatment. Mix ground almonds with yogurt and some sugar. Apply them on the feet. After 15 to 20 minutes, rub gently on the skin with circular movements. Wash off with water. Then massage the feet with olive oil or sunflower oil. Wipe the feet with a moist towel.
If you wish to apply polish, put some cotton wool between the toes. Apply the nail varnish in broad strokes from the base of the nail to the nail tips. After the first coat dries, apply the second coat of colour.