Herbal Beauty in the Heat                         by  Janice Kumar

When it is hot, it gets difficult to apply cosmetics. They run, they fade away and get all sticky. When it is really hot, you may feel like going without any cosmetics, however the skin needs cooling and care to withstand all that heat and needs to be protected. It is advisable to wear a hat, sun glasses and long sleeved loose fitting cotton dresses.

There are many herbs and natural beauty remedies  available in nature. It is best to use these natural beauty aids to stay comfortable, look good and smell nice, the whole day.

One of the best solutions to the heat is sandalwood. It cools and protects the skin. Sandalwood paste applied on the face and arms and the soles of the feet, provides cooling and protection of the skin from sun burns. It smells nice and has anti inflammatory properties. Mix a spoonful of turmeric powder in sandalwood paste and apply to the face and arms. Leave on for half and hour and wash off with cold water to find softer, rash free skin. Turmeric powder in the mix is anti septic and helps get rid of those bacteria accumulated during the grind of a hot day.   

An easy way to smell nice the whole day is to add sandalwood oil ( 4- 5 drops) in the last rinse of your bath water.  If you do not particularly like this perfume, you can use rose essential oil as a last rinse. The more adventurous among you, may also try mixing the oils in the last rinse to find  a unique perfume for the whole day.

Rosewater is easily available. It can be refrigerated and used as a cleanser for the face. It refreshes, rejuvenates and hydrates the skin like no other cosmetic. You can also freeze rosewater into ice cubes and use the cubes to rejuvenate the face.

An alternative to rosewater is cucumber juice. This juice is also refreshing for the skin and good for tired eyes. Freeze it into cubes and then rub it over the skin and over the eye lids and under the eyes to get rid of those dark shadows and puffy eyes. Wash off with cold water after an hour or so.

The daily grind and the sweat pores on the face and skin cause the oily look to develop on the face. It also gives rise to pimples and eruptions as the pores get blocked. A natural scrubber can be created in a jiffy. Mix a pinch of crushed camphor powder with 10 - 15  ml ( two to three table spoonfuls) of honey and massage your face with it. Leave on for 10 minutes and then wash off with cold water to find fresh skin.

Fuller's earth is an excellent cooling agent which soothes and revitalizes skin. Put a few drops of lemon juice in the mixture of fuller's earth and water and create a face pack. Let it dry and then remove with cold water, rubbing upwards. This should take care of the dry skin and prevent pimples from forming.  Fuller's earth mixed with rose water is also good and smells good also.

If you are feeling tired and listless after a hot day, try this remedy. Cut slices of bottle gourd and rub the soles of your feet with them. This helps drain out the heat from the body and perks up the system. 

You can alternatively also put your feet in hot water to which some sandalwood oil has been added. This also helps relax the body.

Do also remember to keep your body hydrated during the hot water.  Drinking 5-6 glasses of water a day is strongly recommended to maintain skin elasticity and prevent premature ageing. Start the day with water and end it with water.

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