Mother always knows best! And I’ve been lucky to have my Mother, Grandmother, and Mother in-law through some crucial times in my life. We all love our mothers and can easily relate to our first memories or lessons in beauty instilled by our mothers, who learned from their mothers and grandmothers. I can distinctly remember my mother’s mystical rituals at night, sort of like an ‘Oh! That’s why she is so beautiful!’ moment. Even as a child, she would always have something for all my skincare, haircare, and seasonal beauty need, even though I didn’t know I needed them. I also learned a few make-up tricks from my mother, but it’s the DIY home remedies I treasure and continue to follow in my beauty routine. Incidentally, some of my mother’s best DIY homemade beauty remedies have stood the test of time and are readily available right in our homes.
Gram flour for youthful skin – The absolute star ingredient for all skincare needs and primarily due to its alkalizing properties, was traditionally used as a cleanser to maintain the skin’s pH. Gram flour also helps to absorb and remove excess oil without drying out your skin and removes dirt and toxins from deep within. Every desi kid knows about the wonders it works for blemishes, removing tan, reducing oiliness, and a youthful glow.
Here’s what to do:
- Mix 1 tablespoon Gram flour, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, a pinch of cosmetic turmeric, 1 tablespoon of curd, making a thick paste.
- Use this mixture on your face and neck, staying away from your eyes till it is semi-dry, and wash it off with cold water.
I use this mix during summers a lot as it helps with oiliness, gives a glow, and helps with tanning. You could also replace the curd with milk, or rosewater, or aloe vera if your skin required extra soothing in the summers. You could also mix larger quantities for a bodypack.
Coconut oil for hair and body – Using natural oils has become popular these days. Extra virgin coconut oil is the ultimate classic ingredient used for lips, skin, hair, body, and even cooking. Incidentally, this one I learned from my grandmother. Bless her soul!
For Hair:
- Grind up 2 tablespoons of dry fenugreek seeds into powder and mix it with 3-4 tablespoons of slightly warm extra virgin coconut oil.
- Use it as a hair mask for 30 to 60 minutes before hair washes by applying it to your hair’s roots for deep conditioning and healthy and long strands.
- Use the remaining for coating the lengths of your hair to add shine and tame frizz.
For Body:
Orange Peel Face packs – This is the most beneficial fruit found on the earth, and the orange peel is equally helpful. The orange peel also has more vitamin C than the orange itself, which forms collagen and elastin, the ultimate secret to beautiful skin. And it’s loaded with citric acid, which works as a natural bleach for skin lightening, removing scars and marks, and all types of blemishes. This remedy was passed on to me by my mother – in – law and my husband loves it too, as he has a great aversion to the smell of Gram flour packs.
Here’s what to do:
- Collect and sundry orange peel using tissue paper on the bottom, spread out the orange peel into small bits, and cover it up again with tissue paper to absorb excess moisture. Grind and sieve the dry orange peel for a fine powder. You can also buy orange peel powder online.
- Use 1 tablespoon of orange peel powder, 1/2 tablespoon red sandalwood for treating acne, ½ tablespoon of Multani Mitti (Whitening clay) to remove excess sebum oil, and rosewater/yogurt to mix up a smooth paste.
- Staying away from the eye area, Apply the paste on your face and neck for 15 minutes, and rinse off with cold water. This pack works well for acne-prone and oily skin types and will give you instant rejuvenating, toned up, and tight-looking skin.
