Autumn is a brief season in India, but as we start feeling a nip in the air, one also feels the skin tighten. Oily skin tends to feel better, dry skin starts feeling taut, and combination skin is the happiest during this time of the year. Since days become shorter, wake up early, go for a jog and sleep when you are back… that is what beauty sleep is all about! Try meditation, Yoga, and deep breathing as these disciplined practices make all the difference to the skin.
Get, set, pamper
This season, start your day by having a bath with lukewarm water. What better way to do so than by adding a few drops of lavender and geranium oil—it will leave you smelling great. Autumn is also a time when the feet and hands start becoming drier, and look patchy. If not looked after now, your skin will have more problems in winter. Always keep a massage cream or oil next to your bedside. Make massaging into your skin a daily nighttime ritual. Olive oil mixed with essential oil of sandalwood also works wonders. Keep a pumice stone in your bathroom and scrub your feet daily to remove dead skin. Use a loofah with bath gel for the elbow, knees, and thighs to keep these areas smooth. Every part of you needs pampering.
Scrub skin woes away
Start thinking about getting warm relaxing massages; try and do so by using fragrant sandalwood oil to your regular oil, and knead out the tension slowly. A good idea would be to make a natural ubtan to use after massage instead of soap. You can make this at home with dried rose petals, gram flour, milk powder, sandalwood powder, and lemon juice. Use this scrub all over your body and wash off. It will leave the skin feeling baby-like. One of my very own favourite ubtan recipes is as follows:
Oatmeal: 1 cup
Almond powder: 1/2 cup
Sandalwood powder: 2tbsp
Rose petals: A handful
Milk powder: 5tbsp
Essential rose oil: 20drops
Lemon oil: 20drops
Dried neem leaves (crushed): 5tbsp
Mix these together and store in a jar. Use the required amount instead of soap.
Understand your body
Oily skin tends to feel the need for a moisturiser, but then again, it is not essential that if you have oily skin, it will be able to take a cream or moisturiser. Mash a banana and massage it into the skin, leave for five to seven minutes, and wash off for a smoothened-out complexion. People with dry skin should use pure honey as moisturiser; massage 2tsp into the skin. Walnut honey or apricot honey is rejuvenating. If you cannot procure this, opt for what is available in your nearest grocery store. Leave for about 10 minutes and wash off, you will not feel the need to use a cold cream. If your skin is dry, mix 1tsp each of fresh cream and honey. Massage this into the skin until it has soaked up the goodness. Wash off and your skin will feel like new. If you experience patchy skin during this season, mix the following:
Barley oats: 5tbsp
Lemon peel powder: 5tbsp
Take a teaspoon of this mixture with a little milk, and scrub the skin with it daily to get super soft skin.
Check your diet
Take a hot cup of milk every night and add 1tsp of pure almond oil to it. This works wonders; your cough will disappear in no time. Also, internal nourishment for the body is important. Start taking almonds, figs, and plenty of dairy products in your daily diet.
Above all, enjoy the changing season and wake your body and mind to the beautiful months of winter.
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Suparna trikha
The columnist is a beauty and nature care expert @suparnatrikha