Skin that glows

by ROMA ARYAL

FROM ISSUE # 155 (November 2008) | IN THIS ISSUE
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You don't have to leave the four walls of your room or your kitchen to have your skin looking and feeling like a supple baby-bottom. In fact, you can snuggle up on a sophisticated arm chair, prop up your feet and have your little sister/brother, who knows absolutely nothing about skin care do the dirty work for you. All you need are the basic materials that will generally be placed in one of the cabinets of your kitchen, and all you have to do is go find them, mix and apply away to glory!

First, you need to figure out whether your skin type is oily, dry or combination. Once you've got that sorted, choose one of the three sections with the skin treatment that will work best for you.

For oily skin
Oily skin attracts a lot of dirt so you would do well to wash your face regularly with a cleanser. Don't make the mistake of using moisturising creams. Instead, use water-based creams, because oily skin doesn't need more nourishing.

Skin that's oily works well with egg whites. The best face pack is a mixture of egg whites, which also help tighten skin, and honey. Blend the mixture and apply, and leave for 15 minutes. Wash with a face-wash.

Another way to keep your face clean and refreshed is by splashing cold water on your face 3-4 times a day. Put a bowl of water in the fridge. The cold water also helps tighten your pores. Another cleanser is papaya pulp. When applied, it softens dead skin and helps shed them.

Instead of cringing on-stage after a bad performance, you would do well to lift your chin and let the tomatoes splatter on your face. Because, believe it or not, a paste of tomatoes when applied, is good for oily skin. 

For dry skin
If you've got dry skin, don't use a face-wash too often (or don't use it at all). Instead, use a rich cream cleanser – which could mean the one in stores, or just some milk. Milk is a good cleanser, and also nourishes your skin. Leave it on the skin for a while, and when you're done wash it off with plain water and use a mild face tonic.

A good way to rejuvenate dry chapped skin is washing your face with watermelon juice. Instead of using it on your thirst, use it on parched skin with a splash once a week and you'll see marked improvement. In fact, a friend once told me that her skin got better because she just made it a point to rub her wet hands over her skin after eating fruits!

Another good tip is that you mustn't over-expose your skin to the sun. You may think you're doing well by sleeping on the terrace smothered in oil, but 'limit' is key.

While oily skin benefits from egg whites, dry skin benefits from egg yolk. A face pack mixed with egg yolk, two tablespoons of milk and half a teaspoon of honey, left on the skin for 15 minutes and washed with lukewarm water, will nourish your skin. After washing your face, remember to top it off with a nourishing cream.

For combination skin
If you're blessed with combination skin, you need to learn to strike a balance between the two treatment methods: nourish your skin, but not too much, cleanse it but not excessively. If your skin already feels great to touch, you can make it glow by eating right. A diet with three servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit and lots of fresh juice and water will serve you well and will do what no amount of face cream will do.