Skincare is huge these days. Everywhere you look, a new skincare product is being advertised. And there are so many words out there associated with skincare that it’s tough to keep track. Who even knows what hyaluronic acid does? Why do we need it? If you look at the older generations in your family, you’ll see that your mother, grandmother, and aunts have great skin. And they didn’t use any of these products. So why aren’t we using more natural products on our faces? We spoke to Dr Blossom Kochhar, a veteran in the world of skincare, about the best remedies for everyday skin problems. And she had a wealth of knowledge to share!

Here are some invaluable tips and remedies from Dr Blossom Kochhar which will keep your skin healthy, supple and glowing.

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1. Exfoliate twice a week

Instead of relying on cosmetic scrubs, make your own exfoliators according to your skin. Here are a few exfoliators you can make at home. These recipes are also mentioned in Dr Blossom Kochhar’s book, Aromatherapy: A Way Of Life.

For oily skin:

You need:

Multani mitti, 5 tablespoons

5 tablespoons of grated orange peel

Sandalwood powder, 5 tablespoons

Tea tree oil

A bottle of rose water

Method:

Mix the multani mitti, orange peel and sandalwood powder and store it in a jar. To exfoliate, make a paste with 1 tablespoon of the powder mix, rose water, and 2-3 drops of tea tree oil. Leave it on your skin for 1-2 minutes. Massage gently for a minute and rinse it off.

For dry skin:

You need:

1/4th teaspoon of oatmeal

1 tablespoon of fresh cream

1 crushed almond

2 drops of sandalwood oil

Method:

Mix the ingredients well. Dampen your skin with tepid or cold water and massage the cream into your skin gently. Rinse off.

For combination skin:

You need:

1 tablespoon of fresh cream

1/4th tablespoon of granular coffee powder

2 drops of rose oil

Method:

Combine the ingredients to make an exfoliating scrub. Massage it gently on your skin for 1-2 minutes. Rinse it off.

2. Use facial oils every night

Facial oils moisturise and condition your skin overnight. Make these at home with essential oils while keeping your skin type in mind. Looking at the effects of these essential oils on your skin, you may forego your regular night cream.

For oily skin:

You need:

2 drops of tea tree oil

1 drop of lemon oil

1 teaspoon of jojoba oil

Method:

Mix all the oils and massage them gently into your skin. Put a hot towel on your face for 2-3 minutes. This will increase the benefits of the oils.

For dry skin:

You need:

3 drops of sandalwood oil

1 drop of geranium oil

A tablespoon of almond oil

1 teaspoon of castor oil

Method:

Apply a few drops of this oil mixture on your face at night. Massage it in gently and use a hot compress for 2-3 minutes. If your skin still feels dry, apply a moisturiser on top of the oils.

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3. Apply face packs once a week

Here are the face packs you can make at home, depending on your skin type.

For oily, acne-prone skin:

You need:

1 teaspoon of kaolin

Yoghurt

Pulp of cucumber, carrot, pear and strawberry

2 drops of lemon oil

Method:

Mix all the ingredients to make a paste. For the pulp, you can use any of these options or all of them together. Apply this mixture on your face and leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse off gently.

For dry skin:

You need:

1 tablespoon of milk powder

Half a banana

1/2 teaspoon of honey

Yoghurt

2 drops of lavender oil

Method:

Combine all the ingredients and make a paste. You can also use melon or avocado in place of bananas.

4. Don’t overdo facials

According to Dr Blossom Kochhar, a facial once in 21 days is enough for your skin. Overdoing facials can make your skin more sensitive and prone to breakouts.

5. Don’t rely on skincare trends

Retinol and glycolic acid, while being almost magical for acne, are harsh elements. Because of their nature, products with retinol and glycolic acid should only be used on a professional’s recommendation. If you are using products with retinol, you must use sunscreen every day without fail.

6. Don’t compromise on the quality of your makeup

Foundation and contour, the base of your makeup, should always be of the best available quality. Since they touch your skin directly, you should not compromise on the quality of your foundation and contour.

7. Drink coconut water

Coconut water, Dr Kochhar tells us, is a great way to keep your skin hydrated. Another way to detox and hydrate is to drink warm water with the juice of half a lemon and 1 teaspoon of honey. Dr Kochhar says this drink, consumed first thing in the morning, can do wonders for your skin and general health.

8. Sleep!

According to Dr Blossom Kochhar, the quality of sleep is better than the number of hours. To ensure you get a good night’s sleep, drink warm milk with saffron or haldi and honey to improve sleep quality. You can swap milk with warm water if you don’t like milk.

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Apart from these handy tips and remedies, Dr Kochhar also shared some quick fixes and hacks with us. Ladies, these fixes are especially important to know if you have a big event coming up.

Quick fixes for acne

1. Make a mixture of one egg white and a pinch of garlic. Apply this on pimples directly. However, if you’re allergic to sulphur, don’t use this method.

2. Another way to tackle pimples is to apply neem and mint on the acne. Take a neem and a mint leaf. Wash them thoroughly and crush them. Mix the two and apply the mixture on the pimples.

3. If you have oily skin, you can also use a mud pack or calamine pack regularly to keep pimples away.

Use a face mask before applying makeup

If you have dry skin, use a sheet mask before applying makeup. This will hydrate your skin properly before it is layered with products. If you have oily skin, use a mud pack to control the oiliness.

Use henna for a dusky glow

If you have dusky skin, and want an instant glow on your face, mix kaolin or a clay pack with a tiny pinch of henna. Leave it on your skin for 10 minutes and take it off. This will leave a radiant glow on dusky skin. Do not use this method if you have a light skin tone.

Follow Dr Blossom Kochhar’s skincare tips to have a healthy, glowing skin forever.

Click here to see more tips on how to take care of your skin in the summer.