Hair and skin care guide for monsoon

The film industry has been instrumental in building a very romantic idea about the monsoons. There are countless examples of romantic song sequences where the actors look picture perfect in the pouring rain. But anyone who goes out often knows for a fact how far moved from reality this idealism is. In reality, monsoon brings with itself a long list of skin and hair problems.

Lucky for our readers, Exec Lifestyle got in touch with beauty expert Blossom Kochhar and asked her for some tips to avoid common hair and skin problems faced during the rainy season.

Read on for some common skin problems faced during the monsoon and their solutions:

? Detoxification of the skin is very essential during monsoons as it prevents allergies, puffiness and skin diseases. Rather than using harsh soaps that have a drying effect, make your own special skin powder. Mix equal amounts of green gram powder and Bengal gram powder and half the quantity of fenugreek seeds. Prepare a paste by mixing all these in rosewater and apply this paste generously on the entire body. This method deeply cleanses and refreshes the body.

? During the downpour, when there is profuse sweating and the body is not exposed to air, red itching pustules appear on the body, especially on the chest, back, abdomen and forehead. A paste of multani mitti (Fuller?s Earth) and water helps attend to this issue. Apply the paste over affected areas and have a cold bath after it dries. Following this regime twice a week effectively controls this issue.

? Mash a banana and beat in a teaspoon of vegetable oil. Brush it on the face and leave it on for 15-20 minutes till it dries. Then rinse it off with plain water. This recipe is best suited for dry to normal skin.

? Mix together multani mitti (Fuller?s Earth), gram flour and sandalwood powder in equal quantities. Store in an airtight container. For applying mix one tablespoon of the powder in water to make a paste. Apply evenly on face and leave it to dry then rinse with cold water. This homemade face mask will help remove flakes and dust. This face mask can be used by people with oily skin.

How to keep your hair healthy and silky during monsoon:

? Sweating along the scalp line during humid days makes you shampoo your hair everyday as a part of the cleaning regime. However, we recommend do not resort to regular shampooing of your hair. Instead of using harsh shampoos try using a protein conditioner regularly. Beat one tablespoon of castor oil, a mild herbal shampoo and glycerin along with a teaspoon of cider vinegar and yoghurt. Leave this mixture on scalp for 20 minutes before you rinse it with clear water. Use this at least thrice a week.

? Dealing with the frizz: Prepare a mask by mixing two tablespoons of honey in one cup of pumpkin puree. Once you have applied this mask on your scalp thoroughly, wrap your hair in a shower cap and leave it on for 15 minutes. Honey is a natural humectant and repairs the damage caused by dryness to give you bright and smooth hair.

? Avoid excessive use of blow dryers, flat irons, chemical based products and alcohol based hair sprays. With consistent implementation of these tips you can easily win the battle against frizz to get beautiful, shiny and smooth hair.