Minimize a tan, get rid of dandruff and more... exclusive recipes from naturopath Dr Nirmala Shetty's soon-to-be-released book
“Natural ingredients are better than anything you can buy in a bottle,” testifies Dr Nirmala Shetty, who started off testing her kitchen concoctions on herself, over two decades ago. Soon family and friends were asking for her recipes. Her kitchen-based beauty enterprise grew to centres at Bandra, Mulund, Vile Parle and Powai, consulting at national and international level beauty contests and beyond. Her recipes have evolved over the years to make room for her expanding knowledge of naturopathy and alternative medicine. But the soak-every-night, grind-every-morning requirement of working with natural ingredients meant that her entrepreneural venture was not built to satisfy economies of scale. Secondly “not everyone can afford treatment” at one of her centres. Her soon to be released book, Natural Beauty at your Fingertips, is an attempt to make beauty more accessible and affordable. Try out the three recipes she shared below and let us know if they work for you.
Soak Away a Tan
Buttermilk Almond Summer Facial
Ingredients:
4 almonds
3tsp of red lentils aka masoor dal
1/4 cup buttermilk
Method: Soak the almonds and red lentils in buttermilk for 2 hours. Grind the soaked ingredients into a fine paste. Apply the mixture evenly across your face and neck. Wash it off with some more buttermilk after 5 mins.
Wash Dandruff Away
Beet Blend Beauty
Ingredients:
1/4 beet juice
1/4 coconut juice
1/4 curd
3tsp olive oil
Method: Blend all the ingredients, including the beet juice, which is good for reducing dandruff. Massage the juice into your scalp. After 15 minutes, wash it off with cold water, a mild herbal shampoo and conditioner.
Margosa (neem) Cucumber Cleanse for the Bride-to-be
(Recommended for oily or acne-prone skin)
Ingredients:
1/4 cup cucumber juice
1tsp neem/ margosa paste
Method: Mix the ingredients into a paste. Apply this twice daily across the face and neck. Wash off with luke warm water after 5 minutes.
Kitchen Rules
First understand your skin and its potential to develop allergies. If you have sensitive skin, always do a patch test.
Secondly, make sure you use good quality natural ingredients and grind them fresh.
Wash leaves, fruits and herbs well before you use them.
Be patient when using natural ingredients; the results may be assured but are not instant.
As told to Averil Nunes
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