Back to Basics!

This is something which I am feeling so vividly in the last few days that I thought to pen down about it! BASICS: this term might be subjective and differs from person to person but then when it comes to skincare, I guess Basic is the same Basic for almost all of us. Have you wondered about this era of acid-based skincare, peel of mask, sheet mask, and what not, we are almost on the verge of forgetting the usage of good old basics for skincare like aloe vera gel or turmeric powder or even curd or milk, isn’t it? 

Be it advertisement gimmick or affluence, we all are so much inclined to get our hands-on, on each and every latest launch from any of the skincare brands out there in the market. Plus, these skincare brands invest truckload in paid promotion with high-end celebrities which influences us even more to get those every new launch! But then, are those things really what our skin demands? Or is it like we use the new launches so much that we forget that old is gold? Come what may be the case, I am here writing with a heart full of emotions to take you through some of those gems from very very basic ingredients, which can do wonders for your skin and hair and once you get the hang of it, you might even forget to try out every latest launch!

Coconut oil: 

This gem tops my list because of its versatility. From hair care to skincare it can do all for you! How? Let us see how:

Replace your micellar water with coconut oil and see it working amazingly to remove all of your makeup! And even the stubborn ones!!

Hair-care: 

No oil can beat cold-pressed virgin coconut oil to take care of hair health. Warm the oil a bit before applying and apply twice a week. I bet, if you continue this, you will ditch all your those high-end oils.

Dry flaky skin? Apply some drops of coconut oil; Dry chapped lips? Apply coconut oil + ghee mixture; thin eyebrows and eyelashes? Apply coconut oil + castor oil;

Have you tried using coconut oil for cut marks or even stretch marks? Be consistent, start now and thank me later!

Turmeric: 

Be it turmeric paste of the wild turmeric powder (even called kasturi manjal), turmeric can be a one-stop solution maker for all your skin problems. Skin rashes or heat boils can be cured with turmeric application. Pimple marks can also be cured by using turmeric as a spot treatment option.

Milk and curd: 

Milk is an excellent cleanser and is even better as a part of your face pack (please note, full cream milk is the best option for skin). Curd is unbeatable when it comes to taking care of skin tanning and regaining a uniform complexion. Further, curd alone or even mixed with any of your favorite hair mask powder is excellent to make your hair feather soft and make it frizz-free!

Aloe vera gel: 

Trust me, the pure form of aloe vera is in no way comparable to those store-bought ones. I agree, it is a little of a hassle to get that pure gel, but if you get it, I can give you a trick to store in bulk: take the pulp of aloe vera gel and add just a pinch of apple cider vinegar (which acts as a preservative) and blend in a mixer. Put this paste in an ice cube tray and thereby in the freezer; Tadaaaa!! You can use these cubes directly or can, elt, and use parts of it as and when required!

Besan (Gram Flour): 

Trust me, it's been more than a year that I have completely stopped using face washes and make my own, and for that, my star ingredient is besan! How? Mix an equal quantity of besan and Multani mitti with half the quantity of besan as turmeric powder (you can add neem leaves powder to this if you have acne-prone skin), mix well, and your powder cleanser is ready! This works excellent except on days when you have applied really really heavy makeup! Further, besan and curd can also act as a great hair pack and in turn an amazing scalp exfoliator!

Now tell me, don’t you feel like going back to these basics and saving those bucks? Do comment below and let me know which one of the above works best for you!