To look pretty and proper

Dr Jamuna Pai

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A rash, a pimple or a dry skin patch, for every minor skin problem, you must not rush to a dermatologist. Here are quick-fix tips to avoid minor beauty mishaps. The solutions are simple and easy to try.

Dark circles: To conceal dark circles, make a paste of 1 tsp milk powder, ½ tsp curd, two drops of lemon juice and two drops of honey. Apply paste on dark circles. Wait for 10 minutes and wash it off with cold water.

Puffiness around the eyes: Major reasons for puffiness around the eyes are fluid retention, inadequate sleep and of course heredity. But it can be reduced considerably. Wrap an ice cube in a soft cloth and apply to the under eye area for five minutes to reduce swelling. You will see an immediate improvement. The other things that can help are chilled gel masks, cucumber slices and a cool damp cloth.

Dry lips: Put a thin film of moisturiser before applying gloss. And apply a thick coat of gloss to hide chapped lips.

Frizzy hair: Before washing your hair, apply coconut milk made from fresh grated coconut and leave it on for two hours. This acts as a conditioner. Oiling the hair often also helps in making the hair less frizzy. Use anti-frizz serum on the hair just before you leave home.

Open pores or to tighten the skin: Use two egg whites. Whisk them till you get peaks. Add two drops of honey to this and spread over face and neck. Leave it on for 20 minutes and wash off.

Ageing hands: Remember to use a thin film of a foundation or concealer on the hands after doing your face. Hands always give away the age.

Pigmentation or uneven skin tone: Don’t put bleach on your face for more than seven minutes and on the body not more than 20 minutes. Bleaching not only lifts the tan, but also helps remove the dead-skin cells.

Dry skin on the hands, around the nail cuticles and feet: Dry skin is a condition where skin loses its oiliness and it can be because of soaps, weather, heredity, etc. It is very important to take care of the dryness because it can turn into deep cuts and hurt especially on the heels. The quick fix is that you can try is mixing some milk cream with honey and massage for 20 minutes on all the dry areas. And after massaging, wash it off with a mild soap.

The writer is a cosmetic physician based in Mumbai