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Does your skin feel dull and tired? Looks like it needs some pampering. You can try some of these natural home remedies to add life to your skin. 

1. Honey- Liquid gold that makes your skin shine

Honey is known for its skin benefits for many civilizations. 

Its benefits are manyfold:

• It moisturizes and soothes the skin, it is an anti-tanning agent, heals burns and wounds, it retards wrinkle formation and is also an antibacterial agent. It contains anti-bacterial components called Methylglyoxal and hydrogen peroxide. 
• The best and natural form of honey is Manuka honey. Try and get your hands on raw preservative free manuka. Apply this on the face and leave it on for 10 minutes and wash it off with warm water. 
• It can be beneficial especially in the winter months when the skin becomes dry and starts peeling. Apply this honey mask 2 to 3 times a week. This will saturate your skin and make it silky smooth. 

2. Turmeric the Golden Goddess

• It has antioxidant properties
• It helps brighten skin and rejuvenate dull looking skin. 
• It also is anti-bacterial, prevents breakouts and heals existing acne. 

Mask up 2 times a week with this –Milk, Besan and Turmeric face pack

How to make the mask?

2 tablespoons of besan, 2 tablespoons of milk, a pinch of turmeric (A little can go a long way! Too much of turmeric can make the skin yellow and irritate the skin). Make a smooth paste of the above ingredients and apply a thin layer of it on the face. Leave it on 10 to 15 minutes/ till it dries and feels tight. Wash the face with luke-warm water, pat your face dry. Turmeric will impart that goddess glow to your face.   

Benefits of this mask

• Milk contains lactic acid which exfoliates dead skin cells that may clog pores
• Besan helps pull out the excess oil from the pores, removes tan and lightens the skin tone. 
• For acne prone skin, you can leave out the milk and mix besan with turmeric and water. The besan removes the excess oil and turmeric acts as an antibacterial agent. 

3. The Homegrown First Aid – Aloe Vera

Consuming it and applying it on the face.  This is one skin health ingredient I personally swear by. This humble homegrown first aid in a pot has the potential to smooth out the skin and can also heal minor burns and wounds.

• You can cut open the leaf, cut out the transparent flesh and wash it before applying it on the skin. Leave it on the face till it dries and wash it off.
• You can also blend the fleshy part of the plant with ice cold water and have a cup of it every day.  You can also add it to a juice and blend it.
• Using it on your skin and drinking it will make your skin visibly bright and beautiful. 

4. Green tea

Matcha is rich in antioxidants which help fight free radicals and can also heal UV Induced damage.  It possesses anti-bacterial properties and helps fight acne.  

For Normal and Combination skin

• 1 teaspoon chickpea flour
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric or neem leaves if allergic to turmeric
• 2 teaspoons of green tea powder
• Water to make it into a paste. 
• Apply the paste on the skin and leave it on for 15 mins, rinse off and pat your skin dry. 

For oily skin

•  2 table spoons of rice flour
• 1 table soon of green tea
• Water to make it into a paste
• Apply the paste on the skin and leave it on for 15 mins, rinse off and pat your skin dry. 

5. Oatmeal

It removes excess oil to help treat acne. It also strengthens the skin barrier, soothing rough skin and moisturizes it. 

Recipe:

• 2 teaspoons of oatmeal
• Water to make it into a paste
• Honey or rose water to make it into a paste
• Gently massage the mixture into your face and neck area using the tips of your fingers and wash off with luke-warm water. The oatmeal scrub exfoliates the skin to remove dead skin cells. This removes dead skin cells to reveal smooth skin.  
• You can use these ingredients until and unless you do not have any allergies to them. You can do a little patch test on the skin to see if you are allergic to any of the above natural ingredients before applying them on the entire face. 

6. Other points to remember

• Diet for glowing skin – Consume fresh fruits and veggies, nuts, and seeds
• Consume pro-biotics – Curd, Kefir and Sauerkraut
• Too much is too bad. Do not over-use harsh products/ face masks with actives to dry up the skin and damage the moisture barrier/ burn the skin. 
• Never apply comedogenic oils like Coconut and Olive oils which can clog your pores to cause acne. Baking Soda, lime or any citrus on the face – They can burn the skin 
• Keep your hands off your face. 
• Avoid smoking
• Drink a lot of water to keep your skin hydrated
• Last but not the least do not forget Skin Savior Sunscreen! Even when you are indoors and working from home. Yes. Over 80% of UV Rays even on gloomy days are still absorbed by your skin. The light from your laptop also has the potential to damage your skin. It is important to wear sunscreen with a minimum SPF of 30 whether you in a closed office space/ home during the day or outside. Reapply sunscreen every 3 to 4 hours. 

After the age of 30, our skin starts losing 1-2% of key elements like collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid due to factors like internal ageing and external ageing caused by UV damage.  Hence, we at &Me came up with an Anti-ageing Collagen Booster that comes in a powder form.

&Me’s Collagen Booster is made with:

1. Sea Buckthorn extract, Gingko extract that helps in boosting collagen.

2. 30mg Hyaluronic acid that helps retain moisture, thus preventing the skin from dryness

3. Areca nut and Aloe vera that helps boost skin elastin and prevents the skin from sagging 

4. Pearl powder and 24k gold flakes that helps skin cells repair and hydrates thus providing a youthful glow

No preservatives, No added sugar, Nothing artificial for your skin.

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