1) Coconut oil and shikakai – for hair and scalp care
From childhood, mothers teach their daughters to apply coconut or almond oil to their hair before washing their hair. Before you leave the oil on your hair, you need to massage the scalp. Another good hair mask made from soap beans (shikakai) – ground beans (or you can buy in powder) mix to a mushy mass and apply to hair for two hours. And after washing, so that the hair is soft and shiny, Indian women rinse it with water with lemon (grapefruit) juice or vinegar. Everything here is like ours. Another thing is that most Indian women perform such procedures regularly.
2) Turmeric and coriander – for cleansing the face
Once or twice a week, Indians make a cleansing face mask. The main ingredients are turmeric and coriander. Turmeric is an excellent antiseptic, and coriander is great for eliminating acne and redness. The recipe for the simplest mask: mix a teaspoon of turmeric, dry coriander, then, depending on the desired result, you can add – also on a spoon – neem (fights rashes), amla (tones), sandalwood (gives freshness) or other healing herbs. Mix the components of herbs with sour cream or natural yogurt and a drop of lemon juice until smooth and apply on the face, when it dries up (after 10 minutes) – rinse. This mask should be applied avoiding the area around the eyes and lips. Lips at this time can be smeared with the same coconut oil, after massaging them with a natural brush.
If you are too lazy to make creams, scrubs and masks yourself, you can buy cosmetics with turmeric and coriander in any spice or Indian spice store. Fortunately, most Indian brands advocate the naturalness of the components used. In addition, even European researchers have proven that the active ingredients of Ayurvedic cosmetics do not accumulate in the body and do not disrupt metabolic processes.
3) Neem and Amla – for skin tone
It is hot in India, so women here love water treatments. In order for the skin to be elastic, many Indian women take a bath with an infusion of herbs or tree leaves. Popular herbal ingredients in body care products are neem and amla (Indian gooseberry). Amla gently cleanses and removes toxins, it perfectly tones. So, actress Priyanka Chopra likes to say that she owes her velvety skin to an infusion of neem leaves. Neem is available in both powder and tablets. Tablets are taken as vitamins for the prevention of skin diseases. I note that Indians believe in the healing effect of aromas, so they often use essential oils to relieve stress and improve the body as a whole. This is why incense sticks are so popular here.
4) Kajal – for expressive eyes
Because of the heat, Indian women rarely wear full make-up. Almost no one uses shadows, foundation, blush and lipstick every day. The exception is eyeliner. They just love them! If desired, only the lower, only the upper or both eyelids are brought down. The most popular eyeliner is the most natural. It’s a kajal! Kajal is a semi-metal of antimony in powder, plus different types of oils, it depends on the manufacturer. Antimony visually makes the eyes lighter and larger. Plus, it also protects them from diseases and softens the bright light of the sun. By the way, not only women, but also men use antimony in India.
5) Bright clothes and gold – for a good mood
India is a land of vibrant colors. Accordingly, it is not surprising that the locals adore bright colors. And they know how to deal with them. Despite the fact that fashion is moving forward all over the world, in India, the sari remains the most popular women’s outfit. And even the so-called “Western” urban Indians, who prefer to go to college and work in jeans and a T-shirt, still wear traditional outfits more often on holidays. Of course, because it’s so beautiful! Another thing is that modern Indian women have become much more stylish – they choose shoes, scarves, and other accessories to match the color of the sari. One thing remains unchanged – gold! Almost nothing has changed here in thousands of years. Indian women adore gold of all colors and shades, they wear it every day. From infancy, girls are taught to wear bracelets on their arms and legs, earrings and all kinds of chains. Some believe that in addition to the decorative function, gold has mystical properties – it accumulates the energy of the sun and attracts good luck and happiness.