Youth Incorporated Magazine

Whatever the type or texture of your skin, it requires thorough cleansing in order to remove, dirt, stale sweat and oil, pollutants and make-up cosmetics that are all deposited on the skin daily.  They not only upset the normal balance of the skin, but also interfere with its normal functions. Make-up cosmetics can actually have undesirable effects on the skin, especially if they are left on for too long. For one thing, they have a drying effect on the skin by causing moisture depletion.

Wearing makeup for long hours also clogs the pores and can lead to problems like blackheads and pimples. Therefore, cleansing the skin and removing make-up before bedtime is most important. Cleansers and face washes are available, according to skin type and problems. For example, we have even formulated cleansers for acne-prone skin.

Some natural ingredients also make good makeup removers. Here are come natural cleansers:

Cleansing for Dry Skin

For a cleanser for dry skin, take half a cup of milk and add five drops of any vegetable oil (til, olive or sunflower oil). Put this in a bottle and shake well. Apply it on the skin using cotton wool and then wipe off with moist cotton wool. Keep the left-over mixture in the fridge. Remember that home recipes should not be kept for more than 4 to 5 days.

Cleanser for Oily and Combination Skin

To one-fourth teaspoon of lemon juice, add one teaspoon each of cucumber juice and cool milk. Apply on the face and wash it off with plain water after 15 minutes.

Coconut oil also helps to remove make-up. Apply it on the face and then rub gently with a soft moist towel, or moist cotton wool.

Add half teaspoon olive oil to a little milk to make a cleanser. It helps to soften the skin too and restore the normal pH balance.

Mix half-teaspoon rose water with one teaspoon aloe vera gel. Apply this on the face and wipe off with moist cotton wool after 10 minutes. Then rinse with plenty of plain water. This suits all skin types and can also be used on acne-prone skin.\

Egg white is also a good cleanser. Egg white can be mixed with lemon juice and applied on the face for oily skin. Wash it off after 15 minutes.

Papaya is an excellent cleanser, as it contains enzymes. Ripe papaya pulp can be applied on the skin and washed off after half an hour. It softens dead skin cells and helps their removal.

Potato juice also has a cleansing effect on the skin. For oily skin, mix potato juice with multani mitti into a paste. Apply on the face and wash it off when it is dry. Helps to reduce spots and make the skin clean and clear.

Luxury mask

Crush fresh strawberries and apply on the face. Leave on for 10 minutes. Wash off with rose water.