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For oily skin, after washing the face, apply an astringent lotion. In fact, you can apply it whenever the face seems oily. Mix multani mitti with rose water and one teaspoon lemon juice and make a paste. Apply on the face and wash off when it dries. You can use a hair dryer at home to straighten curly hair. The effect will last till the next shampoo. After washing your hair, while still damp, divide it into sections. Hold the end of a section with a comb or brush. Holding it straight and slightly downwards, use the hand held dryer to dry the hair. Repeat this with each section. Hold the dryer at least 6 inches away from the hair. Please note that excessive use of the hair dryer can cause dryness of the hair.

Apply a sunscreen with a high SPF before going out in the sun. Mix rice powder with curd and use as a facial scrub once or twice a week. Apply only on the dark patches and rub gently on the skin with tiny circular movements. Leave on for a few minutes and then wash off with water. Mix cucumber and lemon juices in equal quantities and apply daily only on the dark patches. Wash off after 15 minutes with plain water. Twice a week, mix 3 teaspoons oatmeal with one teaspoon each of honey, curd and lemon juice, or egg white. Apply on the entire face, avoiding the lips and the area around eyes. Wash it off after half-an-hour.

Wash your hair with a mild herbal shampoo three or four times a week, using less shampoo and rinsing very well with water. Half-an-hour before shampoo, apply two tablespoons vinegar on the scalp, massaging it lightly into the scalp. Once a week, heat olive oil or til oil and apply on the scalp at night. Leave it on overnight. Next morning, apply the vinegar as advised. Weekly henna treatments will also help. Apply sandalwood paste on the pimples and rash.

If you wish to apply henna for conditioning, add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs and enough curd to the henna, to mix into a thick paste. It should be of toothpaste-like consistency. Divide the hair in sections and apply the henna on both sides of the section, so that it is totally covered with henna. Wrap the section around the head. Now repeat this with each section, till the hair is totally covered with the henna paste. Keep it on for at least one hour and wash off with plain water. If you wish to colour the hair, avoid curd and add tea-water. Boil used tea leaves again in enough water. Cool and strain and add to the henna. Also add 2 teaspoons of oil. For colour keep the henna for at least two hours and wash with plain water.

For the feet, take lemon pieces and rub them on the skin daily. Wash off and then apply sesame seed (til) oil and massage it into the skin. For the legs, mix gram flour (besan) with curd, lemon juice and a little turmeric and make into a paste. Apply on the legs at least three times a week. Wash off after half-an-hour. Mix well together 10 tablespoons of rose water, 5 tablespoons of lemon juice and one tablespoon pure glycerine. Apply on feet and legs daily and leave on for half-an-hour.

After plucking the eyebrows, take an ice cube in a clean napkin and apply on the area, for a few seconds at a time. You can also apply ice before plucking the eyebrow. Then apply an astringent lotion. For the rash, add a little rose water to sandalwood paste and apply daily. Wash off after 15 minutes.

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