Rainy Day, Hair Don’t Care: 4 Swift Masks to Make in Your Kitchen

As someone who makes beauty masks on my own, I experimented with DIY recipes that work wonders in the monsoon.

Radiant skin and a mane of healthy tresses pretty much take a backseat in the monsoon. No matter what you do, the dampness in the air messes with the skin and hair. Add to this chemical laden options that work only for a short time – leaving behind plentiful damage in its wake.

As someone who made the shift to use completely natural products – and better yet, make them on my own – I experimented with a lot of DIY recipes that have worked wonders in restoring good skin and hair.

Let me share with you a few quick, non-fussy DIY hair and face masks with ingredients that are easily available in your kitchen!

The Two Hair Masks You Need

It takes longer for the hair to dry naturally in the monsoon – the wetness giving rise to an itchy scalp and the onset of dandruff. While it is important to oil your hair even in this season, what is most important is that you do not let the oil stay for more than an hour after application. Try some of these air masks that provide a burst of extra nourishment to your tresses:

1. Anti-Dandruff Pack

Cover your hair with a shower cap and let the mask stay for at least 30 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and use an SLS and paraben free shampoo and conditioner to get squeaky-clean tresses!

Why this works: The powdered oats exfoliate the hair gently, while the milk and oil condition the scalp.

2. ‘Anti-Itch’ Mask

Damp hair is one of the major causes of an itchy scalp. What you need to do is soothe the scalp to reduce the itchiness.

Apply this to your scalp and hair and leave it in for 30 minutes. Rinse your hair thoroughly with warm water and wash with a mild sulphate-free shampoo.

Why this works: This hair pack is loaded with soothing ingredients that helps to heal the scalp; the lemon juice clears dandruff build-up too.

The Two Skin Masks You Need

Let's get to your skin now. Monsoon tends to make your skin dull and lifeless – and if you have oily skin, you'll probably notice bursts of acne as well. No matter what your skin type is with the high humidity levels in the air, you will notice dull skin. Let's look at some quick fixes for getting the glow back:

1. Gentle Exfoliating Mask For All Skin Types

Mix to form a slightly thick consistency and apply on your face and neck. When it is semi-dry, pat it with water and rub in circular motions to gently cleanse and exfoliate the dull skin.

Why this works: While this is suitable for all skin types, it is best used at least once a week – and if you have sensitive skin, use it not more than once a fortnight.

2. Almond Mask For Dull Skin

Apply this paste on your face and neck and let it dry. Wash off with cold water and pat dry. While the almond nourishes your skin, the oats cleanse and the lemon juice helps even the skin tone.

Why this works: If you have dull and dry skin, then this will be an elixir. Almonds help to also add a glow to dull and lifeless skin apart from giving it the required nourishment.

(Pratibha spent her childhood in idyllic places only fauji kids would have heard of. She grew up reading a variety of books that let her imagination wander and still hopes to come across the Magic Faraway Tree. When she's not rooting for eco-living or whipping up some DIY recipes to share with her readers, Pratibha is creating magic with social media. You can tweet to her @myepica.You can view her blog at www.pratsmusings.com)