I have dry, curly hair. After shampooing it, the curls look good for an hour. Then my hair looks frizzy and unkempt. Suggest how curly hair can be maintained. — Pooja
Dry and frizzy hair lacks moisture. Apply a leave-in conditioner or hair serum after a shampoo wash and see the results. Or, rub two drops of a light vegetable oil such as sunflower oil on your palms so that the oil spreads on both the palms. Take the ends of your hair in your palms and scrunch them. Leave the oil on. This helps manage curls. Alternatively, mix water with a creamy hair conditioner and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on your hair. Then comb your hair so that the conditioner spreads through it. Avoid washing your hair with hot water. After shampooing it, wrap a towel around your head and let it absorb the water. Avoid rubbing your hair.
When should a moisturiser be used? Can it be applied at night after cleansing and left on overnight? I have oily skin. — Priya
Oily skin may not need s moisturiser, unless the weather is cold and dry. Creams and moisturisers should not be applied at night and left on, especially if the skin is oily. They can block the pores and cause pimples. If the skin feels dry, a light liquid moisturiser may be applied. Or, mix half a teaspoon of pure glycerine with 100 ml of rose water. Keep the mixture in a bottle and apply a little of it during the day after cleansing your face or whenever the skin feels dry.
My elbows and knees are darker and drier than other parts of my body. What should I do to have fairer skin? — Rishita
Take lemon halves and rub them daily on your elbows and knees. Wash it off; then massage sesame seed oil on the skin. Make a paste of gram flour, curd, lemon juice and a little turmeric. Apply it on the dark areas at least three times a week. Wash it off after half an hour. You can also apply a cream containing lemon and turmeric daily on these areas.
My chin, nose and forehead are slightly oily. Last month, I had a skin whitening facial and developed a rash that itches. I have small pimples on my forehead. If I travel in the sun, my skin turns dark. — Renuka
You may have had an allergic reaction, since there was itching. For combination skin and an oily T-zone, buy an astringent lotion, mix it with a little rose water and apply it on your face with cotton wool. Apply sandalwood paste daily on the pimples; wash it off after 15 minutes. Mix multani mitti with rose water and lemon juice into a paste and apply this on your face two or three times a week. Wash it off after it dries. It will also help lighten the skin colour. Sometimes, pimples and rash on the forehead can be due to an oily scalp. After washing your hair, add the juice of a lemon to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse.
I have combination skin. My skin feels good after I apply a moisturiser. How long can it be left on the face and with what should it be wiped off? — Neharika
A moisturiser is usually applied and left on throughout the day. Or, it may be applied as a base before applying foundation, if the skin is normal to dry. Apply a light liquid moisturiser on the dry areas and leave it on. If you are going out in the sun, apply a sunscreen lotion. Most sunscreen lotions have a built-in moisturiser.
