13 incredibly easy beauty tips from Shahnaz Husain

Beauty expert, Shahnaz Husain, answers frequently asked beauty, skincare and haircare questions.

Shahnaz Husain is a beauty tycoon in India. She has years of expertise in haircare, skincare and beauty products. From acne, hair loss to home remedies for good skin and hair, Shahnaz Husain has tips for all your beauty problems. We got her to share a few tips with us. Here goes:

1- How can I identify a good natural coconut oil?

Pure natural coconut oil should taste and smell of fresh coconut. It should be white in colour. Check if it is cold-pressed, as cold-pressed oil retains more nutrition. Pure or organic should be written on the label. Buy only reputed brands.

2- Which is the best oil for oily hair?

Oil should not be applied on oily hair. However, if there is sticky dandruff, heat pure olive oil and apply on the scalp, using cotton wool and rub gently to dislodge the flakes. During winter, if the hair is dry and scalp oily, olive oil or sesame seed (til) oil may be applied.

3- Suggest natural ingredients to prevent male pattern baldness.

We have used ingredients like trifala, amla, brahmi and bhringaraj in hair tonics and hair oils, to check hair loss. However, in male pattern baldness, it is better to consult a trichologist (hair specialist), as hormonal and hereditary factors are involved.

4-What are some natural remedies for flyaway hair?

If the fly-away hair is mainly due to static, wet your palms slightly and smooth them over the hair. This controls the fly-aways. You can also take few drops of hair serum or oil on your palms and smooth it over your hair, to make it look settled and manageable.

5- Suggest home remedies for dark brown pigmentation on skin.

For dark brown patches on skin, apply a sunscreen with high SPF before going out in the sun. You can 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 in tiny circular movements. Leave on for a few minutes and then wash off with water. Another remedy is to mix honey and lemon juice in equal quantities and apply daily, ONLY on the dark patches. Wash off after 15 minutes with plain water. Apply this face mask twice a week. You can also mix 2 teaspoons of oats with one teaspoon each of ground almonds, honey, curd and lemon juice, or egg white; apply it on the entire face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off after half an hour.

6- Is there a natural face pack for open pores?

Mix multani mitti with rose water into a paste and apply on the areas with open pores twice a week. Wash off once it is dry. Or, mix oats with egg white and apply on the areas with open pores twice a week. Wash off when dry.

7- Which kitchen ingredients should not be used on oily skin?

Oils are not good for oily skin, like coconut oil or any pressed oil. They can clog the skin pores and cause acne. Milk or cream of milk should not be applied on oily skin.

8- What are some natural ingredients for treating facial hair?

Home remedies do not remove facial hair, but, they are said to lessen facial hair growth if used regularly over a period of time. Make a thick paste of sugar, lemon juice and water and apply it in the direction of hair growth. Wash off when it dries. Apply it once or twice a week.

Apply a paste of turmeric powder and milk and rub this on the skin in a circular motion. It is said to discourage facial hair, but it may leave a slight yellowish tint on the skin.

9- Why do underarms turn dark, and how to get rid of it?

Underarm darkness can occur due to shaving, use of hair removing creams, direct application of deodorants on the skin, or hereditary factors. The sugar and lemon mixture used for waxing would lighten skin colour over a period of time. Mix gram flour (besan) with curd, lemon juice and a little turmeric (haldi) into a paste. Apply on the areas under the arms thrice a week and wash it off after half an hour.

10- Do eyeliner and hair colour have any side effects?

If the eyeliner contains lead, it can lead to allergies, itching or irritation. Hair dye can also cause allergies, as well as pigmentation or discolouration of the skin. It can also lead to dry hair, hair breakage, split ends and even hair loss.

11- I sit in an air-conditioned office for long. How should I take care of my skin and hair?

Apply moisturiser in the morning without fail. Aloe vera gel can also be applied daily. It moisturises and softens the skin. For the hair, very little hair serum should be smoothed on, as it helps to protect the hair. Or, take a few drops of olive oil, spread over palms and smooth over hair. Take hot oil treatments too. Twice a week heat pure coconut oil and apply on the hair. Then dip a towel in hot water, squeeze out the water and wrap the hot towel around the head, like a turban. Keep it on for five minutes. Repeat the hot towel wrap 3 or 4 times. This helps the hair and scalp absorb the oil better. Use a mild herbal shampoo. Use less shampoo and rinse well with water.

12- Which ingredients do you use for your hair and skin?

I condition my hair with henna once a week. Curd, oil, catechu (kathha) and 12 eggs are mixed with the henna paste. No water is added. The hair is fed by the nutrients in the blood stream, so I take a small bowl of sprouts daily. I also use a herbal hair tonic, which contains trifala.

13- Which kitchen ingredients can I use to treat and prevent acne and pimples?

Pimples and acne usually occur on oily skin, so astringents are needed to reduce oiliness. Cucumber has an astringent effect. Apply cucumber juice by itself on the face and wash it off with plain water after 15 minutes. Or, mix cucumber juice with a little rose water, for an astringent-toner. Green tea works well as an astringent toner. Soak green tea leaves or a tea bag in hot water for half an hour. Cool and strain and use the liquid on the skin. Sandalwood paste can be applied on the pimples, acne and boils. Tulsi leaves and pudina (mint) leaves can used. Boil a handful of leaves on a very low fire in 4 cups of water for one hour. Leave it overnight. Next morning, strain the water and make a paste of the leaves. Apply it on areas with pimples and rash. The water can be used for rinsing the area.

Image: Shahnaz Husain