Shahnaz Husain's beauty secret: 'Multani mitti' treatment, homemade hair mask & a 'bindi' will do the trick

Do you want to add glow to your skin this Diwali? Here is one important secret. Looking after the skin according to its type and needs is the essence of a glowing skin. With the festive season just starting, everyone would like to look good, especially after a hard year owing to the COVID pandemic. I would suggest everyone should adhere to a simple DIY regimen, from head to toe to feel and look good.

Skincare Made Easy

• For glowing skin on the body, tie a mix of powdered milk, ground Almonds (Badaam), Rice powder and Rose petals in a clean cloth, wet it and rub gently on your face. The ingredients work on your skin, gently cleansing it and leaving it soft, smooth and vibrant. It also leave the body naturally perfumed and refreshed, feeling as smooth as silk.
• Night time cleansing is more important, in order to remove pollutants and make up before bedtime. So, cleanse the skin daily at night and rinse well with plenty of plain water. For normal to dry skin, use a cleansing cream or gel. For oily and combination skin, use face wash or cleansing lotion.
• Tone the skin daily with chilled rose water, using cotton wool pads. Wipe and stroke the skin with them. Then, pat briskly with the rosewater-soaked cotton wool pads
• Multani Mitti is said to clarify the skin and bring about a glow. Multani Mitti is a natural clay, which contains several minerals. It is of special benefit to oily skins. For oily skin, mix Multani Mitti with rose water into a paste and apply on the face, avoiding the lips and area around eyes. Wash it off when it is dry. For combination skin, apply the mask on oily areas of the skin.

Hair Care And Style

• For dull hair, have a quick conditioning treatment before your shampoo. Mix one teaspoon each of Vinegar with 1 Egg or a little Almond oil. Massage into the hair. Then do the hot towel wrap. Wash hair after half an hour. It will look smooth, thick and shiny.
• To soften rough frizzy hair, mix some water with creamy hair conditioner and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the mixture on the hair. Then comb the hair, so that it spreads through the hair
• Fringes are in. The side-swept fringe is popular, or you can part the fringe in the centre. Oval and long faces look good with a fringe. A layered fringe can make a large or round face look slimmer. Short fringes suit small faces

Make Up Tips
During festivals, there are bright lights. So, for your night make-up, you will need bright colours, otherwise your face will look pale. First, cleanse the skin and apply a liquid moisturizer. For oily skin, apply an astringent lotion with cotton wool. Wait for a few minutes. Then, cover blemishes with a concealer, before applying foundation.

Highlight the cheeks with a blusher. Apply on the cheekbones, going slightly upwards and outwards. Then, apply light colored highlighter on the cheekbones. Blend well.

For Eyes, apply lighter brown shadow on the upper eye lid and dark brown eye shadow in the crease, to add depth. Outline the eyes with dark eye pencil or eyeliner. For a smudged effect, a dark eye shadow also works well on the upper lid, close to the lashes. Extend it a little beyond the outer corner of the eyes, slightly upwards. Smudging can be done with a sponge tipped applicator.

Then apply Mascara. Roll-on mascara is easy to apply. Apply Mascara on the upper lashes, look downwards. Apply it both above and below the upper lashes, for a thicker look.

Gloss is popular for the lips. Use a lip liner of same colour as your lipstick. Apply lip gloss in the centre, after applying lipstick. For normal Indian complexion, go for warm earthy colours, like Coral, Wine, Plum, Strawberry and shades of Red in lipstick.

A Bindi is an integral part of make-up for festivals. Look for a decorative Bindi, to match the color of your dress. A Bindi, studded with small sparkling stones, combined with bright colors would be most attractive.

- Shahnaz Husain is the CEO of Shahnaz Herbals Inc. A prominent skin-care expert, she has helped put India on the world beauty map. She has also been recognised for her efforts with a Padma Shri.

This Diwali, Get Your Festive Décor Right With Diyas & Flowers

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When it comes to understated style and classic elegance, no one does it quite like Anita Lal, Founder and Creative Director, Good Earth. Lal, who has launched her new collection called Puspanjali, for the festive season. Lal tells ET Panache that while a home is always a haven, it becomes even more so during a time like this. And with the festive season around the corner, she shares ways in which changing small things can uplift not only the look of the room but our spirits as well.

When it comes to understated style and classic elegance, no one does it quite like Anita Lal, Founder and Creative Director, Good Earth. Lal, who has launched her new collection called Puspanjali, fo..

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Lal says that her first recommendation for the festive season is to add flowers to your home. Lal says, “At a time when so many of us are house bound, flowers in every form uplift the spirit and they area delightful reminder of the joys of nature. Decorating your home with natural flowers is one of the most accessible, quick and easy way to add colour, fragrance and joy.” During the festive season, she recommends enhancing your puja thaalis, rangolis and corners of the homes.

Lal says that her first recommendation for the festive season is to add flowers to your home. Lal says, “At a time when so many of us are house bound, flowers in every form uplift the spirit and they..

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Lal says that you can be creative when choosing your floral arrangements and perhaps, go a little wild. “Flowers don't have to always need to be bouquets from the market - they could be sprigs from your garden or terrace garden. But if you don't have a garden, then just a few seasonal flowers - even if it is 4-6 of them, in a narrow vase just add something special to a room,” she recommends.

Lal says that you can be creative when choosing your floral arrangements and perhaps, go a little wild. “Flowers don't have to always need to be bouquets from the market - they could be sprigs from y..

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Adding the warmth of soft lighting is another easy way to instantly make your home look festive. “Adding a touch of warm glimmer with diyas and decorative candle bases is an instant way of enhancing living spaces,” says Lal. Additionally, she recommends using a range of versatile vases which are perfect to hold flower posies during the day and sweet-smelling candles in the evening create a warm and inviting atmosphere.

Adding the warmth of soft lighting is another easy way to instantly make your home look festive. “Adding a touch of warm glimmer with diyas and decorative candle bases is an instant way of enhancing ..

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An easy way to make your home look more welcoming is with the addition of cushions. It can instantly uplift your living room and can be changed as per the season. They are a great way to update the look of your home. “Vibrant accent cushions with delicate, gleaming embroideries are effortless ways to add style and colour to specific corners, especially when you’re entertaining at home,” recommends Lal.

An easy way to make your home look more welcoming is with the addition of cushions. It can instantly uplift your living room and can be changed as per the season. They are a great way to update the l..

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Some of the hues and flowers Lal recommends are ones she often uses in her own designs. “Aqua, cerise, jade and shades of charcoal which, over the years, have become synonymous with the brand, are some favourites,” she says. When it comes to florals: poppies, irises and wild Himalayan flowers are some of her favourites. She recommends doing up your home in a way that tells a story that’s personal to you. And of course, keep sustainability in mind! “With every collection, we constantly work towards creating products with a purpose – that revives crafts and ancient traditions that are beneficial to the environment and society,” she says.

Some of the hues and flowers Lal recommends are ones she often uses in her own designs. “Aqua, cerise, jade and shades of charcoal which, over the years, have become synonymous with the brand, are so..

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