Prickly Heat
Skin rashes are actually very common and can occur due to various reasons. Among these are rashes due to the seasonal conditions. In summer, for instance, heat rashes are common. Even prickly heat, when the humidity is high, manifests itself in a rashy condition.
Talcum powders containing sandalwood or khus help to soothe prickly hear and relieve itching.
Mix sandalwood paste with a little rose water and apply on the entire area. Rose water is a natural coolant. Wash off with plain water after 20 to 30 minutes.
Aloe vera gel can be applied on the area to soothe the rash.
Mix together one part vinegar with three parts water. Dip cotton wool pads in the solution and apply on the face. It helps to reduce itching and also restores the normal balance.
Mix baking soda with water into a paste and apply on the area. Wash off after 5 minutes. It helps to relieve itching.
Tanning
Swimming in an open pool, or going for a summer holiday by the beach or the hills can lead to tanned skin. What causes tanning? Exposure to the sun increases the production of melanin, which is the skin’s pigment, or colouring matter. Once melanin is produced in the lower layers of the skin, it moves up to the skin surface. Since it is dark in colour, the skin also becomes tanned. To remove tan:
Ground almonds make a good facial scrub. Add yogurt and a pinch of turmeric and apply on the tanned area. Rub the mixture gently on the skin. Wash it off with water.
Mix half cup dried lemon peel with cold milk or yogurt and apply on face daily for 20 minutes.
To remove tan on oily skin: Mix lemon juice and cucumber juice in equal quantities and apply daily for 20 minutes. Or, mix cucumber pulp with yogurt and apply on the face daily. Wash it off after 20 minutes. It will suit oily skin, since cucumber is an astringent.
For oily skin: Mix tomato pulp with one teaspoon honey and apply daily for 20 minutes.
Sunburn
Applying fresh Aloe Vera gel to the burnt area soothes and heals the skin and helps it to recover faster. Aloe Vera contains zinc, which is actually anti-inflammatory.
For a soothing effect, place chilled cucumber slices on the burn or dab on some cucumber juice with the help of a cotton ball. You can even grate the chilled cucumber and apply it on the sunburns to reduce the inflammation.
Coconut water or coconut milk may be applied on the area. It helps to soothe sunburn. It also helps to remove tan and brighten the skin over a period of time. Apply on the skin and leave on for 20 to 30 minutes.
Cold milk applied daily, using cotton wool, helps to soothe and softens sunburnt skin, lightening skin color over a period of time.
Oily/Sweaty Scalp
To remove oiliness and bad odour from the hair and scalp, add the juice of a lemon and half a cup of rose water to a mug of water and use it as a last rinse after shampoo.
Have a tea-water and lemon rinse. Take used tea leaves and boil them again in 4 to 5 cups of water. The amount of water depends on the length of the hair. Strain and cool the water. Tea contains tannin which adds shine to the hair and makes it silky. It suits all hair types. Add the juice of a lemon and use as a final rinse after shampoo.
A few drops of eau de cologne can also be added to a mug of water and used as a last rinse. It has a cooling effect.
Henna treatments also help to cleanse the scalp and reduce oiliness. Add 4 teaspoons each of lemon juice and coffee, 2 raw eggs and enough “tea water” to the henna powder, mixing it into a thick paste. Apply the henna on the hair and wash off after an hour. If you do not wish to use egg, add more tea water.
Oily Skin and Breakouts
Fuller’s Earth (Multani Mitti) also helps to reduce oiliness and close the pores. Mix multani mitti with rose water into a paste and apply three times a week. Wash it off when it dries.
Add 2 drops of Tea Tree Oil to two tablespoons of water or rose water. Apply this on rashy and eruptive conditions.
Mix together one teaspoon cinnamon powder, half teaspoon methi seed powder and a few drops of honey. The mixture should be applied only on the acne eruptions and left on for a couple of hours, or even overnight.
Simmer neem leaves in water. When it is cool, strain the water and make a paste of the leaves. Apply the paste on the face, or on areas with eruptions.
A paste of fresh methi (fenugreek) leaves can also be applied on the skin. Keep it on for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off with water.