5 home-made face packs our favourite celebrities used to keep their skin glowing through lockdown
One face pack for every harrowing day of WFH
My flatmates and I are in the middle of a fierce competition – the battle of the overgrown upper-lip hair. Whoever starts resembling their teenage crush first, wins. And even though we’ve managed to make a game of the overgrown ‘stache to make up for our missed grooming sessions, we’re still yearning for the oh-so-relaxing face pack Fridays at the parlour.
We would walk in looking like racoons (the bags under our eyes and dull skin stark enough for us to get lead roles in horror films without even auditioning), but walk out with skin as supple and soft as a baby’s bottom.
But during the lockdown, while missing our weekly rituals, as we plonked on the couch and scrolled through our phones, we were hit by a flurry of face packs that our favourite celebrities were whipping up.
We took cues for our face pack festivities from Alaya F, Malaika Arora, Mrunal Thakur, Ananya Pandey, and of course Kareena — and created a weeklong pamper fest for you.
#selfcaresessions: One face pack for every day of the week
Kareena Kapoor Khan’s milky Monday face pack
You may not have access to the Kapoor gene pool, but you can steal the face mask that helps this actor and soon-to-be mommy of two look like she has two LED lights surreptitiously affixed to her face .
During lockdown she shared with her Insta-fam the magical ingredients that make her skin glow.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sandalwood
- 2 drops vitamin E
- A pinch of turmeric
- Milk to get desired consistency
Directions
- Mix all the ingredients to form a paste.
- Apply it evenly all over your face and neck.
- Leave it on for 20 minutes, and then rinse off with water.
Alaya F’s face pack for puffy skin to get through terrible Tuesdays
Alaya F’s social media is as wholesome as it gets — hyperlapse painting sessions, candid confessions and hilarious bloopers as she attempts yoga poses and new dance moves. And not only is she acing the social media game, she’s generously sharing secrets from her treasure trove of beauty remedies.
“Face puffiness has been my constant enemy and I’ve recently found the best solution to it,” said the star about her 5-ingredient face pack, which by the way, smells divine.
Ingredients
- 2 tsp ground coffee
- 1.5 tsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp milk
Directions
- Mix all the ingredients to form a thick paste.
- Take the paste onto your fingers and apply it on your face by gently rubbing it on your face in a circular motion.
- Let the mask sit for about 20 minutes, and wash off with water.
Malaika Arora’s acne fix for wistful Wednesdays
During this lockdown, we’ve learnt a little more about Malaika Arora – apart from being a dancer and yoga pro, Arora also happens to be a great cook, and to our delight, a home remedy expert.
She has been rolling out idea after idea, calling the series #malaikastrickortip, and here is one that we found particularly helpful.
“Here’s a simple DIY to control those ‘bad timing’ breakouts. I personally have very sensitive skin and I often tend to break out. It can happen due to a change in weather, hormonal fluctuations or due to excessive use of products on skin. Here’s introducing the terrific trio to help cope with your day-to-day breakouts,” writes Arora.
Ingredients
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp organic honey
- A few drops of lemon juice
Directions
- Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
- Apply it evenly on your face, avoiding the mouth and eye area, as these parts of the face are very sensitive.
- Keep it for eight to 10 minutes and rinse it off with cold water.
- You may feel a tingling sensation, which is normal, however, if you do feel your skin burning, rinse it off immediately.
“Please note that if your acne breakout is severe, it is advisable to consult a doctor,” adds Arora.
Mrunal Thakur’s refreshing mask for thak gaye Thursdays
Mrunal Thakur believes that it is safer to wear this face mask and stay at home than venture out wearing the other kind of face mask. We agree.
The actor’s refreshing DIY brings together two super foods that are great for skin – turmeric and honey. Honey is an anti-bacterial and turmeric has anti-inflammatory properties, so together they help rid your skin of impurities, and reduce blemishes, leaving your skin feeling fresher than ever.
Ingredients
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp honey
Directions
- Put the ingredients in a bowl and mix well and set aside.
- Wash and pat dry your face, then, apply the face pack.
- Apply the face pack and rub it in, in gentle circular motions.
- Leave the face pack on for 20 minutes.
- Wash the mask off with warm water, then wash your face using a cleanser, and finally splash some cold water on your face to minimise the appearance of pores.
Ananya Panday’s feel-good Friday face pack
Start the weekend right with a Friday night face mask session — with Ananya Panday’s mother’s haldi, honey and dahi-filled nuska.
P.S. Panday advises you not to leave the face pack on for too long unless you want to look like a Simpson.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp curd
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp honey
Directions
- Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
- Apply the mixture evenly on your face and neck.
- Leave it on for no more that 12 to 15 minutes, and rinse it off with cold water.