Grandma’s beauty secrets for healthy skin, hair and nails

A lot of us swear by our grandma’s tips when it comes to taking care of our skin, nails, and hair. Usually comprising of commonly available ingredients at home, these natural remedies resolve many seasonal issues while also being long-lasting.

If you would like to try some of these, dietitian Lavleen Kaur shares some simple beauty hacks that have worked before and continue to reap results even today provided one is regular with them.

Bajra roti or pearl millet chapati

“Best for dry skin in winters. Rich in zinc, it repairs skin cells and the iron content gives you red cheeks. The trick is to make it soft,” she said.

Recipe:

*Boil 1 cup water with a pinch of salt
*Add 1 cup bajra flour to boiling water at low flame
*Cover it for a minute, and then switch off the flame (don’t stir)
*Cool it for five minutes and add 1 tsp turmeric, black pepper, and mango powder (amchur) each
*Make a dough and then roll a soft roti

“Turmeric, curcumin and black pepper (piperine) are anti-inflammatory, and works wonders for the skin,” she added.

Sweet potato chaat

“Rich in soluble fiber and vitamin A, the chaat helps prevent wrinkles. Add water chestnut (singhaare) to double the benefits. It gives you added vitamin B6 which helps with crack-free skin.

Jaggery-dry ginger ladoos

Also called gur-sonth ladoos, they are rich in iron and good for digestion. “Good gut health equates to low toxicity and you get clear and acne-free skin,” suggested Kaur.

Rice kanji and red carrot kanji

Probiotic drinks help promote good gut health which gives glowing skin, said Kaur.

Rice kanji recipe

Ingredients

Cooked white rice
Water

Method

*Take about 2 tbsp of cooked white rice
*Put it in a mud, clay, or steel bowl and pour water on it to cover. Leave it overnight in a cool dry area (do not refrigerate)
*The next morning, eat the rice and drink the water together

Red kanji recipe

Ingredients

8 cups – Water
1¼ tbsp – Mustard (rai) powder
1½ tsp – Salt
½ tsp – Black salt (kala namak) (optional)
Pinch of asafetida (hing) (optional)
½ tsp – Red chilli powder
½ kg – Beetroot/Carrot slices (or both)

Method

*Boil 8 cups of water. When the water boils, remove the pan from fire and let it cool.
*In a pitcher or jar with a lid, add all the ingredients in the water and mix well.
*Add carrots/beetroot
*Keep the pitcher in the sun for 2-4 days, make sure to stir it once or twice daily.
*After 2-4 days when it turns sour, it can be kept in the refrigerator and used as required.
*Serve chilled. Carrots and beetroots can be eaten.
*Kanji remains fresh for up to two weeks in refrigerator.

White butter

Include vitamin A-rich foods in your diet. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

White butter helps with the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins (A,D,E,K). It is a great remedy for cracked lips and nails.

Recipe: Churn cream and then separate the butter.

Stale or baasi roti

Method

*1 jowar/ragi roti or 1 serving rice kept overnight
*In the morning, mix it with milk and 1 tsp ghee or curd and jaggery

“This prevents constipation and maintains water balance. Try this for blemishes,” suggested Kaur.

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