Summer essentials

DO you know Greek beauty recipes? What do Germans use to treat their skin? As summer comes back, it's time to take care of you!

There are a lot of different clinics and beauty parlors in Mumbai, each offering thousand of solutions to treat oily skin, acne, to prevent the skin from aging or just to give it a youthful look.

Still, not all offer treatments adapted to each type of skin. Skin essentials, whose clinics are located in Bandra and Juhu, says it adapts to different profiles, and uses imported products and recipes from around the world.

"I studied in Mumbai and then moved to London to do a course in cosmetology and the use of lasers," says Dr Rohini Wadhwani, Cosmetologist and Medical Director of Skin essentials. "Then, I traveled to Europe, to America, and a lot of places and decided to bring back their recipes, some of the products they use.

Now distributors send us ready-made products from abroad, or basic products such as oils for aromatherapy; when they do so, we prepare the creams and treatments ourselves," she explains.

Still, Dr Rohini says there is no need to have a lot of money to take care of one's skin. "Drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration, clean your skin carefully, shower after exercise and wear sun-block on all exposed areas."

Dr Rohini's home recipes:
For those whose skin tans easily in the summer, use natural bleaches such as:
Curd, lemon juice and honey mixed together, applied on the skin and kept on for 5-10 minutes. Rinse off using warm water.
This kind of mask can also be prepared with egg white, cornflour and lemon juice. Or even with a mix of potato juice and lemon juice.
Dr. Rohini also advises to exfoliate the skin at least once a week, using a homemade oatmeal scrub or sugar and lime.
People with oily skins should scrub their face at least one a week, using rice powder, lemon juice and water. As natural astringent they can use a few drops of eau de cologne in cold water.