Mahadeep Singh Jamwal
A beauty parlour is an establishment that offers a variety of cosmetic treatments and cosmetic services. Modernity is buzzing with concept of beauty parlor (salon) administrating expensive deceptive appearances with cosmetic treatments for both genders involving facial aesthetic, manicure, pedicure, body exfoliation, bro waxing, shaping, aromatherapy, even meditation, oxygen therapy, mud baths and many other services. Large population is inspired by Hollywood/ Bollywood as in these industries even spooky faces gloom because of deceptive treatments in these beauty establishments. These remedies have the potential to transform a revolting face to most alluring and women are especially the majority embracing this deception to fit in the phrase ‘on occasion of the party the alluring faces are those that are most glaring and they are most wanted and focal point of one and all and are wildly haunted like featherless chickens.’ The wisdom that appears to be influencer in this mad race, chiefly the female gender, is from the famous saying attributed to Irish novelist Margaret Hungerford, ‘Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder.’ In simple words we can define beauty as a combination of qualities, such as shape, color or form that pleases the aesthetic senses, especially the sight. From the time immortal, both the genders have been satiating in enhancing these aesthetic senses for presenting themselves in attention. We are all unique, with experiences and memories that tie together seamlessly into a blanket of our own versions of beauty. It is not bad to look good in the society and in obtaining the services of these techniques, but have we ever thought of getting all such looks even without visiting these costly parlours beyond the reach of middle class and this is the real class mostly targeted by the salons that help to deceive the opposite gender by a false coating of cosmetics to lure each other, forgetting that a black buffalo can never turn out to be a white cow by applying all the techniques available for providing deceptions in the field of look. The basic concept of all these treatments is to provide a deceptive cover to give a glowing touch to our exposed portions to look attractive.
From time immemorial, cosmetics have been prepared from material easily available in our kitchens. These natural items have proved themselves as effective cosmetics or as principal ingredients in their making. We can believe in readily available food products which have been traditionally used as natural cosmetics. The glory of using one’s kitchen as an alternative to costly beauty parlours is that many of the ingredients are already there. Lemon is a veritable storehouse of beauty remedies; its juice mixed with honey is an effective remedy for removing dark spots. Squeezing a couple of drops of lemon juice into the water, while taking a bath, makes us feel refreshed. Almonds are crushed to make a mask, good for nourishing the skin. Bananas are used as a mask for dry skin. Buttermilk (Shash) is used as a cleanser and for pigmentation. Cabbage (Gobhi) is rich in vitamins and minerals and the water in which it is cooked is used to wash the face as a cleanser. Cucumber (Kheera) has slight astringent properties and is excellent for oily skin. Eggs are the most useful aid to beauty. The yolk is nourishing and the white has tightening properties. It is used in masks and in hair conditioners.
Lettuce (Salad) is rich in vitamins, iron and minerals. It is excellent in cooling and for sunburns. Mint (Pudina) is a good natural cure for scars, pimples, marks and skin orders. Onion’s juice prevents blemishes and mixed with honey makes a wonderful anti-wrinkle cream. Potato’s thin slices when used as eye pads remove puffiness under the skin. Papaya (Papita) breaks down the dead cells of the skin and cleans it when used as a mask. Tomato contains vitamin ‘C’ and is used to cleanse black heads. Tea is soothing and is good for relaxing your eyes. Keep cool tea pads on eyes for severe dark circles. We can effectively control the pimples by steaming the face in water to which crushed ‘Neem’ leaves have been added. The juice extracted from ‘Mint’ leaves apply before sleeping, a curative treatment for pimples. Apply the paste of ‘Sandalwood’ and ‘Turmeric’ in equal quantity, on the face; it is ‘Ram-Baan’ for pimples. Soak 1 cup of rice overnight, powder it with a little of ‘Multani Mitti’ , add 1 table spoon of Methi and preserve it. Add honey and curd before applying and wash after 20 minutes, it is an excellent mask for radiating the skin. Honey has been long recognized as a perfect, all-round rejuvenator. The ancients value it not only as a food but as a medicine for internal and external use.
Apart from our sensitivity towards skin, we are equally worried over our hair. The market is flooded with a variety of shampoos. These are made of sodium or potassium salts, sulphates, solubilising agents, foam stabilizers, preservatives, emollients, thickening agents, etc. Special ingredients like lemon, herbs, lanolin, egg, antiseptics and anti-dandruff, are also sometimes added. Moreover, these are so costly that ordinary people cannot think of shampooing their hair. If we study the traditional methods of shampooing since history, we find that we can go for much better shampoos from the ingredients from our kitchen house of different varieties for different purposes. Such as Herbal Shampoo: ‘Reetha’ 100 gm, ‘Shikakai’ 50 gm and ‘Amla’ 50 gram, soak them in two glasses of water for 12 hours then boil it to reduce it to half-glass. Rich protein pack: Beat the egg and lime juice and apply it for 1 hour, best shampoo for dandruff. For black hair, make a paste of 1 cup ‘Heena powder’ , ‘juice of a lemon’, small piece of ‘Kattha’, 1 tablespoon ‘coffee powder’, 1 egg, tea water. Stress and negative thoughts are the main enemies of beauty. Half the battle in beautification is won if they are kept under check. Those who find beauty in all of nature will find themselves in one kitchen with the secrets of life.