Dull, tired-looking and discoloured skin is a bane in today’s ‘rush here, rush there’ life. There is literally no time to pamper and look after the skin regularly. And off-the-shelf products promise a lot, but you never know how your skin will react to them. You want to know how to get fairer skin, but without any side effects. 

Help is at hand, in your own house. No, we don’t just mean picking up a bottle of Olay, although it has been known to help many women, across countries. Did you know your kitchen is stocked with ingredients that can show you how to get fair skin naturally? 

Learn How To Make Fairness Face Packs at Home 

#1: Besan with lemon juice or curd

Also known as gram flour, besan is found in every home. Besides being a key ingredient in yummy snacks, it has medicinal properties that can fight skin problems. 

When mixed with lemon juice or curds, besan reduces skin blemishes, brightens skin and smoothens the complexion. 

Steps to make besan and lemon fairness face pack:

1. Make a paste of ½ teaspoon besan, 4 ground almonds, ½ teaspoon milk and ½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice.
2. Apply this on your face and leave it on for half an hour.
3. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry. 

The combined effect of besan and lemon cleanses and brightens skin, while almonds and milk nourish it. The skin cleansing properties of besan are so popular that several spas use it in their beauty treatments.

#2: Milk and honey

Milk and honey when combined can work miracles. Both these natural products are gentle on the skin, nourishing and hydrating it. Honey goes a step further, using its anti-bacterial properties to fight secondary infections that cause blemishes and discolouration. 

Steps to make milk and honey fairness face pack:

1. Mix a teaspoonful each of milk and honey
2. Apply the mixture on your face. Massage it slowly using circular movements.
3. Let the application stay on for at least 20 minutes to allow your skin to absorb all the benefits.
4. Wash off with lukewarm water and pat dry.

Do this at least once a week (if not more) to see a change in your complexion.

#3: Papaya and lemon juice

Lemon juice seems to be quite the favourite if you want to know how to get fair complexion. 

When mixed with papaya, the result is staggering. Both, papaya and lemon have bleaching properties and you can be sure to get brighter-looking skin with this face pack. 

If you suffer from dry skin, you can add a little milk to the mix for hydration, as lemon tends to dry out the skin. 

Steps to make papaya and lemon juice fairness face pack:

1. Mash a slice of a papaya, add 1 teaspoon each of lemon juice and milk
2. Apply the blend to your face.
3. Wash it off after 20 minutes to see an immediate brightening. 

Before you use any of these face packs, do remember, that even though they contain natural ingredients, you might still be allergic to them. It is always good to test the pack on a small area of your skin and wait for 24 hours to find out.

The smell of sandalwood brings back fond memories from childhood, when the fragrance would linger around the house. Whether in the agarbatti or in the face packs that our grandmothers and aunts used, the smell immediately evokes a pleasant mood.

And this is just one of the many sandalwood benefits. What other uses of sandalwood powder for skin do you know?

This nature’s bounty has soothing and cooling properties that make it the perfect ingredient for beauty products. From daily skin care, to fighting skin blemishes, healing rashes, delaying wrinkles and lines, and reducing dullness and tans, the advantages of sandalwood for skin are tremendous.

8 Benefits of Sandalwood Powder for Skin:

#1 Anti-Ageing Properties

Sandalwood is rich in antioxidants and help in prevention of wrinkle formation, as it fights the damage that is caused by free radicals. Hence sandalwood has been used as an anti-ageing remedy since time immemorial.

#2 Natural Skin Whitening With Sandalwood

Sandalwood contains natural skin lightening agents and hence is used in many fairness face packs.

• Take 1 tablespoon of sandalwood powder, and besan.
• Add a little turmeric and put required amount of rose water to make a thin paste.
• Apply this paste on your face for 15 minutes and wash it off with a mild face cleanser.

#3 Chandan Works Well To Cure Acne & Pimples

Chandan has a soothing and calming effect on the inflammation of skin caused due to pimples and acne. Our grannies have been using sandalwood for pimples and acne for centuries, and really leave the skin to be blemish-free.

• Make a paste out of sandalwood, turmeric, a little camphor and milk
• Apply this paste on the affected areas
• Leave it on for the night and wash it off the next morning with water. Don’t use soap, as it could agitate the skin

#4 Sandalwood Powder for Acne Scars

Chandan has been used as a healing ingredient since ancient history as it is believed to have been a miracle ingredient that helps resolve even bruising and scars!

• Take sandalwood powder and black gram powder (kaala channa)
• Add a little rose water and use this paste regularly to ensure this is not repeated.

#5 Sun Tan Removal with Sandalwood

Sandalwood also helps in getting rid of sun tan. It is a simple DIY that gives you your original skin tone back!

• Take a tablespoon of sandalwood powder, orange peel powder and yogurt
• Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and apply the paste on tanned body parts
• Wash it off with water after it dries out. Read more tan removal home remedies at our blog.

#6 Even Tone Skin with Chandan Paste

For Patchy, uneven skin tone, sandalwood is a blessing!

• You need sandalwood powder, vitamin E capsules and lemon juice
• Mix these ingredients into a thick paste
• Apply it on the face till it dries and then wash it off with water

#7 Glowing, Blemish Free Skin

• This is the easiest of the lot, as chandan has inherent skin brightening properties. You just need rose water and sandalwood powder.
• Make a paste and apply it on your face, neck and hands
• Wash it off once it dries

#8 Prickly Heat Cure

As stated earlier, sandalwood has soothing properties and hence, helps in prickly heat cure.

• Take dried coriander leaves, sandalwood powder and rose water
• Mix these ingredients to form a paste
• Apply it on the heat boils and wash it off later!

Wait, before you head out to purchase a sandalwood beauty product off the shelf, why don’t you consider making your own beauty pack?

When combined with some everyday ingredients that are found in your kitchen, you can use sandalwood for face packs and get brighter, naturally glowing skin.

Learn How to Make Sandalwood Powder at Home

• Take a plain marble stone
• Add a few drops of water on this stone
• Keep rubbing the sandalwood on this stone
• You will get sandalwood paste
• Dry this sandalwood paste to get pure, fine sandalwood powder

5 Popular Ways to Use Chandan (Sandalwood) for Gorgeous Skin

#1 Sandalwood and milk

A quick face pack for brightness, this hardly takes any time at all.

Steps to make this pack:

• Make a paste by adding 1 teaspoon of sandalwood powder to just enough milk.
• Mix well so there are no lumps.
• Apply the paste on your face.
• Leave it on for 10-15 minutes.
• Wash off with cool water and pat dry.

#2 Sandalwood and honey

Both, sandalwood and honey are known to possess healing and nourishing properties. When you combine the two you get a power pack for instant skin uplift.

Steps to make this pack:

• Make a paste with 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder and 1 teaspoon honey.
• Cover your entire face with this paste.
• Let it sit for 15-20 minutes.
• Wash it off with cool water and see an almost immediate glow.
• Use this pack in this season as honey is excellent on dry winter skin patches.

#3 Sandalwood and orange peel powder

Orange peel contains astringent properties that make it perfect for oily skin.

Steps to make this pack:

• Mix 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder, 1 teaspoon orange peel powder and rose water.
• Make a paste and apply it to your face.
• Let it stay for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off with cool water.

#4 Apple and sandalwood

An apple is just as good for your health as it is for your skin. Banish dullness with this homemade face pack.

Steps to make this pack:

• Mash some apple into a pulp and add 1 teaspoon sandalwood powder.
• Mix it well and apply the paste on your face.
• After 15-20 minutes, when it has dried, wash it off thoroughly to reveal fresh glowing skin.

#5 Sandalwood and Curd

Give your skin the double nourishing power of curds and sandalwood.

Steps to make this pack:

• Make a paste using 2-3 spoons fresh yogurt and 1 spoon sandalwood powder.
• Apply this paste to your face.
• Leave it on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off to reveal beautiful, glowing skin.

These are our favorite five quick and easy sandalwood face packs that you can make and use any day of the week, and get the glow back on your face. Also, we also recommend using a mild face wash to keep your face fresh all day long! Olay Moisture-balance Foaming Face Wash with Vitamin E is one of our current favorites, as it gently cleans the face and retains the natural moisture of the skin.

While you did just learn about sandalwood and the various beauty benefits, we think, it is about time you also learn about the different types of sandalwood powders that exist – red (rakhta chandan) and white (chandan). So far, you have learnt about the white sandalwood powder, now we will tell you about using red sandalwood powder in your beauty regime.

How to Use Red Sandalwood Powder for Face?

Get fresh, glowing skin with red sandalwood and papaya face pack

• Take red sandalwood powder and add ripe papaya to it
• Apply it as an exfoliating face mask
• See visible changes post application of this face mask!

Ghee is one of the healthiest forms of fat that you can pamper your body with. This tasty substance has been part of our lives, culture, food and memories since forever. Did you know that ghee goes beyond cuisine and the benefits of ghee extend to your skin and hair too?


Read on to know all that ghee can do for your skin and hair:

7 Incredible Benefits Of Ghee For Skin:

• Make a solution with equal parts of ghee and water and massage your face with it.
• Let it sit for 15 minutes and then wash it off with cold water for soft and smooth skin.

#2 Hydrates dry skin


The fatty acids in ghee encourage deep hydration and make even the driest of skin soft and supple.

• Warm up half a bowl of ghee and massage your entire body with it for 3-5 minutes before your bath. It is the perfect antidote for dry winters.

• Make a mask using raw milk, besan (gram flour) and equal amount of ghee.
• Apply the paste to your face and wash off after 15-20 minutes for skin that looks and feels gorgeous.

#4 Slows down skin aging


Another benefit of ghee for skin is that it helps defy time. Massage it into your skin daily and beat ageing by many years.

#5 Cures chapped lips


A drop of ghee when rubbed onto dry, chapped lips will lock in moisture. Leave it overnight and wake up to soft, kiss-worthy lips the next morning.

#6 Lightens dark lips


If your lips suffer from pigmentation, just massage your pout with ghee and within a few weeks you will get your pretty pink lips again.

#7 Brightens up eyes


Dull, tired eyes? No more. Just apply a little ghee under your eyes regularly and get bright, fresh and relaxed eyes within a few days.


Ghee also helps clear up dark circles. Smear it on your upper eyelids and under your eyes to get rid of that raccoon look.



Have you also tried Olay Regenerist Revitalising Eye Serum to fight the fine lines that appear around your eyes?

3 Miraculous Benefits Of Ghee For Hair Health

#1 Fights split ends


Massage ghee into dry and coarse hair to take care of split ends.

• Warm up a little ghee and apply it to the ends of your locks.
• Wash off with a mild shampoo like Pantene Pro-V Lively Clean shampoo after an hour.

#2 Deeply conditions hair


You can use ghee for hair, and turn dry and frizzy hair into soft, shiny and manageable tresses.

• Mix equal parts of ghee with olive oil and massage deeply into your hair for 15-20 minutes.
• Rinse it off with a good shampoo.

#3 Stimulates hair growth


People have been using ghee for hair growth, and you can get the same benefit too.

• Just massage your scalp with warm ghee mixed with equal parts coconut oil.
• The blend nourishes your scalp and encourages hair growth.

5 Ghee Benefits For Health That You Must Know:

#1 Has Low Fat Content:

Ghee is made of saturated fat and a good source of healthy fats. It is easier to digest, much healthier than butter and surely your go-to option in case you are having cholesterol problems.

#2 Boosts Your Immunity System:

Ghee is loaded with antioxidants which helps in increasing body’s ability to absorb vitamins and minerals from other foods that you consume in a day which in turn helps in keeping your immune system strong. Also, all those vitamins and minerals that are fat soluble helps in boosting our immunity and ghee helps in absorption of these nutrients

#3 Improves Eyesight:

As per Ayurveda, eating ghee regularly helps in improving eyesight. Even if you have irritation in eye, you can put in a drop or two of ghee for instant relief.

Caution: Do not put in warm ghee in your eye as it can cause contamination and damage your eyesight.

#4 Aids In Treatment Of Burns:

Ghee is widely used not only for treatment of burns but also to treat swelling in different parts of body. Also, it helps in reducing inflammation on skin. All you have to do is apply it in affected areas.

#5 Cough Relief:

This is an old & effective remedy which our grandma always keep telling us. For cough relief, you can either eat a teaspoon of ghee directly or make a paste of tulsi or holy basil and warmed ghee. Swallow it for instant relief.

Incredible, isn’t it, how something so simple and everyday is actually loaded with immense benefits? Start using ghee regularly to enhance the natural beauty of your skin and hair.

Somebody had said that the bride’s mehendi colour is a direct reflection of her husband’s love for her. But let’s not make your husband or boyfriend be tested by fire.

Actual Significance of Mehndi in Indian Culture:

Well, yes, it is said that Mehndi is a symbol of fertility and hence is used in wedding ceremonies. However, there is another significant reason as to why Mehndi has been used in our Indian weddings since centuries!

Mehndi is a medicinal herb, and is great in destressing a person. While wedding is a happy occasion for the families involved, it can get a little hectic. Mehndi application helps in calming the nerves and also, prevents headaches and fever.

It is also usually mixed with eucalyptus oil and lemon, which help in darkening the colour of the henna, but, are again great medicinal powerhouses!

Its application has been known since ancient times and hence it is always an integral part of most Indian festivals! 

But as mentioned earlier, the dark colour also represents the love your new family would have for you. We obviously don’t the truth of this matter, and this is just an age old belief, and hence the struggle to get really deep colour! However, lets not make them jump hoops for us, instead lets try to get deep dark clour of henna naturally. There are simple ways to make your mehndi colour deeper and darker.

10 Tips for Darker Mehndi Colour

#1 Washing before applying

Wash your palms thoroughly with soap before you sit down to apply mehndi. Make sure you don’t apply any creams or lotions. By eliminating any possible layers on your skin, mehendi will be completely absorbed and you will naturally get a darker shade.

#2 Apply eucalyptus oil

Make an exception with eucalyptus oil. After washing your hands apply this essential oil to your hands and feet. Not only does it smell good, but the oil actually helps darken the colour of mehendi.

#3 Let your mehendi dry naturally

Allow the mehendi on your hands to dry naturally. Don’t shake your hands or use a blow dryer. The movement or the blowing air can smudge the design and waste all the time you spent in getting it applied.

#4 Invest the hours

Keep the mehendi on your palms as long as you can, preferably overnight, if possible. Once it’s dried, you can ask someone to gently bandage your hands so the mehendi stays on and doesn’t leave crumbs in bed.

#5 Smoke it

It is believed that the smoke from heated cloves helps darken mehendi. Place some cloves in an iron pan and turn on the heat. Let the smoke coming from the cloves come in contact with your mehendi. Hold your hands out for as long as you can bear the heat and stop only when they start to hurt a bit.

#6 Lemon and sugar

Apply a mixture of sugar and lemon juice to your hands after your mehendi has dried completely. Dab it on gently using a cotton ball. Don’t go overboard with it as the juice might end up lightening the colour.

#7 Vicks to the rescue

After you’ve kept the mehendi overnight it’s time to remove it. Gently rub your hands together until all the mehendi has been scrapped off. Apply Vicks or some pickle oil to your hands. This has been known to give you a dark mehendi shade.

#8 Stay away from water

Ideally, allow 24 hours to lapse before you expose your mehendi to water. Water will wash away the top layer of the mehendi and not allow the colour to really penetrate deep within your skin.

#9 No beauty treatments

Keep all waxing, pedicure and manicure appointments before the mehendi. If you must do it later, allow at least 2-3 days to go by. Else you will end up scraping the top layer of the mehendi away and not get the desired result. Or else, if you really need to get rid of your body hair, you can shave your hair using Gillette Venus razors that are specially designed for women! But this is in a case of extreme necessity.

#10 Apply well in advance

Make sure there’s a gap of 1 or 2 days between applying the mehendi and your function. Mehendi usually gives its darkest shade after a few days. Plan your mehendi session accordingly and you will have the best colour possible.

These 10 simple mehendi tips will get your man off the hook and let you take complete ownership of your own mehendi colour.

Some Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Mehndi Application:

How long should I keep mehndi on hands?

You need to keep it at least till it dries; however, this will give you a light orange shade of mehendi. For darker colour, you need to keep it at least for 8 hours and if possible, even overnight, so that the colour is absorbed and you get a deep brown colour.

Oops! I have washed my hands! How to darken mehndi after washing now?

Well, as suggested earlier, there isn’t much you can do after washing away the top layer of henna. But you can try and combine all the methods suggested above to get a deeper colour. Yes, try putting eucalyptus oil or Vicks for 3-4 hours (can be put overnight as well, but ensure it is well bandages, so that it doesn’t irritate you).

Then in the morning you can try and roast cloves in a pan, and put your hands over the pan, so that the cloves smoke tries and strengthen the colour of your mehndi. Please be careful, and don’t keep your hands very close to the hot pan.

Does lemon and sugar really work in darkening the colour of henna?

Yes, it does! You need to apply this concoction when the henna paste is completely dry. Once you apply this sticky solution on the mehndi, the sugar will help in sticking of lemon juice, which in turn will darken the colour. You can do this, only when the henna paste is there on the hands!

How can I remove Mehendi from hand?

Post wedding, if you really don’t like the faint stains that mehndi leaves mehndi, you can use lemon juice to remove the stain colour. Lemon juice is a bleaching agent, and can help in lightening the colour. However, lemons are harsh on the skin, and hence it is advisable to moisturize post this!

Long before science identified the myriad almond oil benefits it was already being used by our ancestors as a beauty aid. Here is why and how almond oil for skin works wonders:

8 Reasons Why Almond Oil Is Good For Your Skin

#1 Promotes Flawless Skin

Almond oil is mild and has hypoallergenic properties which makes it great for sensitive skin too.

• It is best applied when it is at the same temperature as your body.
• Another reason almond oil is so good for skin is because it is rich in Vitamin E which is a very effective anti-oxidant.
• Apply the oil regularly and your skin will combat stress and UV damage with ease.

#2 Deep Cleanses Skin & Prevents Acne

One of the best characteristics of almond oil is that it is very light texturally.

• This makes it easy for the body to absorb it as well as for the oil to penetrate skin deeply and get rid of accumulated debris.
• This in turn prevents the formation of acne.
• What’s more, almond oil is rich in Vitamin A which is known to reduce acne flare-ups.

#3 Almond Oil for Dark Circles

• Almond oil is a miracle cure for dark circles and eye bags.
• Simply apply some below your eyes every night before sleeping and in 2 weeks you will see the difference.

#4 Almond Oil also Removes Tan

• To get rid of tan, simply mix a couple of drops of almond oil and an equal quantity of lemon juice in a tsp. of honey
• Apply this mixture on tan affected area and see a visible difference after a few applications

#5 Relieves Psoriasis and Eczema

If you suffer from any of the abovementioned skin conditions it is essential that you keep your skin hydrated and moisturized. Almond oil, which is hypoallergenic, does exactly that.

#6 Treats Skin Rashes

Almond oil is natural and more effective treatment for skin rashes than any of the zinc based creams that doctors otherwise prescribe. This is because it is rich in zinc content and it also has no side-effects whatsoever.

#7 Reduces Signs of Ageing

Ageing is natural but premature ageing isn’t.

• With the aid of almond oil you can reverse the effects of skin ageing caused by exposure to factors like the sun, smoke as well as from dehydration.
• Additionally, using a nourishing product like Olay Regenerist Regenerating Day Cream with SPF 15 will make your skin look radiant and youthful.

Anti-ageing Recipe Using Almond Oil

1. Using water that is lukewarm, gently cleanse your face to remove makeup and/or dirt
2. After heating a tsp. of almond oil, mix in about two drops of Vitamin E extracted from a capsule.
3. Now apply the resulting mixture on your face, gently massaging it in using your fingers.
4. After about 10 minutes, use a wet towel to take it off
5. Rinse you face with lukewarm water and then pat it dry

#8 Healing Properties of Almond Oil       

A bruise is formed when the blood vessel bursts under your skin due to some injury. This blood clot takes anything from 3-5 days to completely heal. However, almond has healing properties, which help with bruising.

Mix geranium oil with almond oil and apply it on the bruise for effective healing. Do not use geranium oil without diluting it with almond oil!

Almond Oil can be used for many other skin related problems. Check out our favorite home remedies that solve many of our beauty problems with just 1 ingredient – almond oil!

7 Almond Oil Remedies for Common Skin Problems

#1 Almond Oil for Skin Whitening & Fairness:

• Warm a few teaspoons of almond oil
• Ensure that the oil is not heated directly
• Massage this warm almond oil on your face for 10-15 minutes
• Do this regularly and notice rejuvenated skin after a few weeks due to increased blood circulation

#2 Almond Oil for Cracked Feet:

• Almond oil is a light oil, which can deeply penetrate the skin and hence provide advance nourishment
• Just apply almond oil over your cracked heels and leave it as it is for the entire night
• Next morning wash it off with lukewarm water
• This method also is helpful for fungal infections of your foot

#3 Almond Oil for Stretch Marks

• Almond oil is rich in vitamin E that helps in reduction of stretch marks
• Take a little almond oil, and massage on areas with stretch marks
• Ensure that before this, you have exfoliated the area with a dry brush and are applying almond oil immediately after you take a shower
• This way, stretch marks are reduced over time

#4 Sweet Almond Oil as a Natural Makeup Remover:

• Sweet almond oil is very gentle on the skin, and is an amazing makeup remover
• Take a few drops of almond oil on a cotton ball and wipe off the makeup
• Almond oil will also nourish and soften your skin, while removing all traces of makeup from your face

 #5 Sweet Almond Oil for Your Lips

• Almond oil is soothes and moisturizes your lips
• It always lightens dark lips, removes dark spots and tries to even the lip colour
• You can mix almond oil with honey and milk
• Apply this lip balm mixture on your lips for 30 mins. You can also leave this mixture on your lips overnight.
• Next morning wash it off with cold water
• Repeat this daily for 2-3 months to see visible difference

#6 Almond Oil for Face Acne & Pimples

• Take pure sweet almond oil and apply it on clean face before you go to sleep. Massage it on your face for a minute or two, so that it is soaked in.
• The substances present in almond oil get rid of sebum, which clog pores, and eventually lead to acne and pimple.

#7 Almond Oil for Face Glow – Overnight Treatment!

• Before you go to sleep, wash your hands clean and take a few drops of almond oil and warm it up by rubbing your palms together.
• Use this warmed up oil to clean your face.
• Post this wash your face with a mild face cleanser
• Again take a few drops of sweet almond oil and pat it on your face and sleep
• This will ensure a flawless, glowing skin always!

As much as we have written about almond oil, it is an easily adulterated commodity. Hence, if you have the time and patience, we definitely suggest making almond oil at home. This will give you the purest form of almond oil that will nourish your skin thoroughly.

How to Make Almond Oil at Home:

• To make almond oil, you will need a handful of almonds, a blender and 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
• Take handful of almonds and start blending them in a mixer grinder at a slow speed.
• Ensure that the almonds are completely dry and fresh and that the blending is taking place at the lowest speed
• While blending the almonds, look out for buildup on the sides and keep removing it and mixing it again with the blended almond
• Once the almond seems to be of smooth consistency, start blending it at a higher speed
• Now add a teaspoon of olive oil. If it still is not blending properly, add another teaspoon of olive oil
• Keep blending till you have a smooth paste of almond
• Store this mixture in a glass jar for 2 weeks
• During this period, the oil will separate from the solid particles
• Now strain and use the almond oil!

Now learning about the endless goodness of almond oil, you sure must be burning up with questions like is it good for oily skinned people, can I put it on lips, as I would be consuming it in a little amount and also, you must have heard your mom talk about sweet almond oil a lot for skin care benefits. So, here we are, to your rescue again!

Q.1 What is Sweet Almond Oil?

Well, sweet almond oil is used in skin care routine, whereas, bitter almond oil gives the almond-y flavors and scent! So before purchasing any oil to follow any of the home remedies given above, ensure what is it that you are buying and if it will serve the purpose!

Q.2 Is Almond Oil Good For Oily Skin?

Oily skin can lead to acne. As stated earlier, the fatty acids in almond oil, help in dissolving the sebum and thus preventing pimples. Therefore, it is a good idea for oily skinned people to apply almond oil.

Q.3 Is Almond Oil Good For Lips

Yes! It will moisturize your lips and prevent chapped lips!

Cautionary Tip – It is common for people to have nut allergy, and if you are one of them, please steer clear of these remedies!