Glowing and lovely
December 2023
Glowing AND LOVELY
If you want to look wonderful for your wedding (or someone else’s), use all that Naini Setalvad has to offer in her time-tested make-up kit
rooted in nature Glowing skin and luscious hair. What more does a bride want on D-Day?
However, the most spectacular wedding attire, opulent jewellery, and dewy make-up pale in comparison to the bride’s inner glow. But let’s get real. Prepping for a wedding can be very exhausting. Numerous late nights, trials, and commitments can take a toll on any bride’s appearance.
Dear Bride, before you begin to panic after reading my last statement, let me assure you that there is a solution. My natural remedies, tried and tested over the years, are the secret to achieving gorgeous skin and hair. Check them out!
1. Natural facelift: There’s no need for cosmetic procedures when Nature has you sorted with its very own facelift—aloe vera, a potent source
of beautifying MSM (Methylsul fonylmethane) crystals.
It heals burns, reduces acne scars, and promotes collagen growth. Packed with vitamins, minerals, and natural sugars, this nutrient-dense food
gives a natural glow. Applied outside or consumed within, it is sure to do wonders for you.
2. The ultimate cleanse: One can apply am ple layers of make-up to cover up spots and blemishes, but that won’t make them go away. To be permanently spot-free, you need to address the root of the problem. Pig mentation is often the result of poor detox ification, and for that, you need t h e ultimate blood purifier—tur
meric. Cont a i n i n g the powerful an tioxidant curcumin, it helps lighten une ven patches on the skin. To reap maximum benefits, make sure you incorporate it into your daily tempering. It can also be topical ly applied as a paste on the skin.
3. Forever fresh: Look ing bright and radiant like you have just returned from a w e l l - r e s t e d holiday is s o m e t h i n g we all wish
for. Get this fresh and youthful look by making papaya a daily part of your diet. Available all year
long, this fruit aids digestion, th e r e b y prev e n t i n g bloating and puffiness. Rich in the antiox idants lycopene and Vitamin C, it natural ly brightens the skin. When you apply it as a mask on the skin, the enzyme papain breaks down dead skin, resulting in soft and supple skin.
4. Live in a fairytale: I am no Cinderella, but I know for a fact that pumpkins are magical. These nutrient-dense vegetables are a storehouse of the antioxidants beta-car otene and Vitamin C. These two are essential for l u m i n o u s skin and l u s t r o u s hair. Even
the seeds are equally beneficial. Rich in zinc, pumpkins repair worn-out skin, prevent hair fall, and reduce wrinkles by increasing collagen.
5. My grandmother’s favourite: “If you don’t eat ghee, you will be left with skin that is dry and wrinkly!” This is what my grandmom would tell us when we would fuss over the ghee-dipped rotis, but by God, was sheright! Not only did she have fabulous ly glistening skin, but so did all of us who were given ghee daily.
Ghee is an excellent absorber of skin-enhancing Vitamin A and Vitamin E, and must be a staple in your diet.
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4. Superfood for super skin: The Indian gooseberry (amla or avla) is my go-to superfood when it comes to improving skin and hair. It has eight times more Vitamin C than an orange. This increases collagen, the building block of skin and hair. Sufficient levels of collagen give stronger hair and wrinkle-free skin. This fruit is available only in the winter, so make the most of it.
7. Leaf luminescence: Many a time, we are told not to judge a book by its cover, but this is not true when it comes to skin and hair. Pale skin and brittle hair are an immediate indication of low iron or folate in the body. Lucky for us, this season brings along with it high iron and folrich leafy g r e e n s .
Seasonal favourites methi, dill, and sar so leaves are not only delicious but have these nutrients in plenty. Mix these into your dals, saags, rotis, salads, or soups to et your nutrient dose.
Win over your woes: I know that you know, but I have to make it clear—there is simply no substitute for water. A fresh dewy look
can be achieved only if you have plenty of water throughout the day. There is no stronger detoxifying
agent than water. Hydrated skin makes you look less tired and gives a happy glow.
9. Go tan-free: Running around under the scorching sun to source all the last-min ute outfits and gifts can be daunting. Not only does it drain you out, but it also tans your skin. My instant cure to remove tans: apply to mato pulp on the
face, leave it on for 30 minutes, and rinse it off with cold
water. This season’s juicy tomatoes are rich in the brightening antioxidants lycopene, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A.
So get set for this wedding season by making full use of Nature’s bounty.
AVLA HALDI CHUTNEY RECIPE
Ingredients
• 250 gm fresh haldi (turmeric)
• 250 gm avla
• Salt and lemon to taste
Method
1. Wash the haldi and avla.
2. Grind the avla, haldi, salt, and lemon in a grinder and make a paste.
3. Serve as a condiment.
BRIGHTENING FACE MASK
Ingredients
• 2 tbsp mashed papaya
• 2 tbsp fresh aloe vera pulp
• 1 pinch turmeric
1. Mix the ingredients into a smooth paste. 2. Clean the face and apply the paste all over. 3. Let the mask dry for 30 minutes. 4. Wash off with cold water.
Naini Setalvad is a nutritionist, specialising in lifestyle and immunity disorders.