Kareena Kapoor Khan is known to have the best skin in the game, so when she recently uploaded a face mask selfie on Instagram, the internet went wild. Her followers tried to deduce her choice of ingredients and fervently asked for the ‘recipe, please’. She did share the list of what went into the mask and the star ingredient is *drumroll* sandalwood.
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Sandalwood, a traditionally popular skincare star that’s known to fight acne, is antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Once applied to skin, the sweet, soft scent relaxes while its cooling properties jump into action to soothe.
Here are three ways to add sandalwood to your own face packs:
Hydrate
Mix equal quantities of sandalwood powder, aloe vera gel, yoghurt and rose water. Apply it on your face and rinse off after 15 minutes. Aloe vera is widely known for its hydrating powers, yoghurt and rose water soothe skin.
Exfoliate
Blend a tablespoon of sandalwood powder with pureed papaya—three pieces should be good enough. Apply the paste to your face and wash it off after 15-20 minutes. Papaya has stepped into the spotlight in the last few months with brands, like Huda Kattan’s Wishful launching papin-rich formulas that gently get rid of dead skin cells and brighten complexion.
Cleanse pores
Create a deep cleansing mask with two teaspoons of sandalwood powder with one teaspoon of multani mitti (fuller’s earth) and some rose water. Multani mitti absorbs excess oil from the skin, fights acne and gently removes blackheads. Apply the paste on your face for 15 minutes and then rinse off using circular motions.
Photographs: Tarun Vishwa
