Meet Sonal, who has sent her morning routine all the way from… India! We love to see clean girls from all of the world sharing tips, so this is particularly exciting. Enjoy! And as an aside, have any of you used turmeric in a face mask? This is a fairly common practice in India, and we’ve always wanted to try it…

Name: Sonal

Age: 21

Hometown: Delhi, India

Current weather: cold and windy

Hair: shoulder length, fine

Skin: clear with occasional pimples on my forehead, sensitive to sun, easily irritated

Favorite star: Julia Roberts

In the shower

I find showering at night very relaxing and it also saves time in the morning. I use a homemade mixture of ground sugar, olive oil, coffee grinds and clay as a body wash and scrub. I shave with olive oil or almond oil.  For my hair, I use Dove shampoo (not very clean I know!) every alternate day. Once a week, I mix a teaspoon of Apple Cider Vinegar with the shampoo as a clarifying rinse.

I wash my face with raw organic honey; it works well for me as I rarely use any makeup. It very soothing and cleansing at the same time. However, on days when I do use cosmetics, I use a rose and almond soap bar sold at a nearby grocery store.

Outside the shower

My body is generally moisturized due to the olive oil I use in my bath scrub. I use a homemade green tea toner or when I am feeling more luxurious organic rosewater on my face. My facial skin reacts to most oils, so for moisturisation I use a mixture of aloe vera gel and a basic glycerin containing cream. Since I don’t use hair conditioner, I let my hair dry partially and then run some jojoba oil through the ends; I find that it does the job very well, leaving my hair tangle free without weighing it down.  Sometimes, when I feel like having textured waves in my hair, I use The Body Shop’s Hair Wax (which is silicone and paraben free)

I use a clay and turmeric face pack twice a week at night; the turmeric lightens pigmentation and fights infection.

I use pure almond oil as a lip moisturizer. I used to have rather dark, pigmented lips but they are much lighter and pinkish now after having used almond oil over the last year.

Finishing touches

I religiously use sunscreen on my face even when I am stepping out in the sun even for a little while. Other than that, I just use some lip tint on my lips and I am done. I never use any foundation as I have generally quite clear skin. I carry a facial mist in my purse; I spray it on my face whenever it’s dry or dehydrated- it’s a mixture of rose water and aloe vera gel.

I am very particular about my warm water with honey and lemon drink in the mornings; I feel that it regulates my digestion. I used to go quite heavy on caffeine until I realized it is quite abrasive for the stomach lining; since then I always drink green tea with lemon; rose tea and basil tea are my favourites.

I got interested in clean skincare when my face started reacting to most commercial, chemical cosmetics. So, far by skin feels better than it did a year ago and it is much lighter on my pocket as well!

Meet Archana, a native of India who has been living in New Jersey for three years now. She says “I’ve seen my grand mom use only herbal and homemade products and she has great skin at 80!” Archana tries to incorporate a few of her grandmother’s routines into her busy schedule. Enjoy!

Name: Archana
Age: 28
Hair: black, thick and wavy with an oily scalp
Skin: Olive skin tone. Fighting a bout of adult acne. Sensitive combination skin (sigh, I know!). I have been a vegetarian all my life and recently turned a vegan. I make sure I always eat healthy and eat only gluten free, diary free food. I eat only plant-based supplements.

In the  shower…

I incoporate dry brushing for about 3 mins. I use the Body Shop brush. Before I step into the shower I always massage a tiny bit of sesame oil on my face and neck. This helps my skin to stay balanced and does not flake out. I use the Pangea Organics Canadian Pine With White Sage Body Wash for my body. For the face, I  use my own mixture of ground green gram (Ed.: also called mung bean), a tiny bit of turmeric with enough rose water to make a paste. Green Gram is a natural substitute for soap. It removes the excess oil and leaves your skin fresh and even. You can use a coffee blender to grind, and you can store them for over 4 months in an air-tight container. Turmeric  is a natural antispectic and it bans acne from its roots.) I gently scrub my face and neck in upward strokes with this paste and wash off with water.

Every weekend, I massage my skin with a mixture of butter (organic unsalted butter) and a pinch of turmeric and a little bit of greek yogurt. I blend all of them in with a hand blender and apply the mixture all over my body. I wash it off after 30 mins with the green gram mixture. This leaves my skin supple and silky smooth.
I never forget to apply castor oil on my eyelashes and eyebrows and under my eyes before going to bed every night. It promotes lash and brow growth.

For my hair, I wash it every other day with Himalayas Rejunivating Shampoo. I do not use a conditoner as it weighs my hair down. I apply few drops of Josie Maran’s argan oil on my ends. I never blow dry my hair and always let it air dry.

Outside the shower…

I usually leave my skin a little moist and use my own home made oil moisturizer. It is coconut oil, few drops of argan oil and jojoba oil. I use this like another other body lotion. I love Soapwalla deodarant. On weekends (usually on Saturdays) I sometimes pour few drops of  khus oil (also called vetiver essential oil) on my filled tub. This gives a unique aroma and leaves your skin pleasntly smelling. I never step out without a suncreen and use Biotique Carrot Face & Body Sun Cream, which has carrots and natural oils, as my sun protector.

Finishing touches…

I apply few drops of argan oil as a primer and use the Vapour Organic Beauty Atmosphere Luminous Foundation and wear a kohl from Physicians Formula, which is organic. I use Josie Maran’s  Color Stick on my lips and cheeks as blush. I do not use any styling products for my hair and never blow dry or iron it.

So, who’s game to try some crushed up green gram? And how about that turmeric trick?! Intrigued? Thank you for sharing, Archana!

Image of Gayatri Devi via. Devi was the princess of Jaipur and a successful politician too. “A perfect blend of beauty, class and brains!”