Natural remedies for your skin this summer

New Delhi : Remember the advice your granny gave to cure those stubborn zits? Natural beauty remedies are your best bet. Even singer-turned-designer Victoria Beckham vouches for natural ingredients for skincare.

The 37-year-old applies liberal amounts of mashed avocado and apricot homemade face mask every night while going to sleep.

Beauty experts also recommend fruits as best skin polishers. "Recent studies show that alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) present in fruits help fight harmful effects of pollution and delay the ageing of skin," says beauty expert Simmi Ghai.

Papaya wonder Ghai recommends a papaya fruit pack for summer for all skin types as it removes tan, reduces acne and minimises pores. Mash half cup papaya with milk and apply it on your face. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

Berry goodness Dermatologist Dr Naresh Arora recommends a strawberry face pack for oily and dry skin. Strawberries have strong antiseptic properties. Mash strawberries and apply them on your face. One can also mix kiwis in the pack along with some oatmeal. Leave it on for 10 min and then wash it off with lukewarm water.

Watermelon cooler Watermelon pack reduces open pores and sun tan. Squeeze out the juice from grated watermelon and mix it with a pinch of gram flour. Apply the mask and leave it on for 15 minutes and rinse.

While these are useful masks, you can’t use any fruit pack on your skin and expect magic. Dermatologist Seema Malik says, "Fruit packs, if used in a wrong manner, can harm your skin. If you keep them on for too long, they can cause wrinkles. Also, they must be used at once after preparation, as they can ferment." Also, to avoid allergies, make sure that you go in for a patch test before applying a fruit mask.