Today is Poila Baishakh, the traditional new year of the people of West Bengal. It is a much-awaited festival usually celebrated with great pomp and fervour by the Bengali communities in West Bengal, Tripura and Assam. Often referred to as Pohela Baishakh (Poila Baisakh) or Noboborsho, it marks the first day of the Bengali Gregorian calendar. Every year, the festival date is set as per lunisolar Bengali calendar and termed as the first day of Baisakh (the harvest time for winter crop). 

The festivities usually begin by the people of Bengali heritage with Prabhat Pheri, an early morning cultural procession wherein there are dance troupes and children dressed up performing to the songs of Rabindra Nath Tagore. This festival is also marked in various parts of India and known by different names like Vishu among Malayalees Baisakhi among Punjabis, Bihu among Assamese and Vishu in Kerala.

Also Read: Shubho Nabobarsho, have a healthy and prosperous Bengali New Year

Since the past two years, the celebrations during Poila Baisahakh were much toned down, no thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. But this year, thankfully, due to overall vaccinations and decline in positivity rate, people see a gleam of hope. On this day, family, friends and relatives meet each other, greet ‘Subho Nababarsha’, bring in new dresses and gifts for each other and cook special dishes.

Well, with all that family gatherings and meet and greets, one can never forget to get decked up in traditional festive attire. Most Bengali women on Poila Baishakh love to clad the 9 yards of elegance, style their long braid into classy buns and accessorize it with different types of flowers. But the outfit is never complete without proper make-up and skin care. And trust us, when we say you don’t need to spend huge bucks on parlour appointments, a few natural ingredients from your kitchen counter are sure to give you that rejuvenating glow and radiant complexion right at home.

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So, let’s strap on to our seatbelts and embark on a beauty ride, to achieve radiant skin, to amaze everyone during the spiritual celebrations right at home.

DIY Homemade Beauty Recipes For Poila Baishakh

Coffee-Yoghurt Face Pack

Ingredients:

2 tbsp coffee powder

½ tbsp besan

1 tbsp yoghurt

1 tsp honey

Method:

Blend the ingredients to get a smooth paste

Apply it all over the face and neck

Allow it to dry for 20 minutes

Wash off with a damp cotton cloth

Apply a mild moisturizer afterwards

How It Works:

The caffeine and chlorogenic acids (CGA) present in coffee beans help brighten the skin, prevent clogged pores, reduce skin inflammation and soften facial lines. While besan being a natural exfoliator removes the layer of dead skin cells, revealing the brighter layer of the skin underneath, yoghurt soothes dry and itchy skin and makes it soft and supple. The addition of honey hydrates the skin, reduces fine lines and wrinkles and bestows a dewy, picture-perfect glow.

Also Read: Happy Vishu/Puthandu 2021: These Traditional Flowers Have Amazing Health Benefits Too

Banana-Aloe Vera Hair Mask

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana

2 tbsp aloe vera gel

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp mayonnaise

Method:

Mix everything in a blender to get a uniform paste

Moisten the hair strands a bit

Part the hair into sections

Apply the hair mask on the scalp and all over the strands using a comb and hairbrush

Allow it to sit for half an hour

Rinse thoroughly under running water

Follow this up with a mild shampoo and conditioner to wash the hair

How It Works:

Thanks to the presence of potassium, natural oils, carbohydrates and vitamins, bananas help soften and protect the hair from breakage. While aloe vera gel controls greasiness, promotes hair growth and prevents scalp infections, coconut oil nourishes and moisturises the hair follicles from the roots. Loaded with proteins, vitamins and fatty acids, mayonnaise helps keep the locks soft, smooth and shiny.

Rice Flour-Turmeric Body Scrub

Ingredients:

5 tbsp moong dal powder

2 tbsp rice flour

4 tbsp malai

2 tbsp tomato zest

½ tsp turmeric

Method:

Whip everything to get a smooth paste

Apply it all over the body

Take turns to scrub every part for 2-3 minutes in circular motion

Wash off with luke warm water

Apply a mild body lotion afterwards

How It Works:

The exfoliative qualities of moong dal powder and rice flour work wonder for removing the dead skin cells and scourging away dirt and grime particles from the skin pores. While the tomato zest arrests the signs of ageing and reverses sun damage, turmeric bestows an instant brightening effect. The addition of malai smoothens and softens the skin and adds a sheen to it.