Kiwi for your face

Its the season of Kiwis. They are rich, highly rich, in anti-oxidants and they taste really yummy. I love Kiwis also for their unique green color with black seeds in the middle (they are good for snapping around if you are a photographer). The riper the kiwi, more are the anti-oxidants in the fruit. So, while having kiwis in a day, take a slice and rub it all over your face and neck. Let it dry and wash off with lukewarm water and follow with room temperature water (avoid cold water). You will feel refreshed in a minute. Vitamin C in kiwis brightens the face in an instant and makes your skin clean, soft and supple. It also helps in removing blemishes and dark spots and helps lighten the tanning on your skin. You can use kiwis on the elbows and knees too.

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Carrot Face Mask

As I have pointed out earlier that not only fruits but vegetables also make great face masks and are extensively endowed with nutrients required for our skin. Spinach serves as a great hydrating face mask and beetroot can be used to give color to a pale complexion.

Today, I would like to discuss carrots with you. Carrots are, as you all are well aware, rich in vitamin A and helps improve our vision. But, actually, carrot is also very helpful for oily skin. It clears the extra oil from the skin and also takes care of pimples, acne and dark spots. Boil a carrot for 15 minutes. It would turn very soft and easy to mash. Mash it or blend it with lemon juice, orange juice or even the water in which it was boiled. Apply it on your face for 30 minutes and wash off with cold water. Your skin would be glowing. You can open your pores before you apply this mask as it helps carrot to act better on the skin. 

For people with dry skin or normal skin, you can blend carrot with honey or milk cream or even any nourishing and moisturizing fruit.

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Beauty Uses of Beetroot

Beetroot is one vegetable which you might hate or love to eat but it sure is good or rather great for your whole body. Since the vegetable is rich in iron, a daily glass of juice relieves you of anemia and helps building a strong immune system. 

This vegetable is also a natural dye so mix the regular henna powder in beetroot juice for an auburn tinge in your hair. And, it is completely chemical free so your hair remains as healthy and beautiful as always. 

Finally, using beetroot juice as a mask gives your complexion a pinkish tinge. So, next time you are whipping a clay mask or any fruit mask, be sure to include a little of beetroot juice or grated beetroot. The results would be visible clearly on a fair skin.Not only that, a regular usage of beetroot helps your skin become flawless as it feeds your skin iron and other vitamins through the pores. All the dark spots and blemishes are gone in a month if you use the mask 5-7 times a week.

You can even include a glass of beetroot juice in your daily diet. It surely will improve your skin and hair from inside as it carries all the vitamins and minerals necessary for beautiful skin and hair.

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Mango - Health and Skin Benefits

The season of "the king of fruits" has come. Have you started eating mango regularly? It is a rich source of vitamin A. And, it is extremely good for skin too. Mango is rich in all vitamins (A, B1, B2, B3, B6, C), minerals, proteins, carbohydrates (including sugar) and fiber. So, why not squeeze a little mango pulp and apply it on your skin for a beautiful smooth feel and to take advantage of all the nutrients in the fruit. Mango is good at getting rid of the blemishes and scars. Since mango is especially rich in Vitamin C, mango pulp is useful to treat pimples and acne.

You can make mango shake. It serves as a great drink which can satisfy your hunger too. It would save you many calories to skip on the sugar and substitute it with honey. You can use the drink as an anti-aging mask too as mango is rich in anti-oxidants. You can even make use of green mangoes (which are not ripe and really rich in Vitamin C) to make 'Panna', a traditional Indian drink, which provides enough nutrients for the body to fight sun strokes.

Caution: Please do not think of rubbing the mango peel on your skin. Mango peel contains a toxin named 'Urushiol' which can cause allergic reaction in the sensitive skin.

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Home Remedy for Pimples

Since I have warned you about the risks of using mustard oil on skin, we can  proceed with the beauty masks including mustard oil. Mustard Oil is supposedly very beneficial for pimples and good at treating the white patches on the skin. So, if you are one of the victims, you can give it a try.

Ingredients:

- 1 table spoon mustard oil

- 2 table spoons yogurt

- 1/2 table spoon turmeric (pounded Katuri Manjal would be better instead of the cooking variety)

Method: Mix all the ingredients to form a consistent paste and apply it on the face paying special attention to the pimples and white patches. The white patches can be anywhere on the body so you can apply this mask anywhere. Leave it to dry (which might take a little longer) and remove it using gentle circular motions to remove the mask.

You can even massage the body with this mask as it is good for improving the skin tone. The mask is also good at lightening any kind of blemish or scars. 

Caution: Do a patch test before you use it. Apply a little of this mask on the skin of inner elbow and let it dry. Wash off as usual and wait for 24 hours. If your skin does not react to the mask, you can use this mask safely on your body.

My experience with the mask: So, when I read the mustard oil anti-pimple mask, I decided to give it a try though I do not have any pimples. I applied the mask minus the yogurt. And, frankly, I did not like the mask. My skin did not react to the oil but the mustard oil left a yellow tinge on my face and a very greasy film after washing off the mask which is not moisturizing but rather irritating. It did bring a glow to my face but I think I can do without this mask. So, my advise to you readers is if you want to give it a try, remember that I warned you and I want you to be the best judge of what is best for you.

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Feeding Pomegranates to your Skin

Pomegranates are the best fruits to treat the oily and combination skin. Let us see what health benefits they provide.

• Prevent heart diseases
• Slow down growth of prostrate cancer 
• Has anti-inflammatory properties so quickens the skin healing process
• Help in building up and strengthening the immune system
• Reduce chances of skin cancer
• Protects skin from UV damage  
• Highly rich in anti-oxidants, Alpha-Hydroxy Acids, Vitamin C so help in skin repair and regeneration process and also, slows down aging
• can also prevent acne

Home Remedies with Pomegranates.

• Grind the seeds and make a thick paste. Apply to face and wash off after 15-30 minutes. Your skin will feel fresh and firmer. Also helps in reducing the spots and blemishes on skin.
• Dip cotton ball in pomegranate juice and apply on skin after cleansing. It will help get rid of acne and pimples. It is an excellent astringent and toner.
• You can use the seeds paste as a body scrub. It would remove excess oil.
• Use pomegranate juice to make clay masks or other kinds of face masks
• For a dry skin, mix honey and pomegranate juice or seeds paste and apply to your skin. It will instantly revive your face giving it a fresh glow without drying your skin.

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Benefits of Orange on Skin

This fruit belongs to the citrus family and is best know for its astringent and toning properties. Oranges are a good source of Vitamin C which is known to improve the skin texture and color. They help restoring collagen in our body which is responsible for skin firming and preventing early aging of skin. So, daily serving of citrus fruits helps our body fight aging. 

• Rub fresh orange peel on your skin to tighten it and lighten the color.
• After eating orange, instead of throwing away the peels, dry them in sun and grind them. Store the mixture. And, use it as a body scrub. 
• Mix the above made scrub and milk or milk cream and apply on face. It gives an instant glow to your face. And, reduces the dark spots and blemishes on your skin.
• If you do not want to go through the tedious step of grinding the peels, you can make a refreshing face spray using the peels.
• If you do not use a face spray, simply pour boiling water on the peels and leave for a day. Next day, filter the liquid and store it in fridge. Apply the liquid on your face using a cotton ball. Let stay till it dries up. Your face will be firm and glowing. 
• You can use this liquid in preparing face masks. Use the liquid in a day or two.
• You can pour this liquid in your bath water and enjoy a refreshing and rejuvenating bath. Your skin will smell fresh all day.
• Use the liquid as a hair rinse to get shining hair. It also helps in removing dandruff.
• A very innovative tip: Take the juice of 2 oranges and freeze it in an ice tray. Rub your face with frozen orange juice cubes. It will instantly freshen you up and lift up the tiredness from your face. The juice will give your dull and oily face an instant sheen. And, the chilled ice cubes will close and minimize the size of your pores. This also provides relief to acne prone skin and pimples.

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Use 'Sunnipindi' on you or your baby

Today, I would be sharing with you a very old age home remedy for glowing skin. 'Sunnipindi' is the powdered form of dried green gram dal (mung dal in Hindi). I am not very sure that you can get this powdered form in the market easily. So, time to make it. Not to worry. Its not a very difficult thing. Buy preferred quantity of green gram dal (with 'chilka' or its outer skin covering). It will be green in color as shown in the image.

Method: Air dry them in direct sun light. Grind them to get powdered green gram dal.You should mix 1/4 quantity of rice to the total quantity of green gram dal while grinding.You can include turmeric in the mixture. Remember to use the turmeric sticks instead of the commercially available packets.

Application:

1. Use it as a face scrub. Mix it with water, milk or honey and apply on face and body. It gives you glowing skin and removes all blemishes within a very short period.And, also removes facial hair. 'Sunnipindi is more effective that 'Besan'.

2. Use this mixture instead of soap while having bath. It is completely natural and a very old custom.

3. You should use this on babies too. Using it on babies removes the roots of their body hairs before they get strong and your babies will grow hairless (on body).

4. And, if you do not feel like using it everyday, you can use it weekly once. Oil your whole body nicely and stay for 30 minutes to 1 hour before bath. Then use the mixture to scrub your body. You should use this mixture without diluting it in water. Or, you can mix it in milk and then use it as a whole body scrub. 

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Benefits of Papaya for skin

Well, I talked about the benefits of Apple on skin last time. Today, I would be talking about another very nutritious fruit "Papaya". Papaya is the best bet when it comes to skin care. It is a good source of Vitamin A and papain. Vitamin A acts as an anti-oxidant, while the papain breaks down inactive proteins and removes dead skin cells. The best feature of the fruit is its low sodium quality.Since the salt content is less, the water retention is also little. The result is an overall hydrated skin. 

• Papaya is abundant in anti-oxidants due to the huge concentration of Vitamin A
• 'Papain' in Papaya is helpful in removing the dead skin cells so applying papaya on the skin will exfoliate your skin in the most gentle and natural way
• Use mashed papaya for cracked and sore heels
• Rub the Papaya peel on your face after eating the papaya. Let it stay for no more than 5 minutes and wash off with cold water. The AHA's (alpha-hydroxy acids), which are the most coveted ingredients of today for their anti-aging properties, are in abundance in Papaya which makes it an acidic fruit. If you apply Papaya for more time, it would cause dryness and might even irritate sensitive skins. 
• Papaya is a great skin-firming and anti-aging mask. Mash the uneaten Papaya with or without milk and apply on your face. It helps in removing blemishes, dark spots, evens out your skin tone and brings a glow to your face.
• Papaya is, again, a natural exfoliator.
• Mix mashed Papaya with honey for a hydrating skin mask.

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An Apple a day keeps you glowing all day

Today, I am going to discuss with you the benefits of Apple on our skin and the various face masks you can make with the use of it. Let us see the various benefits of Apple.

• Cleans the bowels
• Chew an Apple after your meal for pearly white teeth
• Regular intake of Apple reduces wrinkles and fine lines
• Is a great anti-aging mask because of the high content of anti-oxidants
• Place slices of Apple under your eyes to reduce dark circles or puffy eyes
• Mash a quarter of an apple with milk cream and apply on your face to remove blemishes and dark spots. It is a great remedy for acne.
• Cut a slice of an apple and apply the juice on your face until the slice dries up. It balances the oil production in your body and is a great hydrating mask.
• Apple provides relief from acne and sunburn due to its cooling properties. Place a slice of Apple in fridge for an hour or so and then, apply on sun-burnt skin or acne prone skin to get relief.
• Apple not only provides hydration to the skin, but, also cleanses our skin. So, you can use Apple as an exfoliant too.
• 
  
  Mix a grated apple with honey and apply on your face for five minutes for a hydrated, stress free skin.
  

Read here to know about various health benefits and other information about Apple.

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Use Orange peel to bring a glow on your skin

 

Today, I would be sharing with you a simple scrubbing method for your face without getting into the trouble of elaborate recipe making techniques. Yes, just as I talked about Banana peel last time, this time I am going to talk about how to use orange peel.

Eat your orange. Now, rub the peel directly on your face or anywhere else. Make sure you dig into the skin of the orange peel with your nails to extract its juice and apply it to your face. Keep on rubbing till the skin color of the peel changes into black. Do not wash your face immediately. Wait for 15-30 minutes. Then, wash off your face with cold water. Do not use any cleanser or soap after this application. Your skin will glow and be squeaky clean. And, this also ensures reduction in blemishes and dark spots. But, remember to do this at night as the citric acid makes the skin photosensitive and dry.

A tip: Dip the orange peels in raw milk for 1 hour before scrubbing. This would balance the drying effect of the orange peel with the moisturizing effect of milk. 

 Read about how you can use orange in other ways on your skin.

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Get rid of the blemishes and dark spots on your body

Today, I would be sharing with you a very simple home remedy to get rid of blemishes and dark spots anywhere on your body. Well, that is banana peel. Yes. Eat your banana everyday to get your vitamins and proteins. And, instead of throwing the skin, use it to beautify yourself. Applying banana skin or banana to your body gives the same benefits. Its just that one you can gain from inside and one from outside. 

Rub the banana peel over your body and let it stay for 5-15 minutes. Go and take a shower. Your skin would be smooth and soft. Banana nourishes and moisturizes your skin well. And, a regular usage would ensure your dark spots and blemishes are all gone. Enjoy a flawless skin. And, do not forget, banana also helps in anti-aging skin care.

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Home made Scrub to get rid of facial hair {DIY}

Today, I will be sharing with you an age old scrub used by Indians. It is pretty popular during the wedding season and suits every skin type. It actually balances the oil production in the skin.

Ingredients: (actually everything good for skin)

1. Chick Pea Flour (besan)

2. Green Gram Flour

3. Turmeric

4. Sandalwood Powder

5. Ground Orange Peels (dried)

6. Ground Lemon Peels (dried)

7. Ground Rose Petals (dried)

You can add other flowers too according to your choice like Jasmine, Marigold,, Lavender, Rosemary. Mix all the ingredients and store in an air-tight jar.
Scoop out a generous amount as you would be using it for whole of the body. Mix it with Yogurt, Honey, Glycerin, Rose water, Milk, floral water or any other ingredient of your choice. Apply it all over your body and leave for 5 minutes. Scrub it and wash off. Your skin would be soft, supple and clean. It also fades away any blemishes or dark spots on your skin. It can be used daily instead of a soap as it is completely natural.

You can also use it as a face scrub. If you are mixing the scrub with yogurt, wait till it dries off on your face. This could take a pretty long time. But, its worth the wait. And, scrub it in upward direction towards your forehead to help remove the facial hairs. If used consistently over a period, the scrub is useful to get rid of all the facial hair.

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Use milk to keep your skin moisturized all day long {DIY}

I will be posting today a tip to keep your skin moisturized all day long. How? MILK. I have already talked about how milk can be used to maintain a shiny hair. Now, lets see how it takes care of our skin.

Take some raw unboiled milk along with its cream. Dip a wash cloth in it and saturate well. Apply the milk on your face using the wash cloth. Let it stay for 5-15 minutes till it dries. Then, again dip the wash cloth in milk and saturate it. Start scrubbing your face gently with the wash cloth. Scrub for 3-5 minutes. Then, wash off. Your skin will be smooth and supple. It will look fresh and glowing. This routine will improve your skin's elasticity, its complexion, its water retaining capacity and will keep it looking fresh all day long.

You can use this routine for your complete body once in a while. It is a great treat for your body. Instead of putting milk in your bath water or tub, use a wash cloth and saturate it well before applying it on your body. Use a full cream milk or if you can, goat's milk. That's the best for skin care. Do not worry even if you have oily skin. It balances the oil secretion in your skin and your skin would not suffer breakouts. Instead, your skin might turn to a normal type. And, if you are consistent with this routine, you can notice results in as less as 3 days. Your skin would be considerably lighter and glowing. 

Caution: Do not follow this if you are allergic to any dairy products or are lactose-intolerant or even if suffering from acne.

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