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MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO USE TURMERIC POWDER IN YOUR SKINCARE

Saturday, January 25, 2020

Turmeric powder, aka The Miracle Spice, is a staple ingredient in the Middle East and Southeast Asian cuisine. No Indian kitchen can run without this vibrant golden orange-colored spice. Its distinct pepper-like taste and pungent rustic flavor delight the hearts of food lovers.

Turmeric is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent. It is used as an effective disinfectant since the ancient ages of Ayurveda. When consumed internally, it can do wonders for your health.

But today, I am not going to be sharing about its health benefits. That is for another day. I am going to tell you my wonderous experiences with this herb in my Skincare. I have been using turmeric since my childhood days. And it is an integral part of my Skincare.

I like to incorporate turmeric to tackle various types of skin worries. So far, it has stood out in all the fields and proved its power. As it stains the skin with its pungent color, it is not possible to mingle it with any moisturizing agent. But if you use it in your homemade face packs, it will do miracle for your skin. You just need to keep it on your face for a half-hour, and voila! You are done! Your skin absorbs all the goodness from the extract and performs its best.

So, let’s begin how to use turmeric for different skin issues.

1. Anti-Acne Face Pack

If you are suffering from pimples, acne, or heat rashes, this face pack is going to do wonders for your skin.

To make this face pack, you need,

Neem leaves (Azadirachta indica) paste or powder 1 tbsp
Turmeric paste or powder 1 tsp
Pinch of clove powder
Organic Honey 1 tsp
Rosewater to make a smooth paste

Mix all the ingredients and keep it on your face for 20-30 mins until it gets dried off completely. Wash your face and apply your favorite moisturizer. You can use this twice a week.

2. Anti-tanning Face and Body Pack

During the Summers, your skin tans a lot. When you travel to a tropical place or spend time on a beach, again, your skin gets tanned or burned.

This pack helps your skin cool down and helps to remove the tan very easily. You can use this on your face and also on the entire body, whichever part is exposed to the sun. Accordingly, you can double up the measurement.

For this you need,

Chickpea flour 1 tbsp
Curd 1 tbsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Organic Honey 1 tsp
Lemon Juice 1 tsp
Rosewater to make a paste

If you have sensitive skin, you can skip the lemon juice, and add only rose water. Allow this mixture to sit on your skin for 20 minutes and gently rub it to get it off. The scrubbing will help to get rid of the dead skin cells and tanning smoothly.

3. Hydrating Face Pack

For this you need,

Aloe vera juice or gel 1 tbsp
Organic Honey 1 tsp
Turmeric powder half a teaspoon
Rosewater to mix

If your skin is dehydrated, this pack will help you deal with the dryness. You can use it twice a week.

4. Scar Removal Face Pack

Acne, pimples sometimes leave a harsh scar. If you take care of your skin, it will lighten and go away eventually. This following face pack helps a lot in this process.

You need,

Raw cow milk 1-2 tbsp
Sandalwood Powder 1 tsp
Organic Honey ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder ½ tsp

5. Bridal Care Face and Body Pack/ Ubtan

Well, brides need a special glow for their most special day. In India, pre-bridal Ubtan (a homemade powdered mix of Ayurvedic herbs and natural ingredients) is famous for taking out the best of that inner glow of the skin. Everybody has their unique recipe, which is passed on through generations. I am giving the method I follow and have learned from my mother.

Just double the amount if you need extra.

You are going to need,

Oatmeal powder 1 tbsp
Almond powder 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Sandalwood powder 1 tsp
Rosewater to make a smooth paste

Of course, you can use this even if you are not getting married today 😉. Your groom can use it too to look his best. This mixture will bring back the glow on your face for any special event.

6. Oil Controlling Face Pack

Oil dripping from your face, not an issue!

All you need is this,

Curd 1 tbsp
Sandalwood powder 1 tsp
Fuller's earth/ Multani Mitti 1 tsp
Turmeric powder 1 tsp
Rosewater to make a smooth paste

If you can grind fresh raw turmeric, make a paste and use on your skin, it would be awesome. You can even dry it on the sunlight, make a powder, and store it in an airtight container. But let’s be frank here, this process can be time consuming and almost impossible to achieve regularly given the busy schedule of our lives.

I will suggest using Organic, Natural Turmeric Powder for your Skincare. Turmeric powder used in cooking is not recommended at all. But there are some products which can be used both in cooking and skincare.

I have been using Seeds and Hands Turmeric Powder for a long time. It suits my skin amazingly. They also have Wild Turmeric Powder and White Wild Turmeric Powder, specifically for Skincare. It is an authentic Indian wild turmeric powder. Their wild turmeric roots are sourced directly from Wayanad, Kerala. Their organic, handpicked spices consist of pure grounded turmeric roots, without mixing any other material, free from any artificial color, flavor and are GMO-free.

If you are interested in buying this, you can check out the links below.

Seeds and HandsTurmeric Powder

Seeds and Hands Wild Turmeric Powder

Seeds and Hands White Wild Turmeric Powder

Do remember to take a patch test before using anything new.

I hope this post helps to solve your skin worries.

Let me know how you feel.

Cheers!!!

Happy Living…

#Beautiful Naturally

HOW TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL NATURALLY (WITHOUT MAKEUP)

Thursday, November 07, 2019

“You've got beautiful skin." Whenever we get to hear this compliment from someone, our faces bloom like shining stars, our minds overwhelm with immense joy and happiness. Though, technically a hormone called Dopamine releases from the body whenever we get appreciation from others, but what matters is that we feel happy.

As women, we learn to take care of our skin, hair, etc. since the time we grow our senses. Skincare becomes a ritual and makeup becomes our best friend. Makeup, of course makes us feel great and confident. But it shouldn't be the only way to feel confident. FYI, I am not against makeup! In fact, I love them and use them whenever I feel like it.

No matter what skin complexion you have- fair, medium, dark, pale, extra pale, etc. etc., you are what you are. And you are the most beautiful person ever when you love yourself. And the magic to look good naturally is taking care of your health. But you gotta remember that you need to take care of your physical as well as mental health.

So, I am sharing the top 10 tips and tricks from my experience that I have been following for the longest time I can remember. These are all holistic ideas. And these tricks have helped me love my skin and myself a little bit extra every single day.

1. Hydrate yourself

Pic Credit: The Economic Times

Drinking water is the first and foremost thing you can do to take care of your health, both internally and externally. This is a generic info but it is recommended to drink at least 8 to 10 glasses of water every day. In fact, if it's possible, then drink lukewarm water 2-3 times a day to get rid of the toxins from your body. This also helps to dissolve your fat faster. You can also opt for freshly squeezed juices and soups if you can’t drink plain water at first. And remember, while drinking water, try to sit down somewhere and take little sips. Do not try to gulp it at a time. Also, do not overdo it. According to your weight, it depends to person to person how much water one should consume. Too much consumption of water can affect kidneys adversely.

2. Avoid Caffeine as much as you can

Pic Credit: baseballstrength.org

Some people can't start their day without a sip on their favorite cuppa. This is nothing but a pure addiction that our brains get accustomed to gradually. And therefore, our body feels lethargic without some form of caffeine. I am not saying to sacrifice caffeine entirely. Go ahead if you can. What I am suggesting is to cut down the intake. If you are an avid drinker (I am talking about Caffeine Drinkers😉), slowly but steadily try to cut down the caffeine. Remember that most of the cold beverages also contain caffeine. So, they are unhealthy too.

3. The daily dose of diet

Pic Credit: cdc.gov

Your body needs a proper dose of carbohydrate, fiber, proteins, vitamins, minerals every single day. Include green leafy vegetables, different colors of veggies and fruits in your diet. Different colors add different benefits in giving food values. Try to eat at least 2-3 types of fruits in your daily meal. You can also opt for fresh fruit juices. Do not go for packaged fruit juices as they have no food value in them. Most of them are synthetic and do not add additional benefits. If you are non-vegetarian, then including protein is not a big deal as animal fats are fantastic for your body. If you are vegetarian or follow some other diets, then it will be tricky. You can eat lentils, legumes, cheese, tofu etc. so that your body get enough amount of protein too.

4. Choose the right Cookware for preparing food

Pic Credit: Amazon.com

I have a detailed post on what is the safest cookware for our health. Link here. When you are adding all kinds of beneficial foods in your daily diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, they work their best when you cook your food in the right cookware. If you don't, then the necessary food items that you are incorporating in your daily lives will have very fewer benefits. So, please be careful while choosing the right Cookware for your kitchen.

5. Avoid Junk and outside food

Pic Credit: The Economic Times

This includes all the oily and spicy foods, fries, chips, refined flour, sugar, etc. Go far away from them as much as you can. Guys, I am not that pathetic and unrealistic person that I would talk you through something impossible. So, every once in a while, you can indulge yourself for a little bit of junk, but mind it that it should be within a limit. After that, if you still can't help yourself, try making your favorite junk food at home. But it would be for your best interest to sacrifice them as it’s gonna be a blessing for your health.

6. Follow a proper Skincare Regime and opt for trustworthy Skin Care Products

Pic Credit: Perfect365

After taking care of your body internally, the time comes to take care of it with some added products externally. Skincare is essential. Cleansing, Toning, Moisturizing- these three steps you cannot ignore no matter how busy you are. Every other day, some new trends are coming into action to prove their effectiveness. It's okay if you don't like all the hustle and bustle. These three steps are sufficient enough to get you into the mode.

Go for well-known, good skin care brands. Nowadays, there are so many brands available in the market and also online. But choose wisely. You don't always need to go for luxury brands. Because price tags never decide whether the product will suit you or not. Try your best to use fewer chemicals and preservatives on your skin. Look for paraben, sulfate, and phthalate-free skincare. Natural products sometimes can cause an allergic reaction, therefore always try a patch-test first and then use regularly. I have also mentioned about proper skin care in this post. Take a look here.

If you are Pregnant or Breastfeeding Moms, always consult your physician before you try something new.

7. Avoid Makeup on Problematic Skin

If you have injured skin right now because of acne, pimples, or some skin infections, do not make any attempts to cover them up. That will be the worst thing for your skin. Instead of getting healed, it will be prone to severe infection. So, avoid any kind of makeup if you are breaking out.

8. Exercise and Sleep

Pic Credit: Besthealthmagazine

No matter if you are extremely busy or lazy, every day, some form of exercise is a must. Do some yoga, go for a brisk walk for 30 minutes, dance, do Zumba or any other form of exercise whatever you like. What matters is that you work out enough to run some sweat from your body. Put on your favorite music and start today. If you are new to it, the first few days will be difficult. But then, you will be flying.

The second important thing is sleep. It is recommended to sleep for at least 7-9 hrs. at night . Your body and mind both need to take proper rest to run the system. If you are facing a problem sleeping correctly, there are healthy ways to help you with that. One of them is exercise.

9. Know your body and Try maintaining a less Stressfull Life

If you do not feel healthy internally, obviously, your external appearance will suffer. Go for a regular health checkup. For women, it is very common to suffer from hormonal imbalances. So, keep an eye and handle that with patience.

The trickiest thing to follow is to lead a less stressfull life. It is easier said than done, I know that. But remember that every single person is stressed out for every other reason. Knowing that makes it more comfortable to deal with. What gives you peace that you need to find out on your own. People can help you, but you can heal yourself most effectively. Find out your inner peace and try your best to lead a healthy, less stressful life as much as possible.

10. Stop comparing your life with others

Mental health plays an integral part in shaping your physical health. In this age of social media, people are becoming more competitive and more stressful. Remember that everything looks its best in the picture. So, do not judge your own self or your life with someone that looks shinier than yours. That will hurt you unnecessarily. Devote your life to doing constructive, positive things. And find your own path, your personal goals. Being a compassionate and less judgmental person help you lead a blissful life.

Remember, you can't get a healthy body, skin, or mind in one day. It’s a process and a slow one. It takes lots of effort to look pretty outside and beautiful within. You can feel impatient and disheartened at times. But keep motivating yourself by doing whatever makes you happy. Follow the techniques, but do not hope for a miracle overnight. If you go steady and keep your patience at your side, you will get amazing results eventually.

Cheers!!!

Happy Living…

#Natural Mosquito Repellent

THE MAGICAL BENEFITS OF CITRONELLA ESSENTIAL OIL

Tuesday, April 16, 2019

Essential oils are used for various medicinal purposes since ages. They are majorly used in aromatherapy as a form of alternative medicine. Though, scientifically, they are not proved to treat any significant health condition, but they are undoubtedly beneficial to ease out some problems.

Any essential oil is basically the essence of a particular plant. Citronella oil is derived from the leaves and stems of different species of Cymbopogon.

I have been using this oil for the last two years or so. I am a big fan of this oil, especially in Summer. It works like a charm and helps me out in many ways.

Benefits of Citronella Oil:

Natural Insect Repellent

I have used so many market-available insect repellents. In fact, most of them use Citronella Oil as one of the key ingredients.

I don't prefer to use them anymore as they contain many harsh chemicals.

Whereas, a pure Citronella Essential Oil is great to use as an insect repellent. It is natural and it works amazingly as a Mosquito Repellent. I am blown away by its results as I found this oil 100% effective.

How to use this as a Mosquito Repellent:

I put one drop of this oil on the edges of my top's sleeves. Similarly, I put one drop of this oil on each sides of the bottom wear. I have tested the effect for a long time in a place where the mosquitos rule the most. To my surprise, this oil has proved to be amazingly effective every time. The mosquitoes have definitely come near me, but they couldn’t sit on my body and bite me.

It sounds unbelievable, right!

You can also use this as a bug spray. Let me give you a beautiful recipe for that.

Ingredients:

½ cup Natural Witch Hazel
½ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
1 tbsp Vegetable Glycerin (optional)
30-40 drops of mixed essential oils (citronella, clove, lemongrass, rosemary, tea tree, eucalyptus, geranium, lavender, mint.)

Mix everything in a spray bottle (preferably glass), and it is ready to use. I would suggest not to use it directly on the skin, instead, use it on clothes.

Stress Buster

Whenever I feel a little stressed, or I am under the weather, I put 2 drops of this oil on my pillow. It really helps calming me down, and I fall asleep in no time.

P.S: I don't think this remedy is effective in extreme stressful condition, but on a lower level, it helps.

P.P.S- Remember to be careful when you are applying this oil on your dresses or pillows. It leaves a yellowish stain on lighter colors. But the stain goes away after a couple of washes.

Room Freshener

I am a hardcore non-vegetarian, so you can imagine the smell of my kitchen after cooking. The smell sometimes spreads in the whole house. Yeah gross! To get rid of that, I take a small spray bottle, add 8 to 10 drops of this oil along with some water. I spray this in the entire house, especially on my curtains. And Voila! My house smells divine.

Some Other Benefits:

You can use Citronella Essential Oil in many other ways. Unlike the above-mentioned benefits, these are not tried and tested by me. So, I can't vouch for the results. But research says they are very effective.

Anti-Inflammatory and Pain Reducer
Anti-bacterial & Anti-Fungal (for skin conditions)
Household Cleaner (as a disinfectant)
For Skin & Hair Care (acne, greasy hair, etc.)
Helps control some pet’s behavior

A Few Words of Caution:

1. Always buy an authentic product from the retailer.

2. Take a Patch test before using any essential oil. Some people may be allergic.

3. Never use it directly on the skin. Always dilute the essential oils with a carrier oil (like coconut oil etc.) when you use them in skin care.

4. Never use any essential oil when you are pregnant or breast feeding. Always consult your Doctors first.

5. Consult with your Doctor before using it on kids.

I am using the Nykaa Citronella Essential Oil right now. You can use any brand as per your choice, just make sure it is an authentic product.

Price Of Nykaa Citronella Essential Oil: INR 350 for 10 ml. (you can grab it on discount most of the times)

Try it once and share your thoughts.

Cheers!!!

Happy Living…

Beauty Tips for Healthy Skin

15 MUST DO'S FOR A COMPLETE SKIN CARE

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Over the period of time, I've learned quite a few do's and don'ts that could be really life changing. So, I am sharing with you my version of some ideas that I find really important to remember when you are taking care of your skin. I just want to give a disclaimer that I am not a professional expert. These are completely my thoughts and these work for me. This could vary from person to person.

Skin care is not only for women but men too should take good care of their skin. If not anything, at least daily cleansing, a good moisturizing, and scrubbing are necessary.
In the following, I am sharing some points which help taking care of your skin if you maintain them well.

These are not all, but let's see some of the thoughts -

Cleansing, Toning, Moisturizing, and Scrubbing. These are the basic keys for everything. Basically, you need to wash your face daily twice (morning and evening) to get rid of all the gunk that your skin accumulates throughout the day. Then comes Toning which helps to maintain the ph balance of the face and tightens the open pores that open after washing and scrubbing. Scrubbing is very important for face as well as for body. Go for exfoliation at least once a week to get rid of all the dead cells. Let the new cells come out with a natural glow. You must not skip your Toner after it. And finally comes moisturizing which is absolutely mandatory to maintain the hydration in the skin. These are your “skin foods”. Finish the whole ritual with a nice pampering face pack/ mask at least once a week to rejuvenate your skin.

Go for an alcohol free toner. Alcohol always irritates the skin and dries out the outer layer of the skin. Try to avoid it. Nowadays, there are many variants of Alcohol free toners available. Choose according to your own taste or simply make a DIY Aloe Vera Toner by using Aloe Vera Pulp, water, and Vitamin E Oil. Preserve it in the fridge and use it within 7 days.

Always moisturize your face in the Upwards motion. Moisturizing is a must. But don't just rub your face bluntly. Your skin is gentle. So, massage it gently in wide circular strokes. Start from your neck area and slowly move to the upwards direction. Always avoid downwards motion because it may cause sagging of your skin. Massaging your skin helps to maintain the elasticity. Skin will appear more youthful, healthy, and less wrinkly.

Invest in a good Moisturizer that suits your Skin-types. Moisturizer always varies according to your skin. There is always a chance of getting adverse effects like developing Pimples, Rashes, or Patches etc. if you are using a wrong product. Meaning, if the product is not for your particular skin types, it can make things worse. In general, Oily to Normal skin people should use a light moisturizer during the Summers, a little heavier version for the Winters. Normal to Dry skin people should use some heavy moisturizer. The main fact is, you must not skip your moisturizer at any cost.

It is a Myth that Oily Skin should not use Moisturizer. Whether your skin is oily, or normal, or dry, moisturizing is really important. All types of skin tend to lose its natural hydration over the time. Moisturizer really helps to maintain the balance of hydration, and makes the outer layer of the skin more soft, healthy and plump. If your skin is very Oily, use a water based light moisturizer, Aloe Vera Gel etc.

Go natural. Chemicals are not at all good for our skin. And very few people are aware of it. I’ll talk about it in details some other day. But right now, all I can suggest is that always try to use products that are free from Preservatives ( parabens, sulfates etc.) , Alcohol (natural derivatives are fine), fragrance (natural fragrance is fine). Look for Non-Comedogenic products and dermatologically tested cosmetics. Natural products are always your friends.

Start using Anti-aging products in your late 20’s. You don’t need to think you’re getting old if you are using Anti aging Skin Care. Good products have all the beneficial properties that help to maintain the skin elasticity, produce more collagen, more hydration, etc. Wrinkles will come gradually, but these stuff will help to reduce the visible signs of aging or rather make them appear late. Skin will look youthful and stay hydrated all the time.

Facial oils are excellent. Oily people... please don’t get scared. You need to be extra careful while choosing a Facial Oil, but nowadays there are so many products available in the market for different skin types. Normal to dry skin people go ahead, test the oil, and start using it. These oils have many benefits to make your skin invigorated and give a youthful glow. They also add a protective layer in front of your skin to keep it safe.

Body butters and Lotions are must haves. They are your friends. According to your skin types, invest in a good product that suits you. In general, oily skin prefers body lotions, and normal to dry skin prefers body butters. But this can vary according to seasons.

Body Massage Oil is necessary. Do massage your body with your favorite kind of oil at least once a week. Skin will glow as never before. Body lotions & butters are absolutely fine. But along with them, massaging your skin with different oils add so many additional benefits. It also helps in blood circulation and thus the best of your skin comes out.

Choose your Eye Cream wisely. Eye creams are always helpful but look for the ingredients list given for the product. See there is any special ingredient present and whether that will be beneficial to you or not. Some eye creams have the exact same ingredients that are present in your face creams. Our eye area is extra gentle and sensitive and it tends to get wrinkles faster than other areas, so choose carefully. Some creams could be very thick or thin according to your skin type. As these are twice or thrice the price of your regular face cream, selecting it could be tricky. Eye creams also help to reduce those dark circles and puffiness. But it is almost impossible to get rid of your genetic dark circles no matter how expensive your Eye Cream is.

Body lotions are for Body only. Believe it or no, there are still people who use literally the same thing for their face and body. Do not ever put body lotions on your face. First of all, facial skin is way more delicate than body. So the facial skin cells get damaged faster than body. Body lotions are way more thick than face creams, so they can clog pores and that can lead to Acne and Pimples. Body lotions also contain more quantity of chemicals so that could be a bummer for your face.

Sunscreen is a must. Always apply Sunscreen before stepping outside. It doesn’t matter whether the day is sunny or cloudy, UV rays are always there and that is always harmful for our skin. You will need at least SPF-30 to protect your Skin.

Healthy diet comes handy for a fit life. It’s hard but try to avoid junk food as much as you can. Avoid Caffeinated drinks. Include lots of green vegetables, fruits, beans, lentils, and obviously animal fats (if you are a non-vegetarian) in your diet. And drink plenty of water, at least 8 to 10 glasses per day.

Sleep and Stress Management. Now this is the final key for a healthy lifestyle. No matter how much busy you are, a good 8 hours sleep is always necessary. You need to get to flush out all the stress that makes life difficult. Go for a walk (at least 20 to 30 minutes every day) or a run. Try some Yoga, and if possible then meditate. You’ll get a renewed, blissful body and mind every day.

Life is always Good when you have an Extra Tip.

After everything, it is very much possible to get pimples due to some internal problems or hormonal changes. Trust me, I know it’s very much tempting to pluck it every time you get it, but tell your hands to be in control. Plucking will make it more miserable and clog the pores. That will lead to extra breakouts.

Finally, everything will fall into place if you are happy from inside. A happy body & mind is everything we need for a healthy life.

Cheers!!!

Happy Living…

MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS TO USE TURMERIC POWDER IN YOUR SKINCARE

HOW TO LOOK BEAUTIFUL NATURALLY (WITHOUT MAKEUP)

THE MAGICAL BENEFITS OF CITRONELLA ESSENTIAL OIL

15 MUST DO'S FOR A COMPLETE SKIN CARE

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