Tag: combination skin

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F’s which help in skincare

F’s which help in skincare

Nature doesn’t fail to surprise be it with fruits or vegetables and the innumerable benefits they have to offer. And now since we are in F, lets see what ingredients in F help in skincare.

FIG

Fig



Fig or anjeer is loaded with antioxidants. When we say antioxidants we know that the major role is to combat skin ageing. FIg helps in rejuvenating skin, evenning the complexion, prevents wrinkles and cures boils and warts. Fig was cleopatra’s favourite fruit.



Prevents wrinkles

The antioxidant property help reduce the depth of the wrinkles. Figs help to decrease melanin production , water loss and sebum production.As a result it helps in increased hydration. Its effective in treating pigmentation, acne and wrinkles.



Rejuvenate skin
Figs help in rejuvenation. The benefit can be attained when you consume or apply them on skin.

DIY
Take fig cut in half, scoop of fresh and mash it up with yogurt or honey. Apply and wash of after 15 minutes. This mask offers instant freshness to skin.


Soft and supple skin
Loaded with vitamin C figs also contain a lot of anti oxidants which help in making the skin tone even.

DIYs
Blend figs with milk and oats and also add half a teaspoon fof dry ginger powder. Apply on to skin and wash off after 15 minutes to discover smooth skin.
Soak and blend figs. Add in 2-3 drops of almond oil. Apply on face and wash off after it dries.


Heal boils and warts
The anti inflammatory property in figs makes them beneficial in healing boils and warts. Figs can be cut and directly used on affected area to gain maximum benefit of reduced inflammation.

FLAX SEEDS

Flax seed


Omega 3 fatty acids have innumerable benefits majorly for health. But sadly vegetarian sources are very limited. But a small seed that gives you what you missed is something great. Flax seeds are enriched with omega 3 fatty acids which play major role in heart, skin and hair health.



When flax seeds are used in topical application, the oil in them helps in providing nourishment to skin, improve skin barrier,regulate sebum production and provide nutrients which are wiped off when skin is exposed to harsh chemicals in the name of exfoliation. The seeds help in replenishing vitamins and minerals there by giving you glowing skin.


Glowing skin: The omega 3 fatty acids in flax seeds help keep the skin hydrated and prevent drying as a result your skin glows.


Anti-ageing: The antioxidants in flax seed help in fighting against ageing thereby reducing fine lines, wrinkles and help in skin tightening and lessening of sagging skin.



Acne prevention: Flax seeds help in balanced production of estrogen thereby reducing chances of breakouts. Flax seeds also help regulate sebum production.



Skin rejuvenation: Flax seed when grounded and made powder can be incorporated into face packs due to its quality of being an excellent agent for exfoliation.



Soothes skin irritation: The anti inflammatory property in the seeds help provide a healing effect to the redness and irritation caused by UV rays and free radicals.


When consumed , flax seeds help in repairing skin from the inside. They help in curbing inflammation, balancing estrogen production and strengthening the skin cells from within thereby helping you achieve flawless and healthy glowing skin.


Consuming two spoons of flax seed each day helps in solving most of your skin care problems. It’s water retention abilities help the skin retain moisture so that your skin never gets dried.



Flax seeds are best absorbed when in grounded form. Always make them freshly ground and add them to smoothies or salads.

This post is written as part of Blogchatter’s A2Z challenge.

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E’s which help in skincare

E’s which help in skincare

Eggs

E for ‘egg’ stays right . So lets start with benefits of using egg in skincare. Eggs provide a good dose of nourishment to skin since they are protein packed. It is not wrong to call them as super foods. Hydration and elasticity to skin is provided by eggs since they are rich in lutin. They also play a big role in repairing skin tissues and making skin firm since they are protein rich.



Eggs help in improving the texture be it dry or oily skin. The protein rich yolk aids in moisturizing whereas the white that is rich in albumin helps in reducing open pores.



Eggs help in regulating oil production thereby also removing dead skin cells so they’re good ingredients for exfoliation.



1.DIY to reduce open pores
Take two egg whites, beat and mix with one tablespoon of lemon juice. Apply on to areas where pores are visible. Once it dries wash off with lukewarm water.

2.DIY for glowing skin
Take two eggs, add yogurt and beat. Apply this mask on to face and neck.
Wash off after it dries for discover glowing skin.


3.DIY for dry skin
Take one egg and mix in half a tablespoon of honey. Apply on to face and neck.
Wash off after it dries for discover hydrated skin.



4.DIY to reduce eye bags
Egg whites are known to bring in firmness to skin. Take two beaten egg whites and apply the paste beneath the eyes. Wash off after ten minutes.



5 DIY for skin lightening
Take one egg white mix with one teaspoon of orange juice and half a teaspoon of turmeric. Apply onto face and neck. Wash off once it dries.



6.DIY for sensitive skin
Take one egg white, mix with a teaspoon of honey, yogurt and cucumber juice. Apply on to face and neck. Wash with lukewarm water.



7. DIY anti ageing eye mask
Mix one egg white with grated carrot and a teaspoon of aloe vera gel. Apply under the eyes and around. Do not apply on to eyelids.



8.DIY to remove black heads
Apply beaten egg white on to nose. Take a strip of paper towel and place over the area. Apply one more layer of egg white. Leave it to dry for about 30 minutes. Peel off.



When using masks containing egg whites make sure you do not put them into eyes and mouth. Eggs have salmonella which could cause an infection.

Eucalyptus


Originally native to australia eucalyptus is now grown all over the world. The eucalyptus oil is derived from the tree’s oval shaped leaves.


An ingredient that cannot be directly applied on to skkin but can be found in many of personal care products. It’s uses in skincare would mostly include healing of skin.


Soothes insect bites
A natural anti septic ingredient, eucalyptus helps in healing of bug bites,cuts and burns. The additional anti microbial property helps in prevention of new germ infestation. Makes an easy application too. Just dab a cotton ball in 2-3 drops of oil and apply on the affected area.



Heals cuts and scrapes
Eucalyptus oil helps make an easy anti-septic spray. Be it a cut or a burn you can now make your very own anti-septic spray at the comfort of your home. Combine 10-12 drops of eucalyptus essential oil to two cups of water and store in a spray bottle. Tada!! so easy isn’t it.



Heals sunburns

Sunburns are really painful and irritating. A refreshing spray that helps heal the burns and also makes your skin fresh is what everyone needs. The pain relieving properties and anti inflammatory properties help in healing sunburns. Combine two ounces of water, a teaspoon of aloe vera gel and 2-3 drops of eucalyptus oil and your spray to heal sunburns and to deal with a hot day is ready.


Eucalyptus is usually diluted with a carrier oil when making lotions, moisturizers. Eucalyptus also finds its place in soaps, shower gels and handwashes because of its ability to soothe the skin and heal.



DIY SHOWER SPRAY

Mix 15-20 drops of eucalytus oil( 2 caps) to 4 ounces of distilled water and store in spray bottle. This makes a great rejuvenating shower spray. Make sure you store this only in glass bottles since eucalyptus is known to break plastics. This shower sure does calm down the muscles and gives a relaxed effect to the whole body and mind.

This post is written as part of Blogchatter’s A2Z challenge.

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C’s which help in skincare

We are surrounded by a lot of C’s that can be incorporated into your skincare habits to get you the healthy glowing skin.

Coconut oil:


Coconut oil with its combination of natural fats makes it one of the staple in the kitchen. The fats present like the linolic and lauric acids makes it a good skincare ingredient. But do keep in mind that only pure coconut oil or extra virgin coconut oil will yield you the benefits.



HELPS IN LESSENING PIGMENTATION AND DARK CIRCLES
Coconut oil helps in lessening of dark spots or pigmentation under the eyes when massaged generously. It also helps in reducing the puffiness or eye bags as commonly known due to its anti-inflammatory properties.



ALLEVIATES STRESS
Stress can be induced any time and for people at any age. A calming coconut oil massage is all what you need to soothe your senses. The subtle fragrance also helps you calm your mind and make you relaxed.



HIGHLIGHTER
A highlighter is what elevates the beauty in your makeup especially at the cheeks. Just a squeak line of coconut oil over the cheeks sure does give you a glow that reflects light. This is one of the major reasons coconut oil is one of the major ingredients in base makeup products.



REMOVING EYE MAKEUP AND A GOOD EYECREAM
Though we generally prefer using waterproof kajal or mascara for their long lasting smudge free looks, it is highly a tiresome job to take them out. Coconut oil works like a wonder in such cases and makes removal of kajal and mascara pretty much easier. If your skin under the eyes is dry due to weather or dehydration all you need to do is to dab a light layer of coconut oil under the eyes and pat gently. This sure does help in eye relaxing and also improving complexion of the darker areas.



LIP BALM OR LIP SCRUB
Coconut oil can be used as an ingredient in lip balm and also lip scrub.

If u mix it in with brown sugar and honey and apply foe a gentle exfoliation it works great as a scrub.
For a lip balm mix in coconut oil, bees wax and cocoa butter and heat using double boil method. Once melted you could add them to lip balm containers and if needed also include essential oils.

You could play with the ingredients in terms of quantities so that you get the desired consistency.



GREAT USAGE AS CLEANSER
As a first step to face wash, you could apply coconut oil on your face and massage with circular motions and wash off with your regular face wash. Due to its anti bacterial, anti fungal and moisturizing nature its the best nighttime skincare product that most women could vouch for.

COFFEE GROUNDS


Next time after making coffee if you are left with coffee grounds that you decide to trash, you may rethink and pause. The caffeine in coffee grounds has antioxidants that help prevent sun damage. They can be repurposed into excellent exfoliators for both the body and the face.
But if you have sensitive skin this might not be great for you as coffee grounds could be harsh on your skin.



EXFOLIATION
Mix in coffee grounds with a spoon of yoghurt and apply on to face and neck. Once dry rinse with warm water for glowing skin. Make sure you use this only once a week.



BODY POLISH
Make a mixture of granulated sugar, almond oil and coffee grounds. Apply on your body and gently scrub especially the dry areas like the knees and elbows. Say hello to shiny skin.



FOOT SCRUB
Coffee grounds can also play a good role in making them one of the best foot scrub. Mix in coffee grounds with epsom salt and olive oil. Apply on to feet and heels. Scrub gently and wash off to discover feet with baby soft skin.



REDUCE CELLULITE APPEARANCE

As we age one other major concerns are the cellulite marks that make you embarrassed.Worry not when you have coffee grounds. Mix in coffee grounds with water or coconut oil apply on areas where cellulite marks are visible. Wash off after a gentle massage. Do this twice a week to see the marks making slow disappearance. The scrub breaks down the fat and increases blood flow to the area thereby visibly reducing the cellulite marks.

CUCUMBER


Cucumber is packed with skin loving nutrients . They particularly contain vitamin C which is an antioxidant and caffeic and folic acid which help in boosting collagen production and help fight signs of ageing.


KEEPS SKIN HYDRATED
When skin is well hydrated it has good elasticity and firmness. When its not the skin becomes dry and flaky. Include a lot of cucumbers in diet to keep skin hydrated. The 96% of water present in cucumber is the main reason cucumber provides superior hydration to skin.


GREAT ASTRINGENT
Astringents help to tighten pores in skin and is especially beneficial to acne prone skin. Cucumber is a mild astringent that works great for acne prone skin.


HELPS TREAT PUFFY EYES
Cucumbers are perfect to treat puffy eyes. Just cut few slices of chilled cucumber and place over eyes for a cooling effect.


DETAN AND SOOTHE SUNBURN

Cucumber juice when applied on affected area can help in removing tan and also provide soothing sensation to areas of sunburn.

DIY



FOR DRY SKIN: Mix in equal parts of cucumber juice to aloe vera gel to boost hydration to dry skin. Let this sit for 15 minutes and then wash off.


ACNE PRONE SKIN: Mix in cucumber juice to oatmeal one table spoon and honey one tablespoon. Apply and wash of after 15 minutes. Cucumber juice helps in soothing, honey provides anti bacterial goodness and oatmeal helps in removing excess oil.

This post is written as part of Blogchatter’s A2Z challenge.

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B’s which help in skincare #blogchatterA2Z


Let’s take a look at the B’s which help in skincare today.

BEESWAX:


Prominent ingredient in lip balms but did you know that this ingredient has innumerable benefits to skin as well. One of the best ingredients that people with dry skin would be thankful for, since it helps soothe dry skin.


A humectant in itself which means that it helps retain the skin’s moisture. Which is why beeswax is a prominent ingredient in moisture lock skincare products like lotions and body butters.


Unlike petroleum jelly that’s most commonly used, beeswax doesn’t suffocate your skin but still provides the protective barrier and helps seal moisture.


The vitamin A in beeswax helps improve hydration and also regeneration of skin. Which is why now you know that this marvel ingredient is present in many skincare products.


Beeswax also help in attracting water molecules, hence it also aids in your skin getting the extra moisture it needs.


Beeswax has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which help keep the skin away from bacterial, fungal infections and also inflammations. As a result the skin is clean and clear of impurities.


Makeup products which contain beeswax stay on your skin for longer duration naturally in place of pore blocking primers which have silicone in them.


Beeswax helps in the thickening of many homemade skincare products. If you are someone who makes your own lotions, lip balms or body butters you know that this magical ingredient helps in blending the other ingredients and maintains consistency of the end product.

Especially if you use ingredients like coconut oil, beeswax helps in keeping the thickness since coconut oil has low melting point.


Since it forms a protective barrier on the skin, it does not let sweat stains on the clothes so makes a great ingredient for homemade deodorant .


HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE DEODORANT
Take equal parts of arrow root, baking soda and mix with coconut oil ,essential oil , beeswax, Mix well so that they blend with each other. Freeze.
If you would want a variant you could also add shea butter to half the quantity of coconut oil.

BANANAS


B is for banana can not only be taught to kids but also for skincare enthusiasts.

The nutrient rich fruit is not only a energy powerhouse for the body but also a powerhouse of magical benefits for the skin.


Anti-ageing– Bananas are known as nature’s botox since they contains antioxidants which help reduce fine lines and wrinkles.
DIY: Mash a small banana, one tablespoon of orange juice and a tablespoon of yoghurt. Apply and rinse of after ten minutes in cold water.


Anti-acne – Acne causing bacteria and resultant blemishes would vanish off if you massage with a banana peel since they are loaded with Vitamin A , zinc and manganese.
DIY: Mash with a fork a small ripe banana, half a spoon of baking soda and half a spoon of turmeric. Apply and wash off after ten minutes in cold water.


Oil control: Bananas are boon for people with oily skin. They act as excellent exfoliator to remove the excess oil(sebum) from the skin.

DIY: Mash one ripe banana with a spoon of honey and half a spoon of lemon for an oil control face mask. Wash off after 10 minutes with cold water.


Moisturizer:
Bananas act as good moisturizers to skin, by keeping them well nourished and hydrated. They also add nourishment to dry skin. Vitamin A present helps even out skin texture of flaky skin and nourishes skin by restoring moisture.


Lessen dark spots: Whether its pigmentation or spots post acne, bananas help in lessening the dark spots. Applying mashed banana as a face mask twice a week indeed helps in this aspect.

DIY: Mash a banana with one tablespoon of honey and one table spoon of lemon juice. Apply and rinse after ten minutes with cold water.


RELIEF FROM CRACKED HEELS:
If you’re someone who has cracked feet, a banana foot mask is all you need to get it fixed. Soak foot in warm lemon water for about 2-3 minutes. Mash bananas into paste and apply on to the feet. Leave the mask on for about 10 minutes and wash off. The banana pulp gives you a soft supple crack free feet by penetrating into the skin and cracked heels.


RELIEF FROM PUFFED EYES:
The blood vessels under the eyes need to be calmed in order to not puff up the eyes. The nutrients in bananas help in this case. The potassium present in banana also helps in drawing out excess fluid and helps relieve tired eyes. A banana mask made of mashed bananas that’s generously applied helps relieve from puffed eyes. You could alternatively use the peel as well for the same benefits.


BASED ON SKIN TYPE:
OILY: Mash banana with honey and lemon juice. Apply and rinse after ten minutes.
DRY: Mash banana with one tablespoon of olive oil and one tablespoon avocado puree.

BESAN:


Besan or gram flour is an ancestral magic ingredient that has been handed down to generations as the secret to healthy glowing skin. An easily available ingredient in every household has a place in major DIY face packs.


EXFOLIATE SKIN: Besan works great as a scrub for the face and body. Mix besan, oats and corn starch in the ratio 3:2:1 with rose water or milk. Apply and then scrub off to remove excess oil, dead skin and impurities.


DECREASE OILNESS IN SKIN: Besan with raw milk mask helps in cleansing the skin and reducing oiliness.


FACIAL HAIR REMOVAL: Those tiny fine facial hairs are always a concern. No worries when you have besan at home.

DIY: Mix equal quantities of besan and methi powder/ fenugreek powder with water. Apply the paste and wash off when it dries. You will see a gradual decrease in facial hair.



ANTI -ACNE: Besan helps in preventing acne. The zinc present in besan helps fight against acne causing bacteria. The fibre present helps stabilize the sugar levels in our body. The skin experiences breakouts and acne when the sugar levels are not well balanced leading to stressed hormones.
DIY: Mix a spoon each of besan, lemon juice, honey and turmeric powder. Apply on face and neck, wash off after ten minutes.


TAN REMOVAL: Besan is good ingredient to remove tan and impurities from skin. Mix a tablespoon of besan, yoghurt and lemon juice. Apply and rinse after ten minutes. This can be done on a daily basis before taking a bath for better results.



So I hope you will start using these B’s into your skincare regimen. Do let me know your feed-backs.

This post is written as part of Blogchatter’s A2Z challenge.