Home remedies for a glowing complexion: If you are feeling too broke to splurge on a facial at the salon, let Mother Nature come to the rescue. All you need is to do is invest some time and effort once a week, and use the ingredients available in your kitchen to concoct your own facial at home.

You can decide which facial to opt for, depending on your skin type and on the availability of the ingredients.

These facials can be done once a week, or before going for a party or for an occasion.

Note of caution: If your skin is sensitive to any natural product, it is advisable to consult a dermatologist before using any of the given remedies.

Also, please wash your face before using any of these face packs.

What is your skin type? Normal skin:

~ Extract the juice of half an orange or tomato, mix with two teaspoons of curd. Lightly massage onto your face in an upward direction. Let it dry. Then, wash your face with cold water and wipe dry.This will give your skin a nice glow.

~ Rub the inner part of the skin of a papaya on your face. Let it dry. Then, wash your face with cold water and wipe dry. This will give your skin a nice glow.

Whenever you cut a papaya to eat, save a small portion of the peel for this purpose. You can store the peel in an airtight container for about two days in the fridge; however, it is preferable to use it fresh.

~ Grind 50 grams (around half a cup) of cabbage and extract the juice. Apply this on your face. After it dries, wash with cool water and wipe dry. This helps tighten your skin and prevents wrinkles.

~ Grind one small carrot and squeeze the pulp to remove the juice. Apply the juice on your face and let it dry. Then, wash with cold water and wipe your face dry. This helps to rejuvenate your skin.

~ Whenever eating an apple, do not discard the skin. Use it as a skin cleanser.

Just rub the inner side of the peel in an upward direction and let your face dry. Then, wash with cool water and pat dry. This helps tighten your skin.

~ Take an ice cube and rub on your face. Then, pat dry. This helps to improve blood circulation and keeps your skin healthy. Variation: Boil some lemon grass in a small container of water and cool. Pour it in the ice tray and freeze. Later, rub the ice cube on your face.

~ Beat the white of one egg and apply on your face in an upward direction. Once it dries, wash with cold water. It helps tighten your skin and delays wrinkles.

6 steps to beautiful skin:

Oily skin:

~ Make a paste of 2 tbsp of wheat flour using as much water as needed. Apply on your face in an upward motion. Leave to dry. Then, wash with cool water and pat dry. This helps remove excess oil from your skin.

~ Mix two teaspoons of raw milk, around the same quantity of cucumber juice and few drops of lemon. With a cotton ball, apply the solution on your face and leave to dry. Then, wash with water and pat dry.

~Soak two to three teaspoons of methi (fenugreek) seeds overnight. Grind into a paste, then rub on your face. Once it dries, wash with cool water.

The granular effect helps remove blackheads. Methi also helps remove excess oil from your skin.

The excess paste can be stored in the refrigerator but should be used within a week.

~ Soak two to three teaspoons of whole masoor dal (red gram) overnight. Grind into a paste and apply on your face. Once it dries, wash your face with cold water and pat dry. It gives the same effect as methi.

The excess paste can be stored in the refrigerator but should be used within two days.

~ Grind half a cucumber and squeeze to remove the juice. Apply the juice on your face and leave to dry. Then wash with water and pat dry.

It helps refresh and tighten your skin.

Say goodbye to dry skin

For dry skin:

~ Mash half a ripe banana, add a teaspoon of honey and make a paste. Apply on your face. Once it dries, wash with cold water and pat dry.

This acts as a moisturiser and helps in tighten your skin.

~ Soak khus khus (poppy seeds) overnight. Grind it with just enough milk to make a paste. Apply on your face. Once it dries, wash with cold water.

The natural oil present in khus khus helps to moisturise your skin.

~ Just before boiling milk, remove two tablespoons. Massage it lightly on your face in an upward motion. Leave to dry, then wash with water and pat dry.

This helps to keep your skin supple.

Variation: Add ¼ teaspoon of salt to the raw milk and follow the same process. However, avoid doing this if you have pimples on your face.

~ Make a paste of 2-5 tablespoons of raw peanuts with milk. Add ¼ teaspoon of honey to it. Apply on your face. Leave to dry. Then wash with cold water and pat dry.

The natural oils present in the peanuts help moisturise your skin.

~ Make a paste of one teaspoon of malai, a pinch of turmeric and four to five drops of olive oil. Apply on your face, leave to dry. Wash with cold water and pat dry.

Malai acts as a natural moisturiser and turmeric and olive oil helps rejuvenate your skin.

Which perfume suits your personality? Combination skin

~ Mix 3-4 tablespoons of Multani mitti (Fuller’s Earth) with 8-10 ground pudina (mint) leaves. Freeze the pack overnight.

Keep outside for 10-15 minutes and then apply on your face. After 10-15 minutes, wash off and pat dry. It helps in cooling and cleansing your skin.

~ Boil a handful of lemon grass leaves in one litre of water, until you get the aroma. Then, place in an ice tray and freeze. After returning home from work or an outing, rub a lemon grass ice cube all over your face. It cleanses the dirt and grime accumulated in your skin’s pores and shuts them.

Whisk away black spots and pimples:

~ Make a paste of either half a piece of nutmeg/ six to eight jamun seeds with water/ rose water. Apply on your face. Leave to dry. Then, wash with cold water and pat dry.

~ Squeeze half a fresh lemon into one glass of freshly boiled milk. Leave for half and hour, then apply on your face before retiring to bed. Cucumber for face: Take a fresh cucumber and blend it well. Apply the blended cucumber on face, eyes and neck. Leave it for 15 to 20 minutes before washing it off. Cucumber is a wonderful tonic for face and skin near by. Cucumber could be used regularly which could help in preventing blackheads, pimples, face dryness and wrinkles. Cucumber could also be used as a whitener for all types of skins. Make lotion out of few drops of limejuice, a bit of turmeric and one tbs of cucumber juice. Stir it well and apply it on face and neck. Leave it for half hour and wash it off.

Coconut Face Mask: Take coconut oil and use it to massage your face properly. Once you have massaged your face with coconut oil, take a cloth, dip it in hot water, squeeze the excess water and spread it over face. Cloth should not be too hot. Repeat the process for 5-6 times. wash your face now with warm water. Now use rose water with some cotton and spread it on your face gently so as to remove traces of oil. Wow, you got a glowing face.

Paste of Oatmeal for oily skin Ingredients: Oatmeal: 2 tablespoon Olive oil: 1 teaspoon Parsley: 1 tablespoon (chopped) Lemon juice: 1 tablespoon Yogurt: 4 tablespoon (plain)

Make a mixture out of all the above ingredients. Massage the mixture on skin and rinse it after about four to five minutes. This preparation is best for oily and irritated skin.

A simple sugar scrub used in combination with your facial cleanser/body soap also can work wonders as it exfoliates the skin. I use it daily as stuff likes to ‘stick’ to my face in particular. Other people might not need to use it as frequently.

If you want to brighten your complexion, you can also splash your face with cold water afterward as the difference between warm and cold can stimulate blood flow in the skin.

Some people use straight salt or a mixture of salt and sugar. Salt, when looked at under the microscope is cube shaped and harsher than sugar which is irregular shaped. So If you really think you need a harsher scrub, you can add salt. My personal preference is to stay away from salt. If you have acne the salt can burn. I learned the hard way when I figured out I had acne do to sensitive skin.

I’ve also read somewhere that sugar used in conjunction with olive oil is supposed to be one of the most popular home remedies in France to get glowing skin.

Olive oil might be a little heavy on my face, but in the winter months, after I cleanse, I use and olive oil/sugar treatment once in a while to keep myself from getting too dried out. It works great to get glowing skin head to toe. If you use the olive oil in a hot shower in the winter, it feels like a spa treatment.

If you live near a beach, you can also rub your skin down with sand while you’re in the water. That’s what the Brazilians do instead of using sugar.

GLOWING SKIN:

Remove scars on your hands and feet the natural way …. Rub them with lemon peels 5- 7 minutes a day, twice a day for 7 days to see a marked improvement. To treat darkened elbows and lower arms, an effective solution is to prepare a paste of fresh milk cream, pinch of turmeric powder and two to three drops of basil ( tulsi) leaf extract . Apply this paste to the darkened are and remove overnight. Repeat for 7 nights to find marked improvement. Herbal treatment for face and skin: In order to get a cheap and effective face mask, grind a mixture of fruit (orange, lemon) and Vegetable (Cucumber) peels in a mixer. Apply the mixture as a face pack and wash after 20 minutes. Try this once daily, for 7 days to see a marked improvement in facial skin. Find glowing skin in a few days Try this alternative face mask: Prepare a mixture of sandal wood paste and raw milk in the ratio 1: 3 and rub on your face and hands. Leave for 15 minutes and wash off. Find glowing, beautiful lovely smelling skin. Try this once every two days for ten days and enjoy the difference. To smoothen wrinkles and moisturize the skin the natural way, peel and core a small apple, mash it well and blend with one teaspoon of honey. Apply this mixture on the face and neck slowly in an upwards direction. Wash off with warm water after 15 minutes to see a marked improvement. Try this thrice a week for 3 weeks and then only once a week to find a distinct lack of wrinkles and moisturized skin. To moisturize and make smooth dry cracked skin, apply a mixture of glycerin, fresh cream and honey in the ratio 1: 1: 1. This is an effective cure for cracked heels also.

skin:

Top Ten Tips for a Healthy, Glowing Skin by Bobbie McKee

Many of us are skin conscious. We often want our skin to look young and healthy and we really do something just to protect our skin from whatever possible harms there may be in our environment. Well, our skin is our largest organ performing several functions. It primarily protects us against the invasion of foreign substances and it serves as the transfer point for the release of toxins from our bodies, thus our skin is just worthy of protection and care.

Now, if you found yourself coveting the gorgeous skin of fashion models and celebrities in most of today’s magazines, here are some tips that will help you on for a beautiful skin.

Tip #1: Drink Water

It is often said that the simplest way to clear and supple skin that is no longer dry is to drink plenty of water. Water has long been considered as the most effective natural treatment or an almost free treatment for any skin condition because of its being alkaline, with pH 7.3. It prevents dehydration which is capable of producing sebum or oil from the sebaceous glands. Your skin needs water in order for it to function best, thus doctors and nutritionists recommend that a daily intake of between 6 to 8 glasses of water per day is highly needed.

Tip #2: Watch Your Diet

Nutrition plays a vital role in skin health too. Specific foods such as those acidic foods and dairy products are said to be potent in causing an allergic reaction in some people. Also, one of the widely debated topics in the area of nutrition today is chocolates. Some say that chocolate does affect the condition of the skin, while others say it doesn’t. Whatever the result may be, the best recommendation is just to follow a nutritious diet that has a number of fresh fruits and green-leafy veggies, as well as fiber.

Tip #3: Consider Exfoliants

Many experts say that exfoliating your skin is another great way to attain a beautiful skin. So, try to invest in a good body exfoliant or “loofah”, as it is commonly called, as it is capable of eliminating the dead skin cells from your body. Accordingly, this should be done once or twice a week so to free the skin to breathe. What’s more, exfoliants help to prevent ingrown hair from developing.

However, it is necessary to avoid using any body exfoliant on the skin on the face. The main reason for this precaution is that the facial tissue is more sensitive and finer than those tissues of the body.

Today, there is a myriad of exfoliating sponges in the market, as well as a number of really good exfoliant gels that are especially formulated for the skin on the face. Nevertheless, one of the necessary things to note is that those people with skin affected by acne should not apply exfoliating gels or sponges, as these may aggravate the acne infection. Try to consider those exfoliating products for acne prone skin in the form of a skin peeling treatment instead. These products are now commonly offered my most salons anywhere in the world. And, perhaps what is best to consider is to consult a skin specialist before undertaking any form of skin peel.

Tip #4: Consider a Healthy Routine for Facial Care

When it comes to facial skin care, getting into a healthy beauty routine is not bad. Most of the doctors today highly recommend that you cleanse, moisturize and tone your skin twice every day. When cleaning, never fail to remember cleaning the area on the neck, including your face. Apply a moisturizer or neck cream after.

Before going to bed at night, always remember to remove all make up. Clean your skin before you sleep, no matter how tired you may feel. It was found out that during the night, the skin goes through a process of elimination and cannot breathe properly if it is clogged with make up. And, you may also find out that sleeping with your make up on will cause your skin to “break out” with spots on it.

When it comes to shaving for men, some men may experience shaving rashes. For many, these rashes lower their self-esteem, but this is actually not a big problem to think about. There are a lot ways to avoid rashes. Perhaps one of the best is to make sure that when shaving, the razor strokes are following the direction of hair growth. That’s simply it!

Also, scarring on the face can sometimes be unsightly. To heal a scar, it is recommended that you use jasmine or neroli essential oils diluted in carrier oil. This is deemed effective for elimination facial scars, and it even works on stretch marks too as well. However, if you noticed that the scar or stretch mark has gone silver or white in color, note that it cannot be removed anymore. And, if it is pinkish or red in color, there is a great possibility that it can be healed.

When it comes to bruises, there are arnica creams and ointments out there that are useful in healing bruises. It is also interesting to know that one way of dealing with bruises fast and effectively is to use Vicks Vaporub on the affected area.

Tip #5: Heal Your Feet

When it comes to skin care, the feet are often neglected. So, if care you found no time for a professional pedicure, try to fill a football or basin with warm water and add your favorite essential oil. Soak your feet for about fifteen minutes. Then, dry them and apply a rough skin remover onto them. Rinse this off and dry you feet well. And, if you consider pedicure, simply add some body cream to your feet for an easy and quick fix pedicure.

Tip #6: Tie Your Fringe Out of Your Face

For many people, trying their fringes out of their faces for a few hours each day is somehow necessary. The support for this claim is the belief that it will prevent spots from forming on the forehead, especially if you are prone to oily hair. It is noted that sometimes, these oily deposits on the hair can be transferred to the skin which eventually causes the skin to develop acne or any disorder.

Tip #7: Avoid Too Much Exposure to the Sun

One of the most common precautions when it comes to skin care is avoiding too much exposure to the sun. As you may know, over exposure to sunlight causes sunburn. So, while current sunblocks only block out the UVB rays and still let in harmful UVA rays, it is still wise to cover up before venturing into the hands of Apollo. If possible, use a wide brimmed hat while tending your garden to keep the sun from your face.

Tip #8: Exercise

Aside from considering a healthy diet, exercising your body also helps keep your skin healthy. Note that a proper exercise does not only keep the body fit by regulating the oxygen; it also improves the glow of the skin as well.

Tip #9: Take Enough Rest

One common problem that face people is stress; the one which is not normal. It was found out that when a person is stressed, the adrenal cortex converts adrenal androgens to the hormone testosterone in male and female, which in turn results in overactive sebaceous glands. These adrenal androgens are released causing a double amount of testosterone, causing the face to be oily, while other areas of the body are still dry from dehydration. So, taking proper rest that includes 6 to 8 hours of undisturbed sleep daily is the best way to rejuvenate the skin.

Tip #10: Other Helpful Tips for Skin Care

There are a lot of home remedies for skin care. One of the most commonly suggested is blending the egg white and honey well and then apply them on the face. Experts believe that this makes your skin smooth and helps to reduce wrinkles.

Also, you should try blending turmeric powder with milk and apply on the face. This specifically removes the tan and assists in reducing the growth of facial hair. When it is already applied on the face, scrub it off with a good face scrub and then wash with cold water. Not the extremely cold water. You can even keep it overnight.

Some experts also recommend blending oatmeal along with curds and tomato juice for facial care. This is often kept for 20 minutes and washed off with cold water. This is also potent for removing the tan and keeping the skin light.

Did you know that cucumber juice is an excellent astringent for a beautiful, smooth skin? Yes it is. Applying cucumber juice on the face helps tighten the skin pores. However, it is necessary to wash it off after 15 minutes for better result.

Another great tip for skin conscious is to apply Vaseline over the entire body after a shower. Then, shower again after one hour and repeat this twice a month. This also improves the condition of the skin.

Finally, you can use glycolic acid (mild peel) and trichloracetic acid (medium peel solutions. As found out, these peels are safe and not overly aggressive. They do not necessitate time off from work or social activities, and these peels smoothen, soften and freshen the skin.

Always note that your skin reflects your health. It is your body’s canvas and one of its valuable assets. So, for good skin care, start developing healthy habits that generally protect your valued possession, which the skin, from the outer and inner forces. Your daily habits mean everything as it is the only skin you’ll ever get.