10 Top Benefits & Uses Of Washing Our Face With Rice Water Daily

 

Rice water is one of the best ingredients to use for skin care and especially if we use it to wash our face daily, we will get amazing skin benefits. I love to use rice water to wash my face, it keeps my skin blemish free and smooth. What Is Rice Water? The water in which rice was boiled is called rice water. In olden days, when the concept of rice cooker was not known, rice was boiled in clay pots with large amounts of water and once the rice got cooked, the water was drained. Since rice was consumed on a daily basis, rice water was always there at home and it was extensively used for both skin and hair care. Types Of Rice Water: There are actually two types of rice water. The first is the water in which the rice was used to soak before cooking. It is also called rice water and it will be slightly cloudy as rice releases little bit of it's starch in it. The second is boiled rice water got when we drain the water after the rice is cooked. I prefer the boiled rice water as it is more creamy and thicker. Rice Water Nutrients: The important bio active compounds found in rice bran are called ferulic acid, gamma-oryzanol, allantoin and phytic acid. They are wonderful antioxidants and have been used in many skin creams to prevent skin ageing and to repair damaged skin. They also have anti inflammatory properties. Rice water has these amazing skin benefits especially if we use it as a face wash daily:1. Lightens Dark Spots: If you are looking for natural ways to lighten dark spots then rice water will greatly help. To lighten dark spots, mix rice water with gram flour and use it as a face wash. 2. Treats Acne: Since rice water has anti inflammatory properties  it helps reduce the inflammation greatly. If you are suffering from acne, you can just wash your face with rice water and neem mix daily. 3. Soothes Sunburn: Rice water is very very soothing on the skin and is especially great for sunburned skin. You can just apply plain rice water on the face and then wash it off. 4. Lightens Scars: Since rice water has skin lightening properties, it lightens all scars well. Though it takes regular daily use to see results, you will definitely see results if you use it daily. 5. Prevents Skin Dryness: Many commercial face washes dry out our skin as they are loaded with chemicals and preservatives but rice water is hydrating and is great to use for dry skin. 6. Cleans The Skin Well: Try using rice water as a face wash once and you will be surprised how effectively it cleans the skin. It removes grime, dirt and excessive oiliness well especially if used along with ingredients like gram flour or green gram flour. 7. Evens Out The Skin Tone: Since it helps heal scars and reduce break outs, it greatly helps even out the skin tone very effectively. I would suggest using the turmeric, gram flour and rice water mix as it evens out the skin tone well. 8. Prevents Blackheads: If we use rice water face wash daily, it removes excessive oiliness which is the leading cause of blackheads thus greatly preventing blackheads. 9. Repairs Damaged Skin: Rice water is very very healing and helps heal even the most damaged skin very quickly. I would suggest using it as a face wash along with Castile soap like given below. 10. Makes The Skin Glow: Washing with rice water evens out the skin tone, reduces blemishes and literally makes it glow. I have given different rice water face wash recipes I have tried over the years below, choose the one you like and use regularly......

 

5 Top Ways To Use Turmeric For Skin Lightening

 

Turmeric has amazing skin lightening properties and has been used for it from ancient times in India. I have always seen my aunts and grandmothers use turmeric for skin care on a day to day basis. Almost every bathroom in our village will have a turmeric and small stone. When women go for bathing, they rub the turmeric on the stone along with the little thick rice water till they get a smooth paste. Then we rub it all over our face, massage for a few seconds and then wash it off. This simple method has amazing skin lightening benefits and always keep skin smooth and free of blemishes. Even if there are blemishes, it lightens them well. Turmeric lightens scars, dark spots, pigmentation and treats suntan really really well. This has been proven through research too, you can read about it here. The only problem with this method is turmeric stains skin yellow so I prefer to use turmeric in the form of bath powders and I like to use kasturi turmeric instead of regular turmeric. Kasturi turmeric is very fragrant and does not stain like normal turmeric so I prefer to use it instead of normal turmeric. But if you don't mind the light stain, you can use the normal turmeric too. I prefer to make my own turmeric paste at home instead of buying store bought turmeric powders. I find store bought turmeric powders stain the skin really yellow which makes me wonder whether artificial colors are added to them. To make your own turmeric paste for skin care, soak a turmeric in hot water for a few minutes. Now take a rough stone and rub the turmeric on it well along with little water till you get enough paste. This way you will get unadulterated turmeric for skin care. Since I love making my own creams and face packs, I have tried turmeric face pack, turmeric cream and turmeric oil at home. They all work well but use them regularly to see fast results. I have given all the recipes I have tried over the years below, choose the one you like and use regularly......

Ayurvedic Herbal Bath Powder For Fairness & Glowing Skin (Babies & Adults) At Home

 

Ayurvedic herbal bath powders have been used in India from ancient times and it does more than just clean our skin. Usually bath powders also called body wash and face wash powders are made with ingredients that have anti bacterial and nourishing properties and keeps the skin blemish free. Sadly the use of bath powders is slowly diminishing and nowadays younger generation generally prefer only store bought soaps and body washes. I agree store bought body washes come attractively packaged and smell great but we should remember that they also come loaded with chemicals, artificial colors and fragrances. Homemade bath powders also smell great if you add ingredients like kasturi turmeric and rose petal powder. Once you get to know the benefits of herbal bath powders, you will start using them regularly: 1. Cleans The Skin Well: Homemade bath powders cleans the skin well just equally well like store bought soaps. Soap foams so we think it cleans well but bath powders cleans the skin well too if not better. 2. Lightens Scars: Ingredients in bath powders like turmeric, sandalwood powder lightens scars really well if used regularly. 3. Removes Unwanted Facial Hair: Regular use of homemade bath powders weakens facial hair and helps remove it if used regularly. But the time it takes to remove facial hair will vary from person to person. 4. Prevents Skin Infections: Since most of the ingredients used in homemade bath powders contain anti bacterial properties, they go a long way in preventing all skin infections. 5. Make Your Skin Glow: Bath powders acts as a mild exfoliant and removes dead skin giving a nice glow to our skin. I have already given the recipe for a herbal bath powder using rose petals but you have to sundry the ingredients and then grind them which many found difficult to do. I wanted to share an instant version of homemade herbal ayurvedic bath powder using pure herbal powders that you can make under a minute! The ingredients used in this bath powder are gram flour, green gram flour, wild turmeric powder, rose petal powder and sandalwood powder. This bath powder is very fragrant and regular use will make your skin glow and will keep it blemish free. This herbal bath powder can be used for both adults and babies.

 

How To Use Rice Powder For Face & Skin Whitening | 5 Top Ways !

 

If you are looking for natural ways to lighten skin then rice powder will greatly help. Rice powder also called as rice flour is just finely ground up rice. Almost every day our skin is exposed to pollution, harsh chemicals and scorching sun light and it does take a toll on our skin resulting in dark spots, pigmentation and dullness. Instead of resorting to harsh chemical peels and creams to get back the skin to former glory it is best to use natural remedies that are gentle on the skin. One of my favorite ingredients for lightening all the scars and blemishes is rice powder, rice powder has wonderful skin lightening properties. The bio active compounds found in rice bran are called ferulic acid, gamma-oryzanol and phytic acid.  They are wonderful antioxidants and have been used in many skin creams to prevent skin ageing and to repair damaged skin. Even a simple act of adding a tbsp of rice powder to bath water and soaking in it has wonderful healing properties and can greatly heal damaged skin, you can read the study that supports this claim here. Regular use of rice powder on our face and skin can improve skin elasticity, reduce roughness of the skin and can lighten our skin. When I mention skin whitening, what I really mean is lighten scars, dark spots and pigmentation. Every skin color is beautiful but it will be more beautiful if it is even toned and rice powder helps achieve it easily by lightening all skin blemishes. I have given five skin lightening remedies using rice flour that I have tried over the years. All these remedies works really well in lightening scars, pigmentation and dark spots. Choose the recipe that you like and use regularly at least weekly twice to see good results. You can buy rice flour easily in all the departmental stores in India but you can also make your own rice powder easily at home. To make rice powder, soak rice for an hour and drain water completely. Now spread it on a thin cotton cloth to get rid of moisture. Once completely dry, dry grind in a mixer and sieve to get rid of any lumps and store.....

 

How To Use Lemon Juice To Lighten Your Skin | 3 Top Ways !

 

Lemon has been used extensively in both traditional medicine and home remedies from ancient times. Along with health benefits, it has amazing skin care benefits too and is especially used for skin lightening from ancient times. Our skin color is determined by the amount of melanin present and dark skinned people have more melanin when compared to light skinned people to protect the skin against ultra violet radiation. The process of producing melanin by melanocyte cells is called melanogenesis and an enzyme called tyrosinase plays a huge role in it. Natural skin lightening ingredients like lemon inhibits tyrosinase thus preventing the production of melanin. Lemon has wonderful skin lightening properties and you will find lemon extract in most of the skin lightening creams. Ascorbic acid found in lemon inhibits tyrosine thus greatly preventing melanogeneisis. You can read the study that supports this claim here. When I mention skin whitening, what I really mean is lighten scars, dark spots and pigmentation. Every skin color is beautiful but it will be more beautiful if it is even toned and lemon helps achieve it easily by lightening all skin blemishes. I have given three skin lightening remedies using lemon that I have tried over the years. All these remedies works really well in lightening scars, pigmentation and dark spots. Lemon juice is highly acidic and can cause intense irritation if used alone so I would suggest always mixing it with other skin lightening ingredients and then using it on the skin. Also another common advise is to apply undiluted lemon juice overnight on face to lighten skin. I would suggest not to do it especially if you have sensitive or dry skin. I have used other skin lightening ingredients like strawberries, rice flour, rose water and besan in these three recipes and all these ingredients have skin lightening properties as well. Choose the recipe that you like and use regularly at least weekly twice to see results....

3 Top Ways To Use Alum Powder (Phitkari) For Skin Whitening | Lighten Acne Scars & Dark Spots

 

Alum powder also called as Fitkari or Phitkari in India has amazing skin benefits and uses. Alum powder has anti bacterial and skin lightening properties making it very effective for reducing dark spots and acne scars on our face really well. There are many types of alum and the type of alum I am referring to is called potash alum. The chemical formula for potassium alum is KAl (SO4)2.H2O. It is the hydrated form of potassium aluminum sulfate and it's nomenclature is potassium aluminum sulfate dodecahydrate. Potash alum powder is commonly called Alum | Picking Alum in English, Fitkari in Hindi, Phitkari in Urdu, Padikaram in Tamil, Patika in Telugu, Phatakadi in Gujarati, Phatikara | Patika in Kannada, Sphatikari in Sanskrit, Patki in Sindhi, Phatakiri in Bengali, Phatakadi in Malayalam, Tawas in Philippines and Turti in Marathi. One of the best ways to use alum powder for skin lightening is in the form of face pack. When I say skin whitening, I mean to lighten dark spots and scars and make your skin look even toned and smooth. Skin whitening does not mean to change the color of the skin we are born with which is impossible and unnecessary as every skin tone looks beautiful as far as it is even toned and smooth. When we apply alum face packs regularly, it does few amazing things for our skin: It treats skin problems like acne as it has anti bacterial properties. It also lightens acne scars, dark spots and prevents blackheads too. It also heals minor cuts and scrapes along with tightening our skin. But we have to remember few things when we use alum powder for skin whitening. Alum powder can be drying on the skin so always apply a moisturizer after using alum face packs. Alum is also a mild abrasive so when removing the face pack always wash it off gently using plain water than rubbing it off. This is especially important if you have sensitive skin. I have given three alum face packs I tried and liked very much, choose the one you like and use it regularly weekly twice or thrice to see good results...

How To Use Licorice Powder (Yashtimadhu) For Skin Whitening

 

Licorice also called as liquorice is the root of the plant called Glycyrrhiza Glabra. It is very famous all over the world for it's healing properties. Licorice is called Mulethi in Hindi, Yashtimadhu in Sanskrit,  Adhimadhuram in Tamil, Ati Madhuramu in Telugu, Ati Madhura in Kannada and Jesthamadh in Marathi. Licorice powder has been used extensively in both traditional medicine and home remedies from ancient times. Along with health benefits, it has amazing skin care benefits too. The main active compounds of licorice that has a positive effect on our skin are Glabridin, Liquiritin and Isoliquertin. Licorice has skin lightening properties and you will find licorice in all skin lightening creams. When I mention skin whitening, what I really mean is lighten scars, dark spots and pigmentation. Every skin color is beautiful but it will be more beautiful if it is even toned and licorice helps achieve it easily by lightening all skin blemishes. Here are the skin benefits of licorice powder: 1. The flavonoid liquirtin present in licorice have skin lightening properties and helps lightens scars and blemishes. 2. Licorice have anti inflammatory properties and helps reduce skin inflammation. 3. The active component glabridin in licorice powder greatly helps reduce the effect of sun damage. Applying licorice based extract on the skin after prolonged sun exposure helps us get back our original skin color. 4. Licorice extract is also a good remedy for treating melasma. It lightens the dark patches caused by melasma really well and it is also a good home remedy for skin pigmentation. 5. Licorice powder when used as a face pack improves skin hydration and makes the skin look plumper and brighter. I have given 3 face packs that I have tried over the years using licorice powder. All these face packs works really well in lightening scars, pigmentation and dark spots. I have used sandalwood powder, turmeric, honey and lemon juice in these three face packs and all these ingredients also have skin lightening properties. Choose any one of these three face packs and use regularly at least weekly twice to see results...

 

3 Top Ways To Use Rosewater & Glycerin For Face & Skin | For Skin Whitening, Acne & Dry Skin

 

Glycerin and rose water is an amazing combination and I love to use them together. I always stock fresh homemade rose water at home as I keep using it a lot. Both rose water and glycerin have amazing skin benefits and when used together keeps our skin super soft and glowing. Rose water has anti bacterial, anti inflammatory, mild astringent and soothing properties. Glycerin is an amazing humectant, that is it traps moisture so it keeps our skin hydrated always. Glycerin and rose water body lotion was one of the first homemade lotions I tried at home. When I was around 15 years old, I bought a small cosmetic book and the first recipe that caught my attention was rose water and glycerin body lotion. It looked so easy and I made it in a matter of seconds and I was also very happy how it turned out. Glycerin and rose water when used together have these following skin benefits: 1. As a Moisturizer: Glycerin and rose water combination moisturizes the skin really well and is a good substitute for chemical based moisturizers. Rosewater and glycerin combination in the ratio of 2: 1 can be used as a moisturizer for lips too. 2. As a Skin protectant: It also acts a skin protectant, glycerin is a natural humectant and it helps trap moisture in the skin. It forms a protective layer and prevents water loss. It also has anti inflammatory properties and soothes irritated skin and is perfect for applying on sunburned skin as it is very soothing and hydrating. 3. For Skin Lightening: It has skin lightening properties and lightens dark spots, dark circles around the eyes, scars, age spots and evens out the skin complexion if used daily. I would suggest using the rose water and glycerin serum recipe given below for skin lightening. 4. For Acne: Since it has anti inflammatory properties, it greatly prevents acne flare ups and since it has a soothing effect it is also good to use during the flare up. 5. For Dry Skin: It is one of the best home remedies for dry skin, when we use rose water and glycerin together it softens dry skin. Regular use will result in smooth glowing skin. Though we get plenty of rose water brands in the market, I would suggest making your homemade rose water. When we make our own rosewater, we know it is pure and we can also make it with fresh rose petals that are not sprayed with pesticides. We get both plain glycerin and vegetable glycerin (which is not common in India but can be ordered online) in the markets, I would suggest using only vegetable glycerin as it is made from pure plant oils....

How To Use Lemon Juice For Face & Skin Care | 5 Ways!

 

 

Using lemon juice for skin care is a practice that has been followed in almost all the countries. Especially lemon juice is a very very popular remedy for treating acne and fading acne scars. Vitamin C is said to be one of the best topical treatments for acne, acne scars and fading dark spots. Vitamin C has anti inflammatory properties and helps treat acne very well and we all know lemons are one of the best sources of vitamin C. Lemon juice also has anti bacterial and anti fungal properties and are great for treating skin infections. But though lemons are one of the best remedies for treating many skin problems, I would suggest practicing caution while using lemon juice. Lemon juice, depending on the variety has a pH of 2 to 3 and our skin mantle has a pH of 4. 5 to 5.5. This is the reason our skin burns when we apply raw lemon juice on the skin, in my personal opinion I would suggest not using lemon juice directly on the skin at all. Instead use it with other conditioning ingredients like yogurt and fruit extracts, that way we will get the skin benefits of lemon juice without harming our skin. The common advise for using lemon is to apply the juice and leave it on the skin overnight daily or rub a lemon half on the skin directly, both these methods can harm our skin especially if we have sensitive and dry skin. Though I prefer to follow only the beauty treatments and home remedies that my family member's are using for years, sometimes I do try out remedies following books and other online sources. Some times they work and some times they don't but the one time I tried applying raw lemon juice on my sun burnt skin to remove the tan, it did the worst damage. From then on I have never used raw lemon juice on my skin at all. Also I would suggest doing a small patch test before applying any face pack that contains natural bleaching ingredients like lemon. I have given 5 natural and safe ways to use lemon juice for treating acne and acne scars below. These are the treatments that I have tried out on my skin and found to be very effective...

 

5 Top Hair & Skin Benefits, Uses Of Rice Water For Skin Lightening & Hair Growth

 

Using rice water for skin and hair is a practice that has been done for ages in India. Before the invention of rice cooker, rice was always boiled in mud pots and once it got cooked, the rice boiled water was drained. Since rice was had for lunch everyday, rice water was always at home. Instead of pouring it down the drain, it was always used for skin and hair care. Though we use pressure cooker for boiling rice now, we do make rice the traditional way often just to get rice water. Usually instead of soap we use homemade bath powder and sometimes when we use bath powder mixed with water during cold winters, it can dry out the skin. So we usually use rice water to mix the bath powder instead of water during winter months. We also mix shikakai powder with rice water for washing our hair, it gives a nice sheen to the hair. Rice water is rich in amino acids, vitamin B, vitamin E and minerals and is very soothing both when taken internally and applied externally. Here are some of the hair, skin and health benefits of using rice water. 1. Rice Water For Skin Lightening: Regularly using rice water on the skin helps make it smooth and supple. It also brightens the skin tone especially if used regularly. 2. Rice Water For Acne: If you have acne prone skin, I would suggest being very cautious about the ingredients you use on the face. Using gentle ingredients like rice water which helps soothe the inflammation and gently fights of acne causing bacteria is the best idea. Try using fermented rice water for acne, to use mix fermented rice water with besan and organic turmeric powder and apply on the face. 3. Rice Water For Eczema: Since rice water has a soothing effect on skin, it can be very useful for skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis. Like oatmeal bath, you can mix rice water into bath water and soak in it. Adding few drops of soothing essential oil to it also will greatly help. 4. Rice Water As a Hair Conditioner: Rice water can be used as a natural hair conditioner, dilute the rice water in regular water along with few drops of lemon juice and use as final rinse to get shiny, smooth hair. 5. Rice Water For Dandruff: Fermented rice water is great for getting rid of dandruff if used along with amla powder and yogurt. At home I mix fermented rice water and yogurt with amla powder and use it as a hair mask, great for getting rid of all scalp infections! 6. Rice Water For Health: Freshly made rice water mixed with turmeric powder is a very good remedy for indigestion. You can make rice water at home in two ways, one involves boiling and the other is a no cook method. To make your own rice water using boiling method, boil organic hand pounded rice (or any variety of rice that you use) after soaking it in water for an hour in plenty of water till it gets cooked and then strain the water. To make fermented rice water, keep the rice water in normal temperature for a day or two till it gets sour. To make the rice water using no cook method, soak rice in very little water for an hour and strain the water, you can also ferment the water overnight. At home, I mostly use cooked rice water as it is more thick and creamy....

 

10 Top Skin Benefits & Uses Of Turmeric | Haldi For Skin Lightening, Inflammation & Glowing Skin

 

I wanted to compile all the skin benefits of turmeric | haldi as I thought it will be useful for everyone. If there is one ingredient that I first resort to for all my skin problems, it is turmeric. Using turmeric on the skin has been done all over the world for centuries. Especially we Indian women use turmeric on our skin on a daily basis. Usually after bath it is a tradition to apply turmeric on the face and you will rarely see any skin problems or breakouts on women who use turmeric on a regular basis. Yes, turmeric does stain but it is nothing when compared to the side effects of steroid creams which causes skin peeling, skin darkening, skin irritation, etc.  I have grown up seeing everyone around me use turmeric and especially my aunt was a regular user of turmeric. Personally I have never bothered to apply turmeric when I was in my teens or even after I got married. But after I got cured of my abscess using turmeric, I have been using turmeric on my skin regularly. The incident also was one of the main reasons for me to start the blog as I feared that we will lose all the treasure troves of home remedies that our elders were using. Turmeric has anti inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti bacterial properties making it very effective in treating almost all the skin related diseases. Turmeric can be used for treating boils, acne, acne scars, inflamed skin, small cuts and bruises, insect bites and wounds. When buying turmeric try to buy organic turmeric. Turmeric Side effects: Turmeric increases the skin sensitivity for some people which may result in skin darkening. If it does, use it at night before going to bed. Also turmeric when used alone on the skin without a moisturizing agent can result in drying of the skin especially for people with very dry skin. If it dries out the skin, add few drops of unrefined oil or milk or yogurt while making it into a paste.