Homemade Natural Cosmetics

Hair today, gone tomorrow

NEW DELHI: 

Hair removal can be quite a dilemma, especially for women who are always on the go. If you think the only way to get rid of annoying body hair is to go through the physical pain of waxing or the mental agony of shelling out a bomb on laser therapy, then you probably haven’t yet discovered the virtues of spearmint tea and lemon-honey paste.

For women, the problem of excessive hair growth, which is scientifically known as hirsutism , starts around puberty and marks its territory across the face, neck, chest, back, toes and arms. It mostly afflicts women between the age of 18 to 45.

“The reason behind excess hair growth is an increased level of male hormones in the blood (androgens). Although all women produce androgens, increased levels could lead to hirsutism. Genes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, ovarian tumours and adrenal disorders are other reasons for excessive growth of hair,” says Navin Taneja, director of the National Skin Centre in India.

Although shaving, waxing, threading and bleaching are temporary solutions to get rid of unwanted hair, there are some natural remedies which help reduce hair growth.

“Drinking spearmint tea twice a day, for five days, can reduce levels of male sex hormones. A paste of gram flour, curd and a pinch of turmeric powder can be used on a daily basis and one can also use a pumice stone while bathing,” suggests Taneja.

Beauty and skin expert Shahnaaz Hussain, a prominent Indian female entrepreneur best known for her herbal cosmetics, has a few suggestions.

“Mix 30 grams of sugar with 10 millilitres (ml) of freshly squeezed lemon juice in 150 ml of water. Mix well and then apply it on the face in the direction of the hair growth. Leave it for 15 minutes, and then rinse with cold water, rubbing the facial area gently. Repeat once every week,” the beauty expert says.

“Another remedy that can help in reducing hair growth is to squeeze 10 ml lemon juice into 40 ml honey and prepare a mixture. Take a cotton swab and rub this mixture in the direction of the hair growth. Rinse after 15 minutes. Repeat twice a week for two weeks.”

Ritika Manchanda, an HR professional, swears by the prowess of such home remedies.

“I had a major issue with hair on my upper lip area – it was almost like a light moustache – something I was always very conscious of being a woman. I used to get it waxed, but my skin used to get extremely red and dry and sometimes used to even peel off,” she said. “But it was a relief after someone suggested home remedies to me. Of course, they can be a little messy because it is all do-it-yourself but it was totally worth it!

Luxurious Homemade Body Scrub - LovingFit.com

I don’t drink cow’s milk but I use it for cosmetic purposes all the time. I love the effect it has on my skin because of the lactic acid it contains, a natural exfoliant and a moisturizer. It is also a good source vitamin D, Vitamin A and B, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, protein, zinc and riboflavin. A lot of these vitamins and minerals are used in anti aging skin care all the time. But since most skin care these days contains preservatives, I prefer to use the real milk.

 

I wrote about the benefits of raw honey in one of my older posts. Honey has live enzymes, antioxidant and anti-microbial properties and helps to protect skin from damage of the sun. Honey absorbs impurities from the pores, making it a perfect natural cleanser.   But it has to be raw and organic to get the full benefits. Processed honey is not the same.

 

Sweet Almond Oil

 

 

I’ve been using this oil in a lot of my cooking lately and I love it. You can get it in your local super market in the cooking oil section. Since sweet almond oil contains E, it aids in reducing inflammation and irritation of the skin, especially if you are using it in a scrub.   It’s perfect if you have a sensitive skin, because when you remove  dead skin cells, your skin can becomes irritated,  so this oil works great.  It’s also an great moisturizer without clogging your pores.

 

The Full Ingredient list:

A little less than 1/4 cup of Organic Whole Milk 2 tables spoons of Organic Raw Honey 5 tables spoons of Sweet Almond Oil 1/2 cup of Sea Salt ( great for detoxifying your skin ) 1/2 cup of Brown Sugar

If you have very sensitive skin, I recommend adding less sea salt and more brown sugar. If your skin that is not as sensitive, then you can add more sea salt and less sugar, or just sea salt .

Mix all the ingredients in a plastic container.   Make sure the container has a tight lid, because when you are done using it, you have to refrigerate it.   Use it within a week.