Anti-acne treatment at home

Acne, pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads appear usually on oily skin due to clogged skin pores.

Though it's impossible to control all the factors that cause acne breakouts, you can take measures to reduce the problem.

Many dermatologists will ask you to go for antibiotics or creams. However, there are a number of all-natural homemade masks that you can apply to get rid of or reduce the breakouts.

Baking Soda: 

It is considered the best home remedy for acne as it sooths itching and inflamation around zits. It also removes blackheads and whiteheads.

Mix one part of baking soda and two parts of water (preferably warm), and leave this mixture on your face for about 10 minutes. You may add some honey to the mix as it moisturizes the skin. After rinsing your face, if your face feels dry, apply an oil-free moisturizer.

Tea tree oil: 

It is an excellent antiseptic and anti-microbial, thus it is great for the skin.

Make a face mask by mixing two tablespoons of distilled water, one tablespoon each of baking soda and honey, and five to six drops of tea tree oil.

Apply this mask once a day in case you have a severe acne problem.

Coriander-mint juice: 

May sound like a summer cooler, but a teaspoon of coriander or mint juice is very good for your skin.

Add a pinch of turmeric to it and it becomes even more effective in removing pimples and blackheads. Apply mixture on your face every night before retiring to bed.

Honey and cinnamon: 

Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder and apply it on the pimples before sleeping. Wash it next morning with warm water.

Bruise cabbage leaves: 

Just mash 'em up and rub them on the offending area. Leave the juice on for at least 30 minutes or more and rinse off. Apply an astringent and see the difference in a few days.

Salt and lemon juice: 

Lemon has a drying effect, in case you need something even dryer, then mix half teaspoon salt in two teaspoon lemon juice, rub on the zit and leave on for 20 to 30 minutes. Make sure you don't step out after applying it as lemon juice has a bleaching effect and can cause sensitivity to the sun.

Wine therapy for beauty !

Wine facials have become very popular in India. Wine has been used for centuries as a natural skin care treatment. Homemade masks and toners made from wine can help exfoliate and remove skin problems.

Wine also makes an interesting topical skin care treatment, since it contains such a wide range of substances that can be beneficial for troubled skin.

Every wine has a slightly different composition, and different varieties are useful for particular skin types. Dry skin types may wish to choose a sweet wine with plenty of sugar for water-binding purposes. Acne-prone skin will do better with red wine, since its high concentration of the polyphenol resveratrol may act to reduce inflammation while reversing or preventing free radical damage. Those with extremely flaky skin should choose dry wine, which has a greater concentration of the natural called malic, tartaric, and citric acid.

For dry, flaky body skin, mix 1 cup dry red wine with 1 cup of water. Pour into a spray bottle, and apply all over after a shower or bath. Leave on for 5 minutes, then rinse. Particularly flaky skin may benefit from mixing ¼ cup of dry white wine with 1 cup white vinegar and adding ¼ to ½ cup of this liquid to bathwater.

For dry skin, mix 3 tablespoons sweet red wine with ½ tablespoon aloe vera gel and one tablespoon runny honey Apply to face and neck, and rinse off after 10 minutes or so.

For oily skin and acne, blend 3 tablespoons red wine with some yogurt and use as a facial mask.

For sensitive skin, use white wine; the natural preservative tannin in red wines may prove too irritating to reddened facial skin. Boil a soothing herb like chamomile in the white wine for 10 minutes.Acne-prone skin may benefit from use of dry red wine straight from the bottle as a toner.

Wine therapy for spa

Wine and traditional spa treatments are now being combined to offer consumers a fresh approach to skincare and relaxation.wine not only tastes good - it's also good for your skin.Wine therapy removes dry skin and increases circulation with a foamy, vitamin-rich scrub of sea salt and wine, followed by a warm wine massage. Filled with nourishing vitamins Grapes, and their seeds and vines, contain some of nature's most powerful antioxidants, helping to account for the hottest trend in the spa industry cleansing their faces with Merlot wraps, exfoliating with crushed.Cabernet scrubs, and soaking themselves in vats of spring water treated with the extract of red grape vines, all of which help soothe, moisturise and protect the skin. It appears Cleopatra was on to something when she bathed in tubs of wine 2,000 years ago.

Wine grapes contain natural antioxidants called polyphenols that exfoliate, detoxify, cool inflammation, and soften and repair damaged skin. Sixty percent of extractable grape polyphenols are in the grade seed. Thirty percent are in the grape skin and less than 10 percent are in the pulp.

Resveratrol is a type of polyphenol found in the skin of the grape. Red and purple grapes have significantly more resveratrol than green grapes.

(Inputs by: Dr Jaishree Manchanda, cosmetologist and founder of Berkowits skin clinic)

Homemade masks to cure back acne

Summer is the best time to flaunt a sexy back, but many women shy away from wearing bikinis or backless dresses due to back acne. If you too suffer from this common problem, try one of these homemade masks to get a glowing back.

1. Oatmeal-honey mask: 

Oatmeal helps rid of excessive oil from the pores of your back, thereby preventing acne. Cook oatmeal and let it cool for sometime. Add a tablespoon of honey and apply it on your back. Keep it on for 20 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. 

2. Tomato mask:

 A rich source of vitamins A and C, tomato is a useful home remedy to cure back acne. Crush a tomato and apply the pulp on the affected area. Wash with cold water after 30 minutes. 

3. Turmeric-mint mask: 

With their anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric and mint help prevent the spread of back acne and also reduce itching sensation. Mix mint juice and turmeric and rub it on your back. Use lukewarm water to rinse after 15 minutes. 

4. Rose-lemon mask: 

As a natural astringent, lemon removes extra oil from the skin. Squeeze lemon juice and mix it with equal parts of rose water. Apply this on the back with a cotton ball. You can keep this mask overnight and wash it off in the morning. 

5. Cinnamon-honey Mask: 

Due to its anti-bacterial properties, adding cinnamon to your diet helps fight yeast infections. However, applying this mask on your back can also effectively remove dirt and bacteria that is responsible for acne breakout. Mix one teaspoon of ground cinnamon with two tablespoons of honey. You can also add fresh lemon juice to this mixture. Rinse after leaving the mask on your back for 15-20 minutes.

Anti-acne masks straight from your kitchen

And while the acne and pimples are embarrassing, they're also signals from our bodies that things are out of balance. 

So take note and then start taking action. There are some simple ways that you can deal with the surface of your skin by using ingredients that you already have in your kitchen. 

Strawberry Lemon potion

Ingredients - 1 tsp lemon juice - 1 egg white - 1 1/2 tsp honey - 1/2 cup strawberries 

Preparation

• Mash or blend the all the ingredients together.
• Smooth over face. 
• Let it sit for about 10 minutes.
• Rinse with warm water. 

Apple Cider Vinegar treat 

Ingredients - 1 tbsp raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar - 1 tbsp lukewarm filtered water 

Preparation 

• Mix the apple cider vinegar and filtered water together. It's good to start with a 1:1 ratio (50% ACV, 50% water), but you might find you need to dilute the mixture more based on the sensitivity of your skin.
• Take a cotton pad or the corner of a washcloth and dip it into the solution. Spread evenly all over your face.
• Don't rinse it off, but just let it air dry, then finish with a light layer of coconut oil as moisturizer. The smell can be a bit potent at first, but don't be dismayed! The smell quickly dissipates. 

 

Baking Soda glory 

Ingredients - Lukewarm filtered water

- 1-2 tbsp powdered baking soda 

Preparation

• Put the baking soda in a small bowl.
• Slowly add water until it soaks into the baking soda and forms a paste.
• Apply the paste to your face using small circular motions. 

Cranberry magic

Ingredients - 3/4 cup cranberries (fresh berries work the best)

- 1/2 cup seedless grapes (red or green) - 4 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice - 1 envelope plain gelatin - 2 tsp oat powder (if you can't find oat powder, put some raw oatmeal in a coffee grinder or blender) 

 

Preparation

• Puree the cranberries and seedless grapes in a blender.
• Mix in the gelatin, oat powder and lemon juice and blend until it forms a paste. You can adjust the consistency by adding a little water if it's too thick or a bit more oat powder if it's too thin.
• Put the mixture into the fridge for an hour so that it will thicken up.
• Take the mixture out of the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes (unless you want a cold facial, which works well if your skin is puffy or irritated).
• Apply the facial mask and let it soak in for 20-30 minutes.
• Rinse with warm water.

7 Ways to get rid of acne due to dandruff

Among a lot of reasons for acne, dandruff is one of the most common. Here are a few ways to get rid of acne cased due to dandruff.

1. Anti-dandruff shampoo

Apply good anti- dandruff shampoo at least twice a week on your hair, and make sure you wash all the affected areas like scalp, ears, face, etc. Also, make sure you do not take a hair wash with your hair upside down, as the dandruff flowing off your scalp with settle down on the forehead and face.

2. Apply conditioners away from the scalp

If you use conditioners after shampooing, make sure that you apply it slightly away from the scalp. Make sure you do not rub the conditioners on to the scalp. The residue of conditioners can aggravate the dandruff, hence rinse off the conditioners thoroughly so that no residue is left on the hair.

3. Keep the hair off your face

Try to keep the hair off the face as when your hair with dandruff is in contact with the facial skin, it can lead to pimples.

4. Hot oil massage

• A hot oil massage once a week can help reduce the problem of pimples caused by dry scalp dandruff. It keeps the scalp healthy and improves the blood circulation to the scalp.
• Wash your face regularly
• Wash your face at least twice a day. This will help remove the flakes from your face and keep it clean and oil-free.

5. Lime juice

The anti bacterial properties of lime helps to cleanse the scalp. A bit of lime juice applied on the scalp and left for about 20-30 minutes can do a lot of good. Make sure you thoroughly wash off the lime with luke-warm water after this. The moment you get rid of the dandruff in your scalp, your skin will start getting clearer.

6. Avoid using hair styling products

Hair styling products are make your hair either oily or dry. Dry hair is known to attract dandruff, while oil clogs the pores when they trickle to your face via your hair.

7. Brush your hair regularly

Regular brushing of hair will remove the dead cells on the scalp and it also helps to increase blood circulation. Make sure you brush your hair at least twice a day