TURMERIC AND ITS BENEFITS

    All of us have grown up listening to a jingle “Vicco turmeric nahi cosmetic, vicco turmeric ayurvedic cream” which was a promotionl song for Vicco Turmeric Ayurvedic Cream.

   The most important ingredient in Vicco Turmeric skin cream is, not surprisingly, turmeric, long used in India as a spice for cooking and also for its medicinal and cosmetic properties. Vicco Turmeric is used to treat skin infections, boils, pimples, and acne.

    Vicco Turmeric ayurvedic cream claims to have a substantial amount of turmeric in their skin cream.

    So it’s quite obvious that Turmeric holds a very special place in the Indian household be it the everyday cooking, be it marriages, or simply a home made face pack.

    All of us are aware of adding turmeric in our every day cooking and we know that it gives the food a distinct flavor and colour but are we aware of the multi faceted properties which turmeric has??  Especially as an ingredient for skin care???

Since time immemorial, turmeric is very popular in cosmetic use especially for woman in India.

    Turmeric has been used for the last 4,000 years in India. It has been used in both Chinese medicine and Ayurveda to treat digestive and liver problems. The main organs that turmeric treats are the skin, heart, liver and lungs. Turmeric is known to help prevent cancer. Its analgesic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory,  anti-tumour, anti-allergic, antioxidant, antiseptic, antispasmodic, appetizer.

For skin care turmeric has innumerable functions, its skin benefits are more notable as turmeric is renowned for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

Turmeric for skin care

     The skin acts as a barrier against harmful chemicals, microbes, and ultraviolet radiation. Natural plant products like turmeric have been formulated to heal and prevent dry skin, treat skin conditions such as eczema and acne, and retard the aging process.

    Traditionally women rub turmeric on their cheeks to produce a natural golden glow. A compound called curcumin is the yellow pigment in turmeric. It reduces hair growth on body. Nowadays there are lots of herbal products in the market in which main herb used is turmeric as natural ingredient, for instance Vicco Turmeric cream, VLCC turmeric face wash. These constitute home remedies for skin.

   Natural cleansers like milk with turmeric powder are effective natural cosmetics in themselves; it brings a healthy glow to the skin and makes them beautiful. They also help to restore or maintain youth by controlling wrinkle. Turmeric can also cure skin conditions including: eczema, psoriasis and acne.

    Effectual healing properties of turmeric have made it accepted after ingredient in cosmetics and drugs, as the leaf oil of turmeric and extract can also be used as bio-pesticides and sunscreens.

  

   Turmeric powder is valuable for its aromatic, stimulatory and carminative properties as well as for curing many ailments like sore throat. It is eminent for accelerated healing of both septic and non-septic wounds.

     Turmeric is also very effective tonic and a blood purifier. It is also skin-friendly and constitutes an important ingredient of many creams and lotion.

Skin disease

      A fresh Juice from rhizome or (the aboveground and underground roots) a paste prepared from turmeric or decoction is often used as a local application as well as internally in the treatment of leprosy skin disease. In case of smallpox and chickenpox, turmeric is applied as a powder or as a paste to facilitate the process of scabbing.

 Besides flavoring food, to purify the blood and skin conditions remedy is probably the most common use of Turmeric in Ayurveda.

      Turmeric is also known as a curative to detoxify the liver, balance cholesterol levels, fights allergies, stimulate digestion, boost immunity, and enhance the complexion.

       It is also an antioxidant Ayurveda recognizes turmeric as a heating spice, contributing bitter, pungent and astringent tastes.

      Turmeric is one spice which will always be found in every Indian kitchen and is used to add flavor to curries and stir fries. But its skin benefits are more notable as turmeric is renowned for its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties.

      Beauticians the world over are waking up to the amazing benefits of turmeric and it’s also being incorporated in beauty products. What’s wonderful about turmeric is that it’s easily available and you can use it in different ways using ingredients that are available right in your own house.

    If you are able to procure pure turmeric powder, you can use it in many ways to add glow to your skin.

    Turmeric helps you reduce pigmentation on your face and even out your skin tone. It can be easily done at home. Mix a little turmeric with cucumber or lemon juice and apply to your face. Leave it for some time and wash off. A one-time application will be of little help and only regular use will give a soft glow to your face.

Troubled with acne? Whether it’s for you or your teenager, turmeric is a beauty ingredient that is harmless and yet offers great results. Turmeric mixed with sandalwood powder and a little water, and applied to the face can greatly reduce the appearance of acne. It’s definitely a cheaper alternative to all those creams and gels that are often not as effective as desired or they claim.

    Here’s a great idea for an all over body scrub. Mix some turmeric with gram flour and water and use it to scrub all over your body before your shower. Doing this regularly will indeed help you get a glowing skin. Ask any bride in India and she will affirm that this is the beauty regimen that they dutifully follow weeks before their wedding to get a spotless skin.

    One problem that often besets pregnant women is the appearance of stretch marks on their abdomen. If you’ve wondered how stretch marks can be avoided, try applying a mixture of turmeric with yoghurt to the abdomen and then it wipe off after five minutes. If you continue this regularly, it will help in maintaining the elasticity of the skin and prevent stretch marks.

   Turmeric helps in reducing skin rashes as well.

   For those who want to reduce the hair growth on their face, turmeric again comes to the rescue. Regular washing with turmeric reduces facial hair growth significantly.

Grandmothers in India often prefer to apply a paste of turmeric to minor cuts, bruises and bumps as it reduces the swelling just as an ice pack would do, without the discomfort. Its various antiseptic.

    For minor burns mix 1 tsp of turmeric with 1 tsp of aloe gel and apply to burnt area.

What it does: Turmeric has been found to cut the skin’s melanin production. It also helps suntanned skin return to its normal shade faster.

How to do it

    You can apply turmeric topically on your skin or ingest it (or do both!). There are many ways to use turmeric on your skin — below are a few simple methods.

    Do note that turmeric will stain your skin and some surfaces yellow, scroll to the bottom for some helpful tips:

   1) 15-minute mask (with lemon juice). Mix turmeric powder with cucumber juice or lemon juice to make a paste. Apply to the affected area. Leave on for fifteen minutes. Rinse off. With daily use, skin pigmentation will even out.

  2) Mask or cream (with natural oils). For a more penetrating and longer-lasting treatment, mix turmeric with a natural oil to form a paste and apply this paste as a mask. You can leave the mask on for as long as you are comfortable as unlike lemon juice, it will not sting. Some good natural oils you can try are extra virgin olive oil, coconut oil. Depending on your preferences, you can either make a thick paste (more turmeric, less oil) or a very thin, diluted mixture (less turmeric, more oil).

   3) Turmeric-infused oil mask. This is very easy to prepare, and as it is “pre-mixed”, it’s also the most convenient method.

    Just add some turmeric powder to a natural oil of your choice in a small bottle (use a clear or see-through bottle so you can see when the mixture separates in the next step). Shake well. The oil will immediately turn an orange or a deep yellow.

     Leave this bottle to stand overnight. The next day, the turmeric powder would have settled at the bottom and you’ll get beautiful, clear orange oil at the top for your use.

Take a small amount of this turmeric-infused oil and rub it into your skin or face thoroughly. Leave on for at least 30 minutes (longer if you feel comfortable) and wash off.

     Remember that using natural methods such as these require patience. Give these methods consistent use for at least 1-2 months before deciding if there is any improvement or not. Keep in mind that the skin only renews itself every 30 days or so.

   4) Ingest turmeric (eat it or drink it). Apart from putting it on your skin, turmeric taken internally also benefits skin. Some of the ways you can take turmeric are: 1) in food (many Asian dishes such as curries contain turmeric); 2) mixed in hot water or a drink; 3) or in supplement form. To boost turmeric’s absorption in your body, add some black pepper and fat. This can be easily done if you take turmeric at mealtimes.

   5) For a glowing complexion apply a paste of turmeric on the skin before bed, and wash off after a few minutes. In the morning, remove any remaining yellow tinge with a paste of chickpea flour (besan) and oil.

     Yellow stains from turmeric: simple precautions and tips:

 

      When turmeric is mixed with oils like in methods, the yellow stains on the skin become much easier to wash off with soap and water afterwards. You will have to lather up a few times and be thorough, but the yellow stains will come off your skin with washing.

 

   When turmeric is mixed with water (or water-based liquids like lemon juice) instead, it’ll leave a yellow stain on your skin for several hours and may require a few washings to fade it. Although this is inconvenient for most people, this yellow staining—where turmeric remains within the skin itself and not just sitting on top of it—may actually be more beneficial.

 

    You can use plastic gloves when handling turmeric or wrap a small piece of cling film/plastic wrap around your fingers to protect your nails.

     If you use turmeric on your skin overnight while you sleep, it will also stain your pillowcase and bed linen, so line them with towels first or use old linens that you don’t mind getting stained.

  Turmeric for use in food:

  As you’ve probably figured out by now, turmeric is not only great for applying on the skin but has a host of wonderful benefits if you ingest it as well. It’s a sharp and pungent spice and no Indian food is complete without it. Try adding it to your meals while cooking and while it might give off a yellow tinge, remember all the wonderful benefits you will have. Of course, the amount of turmeric used in food is rather minimal but it’s a good food habit.

   Different scientific findings about turmeric also show that it can actually prevent leukemia by protecting DNA from harmful pollutants. Turmeric is also known to minimize the ill effects of processed foods as well as smoking. One of the active compounds of turmeric, curcumin is held responsible for much of this benefit.

The Body Care Rice Bran Scrub Review

   Hi friends, today I am going to do a review on rice bran scrub from “The Body Care’. I was surfing the net one fine morning and bought few skin care products from the website www.goodlife.com suddenly a scrub caught my attention and I bought it.

     What the product claims: -

   The Body Care Rice Bran Scrub contains organic stones and Vitamin B containing in rice bran and oryza extract which softens and smoothens skin by massaging the invigorating exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and help boost your body’s circulation. The natural fragrance from rice brings the aroma benefits of relaxation and leaves you to feel like walking through a field of aromatic rice during the harvesting season.

     Key Ingredients: Rice Powder, Rice Bran, Almond Oil, Olive Oil

   Rice Powder or flour is a widely known ingredient to treat blemishes, wrinkles and pigmentation. This ingredient has been used as an anti ageing skin ingredient in India for centuries. In Japan women use rice powder in their beauty routine and despite their heavy makeup their skins remain porcelain smooth


   Exfoliating Properties: Rice powder has exfoliating properties so it helps to keep the skin look brighter, apart from that it has a chemical structure similar to ceramide and ceramide increases collagen production to make skin suppler.  A lot of girls want fairer skin and rice burn can help them to achieve the desired result effects without burning hole in their pockets.

    Rice Bran:


   Rice Bran is the nutritious outer layer of the brown rice kernel that is removed to produce white rice. It contains proteins, vitamins, minerals, and over 70 anti-oxidants to gently exfoliate and moisturize. It washes away oil and dirt from the skin, delays the process of ageing by preventing wrinkles and clears blemishes, maintaining healthy, smooth, soft skin.  Rice bran powder is used as an exfoliant to scrub the skin; it leaves the skin smooth, reducing pores, and gives a healthy glow to the skin.


       Almond Oil

      
    A good source of Vitamin E, Manganese & Iron Almond oil acts as a natural skin tonic protecting from free radicals, ageing & blemishes. It’s like a natural skin tonic. Vitamin E protects healthy cells from destruction by an overabundance of molecules known as free radicals. Manganese is a versatile trace mineral used as skin supplement for premature aging, irritations & blemishes.

 What are the benefits of having almond oil in your skin care products?

   Almond Oil Pampers the Skin.

   Almond oil is an excellent emollient and moisturizer.  As an emollient it nourishes and softens the skin helping to keep it smooth to the touch. Almond oil is frequently used to treat dry skin.  As a dry skin treatment, almond oil relieves itchiness, soreness, rashes, dryness, irritation and burns. Almond oil aides the skin in keeping the proper balance of moisture in the skin which is critical when treating dry skin.  It is often mixed with an exfoliant for body scrubs as well as mixed with moisturizers to provide benefits the moisturizer may not have.  Almond oil can also be used on the delicate skin under the eye to prevent "crow's feet.

      Olive Oil

        

        Olive oil has been considered as beauty oil. For the skin olive softens and moisturizes. Olive oil may be used to cleanse and heal wounds. Applied to burned skin and is effective in keeping the skin supple and moisturized. The vitamin E in olive oil makes it a great overall skin care product. Some research has indicated that applying olive oil on the skin after being in the sun may help reduce the damage caused by sun exposure. Olive oil has antioxidant properties and thus protects the skin from those harmful and damaging free radicals. It is beneficial in slowing the ageing signs such as fine lines and wrinkles.

 Size: 100 gram Price: Rs. 180

 Direction of use –.Apply on face, neck and body in clock wise and anti clock wise dire4ction. Massage it for 10 minutes and leave the scrub to dry for few minutes. Wipe off with a moist cotton pad. Rinse with water and pat dry.

    

   What I like about the Body Care Rice Bran Scrub

   It is extremely mild. The scrub particles are not really visible at all. This is one of the reasons that I didn’t use it as a body scrub. For me it was way too mild to be used as body scrub. But this is a personal choice. Girls, who like a mild scrub or with a sensitive skin, will be absolutely satisfied with this.

  The ingredients are exotic like rice bran powder, rice bran, olive, almond, in fact availability of rice bran scrub in the local shops is rare, and I tried buying one but couldn’t find out.

     The light fragrance is lovely. I totally love it.  It makes me feel as if I am in a beauty salon.

The consistency is thick creamy, and the colour is white.

    After washing the face, the skin feels nourished and soft. The stretchy feeling is absent; it’s more like cleaning the face as well as moisturizing it. This product is a perfect daily scrub for normal and dry skinned people and for winters.

     Packaging is attractive and in a tube which is hygienic. Flip top cap is good and easy to carry

A little amount is enough for the whole face.

         

    

   What I do not like about the Body Care Rice Bran Scrub :

    The Body care products are not easily available; it’s only available on www.goodlife.com.

     I personally feel that a scrub should neither be too mild nor too harsh; the amount of cream, cleaning agents and scrub particles should be in such a ratio so that it removes the dead layers of the skin and at the same time is not harsh on the skin. I have a tip for my readers if you find a scrub too harsh mix it with a scrub which is too mild and vice versa and you will get the desired results.

     Last but not the least important factor is that this scrub is expensive

Bottom Line:

    But I can tell that it’s a gem of a product, if you exfoliate your skin daily and you like creamy, mild scrubs that too full of so many amazing ingredients, then you should definitely go for it.

VLCC SKIN DEFENSE : Wild Turmeric Face Wash Review

       How good is VLCC SKIN DEFENSE wild turmeric Face Wash?

     This natural cleanser with pure honey and turmeric has antiseptic properties that protect your skin from the daily damage. It removes microbes and pollutants from the innermost pores leaving the skin fresh and tingling.

      Method of use: Apply a small amount of the cleanser on moist face and neck.Massage gently with your finger tips then rinse thoroughly.Can be used round the year.

      It contains extracts of Arjuna bark, Euphorbia seed extract, wild turmeric, soap nut, honey etc

       Price is 115 Indian Rupees for 100ml

       Self Life is One Month less than 3 years from the Manufacturing. Date

 1. Arjuna bark extract : It is extremely beneficial in treating all kinds of skin related problems. Due to it's cold potency it is highly recommended in skin ailments.Ailments like eczema, itching, rashes, scars and serious skin conditions like psoriasis can also be treated with the regular use of Arjuna.

  

  2. Euphorbia seed extract: This plant is beneficial for wounds and warts. Its milky juice is useful in the treatment of warts

   3.   Wild Turmeric: It has been found to cut the skin’s melanin production. It also helps sun tanned skin return to its normal shade faster. Turmeric, one of the nature’s most powerful healers, is a favourite for those who have skin problems. Apart from calming the skin down, it is good at smoothing out skin tone (great for those with blemishes) and antibacterial properties keep the surface clean

     4.  Soap Nut: Popularly known as reetha is beneficial for  owners of greasy, oily skin with blackheads and whiteheads. These nuts can fix these problems also. Just use the soap nut decoction instead of your soap

     5.  Honey : Honey's natural antioxidant and anti-microbial properties and ability to absorb and retain moisture have been recognised and used extensively in skin care treatments as they help to protect the skin from the damage of the sun's rays and rejuvenate depleted skin. Honey is also often used to treat acne, either dabbed directly on spots or as a face mask

         I went to a VLCC shop in a mall in Rajouri Garden New Delhi and found the face wash too tempting and bought it.

        Neat and clean skin is a prerequisite for  flawless skin and VLCC SKIN DEFENSE Wild Turmeric Face Wash is an ideal choice for the same. It is for all skin types. It’s a herbal product. It does not lather much and only a little amount is required,. It comes in a tall bottle with a flip top cap. The color is transparent  light yellow and the texture is watery. skin feels fresh, clean and rejuvenated, just a little mount is required to wash away all the dirt, oil and make up.People with dry skin will need a little moisturizer after using this face wash.

       Overall, this product does a good job of deep cleansing your skin naturally and I can definitely recommend this product to people with normal to oily skin.

       What I like about VLCC SKIN DEFENSE Wild Turmeric Face Wash:

        It  leaves my skin squeaky clean.

        Nice and light fragrance some what similar to raw turmeric (kachchi haldi)

        It makes my skin soft..

        Its Perfectly alright for normal to oily skin.

        Contains natural ingredients which is extremely beneficial for skin care.

         The price is affordable.

         What I don’t like about Wild Turmeric Face Wash:

         A lot of water is required to wash all traces of the face wash since the texture is slippery.

        After cleaning the face it seems that a weired film is on the top of your skin is existing that is hard to     remove.

        Moisturiser is required for dry skin after washing the face since the skin will be  little tight and dried out after using this face wash.

A Thing of Beauty is a Joy Forever

Beauty is a combination of qualities that give pleasure to the senses. It is an inborn instinct of human being to appreciate the essence of   beauty. Beauty in human form has been a powerful attraction for men and women of all times. In fact this appreciation of beauty is timeless and ageless.

A beautiful face fills the heart with joy and delight. The soul gets stirred by the external view of beauty.  Artistic creations are man's attempts to depict the joy created by beauty.

Beauty, always gives us joy. There is harmony in the beautiful objects. This harmony is the attribute of the soul. Beauty links man with eternity. A thing of beauty is a joy forever.

Everyone wants to look young and beautiful since ages….nobody actually wants to grow old although it’s a natural process.

The concept and interpretation of beauty have long been my fascination and so I keep on exploring my own concept of beauty as it exists.

Since childhood I have a secret desire like everyone………..to look beautiful and young always…never get old…….till the time I die….

It may sound a little weird however to an extent I have been able to keep myself look quite young and fit as per my age, well I can’t change my average looks except if I go for a surgery …………….

Now with this blog I will be able to share all those beauty secrets with my friends………………so here I am your beauty consultant and advisor.

Since ages there have been numerous types of herbs, fruits, flowers, nuts, mud, and sea salt, sea foam which have served as aids to look beautiful, young and radiant.

But times have changed now, women are no longer confined to the four walls of their homes, they manage their home as well as their jobs, so no time for grand ma’s beauty recopies and tips.

No time to scoop out alovera or grind turmeric with raw milk and use as a pack or boiling amla, reetha, shikakai as a shampoo.

Now everything is available handy………….every beauty product is commercially manufactured so that the beauty regime can be completed at the drop of a hat without a mess.

You want to use alovera as a skin conditioner? No need to procure fresh alovera and taking out the pulp and apply. It sounds too messy and time consuming. Isn’t it?  Do not worry. Just buy a tub of alovera gel and dab a little on your face………sounds easy and quick.

Want to use raw turmeric and milk as a face pack? The availability of fresh new turmeric may be a problem. Apart from that even if you get it you have to peel it, grind it with milk and it can stain clothes too. Not user friendly. But no need to worry at all……… just buy a buy a pack of turmeric face pack and it will do the magic……… Sounds user friendly. Isn’t it?

All the beauty products are now readily available in tubs, tubes, bottles, cans and jars.

Now it’s very easy and handy to use herbal products.

Well these are the claims which are being made by the big and small companies…….their product is best in the market.

Herbal is the in thing now. There are thousands of companies which are in to herbal products. Everyone is claiming that they manufacture products with organic fruit, flower, vegetables, sea salt, sea foam,   sea weed, sea algae, chocolate, mud etc.

Moisturizer, body lotion, cream, scrub, shampoo, conditioner, face pack, hair gel, under eye cream, face wash, body wash, each and every thing is herbal…………..which will vanish those wrinkles which is giving you sleep less nights…………..those silver strands of hair which can actually make you look old will disappear if you use those herbal hair oil………..no more hair fall now………….jet black hair…….silky and smooth skin……………it seems that cosmetics is like a magic wand and you get what you want with the help of it.

But how true are these claims? Are they really worth as per their claim? Can skin and hair care products help to retain a youthful look over the years if they really help, till what extent?

In my next posts I will do a basic review of every product personally used by me and will discuss its pros and cons, apart from the benefits of all the natural products.

WHY ANOTHER BLOG ON BEAUTY – AN INTRODUCTION

  There are so many blogs and websites on beauty and beauty products. Then what is the need of another one?

  This question needs a little elaborate explanation. In fact strictly speaking this blog is not just a blog on beauty but it is sharing of my own experiences which I have gained since the last twenty years while dealing with the concept of beauty and the ranges of Indian and international beauty products which are in common use in India.  

  This blog is not for professional   beauticians or for the people who have vast experiences in this line.This blog is for the common people like housewives of various ages, college going girls, lady executives etc. who do not have much knowledge about the beauty and beauty products but who like to look beautiful and young. To look young and beautiful is natural and eternal desire and it is also ones basic right.

   I will be happy if this blog helps even few people who are in search of self beauty.