Swathy

Baby Skin Care Routine {Skin Care}

Swathy · January 28, 2010 · 264 Comments

Today, I would be telling you about the baby skin care routine followed by many South Indians. Babies have very soft and delicate skin. So, you have to be extra cautious while taking care of their skin. And, they have under developed muscles and bones too. Therefore, a general routine of their skin and health care is followed:

To give strength to their bones and muscles, the new-born are massaged with hot oil (preferably coconut oil) to give strength to their muscles.

The babies should never be given long and hot baths. Always make sure that the water is lukewarm. And, do not give them a tub bath. The tub bath is very drying for their skin.

Babies have very less hair on their bodies. And, even if they have hairs, do not worry much about them. The roots of the hairs are very weak and they go on getting strong as the baby grows. Therefore, use the chickpea (besan) flour or green gram dal (sunnipindi) flour to get rid of the unwanted hair on their body. Mix the flour with water or milk or apply it directly on the skin (baby) oiling the baby. And, scrub very gently. Do it daily to see results. Do not miss out underarms and the pubic area too. You can mix the flour with turmeric and sandalwood powder.

Mix turmeric and milk and apply on the baby from top to bottom after the oiling session. Let it dry. Then, remove with a soft wash cloth dipped in milk. And, give a bath to the baby. You do not have to use any soap or cleanser after this procedure as milk cleanses the skin. Your baby would grow to have very little or no hair.

Instead of applying any chemical, apply pure aloevera gel on the complete body, scalp included. Or, you can even apply oil on their bodies. Try to keep babies away from the beauty products as much as possible. I would not even advice you to use the baby products. Natural is always the best.

A word of Caution: The skin of a newborn is extremely delicate. So, please be extra gentle while scrubbing with the flour. Otherwise, you can go for the next alternative. You can use the milk and turmeric alternative till the baby is 1 or 2 years old and then, switch to the scrubbing as their skin is better suited for scrubbing now. Many people use the chickpea (or Green gram dal) flour instead of a soap even after growing up. It keeps your skin smooth and glowing skin and complexion.

Have you used this method?

Use milk to keep your skin moisturized all day long {DIY}

Swathy · January 24, 2010 · 180 Comments

I will be posting today a tip to keep your skin moisturized all day long. How? MILK. I have already talked about how milk can be used to maintain a shiny hair. Now, lets see how it takes care of our skin.

Take some raw unboiled milk along with its cream. Dip a wash cloth in it and saturate well. Apply the milk on your face using the wash cloth. Let it stay for 5-15 minutes till it dries. Then, again dip the wash cloth in milk and saturate it. Start scrubbing your face gently with the wash cloth. Scrub for 3-5 minutes. Then, wash off. Your skin will be smooth and supple. It will look fresh and glowing. This routine will improve your skin’s elasticity, its complexion, its water retaining capacity and will keep it looking fresh all day long.

You can use this routine for your complete body once in a while. It is a great treat for your body. Instead of putting milk in your bath water or tub, use a wash cloth and saturate it well before applying it on your body. Use a full cream milk or if you can, goat’s milk. That’s the best for skin care. Do not worry even if you have oily skin. It balances the oil secretion in your skin and your skin would not suffer breakouts. Instead, your skin might turn to a normal type. And, if you are consistent with this routine, you can notice results in as less as 3 days. Your skin would be considerably lighter and glowing. Caution: Do not follow this if you are allergic to any dairy products or are lactose-intolerant or even if suffering from acne.

Natural Shampoo-cum-Conditioner to increase hair growth {DIY}

Swathy · January 24, 2010 · 2 Comments

Some days back, I had posted about the need of co-washes. Today, I am posting a recipe for a natural conditioner which can be used during a co-wash. Actually, it can also be used as a shampoo. We all know how good is hibiscus for our hair. Yes, you guessed it right. The natural shampoo-cum-conditioner is made from hibiscus flowers and leaves.

Method: Soak some hibiscus flowers and leaves (around 5 flowers and 15-20 leaves) in 2 liters of water overnight. Make sure that the leaves are thick and use the fresh flowers. Next morning or evening, boil the water till it remains half in quantity. The liquid would be green in color and thick in texture. Strain it in a bottle and store it in the fridge. Use this liquid while co-washing your hair. You can also substitute your shampoos with this natural shampoo. It can also remove a little oil in your hair. But, mind you, it can not remove a oil from a well-oiled hair. Then, you have to switch back to your own brand of shampoo. So, I prefer this natural shampoo for a co-wash. Prepare small batches of the shampoo and use it within a week or two.

It makes hair smooth and soft. It hydrates the hair well. You do not need to follow up with a conditioner. You can instead use a few drops of oil at the ends. It also helps in hair growth and reduces the risk of hair loss. You can use this shampoo to dilute your own shampoo too. This way, the chemicals in the shampoo would be less harsh on your hair.And, moreover, it controls the oil in your hair. If your hair is oily, it tries to neutralize it.