anti-aging skin care

From the Archives : Downward dog position for dark circles {Skin Care}

Swathy · September 7, 2013 · 3 Comments

Downward Dog position is one of the important and easiest yoga postures and carries a multitude of health benefits. It helps stretching your spine so relieves you of painful backaches in the long run. It calms your mind and improves your concentration.

It relieves headaches, indigestion, stress, insomnia and strengthens arms and legs. It is also good for high blood pressure and asthma patients. But, apart from all the health benefits, there are a lot of beauty benefits which can be derived if one practices this yoga position everyday.

Let us look at the beauty benefits. Check out here for a step by step instruction on how to perform the downward dog position.

It uplifts the face and firms the skin giving it a natural glow as all the blood flows to the face when you are bent down in the downward position.
Since there is more blood flow towards the eyes, your eyes look more bright and alive.
It is a perfect cure for dark circles and puffy eyes.
There’s more blood flow towards the scalp too which helps in providing nutrition to the hair follicles and promotes hair growth.
Double chin disappears in gradual time and the neck firms up.
The skin tone and color improves and the discoloration disappears leaving an even color all over the face and neck.

So, start doing this yoga position everyday for 10 times holding each position for 1-2 minutes approx and see the difference in a few days. The best part of this position is that it also helps in weight control all over the body.

So, have you tried this position?

How to make the skin clear and get rid of scars and blemishes and dark spots? {Skin Care}

Swathy · August 27, 2013 · 7 Comments

So, last week I had left you with the post on melanin production. So, in that post, I had specifically mentioned that you can do nothing to lighten your skin color but you can always keep your skin clear and avoid from getting tanned. So, how to go about doing that?

Sunscreen

This is the first and foremost principle for any skin care routine. Applying sunscreen regularly keeps your skin young and also free from tan. Well, ok, lemme reiterate that sunscreen does not prevent tanning but it is comparatively lesser than if you go into sun without any protection. And, if you are using physical sunscreens, you can be assured that the tan is minimal. That does reduce a lot of your work!!

AHA’s

As I mentioned in the last post, lactic acid and glycolic acid have been believed to reduce the melanin content in the skin. So, may be a weekly routine of this might help. Let me again say MIGHT! Because, what I understand is that a 50%-70% concentration of these acids might be really successful in doing the intended but yes an occasional use can definitely give a healthy glow.

Now, lactic acid is present in milk and glycolic is mostly present in sugarcane juice or jaggery or, most available, sugar. Milk is generally considered to be safe for daily usage and it is famous since ancient times for its benefits on skin. But, I will suggest all the oily skin and acne-prone skin people to stay far away from it.

Coming to using glycolic acid, it is quite strong for skin especially when you are going to use freshly squeezed sugarcane juice so I would say go easy on the skin. Use it as a face mask mixed with any flour and wash off after 10-15 minutes and no more!

And, if sugarcane is not available, you can use brown sugar, raw sugar, powdered sugar or powdered jaggery as a face scrub mixed in honey. But, be sure not to use it more than twice a week, no matter what skin type. Exfoliating the skin everyday is not a good idea, howsoever much you might love your skin after that!!

Also, papaya and pine apple juices are quite effective. They can also remove the tan and dead skin cells and the dark spots and blemishes and scars and what not. But, these remedies should again be used only twice a week and no more because they can end up drying the skin a lot!

Vitamin C

That is another great home remedy which works absolutely fantastically. And, the best part is that not only it exfoliates but it also rejuvenates the skin. Vitamin C is essential for collagen synthesis which is important to keep the skin youthful and smooth.

But, here I would again suggest instead of lemon juice, tomato juice should be used on a daily or alternate day basis. It really helps! The reason being lemon is drying on skin as it is too acidic.

Other Home Remedies

There are a whole lot of other spices and vegetables and fruits which can be used on skin like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, garlic, mint, cucumber, berries, date juice, turmeric, mustard and probably all other spices in the world!!

So, what are the simple ways to keep your skin clear and avoid blemishes and dark spots?

Turmeric infused Almond Oil {DIY}

Swathy · August 7, 2013 · 20 Comments

This was a DIY I have done like almost an year back. But, I did not share it because I wanted to try out the oil and wanted to report back the effects. So, let’s have a look at the ingredients.

Ingredients

Almond oil – 100ml

Turmeric – 1 tbsp

Saffron – a pinch of strands

Spices (nutmeg + cinnamon + cloves) – 1 tbsp

Method

Put all the ingredients in a glass bottle/jar and leave for a month undisturbed. Shake the bottle once in a day and if possible leave in direct sunlight for an hour or two everyday. After the stipulated period, strain the oil and it’s ready to use.

Results

I have to say that it has not been long since I have started using the oil so can not really report back on everything.

For the starters, it did help with some of my breakouts. I used to spot-apply the oil on the suspicious bumps and they used to disappear by the next morning.

As regards to complexion changes, I do not really think I have noticed any changes yet. Also, the blemishes on my neck do not really look any different but I do keep on bothering the skin repeatedly without letting it heal!

I shall keep on trying it and will report back if I see any changes.

Have you used any turmeric infused facial oils?