• ENG

7 kitchen scraps you can use for your face packs

7 kitchen scraps you can use for your face packs

It's time you made most of the ingredients lying in your kitchen, instead of running to the salon at the drop of a hat.

Written by Priyanka Ganwani |Updated : August 18, 2014 6:43 PM IST

Ingredients from your kitchen for skincareIt's more than often that we run to skincare specialists or salons for some skin pampering or to tackle common skin problems. With a little attention to what is lying in your kitchen cabinets and fridge, you'd get answers to most of your skin problems as well as ingredients for a face-pack or a facial that could save you some bucks. Here are 8 ingredients that are commonly present in all kitchens and are great for skincare.

1. Milk

There is always some milk left at the end of the day in your fridge. Of course you can't put it to use if it's near or past its expiry date, but if some is left out of your daily usage, then it can definitely serve as a great ingredient with turmeric or sandalwood for a face pack. Milk and turmeric both act as anti-oxidants and heal the skin of any damage, while sandalwood is a common remedy for skin whitening, pimples, dry skin and it also helps tackle insomnia.

Also Read

More News

Preparation: If you long for your face to look and feel fresh, add some turmeric to milk and mix well. You could opt for milk with sandalwood too. Apply and leave either option to dry. Wash well with cold water.

2. Yogurt

Yogurt is another commonly found ingredient in almost all house-holds. It's usually a healthy part of our daily meals and is quite beneficial for the skin too. Yogurt comes with a list of benefits for skincare problems. It moisturises, nourishes, cleanses, hydrates skin, soothes blemishes, fights acne and pimples, and reduces under eye darkening.

Preparation: Mix some yogurt with a tablespoon of lemon and honey into a fine paste. Apply it on your face with the help of a facial flat brush and leave for 15 minutes. Wash well with water. You will find a glowing and brightening effect soon after.

3. Lemon

Lemons are squeezed on to our salads, or used for some seasoning, in our dips and chutneys or are simply used to make a glass of refreshing juice. However, the citrus and vitamins present have great skin healing properties. They help solve skin tanning, act as a skin bleacher, are great for treating black heads, moisturize the skin and exfoliate the lips. Coconut water compliments lemon in the face pack which helps hydrate and cleanse the skin.

Perpetration: To get rid of dark patches and tanning, simply rub off half a lemon onto the affected area. As for skin hydration, mix a few drops of coconut water with lemon juice and wash within a few minutes.

4. Honey

There's always some amount of honey stocked in every Indian kitchen, whether it's used as a sweetener, a salad dressing or a cooking ingredient. Honey has anti-bacterial and hydrating properties that help relieve the skin of blemishes. It further contributes to your skin care regime, helping you get the flawless and soft skin you desire.

Preparation: For flawless skin, mix honey with some chandan (turmeric), malai, besan and rose oil together. Apply this all over your face and neck and leave it to dry. Once dry, peel it off. Do this at least once a week for better results.

5. Cinnamon

Cinnamon is a must have in our spice cabinets, used to add that extra dash flavour to what might otherwise be a rather insipid dish. Cinnamon helps complete your skin care regime too. Not only is it antiseptic in nature, but it helps improve circulation, thereby improving blood flow to the skin's surface. This makes it useful to reduce fine lines. It is also a great remedy to deal with acne.

Preparation: Try getting some cinnamon oil or simply mix some cinnamon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil or petroleum jelly. Apply this mixture to fine lines on the skin. The skin soon plumps out and fine lines become less visible. This can help plump your lips and can be used as a natural lip gloss. As for treating acne, just mix some honey with a bit of cinnamon and dab it all over your face. Leave it to dry. Once done, wash it off with cold water. Do this at least twice a week.

6. Green tea

Green tea is increasingly gaining popularity due to its weight loss properties. It is believed to help rejuvenate the skin and provides protection against sun damage as it controls the free radicals and helps reduce inflammation. It cleanses skin pores.

Preparation: Take a vessel filled with half a cup of boiled water and dip two bags of green tea in it. Leave it dipped for 15 minutes till the water changes colour. Leave the green tea to cool down. Once it has cooled down, splash this green tea onto your face and wash well. This serves as a steam for the skin and releases inflammation and clears the pores.

7. Black pepper

Black pepper is the most commonly found spice and is used across a variety of cuisines. You cannot fall short of this one. Black peppers come with increased levels of anti-oxidants that help tackle ageing skin problems as well as blackheads, and are best used in the form of exfoliating scrubs.

Preparation: For the exfoliating mask, add a tablespoon of black pepper with a teaspoon of yoghurt and mix well. Apply it around the affected areas, while being extremely cautious to avoid your eyes; leave this on for 5-10 minutes. Wash it off well with cold water.

Image source: Getty Images

You may also like to read:

For more articles on skincare, check out our skincare section. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates! For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter. And to join discussions on health topics of your choice, visit our Questions and Answers section.