Get Rid of Stretch Marks with Homemade Oil

Stretch Marks are formed as a result of swift stretching of skin or weight changes. They can be commonly seen on waist, lower back, breasts, thighs, arms, buttocks and hips. In the middle layer (dermis) of the skin, stretch marks start developing when the connective tissue is stretched due to the expansion and contraction of skin resulting in the formation of a fine scar.

The following are useful home remedies to treat stretch marks.

1) Warm olive oil and rub gently on the affected area. This improves blood circulation and stretch marks will get reduced.

2) Apply coconut oil and massage for 15 minutes.

3) Mix equal quantities of Lavender Oil, Almond Oil, and Chamomile Oil and apply on stretch marks.

4) Tea Tree Oil has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties. Massage gently with Tea Tree oil regularly.

5) Cocoa butter softens and smoothens thereby breaking the scar tissue of the stretch mark.

6) Vitamin-E oil is a wonderful therapeutic stretch mark treatment.

Improving Skin’s elasticity and strength is the best way to avoid the formation of stretch marks.

Read More

How to Reduce Pore Size

Large pores can be quite upsetting. They make your skin look imperfect, dull and unsmooth. Though, pore size is genetic, it is possible to reduce their appearance. They may vary depending on the type of skin you have. Aging, sun damage, improper hygiene, use of bad/low quality products and cosmetics can make your pores bigger in size.

Luckily, you don’t have to suffer for the rest of your life with large pores. The following remedies will help you fight the problem of enlarged pores and reduce pore size.

Cleansing to Reduce Pore Size

Cleansing

Cleansing skin is the first step in preventing enlarged pores, breakouts and irritation while maintaining the integrity of the skin’s structure. Always cleanse the skin first thing in the morning to remove dead skin cells and embedded oil. A bar soap, cleansing gel, or cleansing oil works to remove pore clogging residue, keeping the complexion clean and supple while minimizing the occurrence of enlarged pores.

Steaming

Steaming the facial skin is a wonderful way to open up the pores and remove the dirt and debris that is clogging them. For a do-it-at home steam session, place your head over a pot of hot water with a towel draped over the head and the shoulders. Be careful to avoid hot water burns. Steam the facial skin for five to ten minutes. Follow with a light moisturizer.

Baking Soda Exfoliation for Large Pores

To close large pores, mix two tablespoon of baking soda to a cup of warm water. Apply this baking soda toner on nose, chin and forehead to remove dead skin cells and get clear and closed pores.

Salt and Buttermilk

Buttermilk has lactic acid, which is a skin exfoliant, and hence great for treating dead skin cells and grime that could be trapped inside large pores. Take buttermilk and add some salt to this. Mix to form a paste and rub on the affected area for a few minutes. Leave it on for fifteen minutes after this. Rinse off with water. This will help in keeping the skin free of dirt and excess oils.

Ice Cubes

Ice cubes are excellent for shrinking the pores and they are an instant remedy that can be used before you use your makeup. This will help in leaving the skin smooth looking and also prevent the makeup from entering the pores and cause problems like acne and infections.

Take an ice cube and after washing your face thoroughly, rub it all over your face and neck for a few minutes. Ice cubes will constrict the blood vessels and pores and will give an even looking and less porous skin before you apply makeup. This can be done every time after you wash and clean your face so that dirt and grime do not enter the large pores.

Tomato Toner

Tomato paste or juice can help to cure large pores problem in a fast way. Tomato has excellent astringent qualities, which help to eliminate extra oil and shrink the apparent size of large skin pores. Place the paste or juice of tomato on your face for 20 minutes and wash off.

Other Home Remedies to Reduce Pore Size

Oatmeal Mask

Oatmeal (when used as a face mask) is an effective and natural way to fight the problem of huge pores. Since oatmeal is known to be hypoallergenic, it does not clog pores. Make a mask containing oatmeal, honey, apple cider vinegar to minimize pores, tighten skin and enhance your skin complexion.

Honey

Honey is famous for its medicinal, cosmetic and healing properties which makes it a favorite among most people. It can be used on the skin for natural toning and closing of the pores and also reducing the excessive oiliness of the skin which is among the main factors for open pores in the first place.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is another natural toner with astringent qualities that can be used for closing large pres. Apply a diluted solution of apple cider vinegar after cleansing your face and wiping it thoroughly. Allow it to air dry before applying makeup.

Egg White

Egg whites work as natural dryers of the skin and thus they greatly help in shrinking the pores and helping with the problem of open pores. They are excellent to lighten the skin and also help in unclogging the pores as they pull out the impurities from the pores.

Fuller’s Earth

Take two tablespoons of fuller’s earth and mix it with one tablespoon of honey and milk. Combine all these ingredients properly. Apply it all over your face. Wash off after 15-20 minutes with cold water. This will nourish your skin, and lessen the open pores.

Tea Tree Oil to Shrink Pores

Tea tree oil is a powerful home remedy to fight oily skin, acne and shrink the large and open pores. To unclog pores, mix 3 to 4 drops of tea tree oil in one cup of water. Pour the lotion in a clean spray bottle. Spray this versatile toner over your face twice a day. Clean your face of any impurity or make up before applying the toner. You can also use cotton to apply this natural toner to shrink large pores.

Sandalwood

Take one tablespoon each of sandalwood and turmeric powder and add a few drops of almond oil to it. Make a paste of all three ingredients and apply gently over your face and around the neck. Leave it for 20 minutes and wash your face with cold water. It will revitalize your skin and minimize the occurrence of open pores to a great extent.

Papaya Mask

To tighten the big pores, you can try papaya face mask. It will help to shrink the facial skin pores. Make a smooth paste of raw papaya and gently scrub your skin in circular motions. Let it sit on your face for 20 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water.

Rose Water- Cucumber Juice

Mix a few drops of rose water in cucumber juice and dab it on your face, and rinse after 15-20 minutes. This will lessen your open pores. Moreover, silica in cucumber improves the skin texture and gives you a fair complexion.

Almond Meal

Applying almond meal to your skin helps refine pores and diminishes their appearance. Make your own almond meal by pulsing 1/3 cup almonds in a blender until you achieve a powdered consistency, or purchase almond meal at well-stocked supermarkets and natural health stores. Combine two parts almond meal to one part water to create a thick paste, and spread gently over enlarged pores in an even layer. Leave the mixture on for 30 minutes, rinse with tepid water and pat your skin dry. Repeat the treatment two to three times a week for the best results.

Sugar and Olive Oil Scrub

Take 2 tablespoon of sugar; add 1 tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients and gently rub on your face for 20 to 30 seconds. Clean it with cool water. For better results, use this remedy once in a week.

WARNING: Don’t Pick!

When your pores are clogged, there is nothing harder to fight off than the desire to pick and poke and prod. Just don’t! When you are pulling and squeezing your skin, you can cause trauma to your pores which can leave them permanently enlarged. Plus, you’re adding dirt and oil from your hands to the mix which can cause breakouts and infection. Let the products work for you.

Read More

5 Effective Home Remedies for Stretch Marks

Stretch marks are unaesthetic marks that usually appear in areas with fat deposit, such as abdomen or hips, after a sudden weight loss. Over time they turn from pink or red to white.

There are several ways of getting rid of stretch marks. On one hand, you can opt for laser treatments, which diminish the marks. However, they are quite expensive and the results are influenced by the type of the skin and the ‘age’ of the scars. On the other hand, you can choose from a variety of effective homemade remedies that are much cheaper.

Cocoa butter

Cocoa butter helps you combat and prevent the stretch marks. Apply cocoa butter with regularity and you will soon notice that your stretch marks have diminished and your skin is smoother.

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera is a very popular ingredient, used to treat different skin conditions, among which stretch marks. Use Aloe Veera gel on a daily basis, in order to reduce these unaesthetic marks.

Vitamin E

Vitamin E has proven to be a very effective element in skin care. In this sense, it also improves the condition of your stretch marks, making them less noticeable. Apply vitamin E or soap with vitamin E content on your skin everyday, in order to have positive effects.

Lavender Oil

This essential oil has been used for a long time in eliminating stretch marks. Apply lavender oil 2-3 times a day and you will soon observe positive results.

Personal remedy

Combine vitamin E with ¼ cup of Aloe Veera and ½ cup of olive oil. Apply the remedy with regularity and you will not only reduce the marks on your skin, but you will also prevent them from appearing again.

Consequently, stretch marks can become a real burden for women who like to be beautiful and have a perfect skin. However, you can reduce their effect by using natural remedies, which are quite cheap, instead of laser treatments which are more expensive and sometimes are not that effective.

Read More

How to Prevent Wrinkles by Nixing Habits that Age Your Skin

One minute you’re casually wondering how to prevent wrinkles, and the next, BAM – you look in the mirror and suddenly find yourself staring at a California raisin. Okay, I’m exaggerating, but only a little. That’s the thing about our daily habits: They’re sneaky and subtle, and much of the time we don’t realize what they’re doing to our skin until it’s already done. This means war.

Here are 8 everyday habits you should tweak on your quest to prevent wrinkles:

1. Leaving it vulnerable to pollution

When mastering how to prevent wrinkles, there are some things you can’t control – like pollution, which decreases oxygen and collagen in your skin and leaves it looking… well, blah. Not only does it mess with your skin tone, but it can leave it looking blotchy and cause breakouts. (Ugh.) Guard your skin with an SPF, wash your face every night before bed, exfoliate twice a week, and moisturize, moisturize, moisturize.

2. Over-washing and under-moisturizing

Washing your face excessively can dry out your skin cells, leaving your complexion dull and highlighting any damaged areas. Don’t wash your face in the morning, as you’ll strip away all the work your body put into restoring your skin while you were asleep – just splash with water and mosey on with your day. When you do wash your face, never skip moisturizing afterward.

3. Stretching your skin to apply makeup

This is a tough habit to break, but it’s one of the most important ones to ditch when learning how to prevent wrinkles. It’s no different than a repetitive stress injury messing with your joints: The more you contort your skin to get your makeup just right, the more wrinkles you’ll end up with – like, tomorrow.

4. Not getting enough sleep

They call it beauty sleep for a reason! While you’re snoozing away (and hopefully dreaming about Channing Tatum), your skin goes through its renewal process. The less sleep you get, the less time your skin and the beauty products you’re using have to do their thing. In fact, a study by UH Case Medical Center found women who only slept five hours each night for a month had twice as many wrinkles and spots than those who slept for seven hours. Do everything you can to get your zzzzs.

5. Not drinking enough water

As we age, our skin gets thinner and drier, making it more necessary than ever to drink enough water to keep it hydrated. Try your best to drink an average of six to eight glasses of water daily.

6. Drinking from a water bottle/straw

Similar to how squinting causes fine lines around your eyes, drinking straight from a water bottle or through a straw has the same impact on your mouth. Your facial muscles become overworked and form wrinkles called “puppet lines.” Either pour your drinks into a glass, or find a water bottle that has a glass-sized opening.

7. Snoozing with your makeup on

Okay, we’re all guilty of this from time to time, but when you sleep with your makeup on you’re basically saying to wrinkles, “Bring it on.” The makeup, combined with the environmental pollutants that are partying on your skin, seep into your pores and break down your skin’s elasticity. Always wash and moisturize your face before bed. Always.

8. Neglecting your neck and hands

Many of us obsess over how to prevent wrinkles on our face and forget about our neck and hands. Since you’re already in the habit of beautifying your face daily, simply add your neck and hands to the roster until your cleaning and moisturizing process for both is second nature. I mean, who wants to look like the crypt keeper?

Read More

Home Remedies for Skin Tags

Skin tags or polyps or papillomas as they are generally referred to as are benign growths on the skin surface that occur mostly on the neck, chest, face, nose, armpits, inner thighs etc.Though they are generally harmless, they can also be the result of underlying medical conditions that require rigorous treatment.

They can also be extremely unsightly and cause a lot of cosmetic issues in women. Thankfully, apart from surgery, which is mostly recommended, there are many safe and effective methods that can be employed at home for treating this condition.

10 Easy Home Remedies For Skin Tags

Garlic Treatment

Garlic is a wonderful treatment for removing the skin tag without any external interference or medication. Being very hot in nature, one has to exercise caution while using garlic for treatment. Take a clove of garlic and cut it into a thin slice.

Leave it on the skin tag and secure with a duct tape. Allow it to remain the entire day, taking care to replace it with fresh slices. Before bedtime, remove and rinse your skin. Repeat for three days after which the tag falls off. You can start the treatment again after a few days if the skin tag still remains.

Frankincense Essential Oil

It is important to do a patch test on the skin to check if the strong essential oil is too potent for your skin. Apply frankincense essential oil directly on the skin tag either diluted or undiluted depending on your skin sensitivity.

Continue the application every day for one to two months before you see results. The tag will soon start shrinking and finally fall off without much ado.

Castor Oil

Castor oil is a strong remedy for treating skin tags at home. Take some castor oil and add some baking soda to this in order to form a thick paste. Apply this mixture on the skin tag.

Repeat thrice a day and continue treatment for about three weeks. Soon the skin tag will shrink and fall off. The treatment can be continued in case the skin tag has not fallen off.

Cutting Off The Skin Tag

This is a simple procedure that can be done at home using a scissors or a scalpel. However, remember that this seemingly simple procedure requires a lot of care in order to avoid infections. Sterilize the scissors or the scalpel with boiling water, flame, hydrogen peroxide, or alcohol before usage.

Use ice cubes on the skin tag for about 10-15 minutes for numbing the area. Now, aiming at a position close to the skin, cut off the skin tag as fast as possible. Use a cotton for wiping off the blood. Apply a little salt or antiseptic cream after this procedure to prevent infection and also to speed up healing.

Tea Tree Oil

A strong essential oil that is very acidic in nature, tea tree oil is also a natural antiseptic agent that protects the skin after the tag has been removed. Apply tea tree oil directly on the skin tag. Leave it on. Repeat the application thrice a day or more based on the size of the skin tag.

The oil penetrates the skin tag and finally the skin tag starts drying off and eventually falls off with frequent application. If you have very sensitive skin, make sure that you dilute tea tree oil before application.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Being acidic in nature, apple cider vinegar too can be used for inducing the skin tag to fall naturally. Before application of apple cider vinegar, soak the affected area in warm water. Once the skin tag becomes soft, use a cotton ball for soaking apple cider vinegar and apply on the skin tag.

Press on the skin tag for twenty minutes for its action to take place. Rinse off with warm water. Repeat 2-3 times a day and continue treatment every day until the tag falls off.

Asphyxiation

Another effective method to remove skin tag, asphyxiation involves depriving oxygen to the skin tag and making it shrink and fall off naturally. You can use a non-porous material for this purpose. It can be the application of nail polish, use of a band-aid, liquid band aid etc., whichever is convenient for you. Whatever method you use, it has to be airtight to prevent oxygen from entering the skin tag. The skin tag will be removed in eight to ten days with this procedure.

Aspirin

Aspirin too can be used for treating skin tags. Take an aspirin tablet and crush it to form a powder. Apply this powder on the skin tag and seal with a duct tape.

Aspirin contains acetylsalicylic acid, which helps in shrinking and drying the skin tag and finally removing it completely from the skin.

Using A Thread

This method of removing skin tag involves the use of a thread or a string for blocking the blood circulation to the skin tag. Lack of circulation will soon cause the skin tag to shrink and dry off and finally it falls off. Tie a thin string or a dental floss around the skin tag tightly.

Leave it on for several days until the skin tags comes out. The procedure may cause some pain and the surrounding skin can get irritated under the pressure of the string. However, this method is known to be very effective in removing the skin tag within a week.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a mild exfoliant and helps in removing moles and skin tags as well. Take adequate amounts if baking soda and mix it with some warm water to form a paste. Apply on the skin tag and rub gently. Repeat the procedure several times a day and continue until the skin tag dries and falls off.

Check for skin irritation while using baking soda for the treatment. If irritation persists, discontinue this method of treatment. The skin tags will be gone in one to two weeks with the use of baking soda. Repeat the procedure if the skin tags are bigger and more stubborn to be removed easily.

Read More

Natural Remedies with Sandal-Wood – A Miracle Ingredient for Skin

If you have pimples, acne, wrinkles, irritation, dry skin and other problems, you should know that sandal-wood is a great natural remedy that helps you to get rid of many skin problems. Sandal-wood powder in a natural and easy method to get rid of acne, by cleaning you skin. It makes your skin less prone to infections, because of its antiseptic and astringent proprieties. Sandal-wood powder is a remedy used by centuries. Is a great help in healing burns, cuts, irritations and ulcers of the skin. Using sandal-wood have no side effects. I suggest you some natural great remedies that contain sandal-wood powder:

1. Natural remedy for blackheads and pimples with sandal-wood and turmeric

Mix 1 spoon of sandal-wood powder with a pinch of turmeric powder and rose water. Apply the mask on your skin and leave it 20 minutes.  This mask is great in the fight against blackheads and pimples, by cleaning the pores.

[Read: Get Rid of Blackheads in Just 5 Minutes

2. Natural remedy for itching and burning with sandal-wood

Prepare a paste with sandal-wood powder, turmeric powder and lemon juice. Apply the paste in the affected areas and leave it to action 20-30 minutes. This mask will heal your skin and will make it soften.

3. Natural remedy for a glowing skin with sandal-wood

Mix sandal-wood powder with turmeric powder and clay. Add rose water and mix again. Apply the mask on your face. Leave the mask to action until is dry. If you have dry skin, instead of clay, put honey. A constant use of this mask will make your skin glowing, shining and beautiful.

4. Natural remedy for dry skin with sandal-wood and coconut milk

Mix 1 teaspoon of sandal-wood powder with 2 teaspoons of coconut milk. Apply the mixture on your face and neck and leave it to action 20 minutes. Rinse your face with cold water.

[Read: Amazing Natural Recipe to Get Rid of Brown Spots

5. Natural remedy for acne and acne scars with sandal-wood

Prepare a paste with sandal-wood powder and distilled water. Apply it on the areas affected of acne or acne scars. Leave it to action 30 minutes and rinse your skin.

6. Natural remedy for wrinkles with sandal-wood

Mix sandal-wood powder with vegetable glycerin and rose water. Apply this mask daily.Leave it to action 20 minutes. You will see amazing results after using this mask.

Read More