Moin Nex, Author at Skin Disease Remedies

rosemary oil for skin tightening

Topical application of rosemary oil for skin tightening can bring back your lost youthful days. Unlike cosmetic products this innate oil is packed with assorted nutrients.

Things may not go well as soon as you lose weight, at least in case of skin. Layers of fat accumulated under the skin vanish leading to sagging skin. Apart from sudden weight loss, aging, pregnancy and poor nutritional diet leads to fine lines or wrinkles.

Collagen and elasticity is very important for firm skin. Essential oils are prominent for enhancing collagen production and can effectively fade wrinkles.

Don’t even think about cosmetic creams, a study on three different women concludes that one among them who has been using beauty products has experienced most damage to the skin among three women. (1)

On the other hand, woman aged 65 washes her face with rice water has elasticity level of a 20 year old.

How to Use Rosemary Oil for Skin Tightening?

Now that you’ve an idea how beneficial these home remedies can be. Let me share benefits of rosemary oil.

Rich concentration of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in this oil turn your dull skin radiant and prevents premature aging.
Antioxidant activity exhibited by rosemary oil strengthens the capillaries and tightens the skin. It enhances collagen production and improves elasticity.
It stimulates cell regeneration and reduces wrinkles.
Chronic skin disorders like acne, eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis can be reduced by its anti-inflammatory properties.
Heals minor burns, injuries and sunburns.

Natural moisturizing property of rosemary oil shrink larges pores and helps to get rid of dry patches. It tightens the skin in the process.

#1 Cucumber and Rosemary Oil for Skin Tightening

You can directly apply rosemary oil after cleansing your face. But, to make it effective beauty experts blend other natural ingredients.

Grind cucumber after peeling its skin.
Add 1 tablespoon of rosemary oil to the liquid.
Optionally, add 1 egg white to above mixture.
Cleanse your face with water and pat dry.
Spread the liquid mask all over the face and leave it to dry.

#2 Lavender Oil, Rosemary Oil and Neroli Oil

These natural oils are filled with healing and have excellent aromatic smell. Lavender oil is prominent in aromatherapy for its soothing properties. Neroli oil on other hand can reduce inflammation and exhibits antimicrobial activity.

Mix all the ingredients in required amount and apply it over prewashed face.

I think night is the best time to try this magical remedy.

#3 Honey, Witch Hazel and Rosemary Oil

Honey and witch hazel both are renowned for hydrating and treating acne. Astringent property in these ingredients makes your sagging skin tight.

Mix 1 tablespoon of raw honey and 1 tablespoon of witch hazel in a bowl. Add dried rosemary flowers or oil to the mixture and apply it over the face.

Never except overnight results. Anyhow, you might experience positive signs with first use. You’re advised to repeatedly use rosemary oil for skin tightening.

Apart from this drink enough water, consume vitamin rich diet and do regular exercise.

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Face Masks

Homemade Avocado Face Mask

ByMoin Nex

Excellent thing about homemade avocado face mask is that you don’t have to change your work schedule, like you do before visiting a spa. Same goes with all natural remedies.

What you eat shows on your skin. Having nutritious diet will improve your skin functioning from inside. Whereas, topical face mask like this one will enhance the outer look of your skin.

Both are equally important. However, here am going to discuss about the topical enhancement of your skin.

Your skin is exposed to various impurities and irritants, which steals natural moisture from it and results in varied skin ailments. Skin deserves to be pampered. It not just protects your inner parts from infectious germs; it also makes you look enticing.

After seeing media promoted models, most women and men dream of having that alluring look. On the other side, promising advertising campaigns from cosmetic companies attracting people to put their money on the wrong product. Report says that regular use of chemical filled beauty creams will ruin your appearance in coming days. From my personal experience, I learned that your skin will become dependent on those cosmetic creams for the rest of life.

Avocado is packed with vitamins and minerals that penetrates deep into the skin and enhance its texture. Let’s discuss in more detail about this fruit.

Homemade Avocado Face Mask

It resembles like pear and is very nutritious for your overall health. Vitamins A, B, E, K and minerals like potassium, calcium, sodium, copper, magnesium and iron are housed in this green skinned fruit.

Vitamins A, C and E help to reduce wrinkles and enhance collagen production. Antioxidant activity of this ingredient will thwart free radicals that can damage cell membrane.
Assorted vitamins in the face mask improve skin’s elasticity and help to get rid of dry itchy patches.
Antibacterial and antimicrobial properties residing in this remedy can treat acne and lighten the appearance of acne scars.
Mono-saturated fats in the fruit will moisturize the skin and improves overall texture.
Exfoliating activity of these nutrients will help to wipe dead skin cells and pollutants off the skin.
Free from chemical preservatives and ingredients, avocado facial mask have no serious side-effects.

Friends believe me; this fruit is a whole package of gift for your skin and that too within your budget.

Now, let see how you can apply this avocado face mask over the skin.

#1 Homemade Avocado and Honey Face Mask

honey for stretch marks

Beauty experts recommend blending different innate ingredients based on skin type. Honey is prominent for its moisturizing and healing properties. Viscous nature of honey locks moisture and hydrates dry skin. Its antimicrobial properties treat acne and other chronic skin ailments.

You can mix oatmeal to exfoliate dead cells and impurities.

Take ½ ripe avocado and mash using fork.
Add ¼ cup of oatmeal and 2 tablespoon of raw honey to mashed avocado paste.
Optionally, add 1 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar.

Lemon and apple cider vinegar helps to remove dark spots and can make your skin radiant. Before applying this mask, wash your face and pat dry. After 20 minutes of application of the face mask rinse it off with water.

Note: Repeated use of lemon juice may irritate your sensitive skin.

Also read: Avocado oil for dark circles

#2 Avocado, Banana and Egg Face Mask

Mash ½ soft/ripe avocado, ½ ripe banana in a bowl and mix 1 egg yolk to it. Thoroughly mix the ingredients to make thick paste like consistency.

To remove impurities and excess sebum, apply gram flour mask or splash with cold water before using above mentioned facial mask.

Using your clean fingers apply the avocado face mask and leave it for 15-20 minutes.

#3 Avocado and Lemon for Cleansing

avocado face mask

Your skin sheds millions of dead cells, along with impurities, sebum, dust and pollutants it accumulates on the skin. You must wipe them using a natural cleanser.

Take 2 avocados and 2 lemons. Peel the skin of avocado and blend to make juice. Mix both avocado and lemon juice in a jar.

Refrigerate the lotion and apply on the skin using cotton ball. Use this once or twice in a week depending on your skin type.

#4 Avocado Yogurt Face Mask

Acidic nature in plain yogurt can treat acne and moisturize dry skin. Take ¼ ripe avocado and 1 teaspoon of yogurt. Mash the avocado and add yogurt to it. Optionally, you can add 1 teaspoon of honey if you’ve extremely dry skin.

Wash the face and pat dry using soft cloth. Apply the face mask evenly and leave it to dry naturally.

If you don’t have other innate ingredients to add, don’t worry just mash avocado and apply it over the face.

Important points

Healthy diet is a great step to improve your skin texture, tone and elasticity.
Drink enough water and practice a healthy lifestyle.
Good sleep improves your skin functioning.
With regular exercise you’ll experience a drastic change in your health and skin.

Note: Patch test before using the ingredients over the face.

What is your homemade avocado face mask recipe? Let us know your thoughts.

homemade avocado face mask

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Face Masks

Homemade Yogurt Face Mask

ByMoin Nex

Increasing levels of pollution and dirt gets accumulated over the face; along with this your skin sheds millions of dead cells daily, all these pile-up on epidermis to interrupt smooth functioning of the skin.

Unlike cosmetic cream, natural homemade yogurt face mask recipe is cheap and effective with long lasting results. Yogurt and honey face mask is renowned for its nutritional value. Honey is known for its miraculous cure for all skin disorders. Whereas plain yogurt had been included in almost all face mask made at home.

I’d like to give you a small insight of nutritional benefits of honey & yogurt face mask for your skin.

Lactic acid & AHA in yogurt known to exfoliate the skin pores, whereas honey is popular for antibacterial property that fights infectious bacteria.

Vitamin B2, B12 in yogurt and B6 in honey, cleanse the dead cells and other accumulated impurities from the skin. These vitamins also stimulate regeneration new cells and make your skin smooth.
Vitamin B5 in yogurt lightens the dark spots and fades acne scars.
Honey is known for its humectant properties, means it draws water from air and hydrates your skin.
Wrinkles, healing minor burns and acne lesions can be reduced by this face mask.
Zinc residing in both the ingredients thwarts free radicals that assault cell membrane.
Calcium and vitamin C packed in honey and yogurt face mask hydrates the dry skin and enhances fast healing.

Unmatched vitamins and nutrients in this DIY face mask works effectively for all skin types. Anyhow, to make it more effective you’re free to add other innate ingredients.

Homemade Yogurt Face Mask

Keeping your skin well hydrated from inside and outside will protect it from most infectious fungi. So, let’s first start moisturizing mask.

Dry skin people, here is the best remedy to get rid of annoying dry patches.

Things you’ll need

Yogurt – 2 tbsp
Raw honey – 1 tbsp
Oatmeal – 1/4 tbsp

Where yogurt and honey moisturize your dry skin, oatmeal cleanses dead cells and dry patches. Ground oatmeal into fine powder, and then mix all ingredients in a bowl. Wash your face and pat dry, apply thoroughly mixed face mask.

Leave it for few minutes and wash your face with cool water.

Homemade Yogurt & Honey Face Mask for Acne Prone Skin

yogurt and honey face mask

Researches claim that inflammation is main reason behind acne blemishes. Luckily honey is packed with anti-inflammatory agents that can soothe acne lesions and fight P.acnes.

Uncoated aspirins – 3
Plain yogurt – 3 tbsp
Manuka honey – 3 tbsp

Avoid aspirin if you’re allergic to it.

Mix yogurt and honey thoroughly, drop aspirin to it. Optionally add water or aloe juice to fasten dissolving process. Expose your face to steam or splash lukewarm water over blemishes. When the aspirin is completely dissolved, topically apply the mask over the skin. You can use it as a spot treatment on pimples.

Other natural ingredients that you can include in yogurt and honey face mask to nourish the skin are:

Honey, yogurt, lemon juice and grounded almonds for cleansing the skin. Limit the use of lemon juice if you’ve sensitive skin.
Lemon juice, manuka honey and Greek yogurt to fade acne scars.
To calm irritated skin make a face mask using plain yogurt, aloe vera gel, mashed cucumber, honey and few drops of chamomile oil.

Strawberry and Yogurt Face Mask

Regularly using this homemade mask can help you to achieve radiant skin. Delicious strawberries are filled with vitamin C and salicylic acid, which can brighten and enhance collagen production. Honey moisturizes your skin and restrains bacterial action.

Mash 2 very ripe strawberries in a bowl.
Add 1 teaspoon of raw honey and plain yogurt to the bowl.
After mix thoroughly, wash your face and apply this face mask using your fingers.
Let the nutrients in the face mask improve your skin texture for about 15-20 minutes.
When the mask dries completely, rinse it with water and pat dry using cloth.

Yogurt, Olive Oil and Avocado Face Mask

Natural moisture guards your skin from various ailments. Due to few external factors skin becomes dry and loses its ability to protect itself. Homemade yogurt face mask blended with avocado and olive oil will hydrate your skin and improves its texture.

Both avocado and olive include vitamin E and moisturizing agents which make your skin supple.

Mash 1/4 ripe avocado in a bowl using fork.
Add 1 teaspoon of plain yogurt and 1 teaspoon of olive oil to it.
After mixing thoroughly, massage it over the face.
Leave it to dry and rinse it off after 15 minutes.

Few more:

Image source: 1, 2

Eczema

Sesame Oil for Eczema

ByMoin Nex

sesame oil for eczema

You’re not alone, there about 30 million Americans with eczema. Also known as atopic dermatitis, eczema results in vigorous itching with red blisters. Scientific research states that eczema can’t be treated permanently, but don’t worry luckily you can manage them.

Anecdotal reports say that using sesame oil for eczema will reduce flare-ups and relieve you from inflammation. Nutritional properties in this oil penetrate deep into the skin and heal eczema bumps.

Before you know more about sesame oil, let me put down few more lines on this chronic skin ailment. Mere cause of eczema is unknown, however hereditary and environment factors are held culprits. When your skin comes in contact with irritants, allergic reaction triggers.

Itching, redness, swelling of skin and inflammation are accompanied. Persistent scratching leads to red bumps and dry skin. Topically massaging with natural oil like sesame oil will hydrate the skin and relieve you from itching.

Benefits of Sesame oil for Eczema

Sesame oil is extracted from seeds of sesame plant. This yellow colored oil has nutty flavor and is packed with exceptional nutrients. It’s extensively used in culinary, medical and cosmetic purposes. Even cosmetic industries are enticed by its nutritional profile, so they started incorporating in their products.

Rich amount of vitamin E residing in sesame oil stimulates fasten healing of eczema flare-ups and soothe inflamed bumps.
Antioxidant activity of this oil fights free radicals that damage cell membrane.
Itching and dry skin increases eczema condition, hydrating properties in the oil will relieve you from itching.
Anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agents fight bacterial infection to relieve inflammation.
Assorted properties in this oil will repair damaged cells, protect your skin from UV rays, prevents wrinkles and help to get rid of various skin ailments.

On the whole, this oil can replace many different products which you use to obtain radiant skin. Unlike chemical filled creams, sesame oil may take time to show positive results. Vitamins and minerals in this oil go deep into the skin and enhance collagen production. It repairs from the root.

People with sensitive skin can also use this natural oil. Anyhow, I recommend to patch test before using it over the face. Because your skin may not go well with the proteins in sesame oil and trigger reaction or consult the physician before proceeding.

Wash eczema affected part with water, pat dry using soft cloth and slightly massage with the oil. Try this simple remedy twice per day. After consulting beauty experts you can blend other natural oil with sesame oil to make it more effective.

Note: Sesame oil can’t permanently treat eczema; actually there is no treatment for this chronic disease. You can reduce inflammation by these simple home remedies.

Important points

Change your lifestyle and take vitamin rich diet to help sesame oil in treating eczema. Reach your doctor and ask for the food items which can trigger eczema. Make the list and stay away from them.
Drink enough water and do regular exercise.
Regularly apply sesame oil before going to bed.
Avoid wearing tight clothes and latex rubber gloves, they may trigger itching.
Stop using chemical creams and fragrance, as they may irritate your skin. (Stay away from these irritants)
Long exposure to sun, irritants, pollution and TV or computer screen must be avoided.

Did you ever use sesame oil to treat eczema? Please share your views about this inexpensive home remedy.

Stretch marks

Sesame Oil for Stretch Marks

ByMoin Nex

sesame oil for stretch marks

Few things can’t be prevented in our lives, stretch marks are common and occur when your gain or lose weight. Unfortunately, these vertical lines turn silver color and ruin your appearance. Cosmetic creams claim to lighten these marks. But, as they are expensive and chemical included it’s not recommended.

Natural remedies like sesame oil for stretch marks can enhance healing and fade these stripes.

Before proceeding further, let me disclose you that there is no permanent treatment for stretch marks removal. However, regularly massaging with natural ingredients will improve collagen production and may repair damaged tissues.

Excess weight gain or loss, puberty and pregnancy are main factors causing stretch marks. Your layer under outer skin stretches and as a result breaks at different places resulting in striae. Initially, these lines appear red but with time they turn silver white.

They’re associated with any serious health or skin ailment, but it’s definitely a cosmetic concern. Anecdotal reports say that topical application of home remedies lightens the appearance of stretch marks. But there is no scientific evidence to back this assumption. However, experts say that few stretch marks may fade with time.

Sesame Oil for Stretch Marks

Natural remedies like this oil are packed with essential nutrients, which can bring drastic change in your skin texture. Apart from lighten scars and stretch marks, sesame oil can hydrate your skin, treat acne, protect skin from UV rays, enhance collagen production, repair damaged skin cells and restrain bacterial infection.

When you massage sesame oil over stretch marks, it penetrates deep into the skin and stimulates healthy functioning of the skin. Layers which are damaged can be repaired and it improves elasticity of the stopping further damage of skin layers.

Wash the affected area with water and pat dry using soft cloth. Blend vitamins E oil with required amount of sesame oil and massage over stretch marks. Try this simple remedy before going to bed.

You can try blending other innate oils with sesame oil. But, make sure you aren’t allergic to the ingredients.

Best way to prevent stretch marks is to daily massage elbows, knees, waist and shoulders with sesame oil. So that ingredients in this oil enhance elasticity of the skin and to some extent can prevent the breakage.

Pregnant women must check with their doctor before proceeding with this oil.

Did you ever use sesame oil for stretch marks? Please share your views in comments.

Face Masks

7 Homemade Face Pack for Glowing Skin

ByMoin Nex

homemade face pack for glowing skin

Every women dream to have glowing flawless face, but that can’t be achieved with dry skin. Dry winds in summer strip natural oil around the skin making it open for various ailments. Fortunately, homemade face packs for glowing skin help to retain the lost moisture and make the skin radiant.

Blazing heat and impurities in summer makes you exhaust. If not taken care, dark patches, fine lines and sun burns stay for the rest of the year.

Regular cleansing is the most important aspect of this remedy. Though there are many face wash products, who claim to remove impurities, experts recommend to stay away from them because of the chemical ingredients included in them. To increase the shelf-life of the product, manufacturing industries use preservatives and processed items.

Natural remedies are filled with vitamins and minerals, which can lock the moisture, acts as sunscreen and makes you look youthful.

There is a huge list of homemade face packs to obtain glowing skin and you can’t expect them in one article. Keeping the heat and dry winds outside, I selected few exceptional natural remedies below.

7 Top Homemade Face Pack for Glowing Skin

Two important aspects for glowing skin according to me are, one is to exfoliate dead cells and impurities off the skin, next is to keep your skin well hydrated internally and topically. You must consider drinking enough water and vitamin rich diet to keep skin supple from inside.

Coming to topical application, as said there are bunch of remedies which can remove impurities and hydrate your skin at the same time.

#1. Cucumber & Lemon Juice Face Pack

honey lemon face mask

Slice the cuke in pieces and rub over the skin. This is the most easiest and inexpensive way to keep dry patches at bay. But, your skin may need something more effective. Apart from eating as salads with meals, blend cucumber pieces with few drops of lemon juice to improve healthy functioning of the skin.

You can replace lemon juice with glycerin or turmeric powder if you’ve acne lesions. Like cucumber, glycerin is renowned for its moisturizing and healing properties.

Blend cucumber juice or paste with few drops of lemon juice.
Optionally, add turmeric powder and glycerin.
Wash your face with water and pat dry.
Ask your partner to evenly apply the face mask and leave it to dry naturally.

Note: Its recommend to apply essential oil mixed with any carrier oil before going to bed.

#2. Banana and Almond Face Pack

Assorted nutrients in banana and almond powder restrain dryness and enhance the skin texture. You can replace almond powder with oatmeal to exfoliate impurities.

Mash ripe banana using spoon and add required amount of almond powder or oatmeal.
Add rosewater if required to make the paste.
Cleanse your face with water and apply the face pack.
Leave it for 15-20 minutes and then rinse it off.

#3. Honey and Milk Face Pack for Glowing Skin

honey for skin whitening

Both the ingredients are prominently used for medical and culinary purposes. Humectant property in honey locks the moisture and thwarts infectious bacteria. Milk on other hand reduce wrinkles, heals minor sun burns and pamper your skin with essential nutrients.

Mix teaspoon of raw honey with 2 teaspoon of raw milk in a bowl.
Apply this lotion over prewashed face.
Let the vitamins in honey and milk start affecting on skin for 20-30 minutes.
Rinse it off wither cold water.

Don’t apply cosmetic creams after using this natural remedy, because the ingredients in the product block skin pores. Instead use rosewater or rosehip oil for natural glow.

#4. Papaya Face Pack

Not just hydrating, Papain an enzyme in this fruit enhances skin whitening, fade sun burns and treat other ailments. Regular use of papaya face mask will fade wrinkles and exfoliates dead cells. Vitamin A and C helps to enhance collagen production and postpone premature aging wrinkles.

Take required amount of peeled papaya and slice into small pieces.
Add raw honey and blend or mash into smooth paste.
Remove impurities by washing your face with water.
Apply the face pack evenly and leave it to dry.
You can place two sliced cucumbers to get that spa experience.

#5. Potato and Lemon Face Mask

Acidic activity of lemon juice will lighten dark spots and removes impurities. But if you’ve extremely dry skin, don’t use this face pack. Excess use of lemon juice will make your skin dry. However, you must apply natural oil to moisturize after this face mask treatment.

Vitamin C, B6 and potassium in potato juice heals sun burns, lighten dark patches and fights free radicals with its antioxidant property.

Slice half potato into pieces and blend it to make smooth paste.
Add few drops of lemon juice to it.
Apply the face pack over skin and leave it dry.

Easiest way to use potato is to rub the skin with sliced potato pieces. Other ingredients that you can add in potato include honey, yogurt, multani mitti and cucumber.

#6. Mint and Turmeric Face Pack for Glowing Skin in Summer

With lovely fragrance, mint face pack gives your skin cooling experience. It can moisturize, cleanse and shrink larges skin pores. Salicylic acid in mint helps to treat acne blemishes. To make it more effective and suitable for your skin type, you can add other innate ingredients to it.

Blend fresh mint leaves to make smooth paste.
Add pinch of turmeric powder to it.
If you’ve acne, wash your face with lukewarm water. Pat dry using soft cloth and apply the face mask.
After 15-20 minutes, rinse it off.

#7. Gram Flour Face Pack for Pimples

Besan or gram flour is known for its excellent property of absorbing excess oil and treating acne. If you’ve oily or acne prone skin, try this remedy.

Dry people must stay away from this face mask. Only if you want to try, use natural moisturizer after using this face mask.

Take required amount of gram flour in a bowl.
Add water to it and mix well to obtain paste like consistency.
Wash your face and apply this face mask.
For dry skin people, I’d recommend to replace water with raw honey.

Benefits of Using Homemade Face Packs for Glowing Skin

Natural massaging improves blood circulation, which makes you look young and refresh. Studies show that regular use of cosmetic products can make your skin lose its elasticity. Instead, use natural homemade face packs for glowing skin.

Other than glowing skin, these natural ingredients keep ailments at bay and protect your skin from external factors.

As mentioned, you must change your lifestyle to see positive change. Drink enough water, choose water rich vegetables and fruits, stay away from makeup and creams, sleep well and do regular exercise.

Image source: 1,

Dry skin

Vinegar Foot Soak – An Ultimate Guide

ByMoin Nex

vinegar foot soak

Like your brain, your feet too deserve rest. They are workhorses of your body, but sadly very little care is taken towards them. Can you expect to look gorgeous with dry and cracked feet? Fortunately, with home available remedies like vinegar foot soak you can provide relief for your feet.

It’s embarrassing and painful to wear flip-flops or sandals with dry cracked foot. Due to continuous friction and pressure, skin under the foot becomes thick and hard. Though it’s not necessary to remove the hard skin, yet people remove it out of cosmetic concern.

Note: If you’ve diabetes or any other ailments related to feet, don’t try this foot soak. I highly recommend reaching doctor before proceeding with the recipe.

We take suffering of our feet for granted; they accept all the challenges from adjusting in tight shoes to lifting to unnatural heights. Seeing the hard skin under feet, you can imagine the impact of force or pressure on them.

They don’t need expensive cosmetic creams, like your face, hair and nails. Few minutes of foot soak and choosing the right shoes will make them happy.

Commercial foot baths available in the market are expensive and include chemical ingredients, which may irritate your sensitive skin. Making your own foot soak at home will assure you to procure bunch of benefits and helps to avoid allergic ingredients.

Vinegar Foot Soak

It’s prominently used for culinary, medical and cosmetic purposes. This inexpensive liquid can help to get rid of dry, itchy and flaky skin by maintaining natural acidity. Anti-fungal property in vinegar helps to thwart skin ailments and other foot related issues like foot odor, athlete’s foot, and toenail fungus.

Assorted properties residing in this home remedy softens the skin and removes hard cracked skin on heels. Repeatedly soaking in vinegar solution will not just hydrate your skin, but reduce inflammation.

Experts recommend diluting vinegar solution before soaking your feet. Depending on your issue, you can blend other innate ingredients to this liquid. Below given are different recipes, select the most suitable one.

#1. For Dry Feet

As dry skin is the most common skin disorder, let me start with it. If you decide to add this recipe to your regimen, I can assure you that your feet will be happy for the rest of life. As mentioned, nutrients in vinegar make the skin soft and restrain infectious bacteria.

Take 2 gallons of warm water, 1 cup of white vinegar and optionally blend few drops of essential oil. Mix thoroughly and soak your feet for about 35-45 minutes. After removing, gently rub the foot with pumice stone to remove dry skin.

Try this homemade vinegar foot soak twice in a week. Prolonged soaking in water may result in wrinkles. Before going to bed, rub your feet and hands with olive oil to moisturize them.

#2. For Foot Odor

Most people mistaken sweat for the unpleasant smell from foot or shoes. Fact is that your sweat is free from smell, but the bacteria housing in shoes and socks habitat on proteins in sweat to release waste. This waste produced by bacteria cause foot odor.

No need to worry, anti-fungal activity of vinegar will restrain infectious fungi. You can add aromatic essential oil in foot soak solution for the pleasant smell. Blend 2 parts of water with 1 part of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar. Add few drops of thyme oil to relieve from odor. Soak your clean feet for about 45 minutes and then pat dry with cotton ball or cloth.

If you don’t have open sores or injuries, add half cup of baking soda to the foot soak solution. While drying your feet, make sure you remove the moisture between toes.

#3. Vinegar Foot Soak for Toenail Fungus/ Athlete’s Foot

vinegar foot soak for toenail fungus

Often feet are packed in dark and moist environment, which make easy for fungi to invade and trigger infection. Athlete’s foot results in red peeling skin with itching. In case of toenail fungus, your nail turns to yellow color accompanied by pain.

Blend two parts of water with one part of white vinegar and soak your feet for about 15-20 minutes daily. Its recommend to blend listerine to vinegar foot soak.

Use same foot soak for athlete’s foot. Make sure you pat dry using cotton ball.

Also Read: Best homemade foot soak for dead skin

Other ailments like warts and calluses can be restrained by regular use of this foot soak. Acetic acid in vinegar helps to exfoliate and reduce the appearance of warts. Apart from soaking your feet in vinegar solution, take cotton ball and dip in apple cider vinegar. Apply it over affected parts as spot treatment, but make sure you wash or cleanse your feet before using the remedy.

Strong properties in vinegar may irritate cuts or injuries over your feet. It’s recommended to dilute vinegar with two parts of water.
As mentioned above, if you’ve diabetes please consult doctor before using this foot soak.
If you experience redness, itching and rashes due to excess soaking, reduce the time or try once in week. In case of severe itching and rashes consult doctor.

Which vinegar foot soak recipe you’d like to try at home?

Image source: 1, 2

Acne

Thyme for Acne – a Natural Remedy

ByMoin Nex

thyme for acne

About 95% of people in the world will experience acne in some point of their life. It’s very common skin ailment in America with 50 million people suffering from this condition. (1)

Repeated washing, squeezing and high use of beauty creams will make lesions worse. If you’re concerned about your appearance, good news to you there is a natural inexpensive remedy – thyme for acne.

Researchers say that hormonal imbalance stimulate excess production of sebum, which gets blocked at skin pores. It’s a known fact that your skin sheds millions of dead cells that accumulate on the skin. Oil, dead cells and impurities all combine to pop-up blackheads/whiteheads/acne.

As mentioned above, pimples are most common skin issue faced by teenagers. Desire to resemble celebrity drives them to try different cosmetic creams, which normally include chemicals to increase the shelf-life of the product.

You won’t believe, due to excess use of beauty creams your skin can lose its elasticity and premature wrinkles may appear. (2)

On the other hand, natural remedies like thyme leaves or oil go smooth over the skin and have no or less side-effects.

Benefits of Thyme for Acne

This herb belongs to mint family and is extensively found in Europe. Known for its aromatic smell and earthy flavor, thyme leaves can be used to treat skin and health ailments.

Nutrients like vitamin A, B, E, C, K, folic acid, iron, selenium, potassium, calcium and manganese are packed in this herb. Other properties like antibacterial, antiseptic, antiviral and expectorant enhance healing injuries.

Antioxidant activity of this herb will fight free radicals that can damage cell membrane.
Antibacterial agents stop P.acnes bacterial infection and thus reduce acne inflammation.
You can topically apply this natural remedy over minor injuries and burns, its antiseptic property will avoid infection and stimulate fasten healing.
Blend thyme leaves with other innate ingredients to make it effective. Thyme oil extracted from its leaves can moisturize and treat acne.

Seems excellent! Isn’t it?

But, wait. Before you proceed further, let’s see what researchers are saying about this herb.

Team from Leeds Metropolitan University (UK) carried a study by preparing tincture using thyme, marigold and myrrh. Three killed bacteria within 5 minutes, but thyme tincture stood out to be most potent.

When compared to benzoyl peroxide, thyme proved to be the better option. For those who experience irritation while using benzoyl peroxide may use this natural remedy.

However, experts don’t recommend direct use of thyme tincture at home. You must either reach an expert or try blending it with other natural remedies.

Note: I recommend to patch test on elbow or hand before rubbing thyme all over your face.

How to Use Thyme?

thyme oil to treat acne

Excellent thing about natural remedies is that you can blend them with other ingredients to suit your skin type. For those who want to save their skin from chemical ingredients can try this home available recipe to treat acne.

There are different ways to sue thyme leaves or oil. Select the one which goes well with your skin.

Method: 1 (Thyme Leaves and Witch Hazel)

Sterilize a small jar or bottle by placing it in boiling water for about 10 minutes.
When it’s done dry the bottle thoroughly.
Drop 1 tablespoon of dry thyme leaves and 4 tablespoons of witch hazel in the bottle.
Shake well and store the bottle in dark place for few days. You can also use it right away as soon as lotion turns to brown color.
Wash your face or affected part with lukewarm water and pat dry with clean cloth.
Apply this toner evenly using cotton ball or swab.

Regularly use this toner to treat acne.

Method: 2 (Thyme and Clay Mask)

Take 1 table spoon of bentonite clay (or kaolin clay or french green) in a bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon of above mentioned thyme witch hazel toner to it.
After mixing well, apply it over acne blemishes.
Rinse it off after 20 minutes.

Clay removes the moisture from the blemishes and thyme kills bacteria.

Method: 3 (Thyme and Lemon Juice Mask)

Blend 1 tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves with 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of sour cream in a food processor.
Optionally add 1 teaspoon of raw honey.
Cleanse your face with lukewarm water or expose it steam to open blocked pores.
Apply the mask evenly all over the face and leave it to dry naturally for 15 minutes.

Excess use of lemon juice can make your skin sensitive. Use natural moisturizer like olive oil or jojoba oil regularly before going to bed.

You can replace dried thyme leaves with thyme oil to treat acne. Along with topical application, internally you must take vitamin rich diet and drink enough water.

Did you ever use thyme for acne? Please share your views about the herb.

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