7 Milk Cream Face Packs for Glowing Skin

milk cream face pack

My grandmother used to give a full glass of milk with some malai or milk cream in it, which I used to chuck as I don’t like it. But now its enticing nutrients changed my mind, serve me with a cup of milk cream with some sugar I promise to complete it.

If you’re worried about gaining weight, then you can use milk cream on face to nourish your skin. Next time when you see malai in milk instead of throwing collect them in a bowl to use it as a face pack. Here goes milk cream face pack recipes.

1. Milk Cream and Turmeric Face Pack for Wrinkles

turmeric face mask for skin whitening

Make your own milk cream at home or get fresh milk cream from store. Mix 2 table spoon of milk cream with a pinch of turmeric, wash your face before applying this homemade milk cream face pack. Using your clean fingers apply the mask on face.

After 15 minutes rinse it off, pat dry and apply Argan or olive oil. Excess use of turmeric may leave yellow stains over your face.

Anti-inflammatory compounds housed in turmeric powder reduce acne inflammation and its antioxidants fight free radicals, which can damage cells.

Also read: Breast Milk to treat Eczema

2. Milk Cream and Besan Face Pack

Besan or gram flour reaps excess oil and dirt accumulated over your skin. Mix 2 tbsp of milk cream with 1 tbsp of besan powder and topically apply it over the face. Leave for 15-20 minutes and rinse it off, so that assorted nutrients in the face mask start affecting your skin.

3. Milk Cream and Saffron Face Pack for Fairness

Saffron is extract from the flowers of saffron plant. It’s renowned to treat menstrual and pregnancy related problems. Though you can consume small amounts of saffron with milk, excess intake is not safe.

Mix 2-3 strands of this natural ingredient with required amount of milk cream and keep it over few hours. Wash your face and around the neck to apply this face pack. Rinse it after 15 minutes.

4. Honey and Milk Cream Face Pack for Dry Skin

honey

Moisturizing properties in honey instantly hydrates the dry patches. Milk cream nourishes the dry skin and enhances skin tone. Because of its antibacterial and antiseptic agents, this face mask can effectively thwart bacterial infection. Mix 2 tbsp of milk cream with 1/2 tbsp of honey and optionally add few lemon drops.

Recommended: Honey and Milk for dry skin around nose

5. Olive Oil and Milk Cream

Olive oil is packed with anti-aging elements that can enhance skin’s elasticity. Impurities piled over your face cause dryness and wrinkles. Milk cream to some extent wipes these impurities and aids in effective functioning of the skin.

Take 2 tbsp of fresh milk cream and add few drops of olive oil. Apply milk cream face pack on face and over the neck. Rinse it off after 15 minutes.

6. For a Healthy Skin

Well hydrated, smooth and good complexion resembles healthy skin. Rising levels of pollution and impurities gets accumulate over the face and spoils effective functioning of the skin making it dry and infectious. Innate ingredients like milk cream, rose water, turmeric and sandalwood powder, honey and gram flour all strive to enhance healthy skin.

Mix milk cream, turmeric or sandalwood powder, honey and rose oil in required quantity in a bowl. Topically apply it over prewashed face or skin. After leaving it for 15 minutes wipe or wash it off with water.

7. For Exfoliating Your Skin

Like mentioned above along with impurities dead cells gather over your skin, making it difficult for skin to breathe. Exfoliating process removes all these obstacles off the skin.

Add breadcrumbs or sunflower seeds to milk cream or malai and mix thoroughly. Apply it over face and smoothly massage on it. After few minutes rinse it off and pat dry.

How to Make Milk Cream or Malai at Home?

I see my mom makes malai daily at home. But, the milk you take should be full of fat; skimmed version can’t get enough milk cream. Boil the milk in a bowl, let it cool down for 20-30 minutes. Then collect the top layer using spoon. Eat it or refrigerate it for making face pack.

Like raw milk, milk cream exhibits exceptional benefits when applied on face.

Get Rid of Unwanted Facial Hair with Home Remedies

home remedies to get rid of facial hair

Men look enticed with facial hair and it add up for their macho look. Anyhow, this is not the same case with feminine. Women try to get rid of this unwanted facial hair using bleaching, shaving or waxing. Unfortunately all these cost effective remedies go in vain.

Luckily, with home available products you can effectively remove this unwanted hair from body. Let me line few notable innate home remedies to get rid of facial hair for your easy understanding.

1. Egg mask for hair removal

egg white face mask

Unlike chemical filled remedies, these natural ingredients don’t irritate your sensitive skin. Egg mask is packed with exceptional nutrients and proteins, which can enhance healthy functioning of hair and skin.

Make a smooth paste like consistency by mixing 1 egg white, 1/2 tbsp corn flour and 1 tbsp of sugar. Wash your face and apply the egg white face mask over the face. When the mask dries up completely, pull it out. Yes, you’ll feel a bit painful but it works.

2. Turmeric for facial hair removal

Studies claim that turmeric is packed with powerful medical properties. In India it’s renowned as first aid for all minor injuries. Its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties restrain bacterial infection over the affected area. Anyhow, it’s also known to remove unwanted hair on face, legs and on hands (for women). Though I don’t know the exact reason, brides in India are treated with turmeric face mask before marriage.

Its damn simple to make your own turmeric face mask, mix turmeric powder in required amount of water and then start apply it over prewashed face. Leave it for few minutes, when the mask is dried wipe it using a clean cloth.

Also read: 10 Amazing Benefits of Multani Mitti for Skin

3. Gram flour for facial hair

gram flour for skin whiteningGram flour is known to remove dark spots and improve your complexion. Indian women use gram flour with turmeric as a beauty remedy to remove hair around mouth and chin.

Take equal parts of gram flour (besan) and turmeric powder in a clean bowl. Add required amount of water to it and mix thoroughly. Wash your face and pat dry using soft cloth. Now, topically apply the mask over face, particularly over hair spots. After leaving for few minutes, wipe it with soft cloth.

Studies show that hormonal imbalance trigger facial hair, consuming food with phytoestrogens can reduce hair growth on the face. Foods with phytoestrogens are: soy beans, tempeh, soy milk, soy protein powder, green bean, peanuts, flax seed and dried dates.

Can I Use Garlic for Treating Warts?

Though many of us (including me) don’t like the pungent smell of garlic, the famous Greek physician Hippocrates used to prescribe garlic as a remedy for various diseases.

Warts are small tumor cause by a virus known as human papillomavirus (HPV). Experts say that warts will be disappeared on their own but it takes long time. Though they’re not associated with any serious health issue, warts are embarrassing and ruin your physical experience. Based on the type of warts treatment is carried out.

Can garlic remove warts?

Anyhow, a research carried on healing properties of garlic concludes that topically applying garlic for warts can show significant results.

garlic for warts

Another study carried on selected number of people with moderate to severe warts on hands. They were subjected to different ways of garlic treatment.

  • Initially, people with 3-5 warts were treated with water extracted from boiled garlic regularly.
  • In second phase, 23 patients with severe warts were treated with fat soluble extract of garlic.

First case results: Small warts disappeared after using water extract of garlic for 30 days and large warts got slight improvement.

Second case results: Patients with severe or number of warts showed good improvement when treated with fat soluble garlic.

Thus, the clinical study concludes that anti-viral and anti-tumor agents in garlic cloves can effectively treat warts.

How to Use Garlic for Warts?

Before starting the treatment, rub fresh garlic clove over small part of the skin to confirm you’re not allergic to garlic. Allicin compound present in garlic effectively works on curing warts.

  • Wash the wart and pat dry using clean dry cloth.
  • Take fresh garlic clove and crush or cut into pieces using knife.
  • Place it over warts and wrap it with a bandage. Avoid contact with open wounds, cuts and other parts of the body.
  • Leave it for few hours. It’s recommended to carry this treatment before going to sleep and wash the affected area with water then pat dry.

Regular application of garlic on warts is important to see positive results.

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9 Benefits of Garlic Milk with Recipe

benefits of garlic milk

Food we consume is packed with exceptional properties, which are capable of restraining infectious bacteria and virus. But, unfortunately we’re habituated to modern drugs and medicines. Garlic, besides its use in cuisines, has been used as a home remedy because of its curative uses.

If you don’t like the pungent smell of its clove but what to reap all benefits of garlic then mix it with milk. Popularly known as garlic milk, it’s an Ayurvedic remedy to treat various health issues.

Benefits of garlic milk include treating cold or flu, bloating, gastric problems and other common diseases. Garlic is rich source of antioxidants, enzymes, flavonoids, vitamin A, B1, B2, B6, C, potassium, copper, zinc, calcium, phosphorous, proteins and manganese.

Also read: Garlic for yeast infection

1. Prevents Cardiovascular Problems

Anti-platelet and antioxidant agents in garlic has efficient role in preventing cardiovascular and cancer problems. Anticoagulants packed in garlic, prevent blood clotting and reduce LDL cholesterol level.

Prefer low-fat or skimmed milk while making garlic milk.

2. Garlic Milk for Asthma

Experts hold today’s environmental pollution and microorganisms as one of the factors causing asthma. Anyhow, with the help of innate remedies you can control it to some extent.

Regularly have this milk with three cloves of garlic.

3. Treating Cough

Antibacterial agents packed in garlic can efficiently reduce your continuous coughing. Along with milk you can blend honey and turmeric powder. However, I use nutmeg powder to reduce my cough.

4. Pneumonia

People with pneumonia will feel inflammation in lung, which is caused by bacteria or viral infection. Having garlic milk can help you reduce pneumonia condition.

Also read: Honey and milk for skin

5. Lowers Cholesterol Level

Garlic milk reduces the bad cholesterol level in the body and increases the good cholesterol level.

6. Garlic Milk for Jaundice

honey and milk for skin

Stuffed with allicin and selenium, garlic enhances bile production in liver and helps to thwart unwanted toxins. Other factors such as sulphur, aids for healthy functioning of liver.

7. Improves Digestion

When you consume garlic it stimulates digestive juice secretion, which aids in lymph and facilitate removal of waste from the body. Its antiseptic effect is able to reduce inflammation in stomach and thwart infectious bacteria.

8. Sciatica

Regular consumption of garlic milk will relieve you from sciatica nerve pain, which affects back, hip and outer side of the leg.

9. Insomnia

This is the most common disorder these days. Sleeping has been replaced by social networking, whoever the culprit (cause for sleeplessness) is, you can easily treat insomnia by having a glass of garlic milk.

Apart from this, garlic can be used as a spot treatment on acne lesions and regular consumption can help reduce blemishes.

Note: Though benefits of garlic milk are enticing, we recommend limiting its use if you see any side-effects. Add only 2 or 3 cloves of garlic per day.

Garlic Milk Recipe

  • Low fat Milk – 1 cup
  • Garlic – 2-3 cloves
  • Pepper powder – 1/4 tbsp
  • Turmeric powder – 2 pinches
  • Palm candy – 1 tbsp

Procedure

  • Initially, crush garlic cloves to add in the milk. Keep it over stove till cloves get boiled.
  • When the garlic is cooked well, add all above ingredients to the milk.
  • Keep it over stove for few minutes and mash completely.

Let it cool and strain unwanted cloves from milk.

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10 Benefits of Sabja Seeds/ Tukmaria Seeds for Health, Skin & Hair

benefits of sabja seeds

Whenever I had a visit to my grandma’s house in summer, she used to serve me with a glass of water with few swollen sabja seeds and sugar. If you’re looking for an instant relief from raging summer I’d recommend this home available drink, as benefits of sabja seeds aren’t confined to health but it can enhance the skin tone and improve hair condition.

Also known as tukmaria seeds, falooda seeds and sweet basil seeds, sabja seeds are different from chia seeds. Renowned nutrients packed in sabja seeds enticed Asian countries to add them into their different recipes. In Thailand basil seeds are mixed with water, honey and coconut milk to form a thick liquid drink.

Tukmaria seeds are packed with iron, calcium, manganese and carbohydrates which treat indigestion, diabetes, constipation and respiratory problems. Though there are no strong evidence but studies claim that sweet basil seeds can be used to lose weight.

Amazing Benefits of Sabja Seeds

Unlike Chai seeds sweet basil seeds plump in minutes. Mix required amount of almond milk, plain yogurt in 1/2 cup of sabja seeds. You’re going to love its tapioca texture. Its alluring benefits and delicious taste made me to replace my evening tea with a cooling sabja seed drink. Let me spell down those uses here.

1. Treats Respiratory Problem

A recent study concludes that basil seeds can be useful to improve respiratory diseases like asthma, cough, influenza and bronchitis. Make a drink with sabja, ginger, honey and add required amount of water.

sabja seeds in mango drink

2. Instant Stress Reliever

Unmatched properties in sabja seeds have calming effect and can uplift your mood. Add coconut milk, almonds, yogurt or honey to make it more delicious. Serve or consume the drink in chilled form.

3. Cure Cold

Antispasmodic effect in tukmaria seeds aids to treat cold and influenza. In fact most home made medicines include basil seeds or leaves.

4. Restrain Skin Infection

Basil seed oil obtained after crushing them can be used to treat infectious wounds, cuts and other skin related disorders. Though you can’t expect curing chronic skin diseases like eczema and psoriasis permanently, but you can always try a product like this for other health benefits.

5. Sabja Seeds for Constipation

Due to carminative effect sabja seeds are able to cure upset stomach and improve digestion problem. If you’re suffering from constipation, drink a glass of milk with sabja seeds before going to bed regularly.

6. Sabja Seeds for Acne

Experiments carried out in a lab conclude that basil seed oil is active against P.acnes bacteria. Acne/pimples are caused by inflammation and excess oil production by sebaceous glands. Anti-inflammatory properties housed in sweet basil and holy basil seeds reduce inflammation and thwart infectious bacteria. You can add it to your dishes or combine it with other essential oils.

Instead of using basil oil, you can regularly drink sabja seeds drink mentioned above.

7. Sabja Seeds for Weight Loss

As these seeds are filled with fiber, people claim that regular consumption of sabja seeds can lower your body weight. Anyhow, there is no scientific evidence to back this assumption.

8. Sabja Seeds Reduces Body Heat

In Asia, this drink is popularly known and available in summer as a coolant. If you’ve urinary problem because of high temperature, then have this chilled tukmaria seed drink regularly.

9. Sabja Seeds for Diabetes

Research claims that basil seeds can control blood sugar levels. If you or any of your friends has type-2 diabetes, then give them this drink to reduce diabetes level. But replace sugar with other ingredients in the drink. Other ingredients include almond milk, soy milk or plain milk.

10. For Healthy Hair

When you serve your body with required amount of nutrients and minerals it functions effectively and will be able to fight infectious foreign bodies. Daily consumption of sabja seeds will improve your skin and hair, as it’s packed with protein, iron and vitamin K. These higher grade vitamins are helpful to maintain healthy skin and hair.

Other benefits of sabja seeds include cooling heart burns, preventing cholesterol, insect repellent, for relieving women issues while child birth and on the whole it’s a healthy food.

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Why I See Black Lines on Fingernails?

Your nails are like 20 mini mirrors to your over health. A slight discoloration or a vertical black line on fingernails reveals that you’re unhealthy. Though they’re not associated with any serious condition, in some cases it may trigger pain and ruin your physical appearance.

When you dig deep into causes of black or brown discoloration of nails, you’ll find various internal and external factors as culprit. Few among them include vitamin deficiency, low intake of nutrients, stress and other health diseases.

Related: Why are fingernails blue?

black lines on fingernails

Melanoma

Apart from this, most worrying cause would be nail melanoma known as subungual melanoma. Excess production of melanin at the same part of the nail results in these vertical lines. Dark skinned people are prone to get melanoma. Based on a review in 75% cases big toe or thumb gets affected with black lines.

If you see the vertical line is increasing at the bottom of the nail, you must at once reach dermatologist without delay, because the pigment is penetrating deep into the skin. Based on your age, hereditary and the length of melanoma, doctor carries the treatment.

Also read: 25 Interesting facts about nails – You never knew

An external trauma can also leave a black streak over nails. Likewise deficiency in B12, zinc, calcium and other vitamins in your diet leave your nails discolored. Anyhow, don’t judge by yourself, consult your doctor for diagnosis. In case of nail melanoma, a surgery will be performed this involves removing of complete nail complex.

Like your face, nails also need utmost care. If not you may end up with some really serious health issues. Women need to check out their nails regularly has most of them use chemical filled nail polish to decorate their sensitive nails. Repeated application and removal of nail polish will make your nails weak and brittle.

Black lines on fingernails are serious if the cause is melanoma. So don’t delay and reach your dermatologist right away.

How to Use Alum Powder to Get Rid of Canker Sores?

alum powder

Unlike cold sores, canker sores occur on soft tissues in your mouth and at the bottom of the gums. With extreme pain canker sores make it difficult to eat or talk, it’s in white or yellow color surrounded by red border.

About 20% of people have canker sores, with women affecting more than men. According to Mayoclinic most cankers go away within two weeks and they’re not contagious. Alum which is used by men after shave can fasten the healing process.

Alum powder for canker sores has burning sensation and children may find it difficult to withstand. Anyhow, when you mix alum powder with lukewarm water you can easily treat cankers. Cankers are classified into 3 types depending on their size and effect. Minor canker sores heal within weeks, where as major sores take months and leave scar when treated. Third type is herpetiform sores with multiple small sores (~100 sores).

alum powder for canker sores

If you don’t see positive results in a week after using alum reach your doctor for diagnosis.

  • You can get alum block from a local store. Break it small pieces and powder them using mortar and pestle.
  • On the other side boil a glass of water, add 1 tbsp of crystal salt and 1/2 tbsp of alum powder to it. When ingredients are dissolved, remove the pan from heat.
  • Let it cool for few minutes, then strain the ingredients and use it as a mouth rinse thrice a day.

Alternatively, you can use raw alum powder by placing little quantity over canker sores. Remember not to swallow it.

Also read: Natural Bath with Sunni Pindi

There is no single cause for canker sores. Stress, injuries in mouth and hereditary may cause sores in mouth. Women tend to experience sores during menstrual cycle. Toothpaste with sodium lauryl sulfate tend to cause cankers sores on soft tissue of mouth.

Rinsing with salt can relieve you from pain, says Mayoclinic. Dab milk of magnesia over canker sores to fasten the healing. Whats your say on alum powder for canker sores.

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25 Interesting Facts About Nails

interesting facts about nails

Though nails are believed to be windows of your health you seldom have hygienic look at them. This simple part of your body is actually a bit complicated and hides many interesting facts beneath it.

Are you expecting me to expel all those alluring facts in this single post? Sorry! Am not capable of doing so, anyhow on your request I put down few interesting facts about nails.

  1. Brittle nails relieve that your body is feeling stress. Irregular sleeping habits and stress has effect on your nail growth and its health. When you see weak and irregular nails, then take a nap and have medication.
  2. Primates (including humans) are separated by other mammals with nails. Nails are flattened form of claws.
  3. Fingernails serve as a visual advertising of your health. Deficiency in vitamin and minerals can be diagnosed after having a glance at your fingernails. Calcium and zinc deficiency results in white spots on fingernails. However, all white spots are not caused by vitamin deficiency.
  4. Men’s nails grow faster than women’s, except in pregnant women.
  5. Fingernails grow faster than toenails and if you’re right handed person, then right hand nails grow faster than left hand nails. (Why you see dents in toenails and fingernails?)
  6. People in ancient times experienced slower nail growth when compared to present day. Nutrients and vitamins intake may have spurred nail growth.
  7. Did you notice that in summer nails grow faster than winter.
  8. Of all fingers middle fingernail grows faster and slower ones are those on the pinkies.
  9. Fingernails grow about 3.5 millimeters per month, whereas toenails grow 1.6mm per month.
  10. About 10% dermatological problems include nail problems. Nail fungal infection cause half of the nail disorders.
  11. White spots on nails are caused by injuries.
  12. Nails and hairs are made of keratin. Food and vitamins good for your hair is good for your nails. So rich consumption of vitamins and minerals will improve nail and hair condition.
  13. Biting nails is a common practice and is known as onychophagia.
  14. Oxygen penetrates through nail plate to nail bed. Polishing them frequently will make them unhealthy.
  15. We can’t stand nails on a chalkboard because the noise gets amplified by the shape of ear canal, making it uncomfortable to hear. Facts about nail polish will leave your astonished, the chemicals in polish will not only block oxygen but can make your nails weak when you repeatedly use acetone to remove it. (Tips to remove shellac nail polish)
  16. Nail fungus is common nail disorder effecting 20% of the general population. Yellow, blue, brittle and uneven nails are not to be ignored anymore it can lead to serious problem.
  17. Longer the nails are more bacteria invade to cause infection.
  18. Guinness World Record for longest nails documented in 2008 by a Lee Redmond with a total length of 28 feet.
  19. Cuticles locks moisture and blocks virus from invading nail bed. Experts avoid cutting or pushing cuticles.
  20. Hardness of your nails is genetic. Your toenails are twice as thick as fingernails.
  21. Your nails need normal blood circulation, oxygen and nutrients to grow normally. This is why when you get injured your nails fall out. (Natural nail polish remover method)
  22. Nail plates are made of dead cells, while nail bed and cuticles are made of live cells.
  23. Cutting fingernails after sunset is not bad luck; it’s just a superstitious belief.
  24. Placing nails in Coco-cola drink for 4 days will dissolve it, as drinks are corrosiveness.
  25. Nails take ~100 days to grow 1 centimeter.

I invite you to add more interesting facts about nails in comments.

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