5 Ayurvedic Natural Beauty Treatments

If you’re looking for natural, environmentally friendly and clean beauty treatments, you can’t go wrong with Ayurveda. Ayurveda is the traditional medicinal system of India and incorporates herbs and natural elements into your beauty regimens.

Three Body and Beauty Types:

The three dosha's and the 5 great elements they are composed from (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Ayurveda defines three body types:

* Vata
* Pitta
* Kapha

Each body type has their own unique characteristics including a tendency toward oily or dry skin, curly or straight hair and so on. You can find much information about these three body typs online.

Regardless of your body type, there are many great ayurvedic natural beauty recipes. Here are 5 to get you started on your natural beauty regimen.* 

Rose Facial Mask   

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons oatmeal ground in a blender to a fine powder
2 teaspoons goat milk powder
½ teaspoon clay—yellow clay from India, or plain white kaolin clay
1 teaspoon rose petal powder
1 teaspoon sandalwood powder
2 drops rose attar

Directions:
Mix all ingredients except rose attar in a jar with a lid.  When ready to use, pour half of the jar of powder into a small container and stir in one ounce of warm water and one drop of rose attar. Apply the mask and wait 15 minutes.  Wash off with warm water.  The clay in this mask is great for oily skin.

Fruit Acid Peel

Ingredients:
* 1 tablespoon orange juice
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 cup plain yogurt

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a small bowl.  Apply it to your face and wait 15 minutes.  Wash off with warm water.  This mask works well to exfoliate.

Acne Clarifier

Ingredients:
* 1 teaspoon of turmeric
* 1 teaspoon honey
* 1 teaspoon goat’s milk

Directions:
Blend all ingredients in a small bowl. Apply to acne and leave on for 20 minutes. The turmeric reduces inflammation, while the milk and honey soothe, calm, and moisturize the skin, and kill bacteria.

Beautiful skin (Photo credit: dermatology.com)

Almond Milk Cleanser

Ingredients:
20 whole almonds soaked and peeled
1 cup water
2 ounces rose lavender hydrosol
4 drops geranium essential oil
1 ounce vegetable glycerin

Directions:
Blend 1 cup of water and soaked and peeled almonds (soak almonds in water overnight and peel).  Strain and combine remaining ingredients.  Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to two weeks.  Use to clean and exfoliate skin.



Facial Scrub   

Ingredients:
1 cup rice bran powder
1 cup chickpea powder
¼ cup hibiscus powder
¼ cup rose powder
¼ cup sandalwood powder
¼ cup coriander powder

Directions:
Blend all ingredients and store in a sealed container.  To use, add water to a few teaspoons of the scrub and apply to damp skin.

Ayurveda natural beauty treatments combine the best ingredients to provide you with simple and healthy solutions you can make at home, no matter what your body and beauty type.

* Note: Even though the ingredients are all natural, some people still may be sensitive or allergic to them. Be sure to test the product on a small patch of skin 24 hours before using on a larger area of your body.

Making Homemade Spa Treatments with Citrus Fruit

Citrus fruits, like oranges, lemons, limes and grapefruit, offer a number of benefits for the skin.  The alpha hydroxyl acids naturally exfoliate our skin and citrus has astringent, antiseptic and detoxifying effects on the skin.  Additionally citrus scents can be relaxing and refreshing, leaving you feeling quite pampered.  Here are three homemade spa treatments with citrus fruit that you can do at home.

Lemons. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Relaxing Citrus Spa Bath

Grab two oranges and two lemons, dim the lights and if you choose, light a few beeswax or soy candles - it’s time to pamper yourself.  Slice the oranges and lemons into ¼ inch or smaller thick slices.  Run a warm bath and drop the slices into it just before you settle in for a refreshing and cleansing soak.

Citrus Mask

Combine one medium-sized papaya, the juice from one lemon, and a teaspoon of honey in a blender on low speed until you have a smooth cream or paste.  Transfer to a small container.  Wash your face and dry it.  Apply the mask, leave on for thirty minutes and rinse clean.  The natural fruit acids will exfoliate your skin and leave your face feeling smooth and radiant.

Milk Cleanser and Lemon Toner

In a small bowl, combine one teaspoon of powdered milk and one teaspoon of water, then mix until you have a smooth paste.  Apply to your face and neck.  Apply the mixture to your face in small massaging circles.  Rinse, dry and squeeze one small lemon into a clean container.  Apply lemon juice to a cotton ball and apply to your clean skin.  The lemon juice serves as the perfect toner to your clean, non-oily milk cleanser. 

Citrus/Almond Scrub

Scrubs are a great way to exfoliate dead skin from your face, elbows, knees and other rough areas of your skin.  The lemon juice and zest in this recipe adds a nice invigorating scent and helps exfoliate. 

You’ll need:
* 3 almonds
* The zest from 1 lemon
* 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1 teaspoon honey

Beauty mask ingredients (Photo credit: Vook tv)

Directions:

Grab a clean coffee grinder or food processor and grind up your three almonds.  Zest a lemon and add that to the food processor or coffee grinder. Pour ground mixture into a small bowl and add lemon juice and honey.  Mix until combined and you have a lemony, yet coarse cream.  Apply the mixture to your clean and dry face, massaging in a circular motion to lift and remove dirt and dead skin.  Rinse clean with warm water.

Citrus is often used to lighten hair during the summer by taking advantage of a chemical reaction with the sun that lightens the hair.  It’s also used to exfoliate rough elbows and knees by simply halving a lemon and rubbing on the rough spots. 

Citrus, in short, offers a number of beauty benefits naturally.  It invigorates with its natural and appealing aroma and enhances any home beauty regimen. 

Video - Homemade Vanilla Body Cream

Here is a delicious recipe - for your skin! In fact, it looks so good, it made me a little hungry....   I'm running low on my favorite lotion right now, so I may try this soon!  Check it out, and feel free to share your own recipes or natural non-toxic beauty suggestions below.

And if you don't want to make your own, find out which products you can purchase that are TRULY natural and safe - find fact sheets with info, ratings, reviews, and more at at www.thenaturalproductdirectory.com.


Non Toxic Vanilla Body Cream
Sophie Uliano, NY Times Best Selling author of Gorgeously Green, the Gorgeously Green Diet, and Do It Gorgeously, shows you how simple it is to make your own beauty products. Vanilla Body Cream. Get all the indgredients at gorgeouslygreen.com/store

Natural Homemade Beauty Recipes

Nature is the newest trend in skin and hair care. For years, we’ve been putting toxic chemicals into our bodies that build up and make us feel tired and sick, regardless of whether we eat them or if they seep though our pores. And people are finally catching on that natural is better.
Image via WikipediaMost stores now have a line of “natural” beauty products. Unfortunately, they often come with a big price tag attached too. Often times many of these products are not actually “natural” so it does pay to do your homework to ensure you are getting what you pay for.  (For some tips on selecting truly natural beauty products see our previous post, or for some recommendations, visit our website at http://www.newholisticliving.com/toxicload.html. )
Fortunately, making beauty products yourself isn’t too difficult. So if you want beauty products that you know are natural and are also inexpensive, just make them yourself. Here are 5 quick and easy recipes you can make at home yourself.
Face Mask
Eating good food helps give you the right nutrients you need to look good.  You can get more of these vitamins and minerals by putting the good stuff right on the skin.
Combining a mashed carrot, mashed avocado, and a beaten egg with a half cup a few tablespoons of honey creates a great face mask that provides vitamins, and improves the tone and texture of your skin. Just stir well, apply, let sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash off with cool water.
Image via Wikipedia
After you’ve washed and nourished your skin, you can use grated cucumber or diluted lemon juice as a toner to help tighten your skin and close up your pores and keep your skin looking great.
Hair Conditioner
Many people pay a lot of money for a conditioner that actually makes your hair look and feel good. Here’s a great natural recipe to save you money and help your hair.
Just mix an egg yolk with a tablespoon of castor oil and apply to hair. Let sit for about ten minutes and rinse out. You can use this every so often as a conditioning treatment for healthy shiny hair. If you like being experimental, you can try mixing other kitchen items, herbs, and natural items with eggs for healthy, shiny hair.
Hand and Foot Cream
A quick face mask will help make you look great in not a lot of time, but hands and feet require extra care.
Use ½ cup of olive oil mixed with natural sea salt and massage into your hands and feet. Leave a few minutes to soak and then rinse off with warm water.
When it comes to natural beauty products, these recipes are just the start.  You can find hundreds of different combinations in natural beauty books, magazines, and on the internet. Or you can go to your kitchen cabinet and make your own special creations.  (Or, for reasonably priced beauty products that you know are safe and 100% natural, check out Aubrey Organics, or other recommendations on our website: www.newholisticliving.com/toxicload.html.)
And feel free to share your own favorite recipes below!

Related articles on Homemade Beauty Products:

• GREEN BEAUTY RECIPES Book: Cook Your Own Green Beauty Products at Home (prweb.com)
• Homemade Facial Masks for Oily, Normal and Dry Skin (body-care.suite101.com)
• How to Make Your Own Beauty Products from Scratch (good.is)