Our Skin – Our Wealth!

We think of our skin as just a part of our body, not as important as the other parts. We take such good care of our remaining organs by eating, exercising, and living right, but there is so much more we can do for our skin to make it glow like any Hollywood actress’! Yes, it is the truth. You may not believe it but some of the treatments or procedures they do after spending thousands of dollars can be done right at home because Indian ancestors have known the natural secrets of beauty for a long, long time, and have been using them for great looks since then.

Our physical appearance is not just about how fashionable our clothes are and what colour our contacts and hair colour are. True beauty is appreciated when a person looks naturally beautiful, even after all the make-up comes off. On this note, it’s good to clarify that no matter how you choose to make yourself look beautiful, whether it’s with good make-up or going without it, there is no right or wrong in either method.

All individuals, male and female, have the right to enhance their beauty in whatever way they think is right. If that means getting a couple of cosmetic surgeries done or using the most expensive creams in the world, then so be it! Don’t let anyone dictate to you the “acceptable” ways of maintaining your beautiful image. Just make sure that you are not harming yourself or others in the process, though!

The main reason why surgeries and creams are frowned upon is that they introduce chemicals and toxins in our body that may have adverse side effects, especially in our later stages of life. Surgeries, of course, are risky procedures and cause some amount of pain depending on what kind of surgery you do, but there is nothing “morally” wrong about it. If you have been born with excessive fat or with a skin condition that cannot be treated in any other way except by cosmetic surgery, then by all means you should give it a shot if you can afford it!

So, coming back to the ways in which we can look beautiful, one of the simplest ways that will help you look gorgeous even in your later years in life is having great skin. And remember – it’s not just the skin of your face that’s being discussed here! Skin all over our body is in fact an organ that envelops all our internal organs and gives us our appearance. So, taking care of every part of our skin is necessary.

One of the biggest mistakes that people commit is by focussing only how their face looks, but forget all about maintaining skin over the rest of their body. Skin ageing and quality deterioration can take place in any part of our body, and they all have varied significance. For example, pale skin in our ace could indicate health issues like anaemia or lack of exposure to the sun which can result in Vitamin D deficiency. On the other hand, peeling skin at the crack of our heels could indicate lack of adequate amount of water to keep the skin nourished or poor blood circulation.

Spotted, Blemished Skin

One such abnormal skin symptom that almost all of us have had at some time or the other is spots on our skin, especially on our face. There are many reasons for that.

As mentioned earlier, the skin of our face is the most sensitive part of our body’s skin. It is also the most exposed to pollutants and sunlight. That is why you see there is a difference in the pigmentation of our skin in various parts of our body. The skin around our stomach and thigh regions is much lighter than our face and feet. Sunlight is one of the most important factors leading to skin ageing and spotting.

• Poor food and drinks’ is the next culprit for this skin issue. Remember – our skin is a direct reflection of what we eat, how we live, and what we think. So if you are fond of spicy, greasy, rich, stale, or packaged food and aerated drinks, then be prepared for some acne and skin spots.
• Hormonal imbalances, especially in women, cause some pretty drastic changes in our skin right from the time we hit puberty. There is no doubt that in various stages of our lives, the hormone levels also vary which contribute to the pigmentation and spotting of our skin. Some hormonal changes is normal; excessive changes in hormonal levels however reflect a serious medical condition that should be treated not just for skin spotting but other reasons too.
• Bad make-up habits – Believe it or not, but not taking off your make-up while retiring for sleep at the end of the day, or using cheap products that don’t suit your skin type also lead to skin spotting. It is essential you use minimal make-up at most times; leave the utterly glamorous looks for special occasions! This lets your skin breathe more freely and has a less “artificially caked” look and a softer, and naturally appealing look. Buy products that suit your skin type and not just because they worked wonders for a friend of yours or because your favourite sports or movie star endorses it!
• Ageing – Spotting is an inevitable part of ageing. As we age, our skin replenishes at a slower and lesser rate. The skin cells that earlier were replaced by fresh ones from the deeper skin tissues are now not being replaced fast enough. Plus, there are issues with blood circulation which also accelerate with advancing age.

How to Treat Skin Spots

Except for ageing, almost all other cause of sin spotting can be treated naturally. The essential thing is you treat it for good and not just for a time period. Didn’t ring a bell? Let’s look at it this way. If you want to get rid of that tingling sensation in your teeth when you eat something hot or cold, it is recommended you use a toothpaste and mouthwash that kills germs and bacteria in your teeth; and not just put a protective cover on your teeth to make it less sensitive to such food or drinks. In that way, your teeth and gums and healed and healthy, plus you can have whatever you want! You aren’t making a superficial change; you are treating the problem at its root cause level. Similarly, adopt skin clearing treatments that don’t just cover blemishes and spots, but actually get rid of them and actually improve the texture of your skin.

So, what are the ways in which you can do so? Let’s look at some good skin habits and natural treatments to help you:

1. Apply sunscreen suitable to your skin and as per your exposure to the sun.
2. Keep your skin hydrated but not soaked in oils, serums, and creams.
3. Drink plenty of water throughout the day and in all seasons.
4. Wipe make-up off your face with cold water.
5. The cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing technique should be followed regularly before you go to sleep each night. Our body, including our skin, heals best when we rest in the night.
6. Wash your face at least 2 times a day, but no more than that. Ensure you aren’t over-drying your skin because of excessive washing and drying products.
7. Use organic homemade face packs to get rid of blemishes, marks, and spots. Most of these ingredients can be found in your everyday kitchen! But we just didn’t know they had the potential to be a beauty treatment product too. Here is a list of some of the popular organic face pack combinations:

1. Lemon Juice and Oatmeal Mask – Combine half a cup of rolled oats and 3-4 tbsp of freshly squeezed lemon juice to form a face juice. Leave it on for a few minutes until the mask is quite dry, and then wash off with cold water.
2. Onion Juice – Take one half of a medium sized onion and grate it. Use the pulp to extract the juice from it and store in a clean vessel. Apply the extracted juice on the affected areas and leave it on for ten minutes. Wash off with cold water.
3. Aloe Vera Mask – This cooling herb is a miracle for a lot of reasons, including anti-ageing, anti-inflammation, and anti-acne formation properties. So, you can combine a tbsp of aloe vera gel (extracted from the thick stems of the potted plant) with 2 tbsp of tomato juice, form a face mask and leave it on for 20 minutes, and then rinse off with cold water. You could also create other aloe vera gel masks, such as 2 tbsp of it combined with a tbsp of lemon juice and orange peel (each), 2 tbsp of papaya pulp with equal quantity of aloe vera gel, and a tbsp of honey with 2 tbsp of aloe vera.
4. Parsley mask – Take a tsp of lemon juice, mix it with 2 tsp of raw honey and the juice of a medium head of parsley. Mix these ingredients and form a paste that’s to be let on the face or any other affected part for 15 minutes. Wash it off with cold water.
5. Turmeric and Lemon Juice – This is for those who struggle with more severe form of acne and the results pores, pockmarks, and blemishes. Take a few drops of fresh lemon juice. Add a tsp of turmeric powder and 2 tbsp of milk. Form a paste and leave it on for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with cold water and apply light, suitable moisturizer immediately.

There are plenty of other kitchen items that could be used for organic mask making purposes, such as papaya juice, almond oil, the rind of watermelon, potatoes’ juice, rosehip oil, and hummus mixed with either garlic, onion, or lemon. You just need to find the ingredients that are best suited to your skin type. Be sure to apply the masks in gentle, circular motion, and wipe off any leftover mask bits with a soft, wet cloth. With the help of good lifestyle habits, you could prevent the blemishes from occurring to a certain extent. But use the masks to treat those that are already appearing on your skin for good results. Try and use fresh, natural products instead of powdered or artificial extracts for the homemade packs as they are the safest and most effective for most people’s skin.