Nourishing homemade body wash

Shahnaz Husain *

Pampering yourself every now and then is a must. A recent study shows that 80% of women lacks information about the right products for their hair and skin because they do not precisely understand their skin type and its requirements.

The majority of Indian women remain dissatisfied with their skin treatment and unsure of right product for clear, healthy, glowing skin and lustrous hairs . Majority of working/Professional women are spending the big money at popular beauty saloons each month to get the type of skin which they like but remains unsatisfied with both products and services of these costly saloons .

Skincare experts believe that customized skin care is the key to getting healthy and glowing skin . Most popular soaps and face washes marketted by renowned companies contains harmful chemicals and preservatives which dry out the skin .

The traditional cleanser with simple ingradients which make a natural body wash would maintain the hydration levels while deep-cleaning your face besides peace of mind of knowing you’re not putting any harmful toxins on your skin .

Herbal homemade body wash replenish your skin and hair from deep within is safe for your skin, saves money,creates a rich, bubbly lather, moisturizes while cleansing and you could also personalise it with easiest recipes available in your kitchen garden.

Try out the easiest recipes of homemade herbal body wash that is safe for your skin, as it is formulated with herbal ingradients while you could also personalise it with ingredients that you like. Since the olden days, “ubtan” has been made at home for cleansing the body.

In fact, it has even become a part of wedding rituals, when haldi and ubtan are applied on the bride. Ubtan consisted of wheat bran (choker), gram flour, yogurt or cream of milk (malai) and a pinch of turmeric. All these were mixed together and applied on the body, along with oil. The “ubtan” was washed off after 20 to 30 minutes, while bathing. It helped to cleanse the skin, leaving it smooth and bright.

Ubtan, therefore, is a traditional method of removing dead skin cells, softening body skin and enhancing its beauty. When it is washed off with water during the bath, it helps to remove dead skin cells, making the skin soft and smooth. It also helps to remove tan and brighten the skin, producing an even colour tone.

Actually, the body should first be massaged with sesame seed (til) oil. Did you know that sesame seed (til) oil has sun-protective properties and counteracts sun-damage? After the oil massage, “ubtan” may be applied and then washed off after half an hour, while bathing. The washing off and scrubbing away of the ingredients, leaves the skin clean, bright and glowing, with a translucent quality.

You can try out the traditional “ubtan” with these simple kitchen ingredients for a body wash. Take wheat bran (choker), add ground almonds, ground dried orange and lemon peels, along with honey and curd, as well as a little turmeric. Mix all these into a paste that does not drip. Apply on the body and wash it off after half an hour.

Raw Honey helps your skin add moisture and elasticity without being at all sticky. Unfiltered Honey is perfect for all skin type to treat mature, dry, itchy or damaged skin. Honey contains Vitamins B, C, E & K, beta-carotene, magnesium, sulfur, phosphorus and is is great healing agent for blemished,tanned and dark skin.

Sandalwood works beutifully for acne, dry, cracked and chapped skin. It helps to rejuvenate wrinkles and mature skin. If your skin is sensitive and dry the you can make body wash at home with natural ingredients .

Take 5 drops lemon grass essential oil,1/2 cup raw honey,3/4 cup castile soap,10 drops rose essential oil ,3/4 cup almond oil .Mix all ingradients in a Jar and store this mixture in a bottle witha dispenser pump. You may use this shower gel daily for moisturising your skin and also treat skin eruptions .

Exfoliation or removal of dead cells is a powerful cleansing procedure too and keeps the pores free of hardened oil. It helps in improving skin texture, minimizing dark patches and blemishes, and also producing an even colour tone. Take three cups sesame seeds, 6 tablespoons each of dried mint leaves, olive oil, honey and curd.

Crush the sesame seeds coarsely and powder the dried mint leaves. Mix with the oil, honey and curds. Sesame seeds actually have sun protective properties and also soothe sun-damaged skin.

Mint has a stimulating effect and adds a glow to the skin, while honey moisturizes and softens the skin. Oil and curd soften and nourish the skin. Rub gently on neck, arms and legs. Leave on for a few minutes and then wash off with water.

You can make Aloe Vera Gel Body wash by mixing aloe vera gel- 1 cup, castile soap / mild soap base (liquid) – 3 cup castile soap,Vitamin E oil- 4 teaspoon.You can add few drops of your favourite essential oil for fragrance . Pour it into a glass Jar and use this homemade body wash for skin care treatment while bathing.It cleanse and nourish your skin thoroughly.

Traditionally, gram flour mixed with curd and turmeric has been a common body cleansing recipe. Take about 5 cups of gram flour (besan) and about 3 cups of curd. Add one teaspoon turmeric. Mix into a paste that does not drip.

Apply on arms and legs. Wash it off with water after half-an-hour. You can also add rice powder to make a scrub. Mix 2 cups rice powder with 3 cups besan. The ingredients should be adjusted to make a paste. Gram flour can also be mixed with herbal powders to make a scrub for cleansing the body.

To the gram flour add curd and rose water to make a paste. The add one tablespoon each of powder of dried neem leaves, dried amla powder and reetha powder. Make a paste. Apply on the body and rub gently for 5 minutes. Then wash off with water.

For home based body wash you may take 1/3 cup unfiltered honey,1/3 cup cocunut oil , 1/3 cup liquid castile soap and few drops of essentil oil for fragrence .Add all receipes to a glass bowl and mix /blend thoroughly. Pour into a squeeze-top soap dispenser.Shake 2-3 times well before using and use like you would any body wash.

For a body scrub, you can also take 3 cups gram flour (besan) or oats, one tablespoon each sandalwood powder and rose water. Add milk to make a paste. Wet the skin and apply. Rub on the skin and wash off with water.

For sensitive skin take 2 cup liquid castile soap, 1 cup almond oil, 1 cup shea butter and 25 drops rose essential oil. Microwave the shea butter, Mix the almond oil into it, Add the castile soap and the rose essential oil, transfer to a bottle and shake well each time before use.

Alternatively take 5 Tablespoons raw honey,3 Tablespoons oils ( castor oil and olive oil in equal quantity),5 Tablespoons liquid castile soap and add 20 drops of your preference essential oil . Mix all ingradient in glass / steel jar and store it in a container in cool dry place .It is perfect mixture for body wash with life span of around six months .

Natural ingredients like reetha have a very gentle cleansing effect on the skin. Extracts of amla (Indian gooseberry), turmeric, saffron and basil can also be used. They keep the skin healthy and free from heat rash, prickly heat, pimples and other eruptive conditions during summer.

Amla helps to restore the normal acid-alkaline balance, while turmeric softens the skin and is a natural antiseptic. Tulsi and neem have powerful healing and germicidal properties. Many of these ingredients also help to cool and soothe the skin in summer.