Who doesn't want a fresh, glowing face? One that reflects the beauty within, the zest you have for life and all the goodness that you are made of. But getting a face that has a natural, healthy glow takes a little bit of work; after all, not everyone is born with complimentary genes! You may have a skin type that leads to acne and pimples easily, or may be sensitive to the many pollutants our skin is exposed to on a daily basis. While artificial products or cosmetics are great to cover up minor blemishes, nothing looks better than fresh, clean and nourished skin. Cleaning your face well is critical to maintaining the quality of your skin. This is even more important at bedtime, when your skin is carrying dirt and grime from the activities of the entire day. In fact, going to bed with a squeaky clean face is one of the hallmarks of a good skincare regimen. And you know what's even better? Following this practice with 100% natural products, and by that we mean the kind you find on your kitchen shelves.
Your kitchen is a storehouse of wonderful ingredients that make for effective skincare products too. But you need to know what to use depending on our skin type.
Here's a list of natural face washes you can use based on normal, oily, sensitive and combination skin type.
Natural Face Wash: What To Use As Face Wash For Normal Skin?
Normal skin is neither dry nor oily. This skin type isn't too sensitive and usually devoid of any 'flaws'. It's easy to maintain, and those with a normal skin generally have a clear, radiant complexion with negligible pores. You got all that? Great! But don't take it for granted; your skin needs care and nourishment too.
Coconut Oil Face Wash:
Coconut oil can help in removing all that dust and pollution from your face. This versatile beauty aid restores the moisture of your skin and can easily replace all the expensive products you own. 'The Tree of Life', or the coconut palm tree is highly valued for its nourishing qualities. Coconut oil is made up of saturated fats with a high amount of medium chain fatty acids; a good part of this fatty acid is lauric acid. It contains vitamin E, which is also known to protect the skin from free radical damage.
You can apply a few drops of natural, virgin coconut oil on your face every night. Massage gently for about 30 seconds and then cover your face with a warm towel that will help open up pores and remove impurities. Keep it for 15-30 seconds, remove the cloth and dab the oil away with a clean washcloth. Leave the extra bits of oil on your face on, as this will help keep your facial skin soft and supple.
Natural Face Wash: Face Wash For Oily Skin Type/Acne Prone Skin:
People with oily skin may be familiar to pimples, acne, blackheads, whiteheads and large pores. This skin type needs a lot of attention. Artificial products that contain chemicals, emulsifiers and fragrances can sometimes worsen the condition and also cause breakouts. On the other hand, there are natural ways to clean the skin and keep it healthy. Use a face wash that can be made by using natural ingredients that would not have any side effects. Make sure the face wash sweeps away excessive oil from the skin surface and makes your skin feel clean and not tight and stretchy. Using a combination of baking soda and honey is the most inexpensive and natural way to effectively fight bacteria that cause pimples and acnes. The result is a pure, oil-free glow!
Baking Soda and Honey:
Baking soda has antiseptic, anti-inflammatory and neutralising properties, which help acne-prone or oily skin type. Honey is known to help keep the facial skin supple and soft. Just like baking soda, honey also contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that help keep breakouts at bay. This face wash contains natural ingredients that clean your skin, remove build-up of dead skin cells on the surface and reduce excess oil from the pores. Using this regularly over a period of time can leave the skin amazingly bright, youthful and pimple-free.
First, you need to wash your face with lukewarm water. Take one teaspoon of honey and half a teaspoon of baking soda. Rub your hands together and gently massage your skin in circular motion for at least 2 minutes. Take time on the area that is most oily and greasy. Rinse your face with cold water and pat it dry with a towel.
Natural Face Wash: Face Wash For Dry Skin Type:
One of the most uncomfortable and unsightly skin problems is having a dry, dull face. It is because of lack of moisture content that skin becomes dehydrated, loses elasticity, and becomes cracked. The skin on your face is sensitive, and often feels drier than the rest of your skin. When this happens, your face may seem itchy, irritated or inflamed. Fortunately, there are a few natural ingredients that will help you make a face wash out of it.
Oatmeal and Milk:
Oatmeal contains polysaccharides that help to form a protective layer on the skin to prevent moisture loss from the skin. Saponins present in oatmeal scale off dry skin cells from the skin surface and render a smooth texture to the skin. Its anti-inflammatory properties protect the skin against damage and dryness that is caused by sun exposure. Milk is the best remedy that works to keep the layers of the skin moisturised and hydrated. Milk contains Vitamin D that stimulates collagen production in dry skin and improves skin elasticity by keeping it hydrated from within. First, you need to mix the two products until you get a slippery mixture. Wash your face with it as milk nourishes the skin and oatmeal exfoliates.
(Also Read: Beauty Tips For Face: 10 Dos and Don'ts for Naturally Beautiful Skin)
Milk is the best remedy that works to keep the layers of the skin moisturised and hydrated
Natural Face Wash: What To Use As Face Wash For Combination Skin Type:
Combination skin type is when your skin is dry or normal in some areas and oily in others like, nose, forehead, and chin - basically your T-zone. This type needs slightly different care in different areas since your oil producing glands are more concentrated there. Your nose and chin may appear dull and rough because of a build-up of dead skin cells. And your cheeks and the skin around your eyes may be drier than the rest of your face. In order to make your face look evenly moisturised, here are some of the kitchen items that can be used to make face wash. Combination skin needs a homemade face wash to balance the oil secretions and to lighten the skin along with anti- acne benefits. The ingredients include flour, oats, turmeric and lemon peel powder, which takes less than 5 minutes to be made but can be stored for 1-3 months without even refrigerating it. Oats and flour scales off your skin to remove dead cells along with preserving just the right amount of oils. Turmeric and lemon peel powder imparts skin-brightening, anti-septic and anti-ageing action to the face.
Flour, Oats, Turmeric and Lemon Peel Powder:
First, you need to grind the oats and mix it up with flour, turmeric and lemon peel powder. Rinse your face with plain water; take the mixture on your palm and add some drops of water making a paste of it. Massage the paste on your face gently in circular motion concentrating especially on your T- zone. Rinse it off with cold water and pat with a soft towel. You could use a soft, clean tissue to dab your face to prevent the remnants of turmeric from staining your towel.
(Also Read: Turmeric Mask for Skin: One Ingredient, Many Miraculous Benefits)
Combination skin needs a homemade face wash to balance the oil secretions
Natural Face Wash: Face wash For Sensitive Skin Type:
This skin type not only contains the characteristics of dry, oily and combination skin, but it also deals with a great amount of redness and irritation. People with sensitive skin should avoid harsh chemical-based skin treatments as they may cause other skin conditions like rosacea or allergies. This skin type is easily inflamed, so it is very important to choose the right natural care to avoid adverse reactions. Coconut oil and honey is the most useful mixture of face wash for a sensitive skin as coconut oil has a softening and soothing effect on the skin. It has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties that help keep acne at bay by fighting bacteria on the skin. Like coconut oil, honey has anti-bacterial and anti-microbial properties as it heals the damage caused by acne and scarring. It effectively helps in removing oil and dirt from the face and moisturises the skin.
First, both the products need to be mixed and poured into another container through a funnel so the paste is smooth. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and shake the paste well to ensure that the ingredients are mixed well together. Take the mixture on your palm and massage it on your face and neck for at least 30-45 seconds with your fingertips. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and make sure that the oil is removed. Wipe it with towel and you can splash some water again if the oil is still not removed.
You can now experiment with these natural products mentioned above for all skin types and see what gives you the best results. Of course, you need to start by knowing what your skin type is!
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