Natural Facial Scrub Recipes for Glowing Skin

Homemade facial scrub can help to get rid of acne and blackheads. It helps to keep your face clean and smooth. 

Facial scrub removes the dead skin cells and oil that clogs up the pores. It is well known that acne is the result of oils produced by the subcutaneous glands clogging up the pores. Facial scrub helps to remove acne and blackheads. It is necessary to use the right kind of scrub that suits your skin type. Use facial scrub once a week. Using it more frequently will make the skin dry and dull. It might even damage your skin, if it is sensitive.

Apply the scrub to your face and neck with a gentle massage. Don’t rub it too hard. Avoid it from getting into the eyes. Wash it off after 15-20 minutes. Remove all traces of the scrub from your face. Pat your face gently with a towel.

There are several recipes to make facial scrub at home. They can be made from natural ingredients and are safe. They will not cause any damage to the skin, like the scrubs available in the market which contain chemical ingredients.

Here are a few recipes for natural facial scrubs

Baking Soda Face Scrub

Mix a tbsp of baking soda with warm water to make a paste. Apply the paste to your face and neck. Rub the face gently with your fingers in a circular motion. Then wash your face with warm water to remove all traces of the paste and pat it dry with a towel. 

Honey

   Source: Wikimedia Commons: Emmanuel Boutet

Honey and Sugar Scrub

Honey is an excellent moisturizer. Take cup of sugar, in a bowl.  Add 4 tbsp of honey and ¼ cup of olive oil. Mix it well. Apply it to your face and neck gently. Wash it off after 15 minutes. It will not only exfoliate your skin, but will also nourish it. This scrub should not be used on sensitive skin.


Corn Meal Facial Scrub

Corn meal makes an excellent facial scrub. Take 5 tbsp of corn meal in a bowl. Squeeze some lemon juice and make a paste. Apply this to your face and neck area with a gentle massage. Wash your face with warm water after 15 minutes and pat it dry with a towel. This can also be used for sensitive skin.

Banana Facial Scrub

Take a ripe banana in a bowl. Mash it well with a fork. Add honey and lemon juice and mix it well to make a fine paste. Apply it your face and neck. Wash it off with warm water after 15 minutes and pat it dry with a towel. Banana facial scrub can be used for sensitive skin.

Regular facial scrub or exfoliation is essential to keep your facial skin clean and free from acne and blackheads. It will help to keep your skin young and healthy. 

Home Remedies for Mouth Ulcers

Mouth ulcers are very common and there are several home remedies that can help to get over the problem. 

What is Mouth Ulcers?

Mouth ulcers is a sore that develops in the mouth. It is also called as canker sores. Some people develop mouth ulcers more often than others. Some of the common causes of mouth ulcers are allergies, infection and drug side effects. It could be quite painful and extremely uncomfortable.

Mouth ulcers could affect people of any age. Small sores can take up to 10 days to heal and large sores can take much longer.

Turmeric
Source: Wikimedia Commons:  Elke Wetzig

Turmeric Powder and Glycerin

Turmeric powder has antiseptic properties. It also provides a cooling effect to the mouth relieving the burning sensation. Take a tbsp of turmeric powder and add some glycerin and make a thick paste. Apply the paste to completely cover the mouth sore. Rinse the mouth with water after 5 minutes. Do it several times a day to get rid of mouth ulcers.

Guava Leaves and Fruit
Wikimedia Commons:  Lallji 

Guava Leaves

Grind guava leaves and make fine paste. Apply it to the sore 3-4 times a day. Alternately chew guava leaves several times a day. Another method is to prepare decoction from guava leaves by boiling guava leaves in water. Rinse your mouth with the decoction after it cools down.

Mulberry Juice

Mulberry juice can help to get rid of the burning sensation due to mouth sore. Take a glass of mulberry juice and drink it, holding each sip in the mouth for a while. It provides a soothing effect and reduces the inflammation

Salt Water Mouth Wash

Add a tbsp of salt to a cup of warm water. Stir it well and rinse your mouth with it. The process has to be repeated several times a day. This would not only help to reduce the pain and irritation but would also heal the sores.

Coconut Milk

Coconut milk is a very good home remedy for mouth ulcers. You can rinse your mouth 3-4 times a day with coconut milk. You can also mix honey with coconut milk and apply to the sores.

Coriander Seeds

Add some coriander seeds to water and boil it. Rinse your mouth with the water when it cools down.

Raw Onions

Raw onions are a very good remedy for the sore. Cut onions to pieces and chew them several times a day.

Baking Soda

Add some water to a tsp of baking soda and make a thick paste. Apply it to the mouth sores. Alternately you can rinse your mouth with water mixed with baking soda.

Licorice

Licorice extract is made by boiling licorice root in water. It is sweet to taste. It is in the syrup form. It can be added to warm water and used as a mouth wash to get rid of mouth ulcers.

These are some of the home remedies for mouth ulcers.

Indigestion and Heartburn Remedies

Indigestion and heartburn are quite common and affect many people. The reason for heartburn is the increased acid production combined with increased pressure within the stomach. It can cause severe uneasiness and pain. It is also chronic and needs treatment. There are several natural indigestion and heartburn remedies

Dietary Changes

Some basic changes in your diet and lifestyle are essential to cure heartburn. You should consume smaller quantities of food at intervals. You should also eat slowly. Patients of heartburn should avoid tomatoes, citrus fruits, fatty and spicy foods. Also avoid onion, garlic, chocolate, peppermint and aspirin. You should also reduce the intake of alcohol and carbonated drinks. The changes in diet and lifestyle will help to cure the disease.

Antacids

Antacids help to neutralize the effects of stomach acid and provide relief. Antacids are available in the form of liquid as well as tablets

Wikimedia Commons:H. Zell

Natural Remedies for Indigestion and Heartburn

Papaya

 Papaya contains an enzyme called papain which helps to digest food easily and prevent heartburn. Papaya has to be taken before meals. Pregnant women and people with latex allergy should not take papaya. 

Banana

Banana is a natural antacid. It forms a coating on the stomach which helps to reduce irritation and pain. But only ripe bananas are recommended. Unripe bananas have a high acid content and also starches that have not been converted to sugar. It is difficult to digest an unripe banana.

Ginger

Ginger aids digestion and is also a very good remedy for heartburn. Add a few slices of ginger to water and boil it. Strain the liquid after 15 minutes. Drink it several times at intervals till you get rid of the symptoms. Ginger candy is also very useful. Chew a small piece of ginger candy. If the symptoms persist chew one more.

Licorice Root

Licorice root is a very good remedy for heartburn. It can reduce the inflammation and protect the stomach. But licorice root should not be taken for long periods as it increases blood pressure.

Turmeric

Turmeric can improve digestion and also prevent heartburn. Add half tsp of turmeric to milk and drink it before meals.

Aloe Vera

Aloe vera will provide a protective coating on the esophagus and stomach lining. Drink a glass of aloe vera juice before you have food. It can also be mixed with a non-acidic fruits like apple or grapes if you don’t like the taste. Keep drinking the juice till you get rid of all the symptoms.

Vinegar

Even though vinegar is an acid, it helps to neutralize the stomach acid. As vinegar is likely to damage teeth, it should be followed by a glass of water.

Almond Oil

Almond oil can neutralize stomach acids. Drop 2-3 drops of almond oil on your tongue and follow it with a glass of water.

Baking Soda

Sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) can provide immediate relief. But it can raise blood pressure, if used frequently.

These are some of the indigestion and heartburn remedies.  

How to Get Rid of Body Odor Naturally

Unpleasant body odor could be embarrassing to the person concerned and great discomfort to others. It may embarrass you to the extent of forcing you to minimize your social interactions. A variety of deodorants and body sprays are available to camouflage the body smell. The parts of the body which produce more sweat like armpits, breast and groin are sources of bad odor, because they produce more sweat. The sweat by itself has no odor. But if you do not wash it off for sometime, bacteria begin to feed on it. The byproduct of their feeding produces the foul smell. There are several methods to get rid of body odor naturally. 

So to control the body odor it is essential to keep these parts clean.  Whenever you take a bath, use antibacterial soap and scrubber to clean your body. People who have the problem of body odor should take a shower, more often than others.  It is necessary to dry with a clean towel after the shower and apply antifungal powder to the body. Wear clean fresh clothes after the bath.  Wash your clothes well so they are rid of all body odors.

Body Odor  Remedies

White Vinegar

Spray some white vinegar under the armpits after taking bath. Dab some deodorant made with an essential mineral oil on it with a cotton ball. This helps to destroy the foul smelling bacteria and also camouflage the foul smell.

Potato Slices

Make some potato slices.  Rub them under the arm pits and other sweaty areas. This would help to keep the excessive sweating and the body odor in check.

Baking Soda

Baking soda is a very good anti-odor agent.  Add some lemon juice to baking soda and make it into a paste. Apply the paste to your arm pits and other parts of the body where you are sweating excessively. This would help to get rid of the bad odor.

Lavender Oil

Add some lavender oil to your bath tub. You can also apply lavender oil with a cotton ball to your arm pits and other parts of the body where there is excessive sweating.

Herbal Remedies

Ginger Ale

Drink ginger ale or ginger tea after food once every day.  His would help to reduce amount of sweat by keeping the sweat glands in check.

.

Sage Herbal Tea

Sage herbal tea helps to reduce excessive sweating (hyperhidrosis). Add some  water and boil it. Strain it and drink it after it cools down. Sage contains vitamin B and magnesium which help to reduce excessive sweating.

Wheatgrass Juice

Wheatgrass juice is rich in vitamin C, vitamin B12 and folic acid which help to control excessive sweating. Drink a glass of wheatgrass juice every day. This helps to reduce sweating and hence the body odor.

Apple Cider Vinegar

Take 2-3 tsp of apple cider vinegar every day on empty stomach. This will reduce excessive sweating

Alcohol and tobacco are the major causes of bad body odor. They combine with sweat and produce a distinctive bad odor. So avoid alcohol and tobacco.

Spices and red meat increase sweating. Reduce these foods in your diet.

These are some of the methods to get rid of body odor naturally.

Teeth Whitening with Lemon and Baking Soda

Several natural teeth whitening remedies are available to make your teeth dazzling white. Lemon and baking soda are excellent teeth whiteners.  

As we get older teeth becomes tinged with yellow color. The food we eat, smoking, coffee, tea and sodas are the culprits. Teeth can be restored to its normal bright white color by bleaching.  Teeth whitening can be done by dentists. But there are several natural teeth whitening remedies which help you to whiten your teeth at home

Lemon for Teeth Whitening. 

Add a few drops of lemon to your toothpaste when you brush your teeth. Alternately lemon peel can also be rubbed against your teeth. This is quite effective in whitening your teeth. But lemon should not be used for long periods as citric acid contained by lemon may harm the teeth. 

Alternately add a few drops of lemon juice to table salt and use it as tooth paste

Another method is to add a few drops of lemon juice to baking soda and coat it on your teeth. Brush the teeth after a minute

Baking Soda

Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can be mixed together with a few teaspoons of glycerin. Mix it well to get the consistency of a tooth paste. Brush your teeth with this paste for a few days. Baking soda has the ability to clean the teeth and hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent. The combination will make your teeth dazzling white in a few days. This is a very good natural teeth whitening remedy.

Strawberry

Strawberry is another teeth whitening remedy. It is an excellent teeth whitener. Mash two strawberries with a fork until they become soft. Add some lemon oil to it. Brush your teeth with the mixture for a few days.

Orange peel

Rub your teeth with an orange peel. Orange peel not only brightens teeth but is also a mouth freshener. It will take a few days for the teeth whitening results to show.

Charcoal ash

Charcoal ash is very good for teeth whitening. Brush your teeth daily with charcoal ash. Rinse your mouth thoroughly after brushing.

Precautions

Some precautions need to be taken to prevent teeth staining. You should rinse your mouth thoroughly after each meal or snack. Avoid drinking water with fluoride. Also avoid toothpaste containing fluoride. Tobacco not only damages your health but also stains your teeth. So stop smoking.

Coffee and tea are notorious for discoloring your teeth. So rinse your mouth thoroughly after drinking coffee or tea.


Most of these natural teeth whitening remedies using lemon, baking soda, strawberry and salt give excellent results at low cost.   

Natural Remedies for Upset Stomach

Natural remedies for upset stomach due to indigestion are banana, ginger ale and mint tea. You should also make sure that you drink plenty of water.

An upset stomach could be due to a variety of reasons. Some of the common reasons are indigestion, motion sickness, food poisoning and heartburn. Indigestion could be due to greasy or oily food. Heartburn can also cause indigestion.

• You have to identify the cause of upset stomach. If a certain food is causing stomach upset you have to stop eating it.

• If the cause of upset stomach is indigestion then ginger candy, ginger ale or ginger tea would be a very effective cure.

• If it is due to heartburn then antacids can be taken.

• Take half a glass of water and add half tea spoon of baking soda and stir it well. Drink it two to three times at an interval 2-3 hours.

• Banana is a very good natural remedy for upset stomach.

• Mint tea is also a very good remedy.

• If the upset stomach is due to stress or emotional disturbance then take a hot bath and go to sleep.

• Another effective remedy is drinking butter milk with two teaspoons of amla powder added to it.

• Light exercises like walking is also good for the problem.

Food poisoning can cause upset stomach. Contaminated and unhygienic food could be the problem. If you are suffering from diarrhea, fluid intake has to be increased. If the fluid lost is not replaced it may cause dehydration.

Things that have to be avoided when you have an upset stomach are aspirin alcohol and cigarettes. Eat as little as possible. If you are hungry eat fruits and vegetables. They can be digested easily as the have fibers. Avoid all diary products including milk.

These are some of the natural remedies for upset stomach