Thursday, May 7, 2015

Homemade orange peel powder/mask


We try a thousand products and masks from over the shelf to take care of our skin and often miss out on the simplest things that could make a bigger difference than we think. 

Why orange peel?

The first time I used an orange peel mask, I found out that it made a difference right from the beginning. I did my own research to know the benefits of orange peel for the face. This is what I learned :
The nutrients in orange peel include: Vitamin C, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. Vitamin C Protects skin from free radical damage. Keeps acne at bay and promotes a healthy skin glow. Calcium helps in renewing worn-out cells and prevents DNA damage. It’s good for healing dry, flaky, and itchy skin. Potassium hydrates dehydrated skin. Helps preserve moisture, and magnesium prevents oxidative stress in skin cells, for youthful, glowing skin.

How to make orange peel powder at home?

 I could not find an all-natural orange peel powder in stores and so I decided to go back to the basics and just make them on my own. It turned quite simple.
   1.  Save up orange peels from the oranges you eat,                    remove the white fibrous parts on the inside of the              peel,and wash them in warm water.

  1. Spread the orange peels in a tray and place them in an area that receives plenty of sunshine. Leave them there until they are thoroughly dried. This can take anywhere from 2-5 days depending on the weather. Make sure to cover with a thin cloth or net for protection against dirt and insects.
  3.    Crush and powder your peels into a fine powder using a food processor or blender. You need to make sure that your blender has no water content or moisture.
  1. Store your sun-dried orange peel powder in an airtight jar.

How to use the powder?

You can make a paste with the orange powder by adding many different ingredients. The most popular being
·         Orange peel powder+ yogurt
·         Orange peel powder+honey+turmeric
·         (Orange peel powder+neem powder+turmeric powder+red sandalwood powder)+rose water


Orange Peel and Yogurt  Pack


Take 1 tbsp of orange peel powder and 2 tbsp of yogurt. Mix well. Apply on face and wash off after 20 minutes to get clear, fresh, and toned up tight looking skin.


Orange Peel, Turmeric Honey  Pack

Take 1 tbsp orange peel powder, just a pinch of cosmetic turmeric, and 1 tbsp of natural honey. Mix everything well into a fine paste.
Apply on the face and neck, and wash off after 5 to 10 minutes with any gentle face cleanser or rose water.

(Orange peel powder+neem powder+turmeric powder+red sandalwood powder)+rose water

This is my personal favorite pack. I have used it religiously for the last 2 months and gave me a noticeable difference. Check out my detailed blog and video on this


Sunday, May 3, 2015

Face mask routine-THE INDIAN WAY


This has been the skin routine that has been saving my skin and knocking off every other product off my shelf. I have experimented with just about anything and everything. Spend many MANY  hours and lots of money trying and testing skin products, facial packs and acne medications to name a few.
We all try things we find online, googling, reading blogs and what not. What we always forget or take for granted are the home remedies and moms recipes.
The ingredients:
  • ·         Turmeric powder                 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curcuma_aromatica)
  • ·         Neem powder                      (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azadirachta_indica)
  • ·         Red sandalwood powder   (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pterocarpus_santalinus)
  • ·         Orange peel powder
  • ·         Rose water

How to use?:

Mix equal amounts of all the powders together. You can either mix right before applying or keep them mixed to use later. Make a paste of the mixture using rose water and apply generously on face. Wait for 20-30 mins for the pack to dry, allowing the skin to soak up all the ingredients. Once the pack is dry and starts pulling on the skin, wash it off. Turmeric can cause a slight yellow color color to stick to skin, so make sure to wash thoroughly with a soap free face wash or a mild face wash.
Make sure to apply moisturizer after washing and pat drying your face, because face masks can drain oils from the skin. I usually follow my face pack with bio oil, rubbing two or three drops of it on to my hand and then applying it to my face.

How often? :

Initially I used to put the mask on only whenever I felt like my skin was not at its best but I soon realized that in order to get results that last I had to follow it religiously and now I put on the mask everyday, half hour before my shower. I advise that you use it regularly , if every day is a bit too much work.

What it did for me? :

The combination has helped cleanse my skin by eliminating blackheads and hence controlling my acne. My skin ACTUALLY  feels a lot better  and SMOOTHERRRR.  This may or not work for you, but I would 100% recommend this as I saw results. I would suggest that if your skin is sensitive, you reduce the amount of turmeric as it can sting a bit and can cause very light bleaching.








Hospital Bag Essentials- What to pack for labor day?



The main list

1)A robe
2)hospital clothes
3)mesh panties
4)socks
5)nursing pads
6)hospital slippers
7)toiletries
*toothpaste *toothbrushes*soap*small deodorant*shampoo *moisturizer *lip balm*hair tie
8)makeup bag
9)baby stuff
10)after care products
   *dermoplast spray
   *tucks hemmaroid pads
   *sanitary pads
   *nipple cream
11)Your documents
    *valid i.d *pregnancy reports *blood reports *scan results

   LIST BREAKDOWN

1)Robe        4)socks          6)hospital slippers


Why would you need the above? 

You are gonna be dressed in a hospital gown and it's gonna be pretty cold.You might want to walk around as you wait

for labor to progress OR just go to the washroom.

Try to get something different from white because it could get messy. Get something comfortable and soft.

2)Hospital  clothes

How many?what to get?
Two pairs would be more than enough cos let's face it, u r lot going on vacation. It's gonna be a short visit,but it's better to be prepared
You can choose from maxi dress or pajamas(better in black)
Or the better option would be if you have  started buying ur nursing outfits..mayb a long nursing top and nursing bra..or a front buttoned gown.

3)Mesh  Panties

You don't want to be using your regular or expensive
 panties from the time ur mucus plug tears till after
 postpartum bleeding..you might wanna stock up on
a few pairs of granny panties..the high waist cheap
 ones cos they are gonna stain a lot.
If you can get your hands on the mesh disposable underwear,I think that would be a better option.These may not be available in garment shops or pharmaceuticals. .well atleast not in dubai.
This is wer I bought them from

5)Nursing  Pads


The necessity of nursing pads depends on whether
 your milk starts coming in immediately or not. Some
 women don't start lactating till they reach home or
mayb 2 to 3 days after.
Once the milk comes in..you don't want to constantly
 stain your bras and keep changing them..instead you
 can buy disposable or washable nursing pads.
 here is a link for those in uae
These are comparitively easier to find. Most hypermarkets sell them too.

6)Toiletries


Try and get travel sized ones for the below. All of
 them are self explanatory.try and get the smallest
 sized ones cos you are onli staying for a day or
 two.
*toothpaste *toothbrushes*soap*small deodorant*shampoo *moisturizer *lip balm*hair tie



8)Makeup bag

You may not need your entire makeup bag,but you r
gonna have visitors after delivery.so just the bare essentials
..whatever you think is necessary to not look like a hot
 mess..





9)baby stuff

Most people I know consider it to be bad luck to buy baby
 stuff before the baby arrives,but I have a bit of an OCD and
 I like to be prepared. I bought a basic newborn pack containing
 the bare essentials,So I have gathered 2 pairs each of
 *overalls *socks*mittens*baby blanket *cap*1 receiving blanket
*nursing pillow*new born diapers*bibs*pacifier
However, in the hospital bag, i have packed only 2 pairs of clothing essentials

http://www.landmarkshops.com/Baby-%26-Child/Baby-%26-Child/Gifts/Gift-Sets/Clothing-Gift-Sets/Winnie-the-Pooh-Print-10-piece-
Gift-Set/p/154927041


10)Postpartum  Essentials

You may use all the erlier mentioned stuff after the hospital stay as well but here are some things I think you should buy

beforehand

   *dermoplast spray

   *tucks hemmaroid pads

   *sanitary pads
   *nipple cream

Dermoplast  spray:


 I had a tough time finding this
 product. I have
 heard that hospitals usually supply 2 or 3 cans of
dermoplast as you get discharged, but that’s not the case
in all countries, so I decided to get one for myself.
It is used as a postpartum local pain killer spray.
http://prubuy.ae/dermoplast-pain-relieving-spray-2-75fl/sku/SEM35hOuRNgL1ksmQk2iYYW8si 




Tucks  hemmaroid  pads: 


Not evryone has a
hemmaroid problem after delivery but some do. However
these pads are cooling and soothing and you can jus tuck
them into your sanitary pads. I would suggest the ones
 containing witch hazel









Sanitary pads:

 You will need to stock up on these,
 preferably the maxi ones. You will get through these
pretty fast as there will be heavy bleading postpartum.
 Usually the hospital sends you home with a bunch of
 super big pads, but just in case that’s not the case,
it is better to be prepared. Moreover they are gonna be usefull later as well








Nipple  cream :  


if you are planning on breastfeeding and even if you are not, your nipples are gonna be sore and these become a necessity.

I would also suggest buying a hydrogel breast pad
which you can heat or put in t fridge to cool and soothe
 your sore breasts



Some links I would suggest watching