Beauty Secrets From The Middle East & Bollywood!!!
- Makeup Artist Gi
- May 3, 2016
- 4 min read
What does it take to look gorgeous like the leading ladies in the Middle East & Bollywood? Apart from makeup, these glamorous women follow a strict beauty routine to keep their skin and hair in good health.
It's already been established that Asia is light years ahead of the Western world when it comes to skincare, but what about an area of the world where beauty secrets are passed down through generations, lovingly shared by granmothers, mothers to their daughters? South Asian countries like India & areas of the Middle East?. Beauty rituals are more about understanding the importance of ancient, natural-based rituals that have withstood the test of time.
So here is a little bit about my family history, I am very much in appearance caucasian & I do not claim to be anything other, but scroll back a couple of generations (okay maybe a little bit more then that!! ha.) on my mothers side and you will find our family roots in India. As most families from the eastern world our skincare, hair care & home cooking has been passed down through the years!
Ever since I was very little, I remember my great-grandmother & grandmother encouraging me to use natural things at home, & here is a little of what I have learnt & found out from family & my eastern friends!
Rose water
I & almost every woman in the eastern world swear by Rose water, with its moisturising, hydrating, and toning effects. While maintaining your skins pH balance, it also helps fight acne and eczema. Is a great natural toner & helps heal scars, cuts and wounds, with its anti-bacterial properties. Also, it smells amazing. It was something that the princesses and queens used way, way back.
Turmeric
Turmeric can be used for almost anything, but heres the skincare benefits! Turmeric is used in a traditional homemade mask called Uptan or Ubtan, you can use this mask at any time of the year, but it’s deeply rooted in Indian and Pakistani wedding tradition, as part of the beauty rituals for brides-to-be. Turmeric is one of India’s most widely used spices. Here are some properties of turmeric that you can use to cure seven common problems and get flawless skin.
Turmeric is an excellent exfoliating agent and can help you defeat the signs of ageing. Not only does turmeric take care of the scars/stretch marks and inflammation but also helps to reduce oil secretion by sebaceous glands.
In case you accidently burn your skin you can turn to turmeric for quick relief owing to its antiseptic properties.
So the bride-to-be recipe is: 2 tbsp of gram flour (besan) A pinch of turmeric (haldi) A pinch of ground sandalwood 2 tbsp of rose water 2 tbsp of milk
Directions:
1. Mix all of the ingredients together to create a paste that’s a bit yellowish in color.
2. Apply it to your face and keep it on until it dries (15-20 minutes).
3. Rinse off with warm water.
Coconut Oil
When it comes to oils, I am a fan but I haven't always been.. I hated oils as a teenager, but now, as an adult, I appreciate them. The oil I still swear by for healthy hair? Coconut. Every week, mum would apply coconut oil to my hair and scalp and comb it through. The result? Long, thick, shiny, locks. (I cut my hair for charity so no more long locks, but my hair is still supper thick & shiny!)
Mustard Seed Oil
Mustard seed oil is a bit controversial because although it’s long been used in Indian and South Asian cuisine, it was banned by the FDA in 2012 to be sold as a cooking oil because of the high levels of erucic acid. But applying it to your hair, however, is a different story. Mustard seed oil is used for hair growth, conditioning, and shine. It’s filled with selenium, an antioxidant that protects your cells, omega-3 fatty acids, which nourish your strands from the inside out; and protein, which is essential for hair growth (lack of protein can cause your hair to fall out and shed). It smells a bit though, so beware.
Lemons
Have you ever rubbed lemon juice over your face or skin, straight from the lemon itself? I have, and I feel in love with the results, having problem skin is hard for any young girl or guy, but suffering from serve acne, ect, is a whole another story! & I know although your may take care of your skin, & diet, sometimes their is just nothing you can do. But instantly after using the technique I has smoother and brighter ski, okay so it didn't clear my acne but it did help & also improved the appearance of my skin overall, and thousands of women from South Asia or the Middle East had the right idea, the acids in lemons make it the perfect natural skin brightener, blackhead buster, and exfoliator.
ACNE TIP: If you do suffer with acne try rubbing lemon juice straight from a lemon on your skin be careful no to get too close to your eyes, let the lemon sit on your skin for a little & rub raw garlic clovers to your problem areas.
My skin improved remarkably, even after one use.
My skin felt uncomfortable but, not painful nor did it have a burning effect, If at any point your skin feels that way wash off with cold water.
Henna
We know that henna is still used to this day all over South Asia, the Middle East, and Africa to adorn the hands and feet of brides and wedding guests, but it is used it all the time for hair enhancement, too. I myself have used henna to colour my hair naturally, leaving my dark hair with natural auburn highlights, but I recommend using an oil hair mask after washing it out, since henna can be drying. But unlike chemical dyes, henna doesn’t do permanent damage to your locks, instead, it strengthens & boosts shine.
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