Cleansing & Exfoliating Face Masks/Skin-packs (Not a Food Item)
Indian Ubtans (Non-Food Item)
Mamta Gupta
This is a collection of ex-foliating pastes that have been used by millions of Indian women up and down the country for generation and many members of my extended family. There are many variations from family to family. These 'ubtans' refresh the skin (ex-foliating) by removing dirt and dead skin and they stimulate blood circulation through your skin, making it glow. Do not store once the paste is made, make it fresh.
Ingredients
See below
Instructions
Barley flour (jow ka atta) and rice flour face and hand pack/exfoliator by Kaushal Gupta (Mamta's aunt): Grind 2 tablespoons each of Barley (jau) and rice together coarsely. Mix with about 1/2 tsp. of turmeric powder and make a paste with milk. Rub into face and hands, until it rolls off the skin, peeling away dirt and dead skin cells off with it.
Besan and Malai (Skin formed on boiled milk) face pack/exfoliator by Geeta and Ritika Gupta from Roorkee in India: 2 teaspoons of besan or chickpea flour, 1 1/2 full teaspoon of cream or 'malai' or thick yoghurt, 5-6 teaspoons of milk or water, 10 drops of fresh lemon juice. Other things that can be added are; 1 teaspoon ground almonds, a little fresh sandalwood, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder or freshly ground root. Place on face and neck, rub gently until it rolls off, taking away dead skin and dirt.
Cucumber face and neck Mask by Meena Bhardwaj: Puree together 1 medium sized cucumber (half of long, Western cucumbers), 2 drops each of camomile oil, tea tree oil together. Spread on face and neck and any other part of your skin you want to soften. Leave for half an hour, wash and moisturise. This is a cooling and relaxing face mask, suitable for summer months. It leaves your skin glowing.
Glycerine and white wax for cracked heals by Yashoda Gupta (Mamta's mum): Cracked heels are a common problem in India. To treat, melt together 50/50 by volume glycerine and white wax, allow it to set. It will become soft, cream like, when set. Cover cleaned heels liberally every night and put cotton socks on. Wash off with warm water in the morning.
Lemon and glycerine mix for dry, cracked skin in winters. Yashoda Gupta (Mamta's mum): For cracked skin on Face, hands and feet during dry winter months in India, apply 50/50 mix of glycerine and fresh lemon juice to cracked areas of the skin every night.
Orange Peel face pack/exfoliator by Anupam Saurabh from India: Dry orange peel, ground to a powder and stored in a jar. Make a paste with milk top or cream (malai) and a little turmeric. Rub into face until it rolls off in bits, removing the dirt and dead skin with it.
Orange peel and sesame seed face and body rub/exfoliator by Yashoda Gupta (Mamta's mum): Remove white membrane and threads from undersides of one orange peel. Grind to a paste with 1 full tablespoon of white sesame seeds and a little milk, cream or malai. You can add a little turmeric. Rub into the skin until it comes off, taking away dirt and dead skin with it. Shower. Keep surplus in fridge.
Whole wheat flour and cream (malai) exfoliator: Make a paste of 2-3 tablespoon of wheat flour with cream/malai and a little turmeric. Rub into face and skin, especially elbows and knees. Shower.
Yoghurt skin cleanser: We used this as kids and young girls; simply rub mature yoghurt and turmeric mix on your face and skin and shower.
