From Farm-to-Face: Use natural products this winter season

Freshness has its own glamour! With winter making you love your blanket more than anything in the morning and adding up to the reluctance to touch water because of that shiver running down your spine, dryness is here to greet your skin. And intimacy with chemical formula of the cosmetics will deliver more harm to your skin than bringing attraction.

Tips to healthy skin with green gifts of nature:

Avocado or Persea Americana contains Oleic acid, linoleic acid and tocopherols, which help against skin ageing by inhibiting matrix metalloproteinase gelatinase and stomalysine. Avocado is also available as edible oil in markets for ease of use.

Pomegranate is another wonderful fruit often used in cosmetics for its chemical constituents like Tannins, polyphenols, ascorbic acid, niacin and piperidines. Pomegranate is largely used in Asian and folk medicine to treat skin inflammation and to strengthen vessel oil. And also pomegranate, being a potent antioxidant has antimicrobial and astringent properties. This little red riding fruit induces photoprotection, which is administered systematically or tropically in clinical.

Tea, be it green, black or Oolong and white are known to contain Epigallocatechin gallate, methyixanthines, flavonoids and saponins. Green tea is anti carcinogenic in mice and modulates wound healing.

Whether applied topically or consumed as a beverage or dietary supplement, green tea is a premiere skin protect-ant. It protects against direct damage to the cell and moderates inflammation, according to research from the Department of Dermatology, Columbia University, New York.

Studies suggest that the catechist in green tea are some 20 times stronger in their antioxidant powers than even vitamin E. Men, women and children need to position this super shield on their side against the ravaging effects of the sun.

Aloe containing aloesin is a native of southern Africa. The Aloevera plant has fleshy spiny-toothed leaves and red or yellow flowers. It is an ingredient in many cosmetics because it heals moisturizes, and softens skin. Simply cut one of the aloevera leaves to easily extract the soothing gel. Since history, aloevera is popular in India for its skin benefits.

Calendula is used typically to treat acne, reducing inflammation, control bleeding and soothing irritated tissue. Calendula users also experienced less radiation-induced pain and fewer breaks in treatment.

Turmeric, scientifically named Curcuma longa is a rich source of herbacessential oils. Turmeric is used in many celebrations of Hindus. Especially in Hindu wedding brides would rub with turmeric on their bodies for glowing look. New born babies also rubbed with turmeric on their forehead for good luck. Traditionally women rub turmeric on their cheeks to produce a natural golden glow.

Others include tea tree, soy, comfrey root, lavender and coffee are best ‘go green’ mantras that can be used at home itself. The best thing of the herbal cosmetics is that it is purely made by the herbs and shrubs. The natural content in the herbs does not have any side effects on the humanbody; instead enrich the body with nutrients and other useful minerals.