What your grandmother said has come true, with more people realizing the benefits of Spices in fighting acne, clearing clogged pores and enhancing the the complexion.

Benefits galore
Several spices can add value to the skin. Says Dr Rashmi Shetty, Mumbai based cosmetologist and anti-ageing expert, Some of our spices like cardamom, cinnamon, garlic etc are great immune boosters. They have some or the other property which increase metabolic rate and enhance the immune system. When we prepare Indian detox drinks and diets, spices are always used in them, so consuming them orally is also very good for the skin and body. And when it comes to using spices in beauty treatments I find two ingredients to be very useful, coriander and turmeric.

Cinnamon
People are not very aware of it, but cinnamon has some great benefits. It has very good anti-bacterial properties, it improves blood circulation. It can be used for pimples. Just make a paste of it and apply it on the affected areas on the skin. When applied overall on the face, it will help in skin rejuvenation as it improves blood circulation.

Turmeric
Turmeric has wonderful anti ageing, antibiotic and antiseptic properties. As a beauty product, it is often used in skin creams also. Every other product touts 'haldi' as an ingredient. It also has good skin lightening properties. It can be used as a facepack along with honey for wonderful results on skin, reveals Dr Shetty.

Dermatologist, Dr Madhuri Agarwal, shares a few more

Coriander seeds
These are very cooling and soothing. If you soak them overnight and use the water as eyes drops, it clears your eye, gives a wonderful cooling effect and makes the eyes look more bright, shiny and more white.

Black pepper
Black pepper is very good for exfoliation. If you make a powder of it and apply a paste on your acne marks and blemishes, it will help exfoliate the affected skin and give it a clearer appearance. It can also help in clearing pimples. A little curd can also be added to black pepper powder and applied for beauty benefits.

Ginger
Ginger can aid in skin rejuvenation and it improves the skin colour and texture. It can be applied as a paste on the skin and left for some time. It will improve skin tone. It is said to reduce blemishes.

Red masoor dal
Though it is not among the spices, this still a great beauty product. It can be used in face packs and has anti-tanning properties. Use it as a body scrub, especially for dry skin. To gain its benefits, make a dry paste of it and add chandan (sandalwood) and haldi (turmeric) and apply this on the skin. Grind masoor dal and store it in an airtight jar for further use in your face packs and pastes.

Be careful
Things to be kept in mind when using these spices
1. Apply the paste or other mixture correctly. It should not go into the eye. To be safer, avoid the eye and eyebrow area completely.
2. Also, ensure it does not touch the hair as certain spices can bleach the hair.
3. Do a patch test by applying the mixture on the inside of the elbow first, to avoid any redness.


Source: Times of India

BDST: 1659 HRS, AUG 10, 2015
Edited by:  Sharmina Islam, Lifestyle Editor