Amla Benefits for your Skin

Our skin protects our body from external pathogens and harmful substance and is constantly under stress. What are most basic and common skin problems which affect you? It is mainly clogging of skin pores, pigmentation, dark patches, acne, pimples, rashes, black heads, aging of skin and wrinkles, dry skin and irritation. In today’s world our skin is subject to pollution, dust and other various chemicals. Use of artificial skin care products could be counter helpful to your skin. Use of natural substances is a wiser choice.

When it comes to protecting to your skin, one cannot ignore about Amla. And Indian Gooseberry is one such natural fruit which works great for your skin. Latest research reveals that amla extract helps control skin collagen formation and thus works effectively in mitigative, therapeutic and cosmetic applications. Indian Gooseberry is rich source of Vitamin C and other phytonutrients which are useful for the skin. Research has found that Amla extract contains potent anti oxidants and provides protection against dermal fibroblasts. It aids in production of collagen which are building blocks of skin and prevents aging of skin. Amla fruit also helps in quick healing of wounds and repair of skin at wound site.

Amla has been traditionally used in ayurvedic formulations for health and good looking skin. Amla is believed to reduce pigmentation, offer astringent property for cleaning skin pores, reducing acne and pimples, prevent aging of skin and subsequent wrinkles. It has also been used as wound healing substance and treating scabies and skin irritation. It detoxifies body from within and thus prevents skin from facing brunt of harmful toxins. It acts as anti bacterial and anti fungal agent for protection of skin.

[Read more about: Health benefits of Indian Gooseberry]

Amla berry acts as wonderful antioxidant and prevents damage of skin by free radicals and harmful effects of ultraviolet radiation. A study published in Journal of Cosmetic Science shows that Amla extract protects skin cells against UV and is 4 times as protective as Vitamin C. Amla has benefits against aging of skin due to sun light.

Thus benefits of Amla for skin are two folds; it takes care of skin from within and also externally. We shall hereafter look at topical applications of amla on skin and their benefits.

Get Glowing Skin with an Amla Facial Scrub

Amla facial scrub is found effective in treating acne, controlling oil secretion from skin and cleansing skin pores. This can be attributed to the cleansing, antibacterial and astringent properties of amla. Most facial scrubs are made from whole fruit powdered along with its seed.

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How to Make an Amla Facial Scrub at home?

Grind sun dried amla to seek coarse or semi-fine powder of amla. Mix this powder with warm water or yogurt. Blend this to make a fine paste. This paste is basic ingredient for your homemade facial scrub. Now depending to your skin type you may add other substance.

If you have oily skin, you should add some raw organic honey. Honey is wonderful moisturizing agent. You can add some fresh lemon juice or Aloe Vera gel or avocado pulp. For dry skin, you may add milk cream along with honey to amla paste. Milk cream helps you moisturize your skin and provide fats required by skin.

Applying Amla facial scrub

Apply the scrub to your face and neck and gently rub in outward and upward movements. Allow the scrub to remain on face for some time, before you wash it with cold water. Remove excess water from your face using towel. You would find your skin cleaned off and fresh. You can apply bit of moisturizer if you feel your skin too dry.

Using this amla facial scrub regularly helps you tighten up your pores, reduce acne and pimples and get a glowing young skin. Amla facial scrub is very effective controlling oily skin. It also helps your seek fair complexion and remove dark patches.

[Read about 26 Natural ways for winter skin care]

Other Amla skin treatment

Amla facial: Mix amla powder with honey and yogurt and apply to your face. Let it remain for10-15 minutes before you wash off with cold water.

Skin brightening mask: Add papaya pulp to amla powder and some honey. Blend well to get a consistent mixture. Apply this to your skin and leave for 15 minutes before you wash with water. Another brightening mask can be prepared by combining amla paste with tamarind paste, which offers help in sun damaged, dark and discoloured skin.

Amla and tea pack: Mix Amla paste with tea water and some honey. Tea also helps in removing signs of aging including wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots.

Fresh amla pack: Boil amla in water. Remove seeds and crush to get some fresh pulp. Apply this pulp to your skin. Keep it for 10 minutes. Wash your face and apply some honey. Let it remain for 5 minutes before you wash your face.

Amla and Turmeric: Mix some turmeric powder with Amla and it shall make a wonderful anti bacterial skin pack. Use if you are having recurring pimples and acne.

Triphala face pack: Simply take triphala churna, mix with warm water and apply the paste to skin.

Body skin is just not face. You can also apply the same pack to your hands, feet and neck along with face for healthy skin throughout. Amla is great cooling agent, use Amla face pack to cool off your summers.

Amla in diet for long term skin care

You should nourish your skin from within as well. Add amla in your diet in some form. Drinking Amla juice daily in morning not only helps you provide array of health benefits but also a great skin you always craved for. Taking Triphala Churna and chyavanprash before going to bed shall help as well and negate need for any Amla capsules for health care.

[Read more about health benefits of Triphala Churna]

Precautions especially if you have dry and sensitive skin

Amla has powerful astringent properties and can be too tightening for people with dry skin. Make sure you choose amla scrub which has other ingredients to counter act amla with moisturizing property for dry skin. Allergies due to Amla haven’t been recorded or heard of. Still one may test amla products on small patch of your skin to see if you are sensitive to amla.

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