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Achieving a radiant and flawless appearance is often perceived as daunting, mainly when internal health issues manifest visibly on the skin. Despite investing in various supplements and high-end beauty products, the desired results may remain elusive, leading to frustration. However, natural ingredients offer a versatile solution to enhance skin health in a relatively short span, and gram flour, or besan, stands out among them. Regarded as a fundamental addition to any skincare routine, besan presents numerous beauty benefits to promote a glowing complexion. This article guides you through diverse ways to leverage besan for radiant skin, giving simple yet effective DIY recipes for face packs, scrubs, masks, and other skin treatments. These besan-based formulations are poised to revolutionize your skincare routine.
What Is Gram Flour Or ‘Besan’?
Gram flour, commonly known as beans, is derived from the ground powder of raw or roasted chickpeas, encompassing the nutritional goodness of chickpeas, such as unsaturated fatty acids (oleic acid, and linoleic acid) and essential vitamins (beta-carotene, riboflavin, niacin, folate, etc.). Beyond its culinary significance, besan boasts health benefits, including diabetes management, bone strengthening, and combating fatigue. Recognized as a staple in Indian cuisines due to India being the largest producer of chickpeas, besan transcends its dietary role and emerges as a noteworthy natural beauty essential. Widely utilized in homemade skincare and haircare treatments, besan finds applications in diverse Asian countries. While the raw version may have a slight bitterness, the roasted iteration offers exceptional flavor, enhancing its appeal in both culinary and beauty realms.
Besan contains higher amounts of carbohydrates, proteins, and dietary fibers than all other flours. It is also a gluten-free diet (1).
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Skin Benefits Of Besan
Besan, a time-honored beauty remedy in India, holds a cherished place in the skincare routines of Indian women from their teenage years or even childhood. Renowned for its skin-cleansing prowess, besan is a natural face cleanser, effectively warding off breakouts, marks, and blemishes. Beyond its cleansing attributes, it excels as a natural exfoliator, gently eliminating dead cells from the skin’s surface, revealing a fresh layer of cells underneath. Harnessing the power of besan, combined with common kitchen ingredients, proves instrumental in addressing various skin concerns, delivering softness, smoothness, and radiance. This natural alternative becomes particularly appealing for those cautious about the potential harm caused by chemical-laden soaps and skincare products. Moreover, besan stands out for its ability to combat suntan and naturally remove fine body hair, further solidifying its status as a versatile skincare ally.
10 DIY Ways To Use Besan For Glowing Skin
When using besan for glowing skin, you must find suitable complementary ingredients (s) to meet your purpose. Here are the most practical DIY besan treatments that can give you super awesome skin:
1. Besan Face Wash
For the most basic face wash, use besan as it is or add a pinch of Haldi (turmeric) to it. Take ½ a cup of besan, 1/4 cup of moong dal powder, and ½ tsp of turmeric powder in a bowl. Use it for massaging your damp face once daily to eliminate the accumulated oil and grime in the pores. Keep it on for a minute and wash it with water. You can feel tightness in your skin immediately after the wash.
2. Besan Body Wash
Mix one cup of besan with some milk to make a smooth paste of thin consistency. Now, add a generous pinch of turmeric powder and the juice of half a lemon. Apply this paste all over your damp body and use the other half of the lemon for scrubbing. This will help you eliminate all the dead cells and nourish your body simultaneously. Do this once every week for really glowing and supple skin.
3. Besan Scrub
Mix two teaspoons of besan and two teaspoons of oatmeal powder. Add two teaspoons of raw honey and the juice of half a lemon to this. Blend everything well and scrub your damp face gently with the mixture. This eliminates all the oiliness of the skin and cleanses pores perfectly.
4. Besan Pore Tightener
Besan can tighten the pores on our skin, but mix it with a bit of cucumber juice or rosewater for effective results. Apply it directly to the cleansed skin and leave it until it dries. Wash off with plain water. Do this every week for a visible reduction in your pore sizes.
5. Besan Blackhead And Whitehead Remover
Mix two teaspoons of besan with half a teaspoon of fenugreek powder. Make a smooth paste by using water. Apply this over blackhead or whitehead-affected areas and scrub well. Wash off with cold water. This will help eliminate the existing blackheads or whiteheads and prevent them from occurring frequently.
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6. Besan Tan Remover
If you have suntanned skin, mix two teaspoons of besan with a pinch of turmeric powder, a few drops of fresh lemon juice, and a little curd to make a thick paste. Use raw milk if you have dry skin. Apply this pack to the tanned areas and leave it to dry. Wash with lukewarm water once it dries. Repeat every week for the best results.
7. Besan Oil Absorber
Besan is excellent at absorbing excess oil that is produced in the skin. Mix besan with some rosewater and apply it as a pack on the face. Throw in some Multani mitti if you want a cooling and soothing sensation. Leave it on until it dries up to some extent. Wash it off. Regular use will constrict pores and regulate oil production, giving you oil and shine-free skin.
8. Besan Acne Cure
Take a teaspoonful of besan. Add half a teaspoon of sandalwood powder and a pinch of turmeric powder. Make a thick paste by adding some fresh raw milk. Apply this to the acne and pimples on your skin. Leave until it dries up completely. This mixture will soothe the irritated parts of your skin and dry acne and pimples. Wash off gently with water and pat dry. Repeated use is needed for the best outcomes.
9. Besan Skin Lightener
Besan has been used for ages in households to get fairer skin. Make a paste of besan with lemon juice (for all skin types), besan with milk cream (for dry skin), or besan with curd (for oily skin) and apply all over your face and neck. Wash off after it dries. Repeated use will lighten the skin tone considerably over time.
10. Besan Hair Growth Reducer
Mix two teaspoons of besan with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder and half a teaspoon of fenugreek powder. Make a paste using plain water. Apply it to your face to get rid of unwanted facial hair. You can also use it on your hands and legs. Repeated use will retard hair growth to a large extent.
Adverse Effects Of Besan
Although besan is a safe, natural ingredient for your skin, you should consider a few precautions before including it in your beauty routine. Chickpeas may contain allergens, and their besan can also lead to hypersensitivity reactions like rashes, swelling, headache, runny nose, nausea, diarrhea, rhinitis, anaphylaxis, etc. So, ensure you are not allergic to besan by doing a patch test before incorporating it in your glow-boosting face packs.
Summary
Gram flour, or besan, derived from ground chickpeas, encapsulates the nutritional goodness of unsaturated fatty acids and essential vitamins. Beyond its culinary role, besan offers health benefits, such as diabetes management and bone strengthening, making it a staple in Indian cuisines. Recognized as a natural beauty essential, besan finds use in homemade skincare and haircare treatments across India and Asia. Its cleansing and exfoliating properties effectively combat breakouts, marks, and blemishes, providing skin softness, smoothness, and radiance. The article outlines ten DIY ways to use besan for glowing skin, offering versatile solutions for various skincare needs, with a cautionary note about potential allergic reactions and the importance of a patch test before use.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What Is Ubtan?
Ubtan is a traditional Indian beauty paste made of besan, turmeric, sandalwood, rosewater, and milk. It is used for getting flawless and naturally glowing skin. Ubtan is considered imperative in the beauty regime of an Indian bride-to-be. It is even used on babies to enhance the health of their skin since childhood.
Does Besan Make The Skin Fair?
Besan can lighten the skin tone by exfoliating it gently and making it blemish-free. In addition, it brings out the natural glow of the skin by removing the layer of dead cells, which results in a lighter and brighter appearance.
Can I Use Besan Daily On Skin?
Yes, besan can be used on the skin every day. It suits all skin types and does not cause any problems. However, you must choose other components of your daily face pack wisely, as certain ingredients can dry out the skin and cause damage to it upon regular use.
Is Besan Gluten-Free?
As mentioned earlier, besan contains no gluten at all. Hence, besan can be a good replacement choice if you are intolerant to gluten and deprived of all those delicious wheat recipes.
Is Besan Good For Hair?
Just like its skin benefits, besan also offers plenty of hair benefits. It cleanses hair perfectly, nourishes dry and damaged hair, fights against dry scalp and dandruff, promotes hair growth, and adds a beautiful luster. All you need to do is include it in your regular hair care routine.
References:
- “Gram Flour,” Wikipedia.org
