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Cosmetic uses of herbs Use of herbs in cosmetic applications has increasingly exponentially during recent years. The market is full of herbal products for skincare, hair oils, face masks, skin cleansing, acne care and other medicine. However, there are many applications that are easy to prepare at home and used. Following are some of the herbs that can be prepared and used at home. Aloe Vera has a world known reputation of hair care among other uses. Some ladies use it in a very simple way, by applying its freshly separated and finely grated gel too directly to hair. It can be covered by damp cloth or with a plastic head cover for about an hour, before washing it out with a nice herbal shampoo. This has immediate pleasant effect on hair. It leaves the hair soft, shiny and prevents hair fall. Henna is used these days in many commercial hair products including oils and hair shampoo. In addition to its pleasant hair coloring use, it also has a cooling effect on the scalp and nerves. Various combinations of Henna with other herbs are used to prepare hair tonic oils, shampoos and conditioners. Embellica Officinalis also known as Amla is a well known fruit of a tree rich in Vitamin C and other nutrients, widely used in hair oils. It has been proven extremely effective in addressing many hair problems. Amla hair oil is especially used by lactating mothers whose hair starts falling heavily during this time.
Saffron has a long list of medicinal and health uses. As an herbal cosmetic, it is used in various face and skin creams. For use as soothing and moisturizing skin effects, it is sometimes used in combination with Almond and Wheat germ oil. Petroleum jelly can also be added to saffron mixtures to Almond is a great herb for skin care. It can even be used as is. Just remove the external hard cover, peal it and finely grind. Add a little milk to form a paste and use it as face mask once or twice per week or according to requirement. This paste is especially useful for dry skin type. It provides natural oils and gives a fresh young look to the skin. Almonds are used in large scale quantities in commercial skin care products like creams and oils. Basil has a pleasant aroma, mostly used in sensual massage creams and oils. It has soothing effects on the nervous system. Decoction of Basil is also used in cold remedies, which has immediate effect on clearing the sinuses area. These are just few of hundreds of herbal plants which can be used individually or in mixed forms as hair and skin conditioners, face masks or herbal baths. The applications and usage techniques are enormous. Since this site is constantly updated, more and more information on herbal cosmetics and other topics are being added every now and then.
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