Yogurt for Skin & Hair: 10 Proven Benefits | [Your Brand/Website Name]

Yogurt, or Dahi as it is more popularly known as, is touted as a cure for every possible stomach ailment. It is also an integral part of the cuisines in several parts of India, as well as the world. But have you ever wondered what more it can do for you?

Yogurt, also known as ‘Perugu‘ in Telugu, ‘Thayir‘ in Tamil, ‘Thairu‘ in Malayalam, ‘Doyi’ in Bengali, and ‘Dahi’ in Gujarati, has numerous benefits to offer, and not just for your health. To know more about how yogurt can better your skin and hair, read on.

Beauty Benefits Of Yogurt

Skin Benefits

1. Moisturizes Skin
2. Reduces Wrinkles And Fine Lines
3. Fights Acne
4. Fades Blemishes And Pigmentation
5. Reduces Dark Circles
6. Treats Skin Infections
7. Soothes Sunburns

Hair Benefits

8. Conditions Hair
9. Reduces Hair Fall
10. Treats Dandruff

Skin Benefits Of Yogurt

1. Moisturizes Skin

If your skin needs a boost of moisture, you can try using a yogurt face mask to rejuvenate your skin.

What You Need

• 4 tablespoons yogurt
• 1 tablespoon cocoa
• 1 teaspoon honey

What You Have To Do

1. Add all the ingredients to a bowl, and mix till the consistency is more or less even.
2. Apply the mask to your face and neck, and keep it on for 30 minutes.
3. Rinse with cold water and pat your skin dry.

Why This Works

When yogurt is applied topically, it increases the moisture content of the treated area (1). This makes skin more elastic, and improves brightness.

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2. Reduces Wrinkles And Fine Lines

As time goes on, your skin starts to show signs of aging. You can combat the wrinkles and fine lines by using a yogurt scrub on a weekly basis.

What You Need

• 2 tablespoon yogurt
• 1 tablespoon oats

What You Have To Do

1. Add the oats to the yogurt, and wait for it to get mushy. Stir to get an even consistency.
2. Apply it all over your face and neck, and massage using gentle, circular motions.
3. Keep the scrub on for 15 minutes, then rinse with cold water.

Why This Works

Yogurt has lactic acid, which works well as an exfoliator (2). It removes the topmost layer of dead cells, revealing brighter and younger skin.

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3. Fights Acne

Yogurt is considered to be an effective home remedy for fighting acne. Using plain yogurt on a regular basis can help you get rid of pimples.

What You Need

• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• cotton balls

What You Have To Do

1. Dip the cotton balls in the yogurt and apply it over the affected areas. Once you use a cotton ball on an acne, dispose it. Don’t use it for application over another area. This may cause your acne to spread.
2. Keep it overnight and wash your face with cold water in the morning.

Why This Works

The high amounts of zinc and lactic acid present in yogurt make it a potent cure for acne (3).

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4. Fades Blemishes And Pigmentation

Acne and pimples can leave behind scars that take a long time to fade. Using a combination of yogurt and lemon juice can help to get rid of them faster.

What You Need

• 1 tablespoon yogurt
• ½ teaspoon lemon juice

What You Have To Do

1. Combine the yogurt and the lemon juice in a bowl.
2. Apply the mixture to the affected areas. Avoid getting it in your eyes, for it might sting.
3. Keep it on for 15 minutes and rinse with cold water.

Why This Works

The reason yogurt helps fade blemishes and corrects uneven pigmentation is because of its lactic acid content (4). Lactic acid removes the topmost layer of skin, which promotes the growth of new skin cells. This effectively reduces the appearance of pigmentation.

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5. Reduces Dark Circles

A sleepless night and good old genetics are the reasons behind dark circles. Using yogurt can help reduce them.

What You Need

• 1 teaspoon yogurt
• cotton balls

What You Have To Do

1. Dip the cotton balls in the yogurt.
2. Gently dab it under your eyes.
3. Keep it on for 10 minutes and rinse.

Why This Works

Yogurt helps reduce dark circles because it has anti-inflammatory properties, which reduces puffiness. The lactic acid in it also reduces persistent dark circles (5).

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6. Treats Skin Infections

Skin infections such as ringworm or athletes’ foot plague a number of people. If you are looking for an all-natural remedy, then you can give yogurt a try.

What You Need

• 1 teaspoon yogurt
• gauze

What You Have To Do

1. Apply the yogurt over the infected area and warp it with the gauze.
2. Repeat this procedure twice a day till the infection goes away.

Why This Works

Yogurt has probiotics that help get rid of skin infections caused by pathogens such as yeast (6).

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7. Soothes Sunburns

Sunburns are caused by the UV rays of the sun. It damages the skin, resulting in redness and sometimes, blisters. Using yogurt topically can help heal the sunburned areas.

Why This Works

Applying yogurt to sunburned areas cools it down (7). This is because it is rich in zinc and has anti-inflammatory properties (8).

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Hair Benefits Of Yogurt

8. Conditions Hair

If you are tired of the chemicals found in store-bought conditioners, and are looking for a natural alternative, yogurt can help condition your hair and make it more manageable.

What You Need

• 4 tablespoons yogurt
• 2 tablespoon aloe vera gel
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil

What You Have To Do

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl.
2. Apply the hair pack to your strands, and let it stay for an hour.
3. Rinse thoroughly using a mild shampoo.

Why This Works

Because yogurt has moisturizing properties, it helps repair dry and damaged hair (9). It leaves your hair conditioned and makes it more manageable.

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9. Reduces Hair Fall

Hair fall happens for a number of reasons. One of which is the hair follicles not receiving proper nourishment. Using yogurt, which is full of nutrients that are good for your hair, can help stop hair fall.

What You Need

• ½ cup yogurt
• 3 tablespoons ground fenugreek seeds

What You Have To Do

1. Combine the yogurt and the fenugreek seeds together.
2. Using a brush, apply it to your strands.
3. Keep for an hour, then rinse with a mild shampoo.

Why This Works

Due to the presence of vitamin B5 and D, yogurt helps nourish the hair follicles (10). This helps prevent hair loss.

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10. Treats Dandruff

Dandruff is a common problem, but which can be avoided with the topical use of yogurt.

What You Need

• ½ cup yogurt

What You Have To Do

1. Massage the yogurt into your scalp.
2. Let it rest for 20 minutes, and rinse with a mild shampoo

Why This Works

One of the main causes of dandruff is fungus. A fungal infection can make the scalp produce flaky skin. Yogurt, which is a natural anti-fungal, helps removes all signs of dandruff (11).

Other Ways Yogurt Can Be Used In Your Beauty Regimen

1. Yogurt makes an excellent moisturizer for dry hands.
2. Using yogurt on your nails can make them look more polished.
3. Cracked heels can benefit from a yogurt massage.
4. Massaging your teeth with yogurt can help whiten them.
5. You can add yogurt to any hair/face pack to take advantage of its benefits.

Yogurt can basically make all of your skin and hair woes go away. Any more yogurt benefits that you know of? Write to us in the comments section below.

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