Besan or gram flour has been traditionally used extensively for its beauty and health benefits. It is mainly used to cleanse and exfoliate the skin. It can also be used as a hair pack. But before that, are you wondering what gram flour is?
Gram flour or ‘Besan‘, as we call it in Hindi, is nothing but a pulse flour that we obtain when we grind chick peas or channa dal. Gram flour is also called as ‘Senaga Pindi’ / ‘Chenaga Pindi‘ in Telugu, ‘Kadalamaavu’ in Tamil, ‘Kadalehittoo‘ in Kannada, ‘Kadala Podi / Kadala Mavu‘ in Malayalam, ‘Channa No Lot‘ in Gujarati and ‘Baeshun‘ in Bengali.
Here are some skin and hair benefits of besan gram flour.
Using besan or gram flour for the face and the skin is an age-old trick that we still use. Here are the different ways it can benefit us.
Mix 4 teaspoons of besan, 1 teaspoon of lemon, 1 teaspoon of yogurt and a pinch of turmeric to form a smooth paste. Apply it all over your face and neck. Wash it off with cool water after it dries. It makes your skin smooth and radiant. Repeat this procedure daily for best results.
Besan, used along with lemon, is a very popular home remedy for skin lightening. Mix 4 teaspoons of besan, 1 teaspoon of raw milk and 1 teaspoon of lemon to form a smooth paste. Apply it all over your face and gently scrub in circular motions. Wash it off with cool water after it dries.
If you have oily and greasy skin, try this face pack for immediate results. Mix gram flour along with yogurt or raw milk and apply it on your face. Wash it off after 20 minutes. This pack also removes the dirt and makeup residues from your face.
To fight pimples naturally, try the anti-pimples besan face mask. Mix 2 teaspoons of gram flour, 2 teaspoons of sandalwood powder, 1 teaspoon of milk and a pinch of turmeric powder to make a paste. Apply it all over the face. Wash off with cool water after it dries.
A majority of the Indian women have dark neck and arms. This is due to excessive tanning because of prolonged exposure to sunlight. Mix besan, yoghurt, lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric powder to form a paste. Apply it on your face and leave it for 20 minutes. Rinse off with cool water and repeat this procedure thrice a week for best results. Massage your arms and neck with sesame oil after using this pack.
Mix 4 teaspoons of gram flour, 1 teaspoon of ground orange peel and ½ teaspoon of malai. Apply this paste all over the face and neck. Massage your face gently in a circular motion. Keep it on for 15 minutes and wash off with cool water. This pack gives you an instant glow. It makes the skin smooth and soft.
Gram flour is beneficial for the skin as well. Indulge in a homemade body scrub that is free from all the harsh chemicals found in soaps/body wash. Mix 3 teaspoons of besan, 1 teaspoon of grounded oats and 2 teaspoons of corn flour along with a little raw milk. Apply the mixture on your body and gently scrub. This is an excellent body scrub which removes dead cells, excess sebum and dirt quite effectively. It gives you a clean and smooth skin.
Besan has been used to remove unwanted facial hair since a long time. Mix fenugreek powder with besan and prepare a paste. Apply it over your facial hair. Wash off when it dries. You can also prepare a face pack by mixing besan, lemon juice, malai and sandalwood powder. Apply it on the areas with unwanted hair and wash off when it dries.
Do you know that besan can be used to maintain healthy and shiny hair? Prepare a hair pack by mixing 1 egg white, 2 teaspoon of besan, 1 teaspoon curd and ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix it well and apply the pack all over the hair, concentrating on the tips. Allow it to dry and wash off with cool water.
Use this simple home remedy for long and strong hair. Make a nourishing hair pack by mixing gram flour, almond powder, curd and a teaspoon of olive oil. If you have dry and damaged hair, add 1-2 capsules of vitamin E oil. Apply it and rinse with cold water after it dries. Repeat it twice a week.
This ingredient is also known to eliminate bad odour as it detoxifies the skin. You can try a few of these homemade remedies for your skin.
Ingredients: 50gms chana dal, 10gms fenugreek seeds, 2-3 pieces of turmeric.
Method: Grind all the ingredients into a powder and store it in a container.
Application: Use this powder in a little quantity with some milk cream and wash the face regularly with it instead of soap.
So, have you understood how effective is gram flour for skin and hair? Do you like to include it in your daily regime? Share your thoughts in comments.