Groundnut oil for skin {Ingredient}

I have a bad habit of removing labels *feeling sheepish*

I had bought it for culinary purposes but unfortunately, it expired without getting completely used up and I don't think I'll ever buy it for culinary purposes ever again coz it gives too much of a nutty taste and smells very strongly of peanuts and I don't fancy the so-called aroma. Anyways, so I thought I would use it up for skin before the oil turns rancid. Well, here you might argue that it has expired but vegetable oils (not hydrogenated) don't really go bad so easily so if its only external usage, I don't really mind. Of course, I'll never eat it. So, how did it fare for my skin.

Groundnut Oil

Ok, first let me describe the texture and benefits. It is thick like other culinary oils and mine is organic (USDA certified) which I had bought from the 24 letter mantra I had talked about long time back. The groundnut oil is generally preferred for cooking because it has high smoke point and is a very stable oil and also has a long shelf life which is why I don't pay heed to the expiry dates of oils unless they are hydrogenated oils. Groundnut oil is highly rich in proteins and is also very nutritious. And, its essentially very high in fatty acids which are responsible for keeping the skin young.

Its major component fatty acids are oleic acid (46.8% as olein), linoleic acid (33.4% as linolein), and palmitic acid (10.0% as palmitin). The oil also contains some stearic acid, arachidic acid, arachidonic acid, behenic acid, lignoceric acid and other fatty acids.  [Wikipedia]

You can read about its nutrient profile here.

How do I use Groundnut oil?

I use the oil mainly for cleansing purposes after I finished up with Nivea Cleansing Milk. I massage for few minutes with the oil and I do take a generous amount for face and neck and exposed chest (if I have applied sunscreen there). And, massage for sometime. Then, I leave the oil for few minutes (around 3-5) and then, wipe it off with the cleansing wipes or baby wipes or even cotton (wipes are easier but lot costlier and have all lot of chemicals in them but then cotton has pesticides too and organic cotton is way too costly which is why I prefer wash cloths but oil on wash cloths would ruin them). Then, I simply wash off my face and moisturize.

Since I have been using the oil, I have noticed that my blackheads are far fewer in number (which had becomes really pronounced in between). That's why I say "go for oil cleansing".  Ok, not easy while traveling but when you are at home. And, if I am not wrong, I have noticed my face skin has become healthier in the sense of supple and healthy skin since the past one month and, for the record, my habits are as irregular as they can be. I think groundnut oil behaves just like castor oil and has cleansing properties because you can see the dirt and all your sunscreen and foundation coming out of the pores while cleansing the face. And, no breakouts too which I had with almond oil.

Homemade Cleanser for Eyes {DIY}

Ok, so it is a very common complaint with cleansers that they do not remove the eye makeup very effectively. Yeah, it really happens. So, I'll share what I do for that. Not that I apply eye makeup but removing sunscreen around the eyes or kajal also requires the same effort.

I use a mixture of almond oil and castor oil. Remember the Oil Cleansing Method in which castor oil is the main ingredient. Castor Oil has cleansing properties apart from its many beneficial effects so it is one of the major oils used for removing residue from the skin. But, using castor oil alone is not recommended for the skin as it is quiet thick and concentrated. So, it is better to mix it with a carrier oil. The reason we choose almond is that it is also effective for removing makeup and aids the growth of eyelashes. So, mix almond oil and castor oil in 3:1 ratio and store it in a glass bottle. 

To remove makeup, take a generous amount of the oil and massage the entire area around the eyes. Make sure you have enough oil that your skin glides along the skin coz you don't want to pull and tug at the skin around the eyes which is very thin and can lead to wrinkles and fine lines if disturbed too much. Massage for 5 minutes and remove the oil with cotton very gently without pulling on the skin. You can use face wipes too. And, then, wash off with a cleanser.

Caution: Do not use Coconut Oil as it makes the eyes sting badly. Almond oil or castor oil do not have any such reactions to the eyes.

Double Cleansing to get rid of Makeup {Skin Care}

As you all would already be aware, makeup is terribly drying for skin. But, not to worry since there are lot of cleansers and other products available to wash off the makeup from your face. But, with make up, it is always better to cleanse your face twice. This is called Double Cleansing. First round of cleansing would be to get rid of the makeup and all the dirt in your face and second round would be to clean your face properly to free it of all traces of the product.

Why should everyone do double cleansing?

Double cleansing can be done even if you do not wear make up. It is especially useful for people who spend a lot of time in sun or dusty areas. Everyone uses sunscreen now a days. Sunscreen has the same chemical structure as does the other makeup products because of which a simple cleanser will not be able to get rid of the sunscreen completely from your skin. This applies even if you prefer either chemical or physical sunscreens. Thus, a need for double cleansing.

Ways to remove make up from face:

• Double Cleansing (which I am going to explain shortly)
• Oil Cleansing Method (OCM) 

How to Double Cleanse your face?

• Use a makeup removing cleanser to wash your face first. You can instead use any makeup removing gels or cleansing milk or cleansing oil which ever suits you best. Generally, oil + water is the best way to go for double cleansing. You can also start with removing makeup with wiping tissues first.
• Cleansing should be done in circular motions with upward strokes just like a facial massage. Do not forget the delicate eye area, the area around the lips and the ears, your neck and the upper part of your chest. Cleansing should be done wherever you have applied sunscreen or any body part that has remain exposed even if it is feet. And, an area which tends to go ignored most is along the hairline.
• Wash off the cleanser thoroughly with cold water splashes. Let your skin relax a bit and let it dry. Now, check for the dirt and grime in your skin. If your skin is completely clean, you can proceed with a minimal amount of cleanser for the next wash. If not, a little more with a little of massage would be necessary. So, it is always advised to devote time and clean your face first time diligently removing all the makeup from everywhere otherwise you might need to wash your face 3-4 times which is never advisable. 
• Follow with washing your face next time and you are done. 

Some precautions to take care of:

• Never try to scrub off your makeup. This will instead cause your makeup to get into the pores. So, if you are planning to scrub, remove the makeup first and then follow with the cleansing and then use the scrub. 
• Do not be too harsh on your skin. Use gentle products which are not drying. Cleansing oils are very much available these days. Making use of them would be much more sensible for any skin type even oily and sensitive.
• Do not over wash your skin and body. And, moisturize well after removing the makeup. And, no double cleansing would not be too drying for your skin unless you are over doing it.

Homemade Cleanser

In a bowl, pour adequate amount of milk and add 5-6 drops of almond oil. Almond oil is best at removing make-up and lactic acid in milk aids cleaning of the skin moisturizing it simultaneously. Mix them. Refrain from adding anything else because you want to clean your face. At max, I would suggest you to add only lemon juice in case of oily skin as it controls the oil production. Take a wash cloth or sponge, dip it in the mixture and apply it to your face in circular motions as advised above. Follow with your favorite cleanser or with milk again and you would get a glowing skin.

Olive Oil for Hair Growth

Olive Oil is an extremely useful product not only in culinary purposes but also in skin care and hair care. We have already talked about the role of Olive Oil in Oil Cleansing Method (OCM). We will talk today about the benefits of olive oil in hair care. Olive oil is extremely light and does not easily grease the hair. It makes hair smooth and shiny and is easily absorbed. 

Method of application: Warm a little of olive oil and massage it into your scalp. Keep massaging your scalp for 20-30 minutes. This will ensure better absorption. You may steam your hair after that or put hotel towels on your hair just like in hot oil treatments. You can do this at night and wash off on the next day. A regular application of olive oil would kill all the bacteria and get rid of all scalp infections. And, it would promote healthy hair growth. 

You can use 2-3 drops of olive oil to moisturize your hair instead of using a leave-in conditioner. This would not weigh down your hair and keep it healthy and free from split ends.

Oil Cleansing Method {DIY}

A few days ago I had talked about OIL CLEANSING. Well, let me introduce to you something which I stumbled across a few days ago. I tried it and trust me, its amazing. I do not know how well it removes make up but it makes your skin squeaky clean without drying it. Rather, it leaves your skin smooth and supple. And, your skin glows the next day. You would love yourself.

Procedure:

• Start by keeping everything close to you. You would need a dry wash cloth (not too harsh for your skin), a bottle containing castor oil and olive oil mixed in a proportion suitable to your skin* and running hot water.
• Apply oil generously to your skin and massage the oil into your skin well using firm hands for around 5-10 minutes. It feels relaxing and is soothing for your face muscles. Exercise your cheek bone, jaw bone, nose, chin, forehead and eyes (use ring finger for eyes). The finger movements should be outwards and upwards towards the ear from the chin, cheeks, nose and upper lip area.
• After massaging to your heart's content, soak the wash cloth in hot running water and apply it on to your face. Keep the warmth of wash cloth to the point you can bear. Keep it on until it cools down and then wipe your face nicely with the same wash cloth. 
• Wash and soak the same wash cloth under hot running water for sometime to clean it and saturate it. Again apply it your face, keep till it cools and then, wipe away your face. Repeat this cycle till you feel your skin is clean. 3-4 times should be enough. 
• You can apply moisturizer according to the need of your skin. In place of moisturizer, you can apply a drop of the same oil used to cleanse your face. If it does not feel dry and tight, do not apply anything on to your face. Your face needs to breathe. Go and have a nice sleep.

Next morning, you need not cleanse your face. A wipe with a wash cloth is enough to clean it. Your skin would be glowing. Oil cleansing not only removes grime, dirt and make up from your face, but also, the blackheads and blemishes. This procedure should not be done too frequently. I think 2-3 times is fine in a week. Care should be taken not to scratch the skin.

Go and check it out for yourself. Have a happy cleansing.

* Remember, castor oil is quite thick and can be drying for the skin if used in large quantities. It has cleansing properties but is too strong on skin if used alone. That is why you need another light oil to dilute it. You can also use jojoba oil. For the mixture of oil, you can use 75-25 castor-olive oil combination for normal skin. You can experiment with different proportions till you find the one suiting your face.  The proportion of mixture should be such that for dry skin people, castor oil should be less in proportion like 50-50 or 60-50 and people with oily skin can have 80-20 as the proportion. But, since every skin is different in its needs, you should find out the right one for yourself. It would take trial and error but remember one rule, do not use too much of castor oil. It will dry your skin irrespective of its type.