Traditionally, gram flour or besan has been used widely for its health and beauty benefits. It can be used for best results on all skin types. Let us examine the many ways by which besan can be used to improve your skin.
What is Gram Flour?
Gram flour or ‘besan‘ in Hindi, is derived from grinding chickpeas. Here are some skin and hair benefits of besan gram flour.
How Besan Helps
Besan is effective in several ways to improve the quality of the skin. Here are some salient ways in which your skin can benefit from using it:
- Besan controls the secretion of oil by absorbing any excess oil.
- Due to its alkalizing properties, besan helps with maintaining the alkaline level of the skin.
- It brings out the skin’s natural glow by removing the dirt and toxins from the skin’s inner layers.
- It regulates the body moisture and nourishes it, to keep it well-hydrated, soft and supple.
- Being a natural exfoliator, besan helps remove dead skin and generates the production of new cells.
- It regenerates fresh skin cells and closes any open pores.
- It works hard to lighten skin.
- It tightens sagging skin due to its anti-aging properties.
Skin Benefits of Gram Flour
There are many skin benefits that gram flour can give us. Here are some of them:
1. Gram flour gets rid of suntan
Your skin gets tanned when overly exposed to the harsh rays of the sun. To get rid of an ugly suntan, make a mix of gram flour, tomato juice and yogurt and apply on the face. Leave it on for a while and wash off with cold water. Alternatively, you can mix four teaspoons of besan with a teaspoon each of yogurt and lemon juice and a pinch of turmeric and make a paste of it. Apply it on your face and neck and keep it on for about 20 minutes. Once it dries, wash it in cool water. It will not only take your tan away, but keep your skin feeling smooth and soft. For best results, do this every day.
[ Read: How To Remove Tan From Face ]
2. Gram flour lightens the skin
The natural bleaching properties of besan help lighten the complexion. It contains enzymes that give the skin a natural glow and unusual softness. To lighten the skin, here’s a recipe: Mix four teaspoons of besan and one teaspoon each of raw milk and lemon to form an even paste. Apply it all over the face and wherever on the body the skin needs to be lightened. Rub gently in circles and let dry. Wash off a little later.
Alternatively, you can make a paste of besan, cucumber juice and lemon juice. While besan takes care of all the excess oil, cucumber works to close all open pores and lemon juice tightens the skin. To use this pack, mix two tablespoons each of gram flour and cucumber juice. To this, add five drops of lemon juice and make a thickish paste. Apply it on the skin and let it dry for 30 minutes. Use cold water to wash it off and repeat this process about three to four times a week.
3. Gram flour reduces oiliness
Besan does wonders for oily skin by reducing the unnatural shine on one’s face. If you have a naturally oily skin, you can bring down the oiliness by trying this face pack. Make a paste of besan and yogurts and apply it on your face for about 20 minutes. Wash off with cool water and see the difference it brings to your face. Your face will be devoid of as much oily shine, dirt and the remnants of makeup.
Alternatively, you can blend four spoons of besan with one spoon of rose water and two spoons of Makua honey. Put this mix all over your face, neck and shoulders and allow it to dry for 20 minutes. Wash off with cool water. By using this face pack regularly, you can soon get an oil-free complexion.
4. Gram flour fights acne
If your complexion is pimple-prone, you should try the anti-acne besan face mask. Make a mix of two teaspoons each of besan and sandalwood powder and one teaspoon of milk. Add a pinch of turmeric powder to this to make a thick paste. Apply all over your face and wash off once dry.
[ Read: How To Get Rid of Acne ]
5. Gram flour treats flaky and dry skin
When mixed with cream, besan does wonders to put back the required skin moisture into your dry skin. By using this face mask, your skin will feel nourished and you will end up having a soft and glowing complexion. To counter flaky and dry skin, make a paste of olive and almond oil to hydrate your skin sufficiently.
Alternatively, you can also make a pack of cream or milk, honey and a pinch of turmeric with besan and make a paste of it. Apply this pack all over your face and keep it on for about 20 minutes or until it dries. Once dry, wash it off with cool water. It will prove wonderful for your dry skin as not only will it clean your skin, but also restore the necessary moisture levels your skin needs.
6. Gram flour makes you a few shades fairer
Besan has the power to fade your complexion by a few shades. For this, mix four teaspoons of besan, one teaspoon of ground orange peel and ½ teaspoon of cream. Mix this paste all over your face and neck in a circular motion. Leave it on for 15 minutes and, when dry, wash it off with cool water. This pack will make you fairer by a few shades, give you a natural glow and make your skin soft and supple.
7. Gram flour makes a good body scrub
For a good body scrub, why not use besan instead of commercially made products with harsh chemicals? To make a good body scrub, mix three teaspoons of besan, one teaspoon of grounded oats and two teaspoons of cornflour and a little raw milk. Apply it on your body and scrub the skin gently. It will help remove all dead cells, extra sebum and dirt and leave you feeling clean and with a soft and smooth skin.
8. Gram flour helps in bridal beauty treatment
Besan is used lavishly in a bride’s pre-wedding treatment called ubtan. For young girls on the brink of marriage who want to look their best, it would help to combine besan, lemon juice and turmeric in a cup of raw milk. You can apply it all over your body and face and see how you glow.
Conclusion
It always helps to use pure and fresh products on your skin and face rather than packaged products whose contents you’re not sure of. So, when choosing something for your face, go in for gram flour or besan, which will give you the results you desire.