DIY Ginger in Skin Care

The spotlight today shines on Ginger. Ginger is an underground tuber that is widely used in Indian & Chinese cooking for its wonderful sweet & tangy taste. It delivers a wonderful punch to food when added along with Garlic and can be found in all Indian kitchens. Ginger is the most widely used and available herbal remedy on the planet, with billions of people using it every day as both food and medicine.

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But enough about its culinary use, lets get down to what makes it rock in skin care.

1. Potent Anti-oxidant
Ginger has a potent antioxidant gingerol, which means it inhibits harmful free radicals that cause skin damage and aging. It also contains essential fatty acids / omega-3 fatty acids (α-Linolenic acid)

2. Acne
Ginger is anti-bacterial and can prevent pimples from sprouting. It is rich in Zinc which aids in tissue healing, helps prevent scarring, regulates the activity of the immune system, and helps heal wounds.
Essential fatty acids found in ginger as a group are strongly anti-inflammatory. Another essential fatty acid, linoleic acid (LA) has particular reference to acne. When there is a deficiency of linoleic acid, the oil producing glands in the skin make sebum that is mixed with oleic acid. Oleic acid is found in butter and land animal fats. However, in excess, it can interfere in essential fatty acid use. But more importantly for acne sufferers, sebum mixed with oleic acid is irritating to the skin. It lends itself to blockages of the pores that result in acne, blackheads and whiteheads.


3. Lighten skin
Ginger's antioxidant, gingerol, not only fights skin-damaging free radicals, but also promotes smoothness and evenness in skin tone.

Products to Try
Garnier Ultra Lift Anti-Wrinkle Day Cream

DIY Tips to incorporate Ginger

1. Dry skin Creme
Ginger invigorates skin by increasing blood flow & circulation, and oil soothes. Try this double dose for dry skin.

• Preheat oven on lowest setting.
  
• Finely grate a 2-inch piece of fresh ginger from
  
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  which you will be able to extract a teaspoon of ginger juice.
  
• Place the ingredients (2 teaspoons sesame/sunflower oil, 2 teaspoons apricot kernel oil, and 2 teaspoons vitamin E/almond oil, half cup cocoa butter / shea butter and the ginger juice) in a glass container;
  
• and heat just until the cocoa butter is melted and the oils are blended.
  
• Pour into a clean, dry container and store in a cool dry place.
  
• You can add a few drops of orange or any other essential oil for fragrance

2. Ginger Scrub
You will need the following ingredients:

• honey
• fresh grated ginger root
• fresh mint leaves, chopped
• olive oil
• light or dark brown sugar, your choice

To make the scrub, simply mix all your ingredients together in a bowl. How much of each ingredient you use depends on your preference and how much scrub you want to make. A good way to start the scrub is to use a ratio of 1/3 olive oil to 2/3 brown sugar. This will give you a place to start that should be a similar texture to the texture of a scrub you would find in a store.

Then simply add around a tablespoon of the honey for its antiseptic qualities and depending on how much you like ginger and mint smell, add both accordingly.

Unlike other scrubs, which you would use after wetting your skin, this scrub will work the best on dry skin. Simply massage a small amount of the scrub onto your skin in small circles. Then rinse off with warm water and pat dry. If you are using the scrub on your face I would suggest applying a light moisturizer afterwards. Your skin will be immediately softer and smoother.

3. Ginger root water

• Finely grate a 2 inch piece of ginger and add to 50 ml of water.
  
• Heat till water just begins to boil.
  
• Turn off the heat (do not let the water boil) & transfer immediately to a tightly closed bottle.
  
• Let it sit for an hour in a warm place.
• Ginger water is ready for use.
  
• Prepare new batch every 10 days.
  

The Ginger Root Hydrosol contains water soluble constituents as well as a small amount of the essential oils and has a fresh ginger scent.

This warm sweet-spicy scent of Ginger Root can help alleviate motion sickness and is said to increase metabolism. It also helps control acne & prevent further outbreaks.

CAUTION:
Avoid immediate sun exposure after application. Use a sunscreen when using ginger in skin therapy.

Do a patch test behind the neck. Some people are allergic to ginger.

Constituents of ginger extract

1,8-cineole, 6-gingerol, 6-shogaol, 8-shogaol, acetic acid, alpha-linolenic acid, alpha-phellandrene, alpha-pinene, alpha-terpinene, alpha-terpineol, arginine, ascorbic acid, beta-bisolene, beta-carotene, beta-pinene, beta-sitosterol, boron, caffeic acid, camphor, capsaicin, chlorogenic acid, curcumene, gingerols, sesquiphellandrene, zingiberene, resins, starches, fats, proteins.