The GAIA Health Blog

….. beauty secrets from the Far East (that you can try right now).

My mantra I always try to tell to men and women pertaining to health and wellness is to "Love all we have here in the USA, but let's not forget the whole planet has a bounty of plants herbs, and nutrients available to us everyday"

There does seem to be a growing "cult" of women taking advantage of the beauty secrets from the Far East, but in essence they are not really secrets, much of what is used in the East is available in the West (thanks to FedEx, UPS, and Amazon).

Henceforth, the theme for this segment of "Girl Talk"…….

Camellia Oil, the next big thing?

Camellia Oil may become the next Argan Oil, it is starting to get rave reviews by women in the West. Used for centuries in Japan and China, pressed from seeds of the camellia plant, camellia oil is said by some to be a true elixir for health and beauty. 

Chinese women are known to use camellia nut oil to make hair grow faster.  It is also said to protect from age spots, freckles, and excessive pigmentation,  prevent crowfeet, and address stretch marks.

Camellia Oil, the quick, Scientific "bla-bla-bla"

Camellia oil has outstanding moisture and emollient properties and it is one of the lightest and fast absorbent plant oils. It penetrates skin as fast as water, leaving it supple and hydrated. The oil contains mono-saturated essential fatty acids and very high in oleic acid (Omega 9 fatty acid).

Camellia oil contains vitamins, A, B, and E, and phytosqualene. Just a few drops of camellia seed oil helps reverse squalene deficiency, which in turn helps reverse wrinkles and the natural aging process. 
Camellia Oil can be found on Amazon

Green Tea  for the Hair

Green tea is one of the perfect natural remedies that can be very helpful to make your hair grow faster. Green tea can be used as the component of your shampoo, lotion or any other hair care product to provide stronger protection to your follicles.

According to Marie Jhin, MD author of Ancient Beauty Secrets: Ancient and Modern Tips from the Far East, Chinese women are known to use hair rinses  containing rosemary or green tea to rid hair of toxins and provide their locks with proteins

Green Tea for the Skin

Green Tea's health and healing properties go back for ages in the Far East, but the properties of this herb does not begin or end with drinking green tea (which is highly recommended). It also applies to green tea applied topically to the skin.

According to The Times of India, and confirmable by numerous sources, the antioxidants and antibacterial properties found in green tea help prevent premature aging of the cells, addresses inflammation, psoriasis and rosacea, acne and pimples, and much more!!!

below, Green Tea Scrub Recipe and demo

Rice Water

Rice water has been used for centuries by women in Asia for beautiful skin and hair. It is an excellent skin toner and hair wash. Rice contains ‘pitera’ along with many vitamins and minerals.

Pitera is beneficial for revitalizing skin’s natural glow and gives you clear skin. It is used in many expensive skin care products which claim to make your skin crystal clear……….

Making Rice Water

Using a glass jar with lid, take a half cup of organic rice and fill it with water so the rice is covered.

Let the rice soak for a few minutes until the water turns cloudy. This is your rice toner and you can use it just like any other toner.

Pour this water into a glass jar, store it in the refrigerator and it will last for 4-5 days. Clean your face then soak a cotton pad in rice water and apply it on your face. This will help to tighten pores and bring glow.

The same rice water is considered to be an excellent hair conditioner. After shampooing, rinse your hair with rice water and leave it on for a few minutes then wash it.  Instructions from the 7beautytips website 

Or, check out a making rice water mask demo below

Soap from Far East

We've got soap wrong in the West, because most soaps screw up the PH balance of the skin, and strip the skin of nutrients and natural oils. Many skin problems that seem like there is no solution, are really an issue of finding the right soap.

But, finding the right soap is like finding a lifelong spouse. It takes time and money…..you might have to search all over the world, try more than a few and dump more than a few, but when you stumble across the right one, you never let it go…………

Yomogi Soap

Made from leaves of the Yomogi, the Japanese wonder herb. Yomagi is an all-around soap for beautifying skin, reducing darkened pores, age-spots, acne marks and sun damage. The Yomogi plant is a member of the chrysanthemum family. 

Yoshi Kai, the co-founder of WAWAZA, a supplier of eco-responsive Japanese traditional lifestyle products, when asked if she could only choose two products for beauty, she said one of them would have to be Yomogi Soap. Yomogi soap is on Amazon (but not cheap, be warned).

Charcoal Soap

Charcoal soap has been used by the Japanese for many years to detoxify and clarify their skin. Not BBQ charcoal, but specially processed activated charcoal, sometimes from bamboo, that can attract and absorb impurities, unclog pores, remove dead skin, leaving smooth, clear, radiant skin.

If you instincts compel you to "try a bar and whatever happens, happens", several of brands of
Charcoal Soap are at Amazon, I might suggest reading some of the reviews, and rolling the dice, you might just find a winner.

Seaweed …. taste buds say "yuck", but skin says "yum-yum"

Most Americans are trying to make it through this life without eating seaweed, but many women in the West are starting to love to feed it to their skin. It seems to be one of the latest crazes for American movie stars and models, which makes sense, since Asian royalty have always historically used seaweed in their natural exfoliation routines.

Make your own seaweed mask by blending seaweed or kelp with aloe in a blender. You can get seaweed powder on Amazon.

Mint Facials

Asians use fresh ground mint to gently, and naturally, reduce the appearance of acne scars and sun spots, lighten dark spots.

Simply grind fresh mint into a paste and apply it to your face, Leave this paste on for 15 minutes before washing it off. Repeat daily for the best results. Be careful if you have a sensitive skin type.
For 5 other mint facial recipes, look here.

Papaya Power for beautiful Skin and Hair

If you read my blog, you would know by now that I think papaya is perhaps the most powerful, underrated, and underutilized super-duper food available to us in the USA.

Papayas were originally found in Central America, while the explorers from Spain and Portugal took them to other tropical climates 400-500 years ago.  Today, the women of the East Indies, i.e., Indonesia, The Philippines, Malaysia, and the warmer climates of the far east use the Papaya plant as an integral part of their beauty regiment .

Quick and Simple Papaya D.I.Y. Formulas

Papaya Peel Face Rub
The papaya peel helps in reducing and treating the signs of aging. Just rub the peel on the face after eating the papaya. Let it stay for 5 minutes and then wash it off with cold water. Regular use offers visible results.

Papaya Mash for Dark Spots
The application of mashed and uneaten papaya with or without milk on your face can help in removing the dark spots and evens out the skin tone which results into a fairer and glowing skin.

Papaya Mash with Honey for Dry Skin
For getting hydrated skin, mix mashed papaya with honey and apply on your face.

Papaya and Milk Cream Dry Skin Treatment
…….is also effective for treating dry skin. All you need to do is to mash a small section of papaya and mix it one tbsp of malai or milk cream. Apply on your face for 20 minutes and then wash it off.

Ripe Papaya Moisturizing Paste
Take a ripe papaya, clean it and blend it into a fine paste. Now apply this paste on your face for 15 minutes. Wash it off using a wash cloth and pat dry to get great results.

Papaya, Honey, Rice Flour Skin Tightener
For skin tightening, apply mashed papaya mixed with honey and rice-flour for 20 minutes, three times a week.

Papaya Body Scrub
Papaya is also suitable for using as a body scrub. It can be made by mashing raw papaya and mixing it with honey, salt spa and olive oil.

Papaya Complexion Brightener
For curing the skin tans and brightening the complexion, make a paste of pulpy papaya, add yogurt, honey, lemon juice and egg white. Mix all ingredients till the mixture becomes thick which can be applied on the face Wash your face thoroughly so that it becomes clean and dirt free. Apply this facial mask on your face and leave it for 15 – 20 minutes. Wash off with the lukewarm water and pat dry.

Papaya Hair Blackener
Take a handful or more papaya seeds, sun dry (or, fry in pan or roast to dry). Mash or grind into powder, add a little water to make paste, massage into hair, let sit for an hour or so, then rinse away.

Papaya No More Pores Double Mask Treatment (click here)

papaya info source Stylecraze.com

Below, demo for papaya and lemon mask to fight acne and get soft skin

REMEMBER!!  Bad skin is often a result of imbalances deep within the body, often provoked by what we eat (or don't eat). Bad skin is usually the result or the body's natural process of pushing excessive toxins to the surface.

You have to work from the inside out for good skin. To get more info on this subject, check out my article….
Ayurvedic Skin Care: "Beauty is not skin deep…it goes much deeper"

In conclusion……

This is hopefully a good "sampling" of beauty tips and secrets that you can try out in your regiment right now. Everyone has a different biochemistry, so if your instincts compel you "play around" with some new formulas, you will for sure find one or two things you will swear by.

Nature has a lot to offer for health and wellness, so let's not forget to look to "The East"…………….

(below is just few extra photos that in no way could I leave out of the "photo shoot", ENJOY!!! 🙂 )

~stay healthy~

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click here or the photo below for
all my articles in "Girl Talk"