Amazing Beauty Benefits of Yogurt (Dahi) for Skin and Hair
Yogurt is one of the most loved dairy products out there. It has been part of our cuisine for centuries now and poses numerous digestive benefits. If you are from an Indian household, you are probably all too familiar with its advantages, thanks to our mothers and grandmothers. This versatile product we call dahi is known all around the world for its adaptability and all-rounder benefits.
Did you know that historically, yogurt has been used as a beauty product ever since 2000 BC? From Greece to Turkey to India - yogurt has aided skin and hair issues for thousands of years. In this blog, we will discuss all the reasons you should be using Dahi not just in your diet, but also in your skincare and haircare!
What Is Yogurt?
You might be aware that it is part of Indian tradition to make Dahi at home, by adding leftover dahi into warm milk. Historians, over the years, have agreed that milk products like yogurt and cheese were pleasant accidents, discovered as time ran its course. To put it simply, Yogurt or Dahi refers to fermented milk made by adding lactic-acid-producing bacteria in milk.
Over the years, this wonderful dairy product we call curd has expanded its known uses and benefits. Today, yogurt takes many forms and flavors. Frozen yogurt infused with a wide variety of flavors, is a beloved dessert in many parts of the world. In a supermarket aisle, you can find different types of yogurts such as Low-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, Mishti Doi, and Fat-free Yogurt. This is all thanks to its general adaptability.
The Fabulous Beauty Benefits of Yogurt
As a dairy product, yogurt is loaded with an abundance of nutrients. This doesn’t just include the AHA it is famous for (lactic acid), but also minerals like calcium and multivitamins like Vitamin B, Vitamin A, and Vitamin E. Typically, people use yogurt as a meal ingredient because of its probiotics to improve gut health; but it’s fascinating composition makes up for its excellent advantages when applied directly to the skin or hair. Let us discuss everything a bowl of yogurt can do for your skin and hair!
Acts As a Great Moisturizer
If dry skin is a problem for you, applying yogurt to your skin regularly can-do wonders. Yogurt arguably makes up for one of the best natural sources of humectants out there. It is enriched with lactic acid, which doesn’t just attract water to the surface of your skin but also exfoliates dead skin cells.
When it comes to moisturizing, it is wise to use unfiltered yogurt that has its original fat content intact. The dairy origin of curd ensures high content of milk fats and lipids, which act as good emollients for your skin. It penetrates your skin easily, leaving smooth and healthy skin behind.
Preserves Skin Elasticity and Youth
It is natural to be conscious of signs of aging in your skin. Yogurt usage on your skin can be of help in preserving skin radiance. Since dehydration and dryness are prominent causes of premature aging, by acting as a moisturizer, yogurt is inherently anti-aging.
Dahi is high in milk proteins and minerals like magnesium, calcium, and potassium. These nutrients nourish your skin, make it healthier. Additionally, yogurt has anti-oxidant agents like Vitamin E that prevent the damaging effects of free radicals on the skin. All of these features in yogurt prevent the formation of fine lines and wrinkles on your skin, elongating its youth.
Treats Sunburns and Enables De-Tanning
You might not know this, but yogurt is an excellent skin brightening agent! Because of its regenerative qualities thanks to lactic acid, it can heal skin damage and infections caused due to excessive sun exposure or dryness. Therefore, it works as a good skin de-tanner.
Additionally, yogurt is high in zinc, a key mineral used in sunscreens. Not only does zinc protects the skin from sun damage, but it also has anti-inflammatory properties that can help you treat sunburns. With its restorative properties, it makes way for new beautiful skin to appear from under your tanned skin.
Evens Out Skin Tone
If you are someone frustrated with acne scars, dark spots, zits, and the likes, the good bacteria in yogurt are here to help. Regular application of yogurt on your skin can give you a more even-tone skin devoid of dark circles and blemishes. Research has shown that enough application of yogurt on your skin can reduce its melanin production. Therefore, yogurt can prevent excess melanin from your blemishes and in turn lighten them. Further, Yogurt contains vitamin B12, and Vitamin B2 which help in reducing skin hyperpigmentation and increasing the formation of healthy skin cells.
Natural Hair Conditioner
With its astonishing number of benefits, yogurt acts as a naturally occurring hair conditioner. Its acidic nature can help restore the pH of your hair and scalp. It is high in antioxidants, which help to prevent free radical damage and promote healthy hair development. It's also high in nutrients that nourish the scalp and hair roots, resulting in lustrous, smooth hair.
Milk protein is the key ingredient in many hair fall shampoos. The existence of protein and lactic acid in yogurt hydrates hair deeply. Therefore, it is great for improving the overall health and shine of your hair.
May Treat Dandruff
Generally, the cause for dandruff is dryness or fungal infection. The probiotic bacteria existing in yogurt can fight fungal infections on the scalp. The existence of lactic acid only helps its case, killing off other dirt and pollutants that may be worsening your dandruff problem.
What’s more? Yogurt's anti-inflammatory properties aid to relieve irritation, inflammation, and itching, which are all pesky symptoms that come along with dandruff. Excessive dandruff may also be the cause of hair damage and hair loss. Dahi contains vitamins and proteins that help to prevent hair loss and promote the growth of thick, glossy hair.
DIYs and Home Remedies Using Yogurt
Now that you know many of the endless benefits of yogurt, it is time to apply them to your problems! Yogurt can treat a wide range of problems with simple DIYs that would require nothing that doesn’t already exist in your kitchen.
Yogurt For Dark Circles
Yogurt has skin-brightening qualities that assist in lightening dark circles. Further, its anti-aging and skin-tightening properties can reduce puffiness under the eyes. Therefore, if you have dark circles or puffy eyes - yogurt application can be very helpful.
All you need is a tablespoon of yogurt. Apply it under your eyes for about 15-20 minutes, and then carefully wash your eyes. Be careful to not let any yogurt get into your eyes since its acidic nature can be irritating.
Yogurt for Acne
Not only do the probiotics in yogurt prevent acne with their anti-inflammatory properties, but they can also help you treat existing acne. For this, you will need:
- A bowl of Yogurt
- A spoonful of turmeric
- Few drops of tea tree oil
Mix these ingredients in a bowl to make a paste. Apply it over acne-affected areas and leave it on for about 15-20 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water. You can repeat this treatment about twice a week to treat acne scars and infections. The results will surely please you.
Yogurt Hair Mask for Dandruff
As discussed before, yogurt has anti-fungal properties that can help kick dandruff to the curb. The nutrients in it like calcium, protein, and lactic acid improve the overall health of hair, which can prevent hair fall. To make a yogurt hair mask, all you need is:
- A bowl of yogurt
- Few drops of lemon juice
Apply the mixture of these ingredients to your scalp about 20 minutes before hair wash. The regular practice of this remedy can give you surprising results. You will see a significant reduction in dryness as well as dandruff.
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