Festive Preps: DIY Body Polishing Scrubs or Ubtans

Hi All, 

This is part of the series is about your body- how to clean and get glowing with some simple and easily available ingredients from our kitchen.

Traditionally in India, we call them UBTANS but essentially they are amazing cleaning and scrubbing formula. My Mom always used to ensure that we all enjoy the festivals, not only by eating good but also looking good. Pre Diwali days were not only meant for cleaning houses but ourselves too - with beauty baths.

I will be sharing two of those festive body masks and scrub.

1. Rice and Ghee scrub- 

Ingredients- 

Rice Powder- 2 Tablespoon

Sugar Powder- 2 Table spoon

Vegetable Ghee- 1 Table spoon

Rice Powder is good for scrubbing while sugar provides added moisturisation and polish to body. Vegetable Ghee is good for Skin and Bone health. It nourishes skin cells and helps them retain moisture and keeps it soft & supple.

Mix`all the above ingredients and apply this to your body before bath. Keep it for a while and remove with gentle massage. Wash with lukewarm water.

You will find the your skin is actually rejuvenated. It works equally well for areas like knees, Toes and Elbows and exfoliates well.

2. Dry Fruit Body polishing Scrub/mask.

This is the one Mask/ubtan which i loved and My Diwali memories are impregnated with the soothing and captivating smell of this ubtan. Its rich and luxurious.

Ingredients- 

1. Almonds- 4

2. Cashew- 4

3. Pistachios-4

4. Besan (Gram Flour)- 2 Table spoons

5. Honey - 1 teaspoon

6. Rose Petals (fresh or dried)

7. Tulsi (basil) leaves

8. Kesar/saffron- few strands

9. Turmeric- 1/2 teaspoon

8. Vanaspati Ghee - 1 tablespoon

9. Butter Milk- 1 tablespoon (for oily skin) or Milk for Dry skin

10. For scrubbing- you can add Rice Flour and Sugar powder too

11. Few drops of Essential oil like Rose/Patchouli/Geranium for soothing and de-stressing.

The Rich dry fruits nourishes skin cells while also clean, honey hydrates and Gram flour is a good cleanser. Rose petals and Tulsi leaves has good anti inflammatory properties and Tulsi also is an anti bacterial agent. Saffron improves skin tone while Turmeric eliminates skin infections and improves skin texture too. Butter milk is an effective cleanser and also cleans black heads/pimples.

Mix them all in a mixer and apply this before bath. Keep it for a while to dry. Start rubbing in a semi dry state and remove. Wash with luke warm water. 

This is a rejuvenating bath and would add immediate glow to your skin making it smooth and soft. People with dry skin can also try this on their face.

You can also store this in refrigerator for 2-3 days as my mom used to do so that we can this luxury bath for 2-3 days.

So this was my way to pamper and add glow to my festive looks. Whats yours?