All of us have seen our mother’s or grandmother’s wedding pictures and stared in awe. Their skin was glowing without any makeup. How’s that possible? Apart from the usual, they didn’t have any junk food or less environmental damage at the time, it was also about how religiously they took care of their skin. And the secret behind their flawless complexion? – inexpensive, kitchen ingredients lying around in the house. Undoubtedly, the best thing to come out of these homemade experiments is ‘Bridal Ubtan’.
We have gotten so busy with the plethora of skincare products and salons luring us with their pampering session, we have somehow ignored the ‘only’ thing our mothers used to achieve that envious bridal glow – Ubtan. And you have gawked at the results yourself.
We strongly recommend that you add this ancient Bridal Ubtan to your routine. Do it twice a week, say Sunday and Wednesday, for 1 month straight and you’ll see results yourself. Continue it for 3 months before the wedding to get radiant skin on the big day!
Here’s all you will need!
- 2 Tbsp Masoor Daal (Buy here)
- 4 Tbsp Jau Ka Atta Or Barley Flour (Buy here)
- 2 Tbsp Besan Or Gram Flour (Buy here)
- 1 Tbsp Oatmeal Powder (Buy here)
- 2 Tsp Haldi Powder
- 1 Tbsp Fresh Malai
- 1 Tsp Lemon Juice
- Papaya + Banana + Curd For Diluting
First, soak ground masoor dal overnight in water or milk. If you are using the latter, keep it in the fridge otherwise the milk will go rotten.
In the morning, take some fresh papaya, 1 banana, and put them in a blender. Add 2 tbsp of homemade curd (1 tbsp if your skin is acne-prone). You can use khatta dahi as well. We have heard that it’s actually better for your skin. But fresh works too!
This is what you will use to liquefy the mixture.
Add the rest of the ingredients to masoor daal you kept overnight. Then add the papaya, banana, curd to it. You want thick consistency so don’t add water unless absolutely needed.
How to use:
Make sure your skin is clean. You can even have a bath with mild soap and water. Pat yourself dry. Start scrubbing this bridal ubtan and really massage it while you are applying. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. When it will start drying out, scrub it off without any water. Once you have got some of it off, pour probably a mug or two of water all over your body. Scrub off the rest of the ubtan from your body. Use a shower to wash all the residue off!
And that’s it. Dab some moisturizing lotion or ‘Roghan Badam Shirin Sweet Almond Oil’ (Purchase here) all over your body.
Variations:
You can also add ingredients like ground walnuts/ almonds/ rice for some scrubbing action, glycerin for extra moisturizing, rose water for excess oil control, or wheat flour if any of the above-mentioned flours aren’t available.
If you don’t have barley flour, you can make besan in your ubtan as the main flour ingredient. The quantities of jau ka atta & besan can be equal as well, but the rest should be less in proportion.
Benefits of bridal ubtan:
It’s an all-in-one solution for all your skin problems:
Masoor Dal in ubtan helps with exfoliating and brightening. It’s a natural bleaching agent, so regular use will give you clearer, smoother, and radiant skin over time. Over time, it cleanses the skin from within, removes tan, and brings out your real complexion that has faded due to stress, pollution & other environmental factors.
Barley Flour is rich in selenium and zinc. It can help cure acne and treat any scars or spots on your body. At some levels, it also boosts skin hydration and makes it supple overtime. Furthermore, brides can also reap its benefits by adding it to their bridal diet as it has low fat and high fiber amount than atte ki roti.
Gram Flour or besan in ubtan is an age-old remedy to cure a number of skin problems. The flour itself can be used as a soap replacement in the mornings when the skin doesn’t need any harsh cleansing. Just mix some raw milk, pinch of turmeric & besan, and wash your face with it. Coming to its benefits, gram flour can help with reducing acne especially on your back, gently exfoliates dead skin, removes fine hair, and gives an instant fairness boost!
Oatmeal isn’t only a bowl full of fiber and goodness. It has anti-inflammatory and hydrating properties, so it can soothe dry and irritated skin. Definitely add this in your ubtan if you are looking to heal dry skin in winters.
Haldi in bridal ubtan can directly contribute to natural skin glow. Owing to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, turmeric rejuvenates and brightens dull-looking skin. Keep the quantity to 2 tsp or less or it can leave a yellow residue on your skin.
Malai or milk cream is a magic bullet to the softest skin of your life. You will be amazed to touch your skin after just one-time use of malai in ubtan. Malai deeply detoxifies and hydrates the skin. This works in tightening the skin and preventing any premature wrinkles.
Lemon Juice in bridal ubtan does a great job at lightening your skin tone, evening out any discoloration, and protecting from any free radicals. Lemons directly amp up collagen production, thus, lessen any premature wrinkles. Again, add only 1 tsp of it. Too much lemon juice can cause sun-sensitivity in your skin.
Fruits are amazing for your skin. Papayas are great to control acne, prevent aging, remove any unwanted facial hair and spur skin hydration, whereas, bananas act as natural skin moisturizers, balances out pH levels, and eliminates dark spots. We did separate blogs on how you can include these fruits in your bridal routine. Here’s a link:
- Here’s How Brides-To-Be Can Use Papayas For Amazing Skin & Hair,
- Here’s How To Include Bananas In Your Bridal Beauty Routine!
Curd in bridal ubtan can improve your complexion. It is full of good bacteria and other vitamins & minerals, which nourishes your skin from within. Even Priyanka Chopra recommended it in her popular Vogue DIY Skincare video.
To save up on time, you can also keep the mixture of all the dry ingredients stored in an air-tight container.
Try it and let us know how it worked out for you! We love to hear from our readers.
