Bridal Care Home Remedies - Ubtan (Body Scrub) By Shahnaz Husain

In the olden days, “ubtan” was made at home for bridal skin care. This consisted of wheat bran (choker), gram flour, yogurt or cream of milk (malai) and a pinch of turmeric. All these were mixed together and applied on the body, along with oil. The “ubtan” was washed off after 20 to 30 minutes, while bathing. It helped to cleanse the skin, leaving it smooth and bright.

Ubtan, therefore, is a traditional method of removing dead epithelial cells, softening the skin and enhancing skin beauty. When it is washed off with water during the bath, it helps to remove dead skin cells, making the skin soft and smooth. It also helps to remove tan and produce an even colour tone. Actually, the body should first be massaged with sesame seed (til) oil. Did you know that sesame seed (til) oil has sun-protective properties and counteracts sun-damage? After the oil massage, “ubtan” may be applied and then washed off after half an hour, while bathing. The washing off and scrubbing away of the ingredients, leaves the skin clean, bright and glowing, with a translucent quality.

Exfoliation is an important treatment for body and face, as it helps in the removal of cellular build-up on the skin surface, improving skin texture, accelerating the cell renewal process, minimizing dark patches and producing an even colour tone. It is a powerful cleansing procedure too and keeps the pores free of hardened oil.

You can try out the traditional “ubtan” with these simple kitchen ingredients. Take wheat bran (choker), add ground almonds, ground dried orange and lemon peels, along with honey and curd, as well as a little turmeric. Mix all these into a paste that does not drip. Apply on the body and wash it off after half an hour.

Ubtan can also be applied on the face. Here is a facial ubtan for all skin types. Take one teaspoon ground dry orange and lemon peels, one teaspoon oats and one teaspoon ground almonds (almond meal). Add one teaspoon each of honey and yogurt. Apply on the skin and rub gently with circular movements. Then wash off with water. Egg white can also be added to this face pack. Orange and lemon peels should be dried thoroughly in the sun and kept in a tightly closed container.

Oats works wonders on oily, blackhead prone skin. Mix oatmeal with egg white and apply on the skin. When it is dry, dampen with water and gently scrub it off the skin. The face should be rinsed off with water. Then soak cotton wool pads in rose water and wipe the skin with it. Oatmeal added to curd can also be applied on the face if you do not wish to use egg, washing it off when it is dry. Its great for oily and combination skin, cleansing and softening the skin effectively. For dry skin, one tablespoon oatmeal can be mixed with honey, milk and a few drops of almond oil. Apply it on the face. After 15 minutes, dampen with milk and scrub off, rinsing well with water.