Now, in India, you can strictly find two categories of women – one category of women are those who have no knowledge about the sacred beauty hack called “ubtan” and resort to all things commercial when it comes to taking care of their skin.
India is a country that has stood by its traditions since time immemorial. Traditions rule most aspects of everyday life in India. Then how could beauty be left alone? Even when it comes to taking care of our skin, we follow age-old traditions that have been passed down to us by our ancestors. You will also find women talking about their family secrets when it comes to their beautiful skin.
The second category of women is of those who swear by ubtan and follow this beauty treatment every day to keep their skin glowing for eternity. If we had a chance, we would go all out to moniker ubtan as the world’s first ever known cosmetic, as it dates back to the Vedic era. It’s not just a beauty regime, it’s been a part of the Indian system of medicine since antiquity.
Ubtan is a ritual, it is known by different names in various regions of India – in Punjab, it’s known as “batten di rasam,” in Tamil Nadu, it’s known as “kappumanjal” and so on. In fact, it’s one of the vital components of the concept of “Solah-Shringar” – a sixteen step manual about the beautification of the body. It is believed that in the Vedic era, the Vedic physicians prescribed ubtan for better protection and nourishment of the skin. No wonder it’s deeply ingrained in the Indian skincare regimen.
Now that we have spoken enough about how famous and important ubtan has been, let’s understand what exactly it is made of.
What Is Ubtan?
It is a natural skin care formulation that is a part of a beauty regime followed by both the men and women of India. It can be made at home as the ingredients are available in every Indian household. The key ingredients are haldi (turmeric), sandalwood powder, and besan (chickpea flour).
Every ingredient is packed with benefits. If you didn’t know this already, ubtan is something that every Indian bride looks up to, before the big day, to make her skin healthy and radiant. In fact, it has earned itself an important part in the Indian marriage traditions. The best part about ubtan is that it’s an affordable and effective beauty hack. It can be mixed with various other ingredients and skin care formulations. It can also be used as a scrub, a mask or even a face wash. Whatever your choice is, your skin will be happy at the end of it!
How To Make A Simple Ubtan Mask
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. of chickpea flour
- 1 tbsp. of sandalwood powder
- ½ teaspoon of turmeric powder
- 2-3 tbsp. of raw milk
Directions:
- Use a bowl to mix all the above ingredients into a smooth, lump-less paste. You can improvise the mask by adding in a few drops of rose water as well (rosewater gives your skin a shine).
- Use a face mask brush or your bare hands and apply this mixture on your face. Avoid the regions near your eye.
- Keep the pack on for a good 5 minutes or until the mask has dried.
- Wash it off with cold water and pat dry.
Benefits Of Ubtan
So, we found a few brides-to-be who ditched their facewash for ubtan just a month before their big day, and we asked them if the swapping really benefitted them. They told us that they couldn’t see any visible changes in the first few days, but with continuous usage, they began to experience a naturally glowing skin that was at its healthiest best.
And they all agreed to the following benefits in unison:
- Cleans Up Your Skin Naturally: Ubtan is the most natural way to cleanse your skin of all the impurities. Milk, one of the binding ingredients of ubtan, contains vitamin A, which is ideal for removing the dirt from your skin.
- Heals Your Skin: Do you often experience breakouts on your skin? Or do you have a persistent acne problem? Ubtan may just be the answer to all your problems! It improves your skin’s pigmentation, and not only prevents acne but also helps in erasing the scars (but at a snail’s pace).
- Exfoliation: Chickpea flour is considered as a natural exfoliator. It helps in removing the dead skin cells.
- Reduces Skin Inflammation: Rosewater used in ubtan reduces the inflammation of the skin and you can see a visible change on your face (the redness is gone and the acne is cleared out).
- Slows Down The Growth Of Facial Hair: If you are someone who faces facial hair problems, then ubtan should be your BFF. Massaging your face every day with ubtan in circular upward motions will slowly thin down the facial hair.
Whether you are a bride-to-be or not, resort to ubtan to keep your skin healthy and glowing. Ubtan is a beauty secret that has been passed down to us through centuries. Let’s keep this age-old beauty tradition alive and continue to reap its benefits!
What’s your favorite ubtan recipe? Do let us know in the comments below.
