Arab Beauty Naturally: Using Home Ingredients to Keep our Bodies Healthy
BY: Christine Shahin/Ambassador Blogger
The Mediterranean diet is held up as an example of healthy eating for its simple, fresh ingredients. As such, it stands to reason that most Arab kitchens are home to foods that have also been used as beauty products throughout time.
Lemon, salt, yogurt, and olives, are some of the basics in Arab beauty preparations.
Arabs love their lemons; they put it in nearly every dish, from hummus, tabouli, and even in yogurt. The body’s skin and hair love lemons, as well.
Using fresh foods in beauty practices is desirable for many reasons: the products are already at home and help save a few bucks; the methods connect you to cultural traditions; or you need a break from premade products. Other reasons people use homemade products include, chemical sensitivities, or those wishing to reduce their exposure to toxins, and reduce their environmental “footprint”.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducted many tests to determine “chemical body burden” revealing that even those who live in remote areas have hundreds of synthetic chemicals in their bloodstreams. Exposure begins before their first breath, and nearly 287 chemical toxins have been detected within the umbilical cord blood of newborns.
What we use topically on our bodies (lotions, creams, shampoos etc.) gets absorbed directly into the blood stream, which is why many medications are now available in a patch worn on the skin. Osmosis is a more direct form of consumption, as opposed to letting the products break down through digestion, which is why being mindful of what we use topically on our skin is important since it will be absorbed into the body through the skin, we want it to be healthy for us.
We are all individuals and what works for one does not always work for another, and anyone can be sensitive to anything. When using common foods for “natural” inexpensive beauty rituals, remember one size does not fit all, which is what makes each of us a unique beauty by design. I encourage you to play with some of these ideas and see what works, or what doesn’t, for you.
One of my personal, all-time favorite simple facial treatments is made up of 1 tsp of salt mixed with 1 tsp of fresh squeezed lemon juice. Apply the mix as an alpha hydroxyl facial scrub, then rinse (though I prefer to leave it on my face for 10 minutes) with warm water and finish with a cool water splash.
I also like to use extra virgin olive oil as a moisturizer after the lemon/slat mix just dipping my fingertips into a shallow amount of olive oil, and then massaging my face and neck. Extra virgin olive oil is what kept the stretch marks at bay when I was pregnant, and I have six children!
Other uses for lemon in beauty care include:
Rough skin softener and lightener: After juicing the lemon, use the skin with the pulp still attached and rub into dark elbows, knees, or callouses. Results are almost immediate enough to encourage you to continue until resolved!
Blackheads: Spread fresh squeezed lemon juice (with or without salt) on face, or again use the lemon rhine with pulp inside and massage the face leaving the lemon on for 10 minutes. This will break up your blackheads before you know it.
Skin brightener: Rich in vitamin C and citric acid, lemons can help brighten and lighten your skin when used over time. Vitamin C is a great antioxidant for neutralizing free radicals and boosting collagen production, but remember to protect your skin when using lemon juice on it, as it can also make your skin more sensitive to UV rays.
Shine reducing: Lemon is great for reducing excess oil if used like a face wash, as previously noted.
Hair Lightener: If your hair is naturally light in color, apply lemon juice before you expose your hair to sunlight to enhance your natural highlights.
Other uses for olive oil in beauty care includes:
Hair treatments: Depending on your hair’s texture, thickness, and length, you can warm up olive oil and massage thoroughly through the hair and scalp. Then, cover your hair with a plastic bag or towel and allow oil to penetrate for at least 10 minutes to an hour. Afterwards, wash and style hair per normal. If you have fine hair, this may not be appropriate for you.
Body Treatments: I prefer to use salt over sugar when exfoliating because salt is drawing, and therefore, “detoxing”. Additionally, skin loves salt – that’s why our skin is great when we swim in the sea! Mix salt with lemon juice and olive oil for a full body scrub. Do this in your tub so you’re not dripping around the house. After 15 minutes, turn on the shower to wash off the scrub and reveal the silky soft result.
Frizz Tamer: Taming the frizzies is great. Simply dip your fingertips into a shallow bowl with oil then massage through course hair or just the ends, depending on hair need.
Facial and Body Moisturizer: Apply olive oil to face and body for moisturizing.
Yogurt inside and out!
Those with lactose intolerance can ingest yogurt. It promotes digestion and can help increase metabolism. We make yogurt every other week at our house, and of course, eat it on rice or turn it into lebnee. Sometimes, I collect the whey from the hanging yogurt and use this as a facial cleanser and also add to my bath for softer skin. Keep whey refrigerated if you aren’t going to use right away.
Facial Cleanser/Mask: Apply unsweetened yogurt over your face and massage gently in a circular movement. Rinse off immediately or leave on for 10 minutes. Your face will be soft and refreshed after just a few minutes. Yogurt contains lactic acid, which is a natural hydroxyl-acid that soothes and hydrates skin.
Feet Repair: Mix yogurt with salt and massage into tired, dry patches and calluses. Eat a bowl while your feet soak!
Hair Conditioner: For foolproof conditioning, de-frizzing, and shine-enhancing treatments, beat one egg white until foamy peaks, and then mix it in 6 tablespoons of plain natural yogurt. Apply this mixture to your hair and let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse. Additionally, you can massage plain yogurt through your hair. Let it sit for 15 minutes so the active cultures in yogurt help moisturize trouble areas on the scalp and help combat itching and general irritation.
Did your teita or immi use lemons, olive oil, or yogurt for their beauty secrets? Share what you know with me at christine@facesofastarte.com.
Christine Shahin, author of Natural Hair Coloring, is a licensed cosmetologist and holistic beauty practitioner who owns and operates a popular natural beauty-salon/spa that attracts clients from across the United States. She has a conventional cosmetology license, though her interest and focus have always been on using natural, safe, ecologically responsible approaches to self care.
