Buckwheat, of all grain crops, is the leader in the content of vitamins and microelements necessary for human health. Doctors recommend consuming buckwheat dishes for the prevention and treatment of many diseases, incl. cancer. Nutritionists consider buckwheat indispensable for the fight against excess weight. And cosmetologists have long appreciated buckwheat face masks as an express beauty product.
Buckwheat mask for restoring women's skin
Compound:
Boiled buckwheat porridge - 2 tbsp. l., honey - 1 tbsp. l., yolks 1-2 pcs., borax - a pinch, ammonia - 15-20 drops, hydrogen peroxide 2-5% - 1-2 tsp, sage paste - 1 tbsp. spoon, holosas - 1-2 tbsp. spoons, hematogen - 1 tbsp. spoon, “Vitamin C” syrup - 2 tbsp. spoons, nourishing cream, flour (as needed). For oily skin, it is better to add liquid oils: peach, olive, apricot, castor and others; if you have dry skin, add a good nourishing cream or lanolin, preferably water-based.
Cooking method:
Buckwheat porridge is ground in a mortar with a pinch of borax, then add yolks, lanolin or nourishing cream, honey, sage paste, hematogen, vitamin C, flour - last.
Apply on face for 35 minutes. Rinse off with warm water. If the skin feels tight after the mask, it should be lubricated with a nourishing cream.
Buckwheat flour in cosmetology. Part one
We all know the healing properties of buckwheat: it can remove radionuclides, increases muscle strength and endurance of our body, strengthens blood vessels and the nervous system, helps with metabolic disorders, and helps heal the gastrointestinal tract.
As a component of cosmetic products, buckwheat is used in the form of flour, which provides our skin with vitamins and minerals, nourishes skin cells and cleanses the surface of the skin.
For cosmetic use, you can use ready-made flour from the store. But lately I personally don’t really trust manufacturers and make flour myself. For these purposes, I use buckwheat, which I grow on a plot of land, both for my bees, so that they collect buckwheat honey, and for myself, to eat and for use in cosmetology.
So, I carefully sort out the grown and harvested buckwheat and wash it in several waters, then dry it - without exposing it to high temperatures during drying, since it is known that at high temperatures some of the nutrients are lost.
After drying, I grind the cereal into coffee grinders, sift it and my buckwheat flour is ready. I am 100% sure that the flour I prepared is environmentally friendly and does not contain any harmful impurities, any harmful substances, since even during cultivation no chemicals, fertilizers, or any other harmful substances were used.
How do cosmetics with this component enrich our skin and what does buckwheat flour help our skin with:
1. Helps normalize cellular metabolism;
2. Cleanses the skin;
3. Helps cope with age-related changes in facial skin;
4. Softens the skin;
5. Helps remove toxins and oxidants;
6. Helps in the treatment of acne and skin inflammation;
7. Effective in getting rid of puffiness and dark circles under the eyes.
8. When used in the form of face masks, it allows you to remove dead cells without injuring the epidermis;
9. Tones;
10. Activates the supply of oxygen to skin cells;
11. Contains: vitamins A, H, PP, group B;
12. Contains a rich mineral complex;
13. Contains polyunsaturated fats.
Thanks to this unique composition and soft structure, buckwheat is recommended for use on all skin types.
For cosmetic purposes, buckwheat can be used for various purposes, these are: peeling, powder for washing, masks for hair and facial skin, compresses for the eyes and masks for the body.
Let's look at several recipes for preparing miraculous cosmetics for our skin.
Milk mask for thin hair: To prepare the mask we will need:
- half a glass of milk (better, of course, rustic, natural); - 2 tbsp. spoons of buckwheat flour; — 1 egg (of course, it’s also rustic and fresh; it contains 2.5 times more vitamin A than a regular store-bought one);
Milk needs to be heated to 30-40 degrees, warm milk mixed with buckwheat flour and then added egg. The resulting paste should be applied to the scalp (the hair should be dry), comb the hair (when combing, the mask will be distributed evenly along the entire length of the hair) and leave for 20 minutes. After this, wash off the mask with shampoo. Repeat this procedure 1-2 times a week and your hair will receive the necessary nutrition and strengthen.
Milk mask for oily hair: To prepare the mask we will need:
- half a glass of milk (better, of course, rustic, natural); - 2 tbsp. spoons of buckwheat flour; - half a small lemon.
The milk needs to be heated to 30-40 degrees, mix the warm milk with buckwheat flour and then add lemon juice. Apply the resulting mixture to your hair, comb it, distributing it evenly along the entire length of your hair and leave for 30 minutes. After this, wash off the mask with shampoo. Repeat this procedure 1-2 times a week.
Facial peeling with buckwheat flour:
Peeling with buckwheat powder (flour) will help remove dead skin cells (in this case, you need to carefully sift the buckwheat flour through a fine sieve so that no large particles remain, as they can injure the epidermis). The toning effect of peeling will smooth out fine wrinkles and activate the supply of oxygen and minerals to skin cells.
To prepare the peeling we will need:
- one tbsp. spoon of buckwheat flour (powder);
- three tbsp. spoons of juice (you should use only freshly squeezed juice, without any preservatives or colorings)
You can take: cherry juice, bird cherry juice or any other juice that is suitable for your skin type.
Combine the juice with buckwheat powder and mix thoroughly until a homogeneous mass is obtained, without lumps.. Apply the pulp in a dense layer to the skin of the face, avoiding the skin around the eyes and leave for four to seven minutes., Wash off the mask with warm water, to which you can add a few spoons of hydrolate that is suitable for your skin type. Repeat peeling once every three weeks.
Powder for washing.
For oily and combination types, a cleansing powder based on buckwheat flour will help deal with clogged pores. Washing with such powder will help stabilize the sebaceous glands and restore oxygen breathing to our skin.
To prepare washing powder we will need:
- 10 grams of buckwheat flour;
- 5 grams of plantain herb (you can buy ready-made herb at a pharmacy or prepare and dry plantain leaf yourself);
- hydrolate.
The ingredients for washing must be mixed and ground in a coffee grinder. After grinding, the entire mass must be sifted through a fine sieve in order to separate larger particles and only powder remains. Large particles of flour can injure the epidermis of the skin on the face. Dilute the resulting powder to the consistency of liquid sour cream with hydrosol that is suitable for your skin type. Apply to the face for 3 minutes and rinse with warm water, to which you can also add a few tablespoons of hydrolate.
Nourish your skin and hair with the nutrients that buckwheat is rich in!!!
In the second part we will publish recipes for face and body masks.
Buckwheat for swelling and bags under the eyes
Compound:
Raw buckwheat or buckwheat flour, water.
Cooking method:
According to this old recipe, you need to grind dry buckwheat in a coffee grinder (you can take ready-made buckwheat flour), put it in cheesecloth and tie it.
Pour boiling water into a container and lower the bag of buckwheat flour into it for a few seconds, let it cool slightly. After this, lie down, place it on your eyes, and relax for 20 minutes.
Buckwheat has an excellent ability to draw moisture from tissues, reducing puffiness and bags under the eyes and smoothing the skin in the area.
Methods of application
Any product presented in retail chains can be used for cosmetic purposes. In terms of mineral composition, they are not inferior to each other, so the choice must be made depending on what kind of cosmetic product is intended to be prepared:
- The kernel is a whole grain. Fried has a dark brown color, steamed - brown. The cost depends on the size of the grains, but they are not used entirely for cosmetics. It is necessary to grind the pre-washed and dried grains in a coffee grinder.
- The product was split grain.
- Smolensk groats - crushed into finer grains.
- Flakes . Viscous porridge, which is obtained from boiled or steamed flakes, is an excellent base composition, for example, for wraps.
- Flour . The most convenient product for preparing cosmetics. Buckwheat flour produces masks with a delicate texture. You can make flour yourself from the core to obtain a coarser grind for making scrubs and peelings.
- Buckwheat honey.
Buckwheat honey
The basis for decoctions and poultices, ointments and masks can be taken not only from the grains themselves, but also from the stems of the plant, buckwheat flowers and husks. Foot massagers and therapeutic pillows are made from grains and husks. Flour (buckwheat powder) sifted through a fine sieve is recommended as powder for babies.
Vitamin mask from buckwheat for face, neck, décolleté
Compound:
Cream, buckwheat, 1 tbsp. honey
Cooking method:
Pour one glass of hot heavy cream over half a glass of buckwheat. Cover and let sit for 15-20 minutes. Using a blender, grind the porridge until pureed (you don’t have to grind it, it’s just easier to apply as a puree). Add 1 tbsp. l. honey Stir.
Apply warm porridge to slightly damp skin of the face, neck and décolleté. Leave on for 25 minutes and then rinse with water.
Composition and benefits of buckwheat for skin
Both the herb and the seeds of the plant can be used for medicinal purposes. The entire rich composition of minerals and vitamins that nature has endowed with buckwheat has a beneficial effect on the skin both when eating dishes prepared from cereals and when applying external cosmetics made at home.
The benefit of buckwheat lies in the successful ratio and combination of vitamins and minerals. It is impossible to list the entire list of microelements contained in buckwheat, but the main ones are the following:
Properties of B vitamins
- B vitamins . The body needs them for the normal functioning of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, strengthening the immune system, and maintaining emotional health. And in buckwheat this complex is balanced: B1 (thiamine), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin, PP), B6 (pyridoxine), B9 (folic acid) enhance each other’s effect. The complex of these vitamins is necessary to improve the condition of the skin, hair, and nails.
- Vitamin E. 100 g of buckwheat contains up to 40% of the daily value. The natural antioxidant tocopherol is necessary to inhibit the aging process, tissue regeneration, it strengthens the walls of blood vessels, prevents the formation of scars, maintains elasticity and muscle tone.
- Rutin . With its deficiency in the body, capillaries become fragile, and pinpoint hemorrhages (bruises) appear on the skin. Replenishing your reserves routine will help prevent acne and stop hair loss.
- Amino acids . There are 18 of them in cereals, with essential amino acids per 100 g of product exceeding 16% of the daily requirement, and replaceable amino acids – 11.7%. Buckwheat contains the largest amounts of essential acids such as valine, lysine, isoleucine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, threonine, and leucine.
Buckwheat is considered a record holder for its content per 100 g:
- magnesium , which affects all energy processes in the body - 61% of the daily requirement;
- silicon , which is involved in the synthesis of collagen and elastin, is necessary for the absorption of calcium, phosphorus and many other elements, slows down the aging process - 120 mg, or 400% of the daily value;
- iron , the deficiency of which leads to anemia, pale skin, splitting of nails, hair loss, digestive disorders - 55.3% of the daily norm;
- boron , which increases vitality and is necessary for mineral metabolism (especially during the postmenopausal period), - 730 mcg, which is 1042.9% of the norm per day;
- copper , which is involved in the synthesis of new structures and tissue respiration and is considered a mineral against gray hair, - 66% of the daily requirement.
It should also be taken into account that buckwheat is the only plant that is not amenable to genetic engineering. The crop is unpretentious in cultivation, it does not require chemical fertilizers and is not afraid of weeds. Ready-made cereals can be stored for a long time in any conditions; they do not become rancid or mold.
The leader in rutin content is green buckwheat - this is the name given to cereals that have not been subjected to heat treatment. But this is its only advantage over the usual brown cereal. In addition, green cereals are more expensive and “capricious” to store (requires a dark place).
Reviews
Svetlana, 32 years old, Vladivostok. I love buckwheat so much that I’m ready to eat it several times a day and it’s a pity to use it for cosmetic products. But I recently found out that you can wash your face with the broth. I tried it and fell in love with the cereal even more. For the decoction you only need to grind a handful of cereals, sometimes I add crushed seaweed, sometimes chamomile, to the infusion.
I don’t have any special problems with my skin, but after just a week of daily washing my face felt fresher and my tone evened out. I'm beaming!
Galina, 24 years old, Lipetsk. I love trying out different scrubs. But this is not a whim, but a necessary measure, because... "bad" skin. Of all the natural peels, cereal peels, including buckwheat, perform best. Perfectly cleanses and nourishes, polishes and refreshes the face.
Maria, 47 years old, Moscow. I want to share my recipe for eyelids. I dilute buckwheat flour with green tea and add parsley juice (you can use gruel). I’ve been practicing this mask weekly for several years now - there’s not a single wrinkle, my eyes are sparkling!
