Hibiscus In Indian Beauty Remedies, From Youthful Skin To Radiant Hair

Hibiscus or gudhal ka phool not just stands out for its beauty, but also for the fact that it has incredible properties that benefit our skin and hair care needs. For centuries, the colourful flowers and the leaves have been used in various home remedies to tackle issues like hairfall, dull and thinning hair, acne breakouts, fine lines and wrinkles, and bless one with glowing skin and radiant hair. Such is its power that even today in the modern world, when we have endless cosmetic products, it still is as popular.

Hibiscus For Skin Care

Hibiscus is often touted to be a miracle flower, which comes with natural anti-ageing properties, thus earning it the moniker 'botox plant'. It is believed that face masks made of hibiscus can help improve the skin's elasticity and prevent early signs of ageing naturally.

Dolly Kumar, cosmetic engineer and founder of beauty brand Skinella says, "Hibiscus is an amazing flower, which can make your skin fresher, younger and give you a smoother-looking complexion. The natural acids present in hibiscus help purify your skin by breaking down dead skin cells while helping control acne breakouts. It's naturally occurring oils also help keep your skin moisturised."

Mansi Chowdhary, co-founder and director of beauty brand Body Cupid says, "The antioxidant properties present in hibiscus does skin wonders like bringing firmness and tightening the skin layer, keeping the skin oil and moisture balanced, and also exfoliating the dead cells by turning to be a natural skin cleanser."

(Also read: 7 Ways To Pamper Yourself With The Goodness Of Rose)

^{Hibiscus can act as natural astringent for the skin}

Hibiscus For Hair Care

Hibiscus comes packed with flavonoids, phenolic compounds, anthocyanins, fatty acids and other pigments that work wonders for hair care - from strengthening the roots to reducing dullness and spit ends. It is particularly known for its hair growth boosting abilities, and as such is commonly used in the form of hair oil, shampoos, conditioners and even hair masks.

Mansi Chowdhary adds, "Our skin is not the only body part that benefits from the miraculous hibiscus, but even our tresses by soaking in the nutrients released from these plants. From strengthening your hair roots to having a healthy Rapunzel-like hair growth. Whether you invest in products infused with hibiscus or take one directly from your garden, the properties it has to offer will still be worthy of being a must-addition in your beauty regimen."

You can easily create beauty remedies at home using fresh flowers and leaves to make a paste or extract, and mix them with other beneficial natural ingredients.

^{Hibiscus is particularly known for its hair growth boosting abilities}

DIY Hibiscus Beauty Remedies

Hibiscus Moisturiser

Dolly Kumar shares a DIY moisturiser recipe using hibiscus:

Take 20-30 petals of dried hibiscus petals and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil or almond oil. Grind it in a mixer and after that, put the mixture in the microwave for 2-3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a piece of cotton cloth and squeeze in the oil from the mixture in a small bowl. Add some saffron and aloe vera gel to the oil and mix it well. You will get a smooth paste. Moisturise and nourish your hands, feet, and other areas of your body with this amazing DIY Hibiscus moisturiser."

Hibiscus Hair Mask

Here's a hydrating hibiscus and yoghurt hair mask from Kama Ayurveda:

• Simply grind about 3-4 hibiscus leaves and one hibiscus flower to make a paste.

• To this add about a cup of yogurt to make a smooth and consistent hair mask.

• Apply this mask on your hair and leave it on for an hour.

• Then, wash off the mask with lukewarm water and shampoo your hair using a mild cleanser.

Apart from making hair roots strong, this hair mask also helps in preventing premature greying of hair.

Hibiscus Hair Cleanser

The simplest beauty remedy amongst the rest is using hibiscus as a shampoo substitute. Mansi Chowdhary shares a DIY recipe:

• Add a bunch of fresh hibiscus petals and leaves to half a cup of steaming water.

• Let this soak in for just 15 minutes.

• Blend this mixture once the clock is up.

• Now, spread this potion directly on your scalp, massaging it for about 5 to 6 minutes and then give it a thorough rinse with clear water.

Following this beauty regimen once a week can bring you that desired mane you've been craving for.