TheSoko.com - NATURAL WONDERS: Beauty Treatments from Around the World

NATURAL WONDERS: Beauty Treatments from Around the World

By Reine Gammo

[Beauty]

Commercial products not working for you? It's time to defer to ancient wisdom. Reine Gammo shares some of the oddest hair and skin remedies from around the world.

Of course, some products on the market truly do a good job of revitalizing your hair and skin. But instead of using products that have been over-processed, why not go back to nature and ancient cultural wisdom for some old-fashioned hair and skin remedies? Before technological advancement allowed for mass production of commercialized hair care and skin care products, people looked to Mother Nature for their health. From the Chinese with their snake oils, the Middle Easterners with their Dead Sea minerals to the African remedy of brain marrow, these are just some examples of seeking a natural remedy.

Snake Oils

Snake oil is a traditional Chinese medicine used to treat joint pain. The phrase “snake oil” has become a derogatory term used to imply that certain medicines are fake or ineffective, but that does not apply to snake oil itself. Originating in China, where is it called shéyóu, it is still being used as a pain reliever. It is rich in fats, which are thought to have inflammation-reducing properties. The fats present in snake oil are easily absorbed by the skin, so they also provide an easy remedy for dry hair and dry skin. It replenishes the hair with essential fats that the hair looses daily, especially every time you shower or take a dip in a chlorine-rich wimming pool water.

Dead Sea Mud

Dead Sea mud is the largest selling clay in the world, and its use dates back to the time of Cleopatra. Its sales in the U.S., Asia and Europe are estimated to be over $100 million USD per year. The Dead Sea, located in Jordan, is known to be the lowest point on Earth and for being the largest reservoir of natural minerals and trace elements. It is called the Dead Sea because of the high concentration of salt in the water (around 28 per cent), which prohibits the existence of sea life. The mud that is extracted from the Sea is rich with more than 25 minerals, which contribute to the cleansing of the skin and the removing of all the surface dirt. The minerals penetrate the skin and tighten the pores to give a smooth and clean look. Dead Sea mud is used worldwide in spas through body wraps and skin exfoliation, and is the best selling mud for skin care, outselling Moor mud and glacier mud.

Some benefits of Dead Sea mud: