I don’t know about you but I love yogurt; natural yogurt to be specific. Whenever I want a kick out of it, I add some honey, and in the blink of an eye I have a nutritious and healthy dessert. Recently I discovered that I could use the same yogurt to the benefit of my skin. So if I am not eating it, I am slathering it all over my face.

It is not news that yogurt is nutritious and delicious. Most of us love it and a number of studies have actually placed yogurt au natural somewhere high on the list of super foods. But I’m not here to force it down your throats; just to help you achieve and maintain a healthy skin. Now what could be wrong with that?

Using yogurt for a healthy skin is not a recent discovery. The likes of Cleopatra in ancient Egypt used yogurt to maintain skin suppleness and youthfulness, while in the Indian subcontinent the same was utilized to eliminate pimples.

The real reason why yogurt is good for your skin is because it contains high levels of lactic acid, calcium, B Vitamins and zinc. And if you have an idea about what’s good and what’s not good for your skin, these nutrients are on the list of what’s good.

So, how can ‘natural’ yogurt be of service to your skin?

Anti-aging purposes: Yogurt is great at fighting free radicals within the body that lead to premature aging. This is because of its biggest component – lactic acid. No wonder Cleopatra used to bath in it. But since I think it will be a bit unrealistic to dunk your entire body in some bathtub filled with the stuff, just apply it on your face, let it stay for about an hour, then wash it off. This way, you will be delaying the appearance of wrinkles.

Dark Circles treatment: Well, if you read my previous article on the natural remedies to get rid of dark circles, you will notice that dairy is on the list. Now, yogurt will do you one better because the zinc found in there is good for lightening some blemishes found on the skin. Just apply on the pigmented areas then wash off after a while; maybe after 30 minutes to one hour.

Fighting acne: Well, the aesthetic experts in the Indian sub-continent knew what they were doing when they used yogurt to get rid of acne. Apparently, the secret to this success is the lactic acid, which I already mentioned is present in a high percentage in yogurt. If you are using yogurt to get rid of acne, both eating it and applying it will work. Just choose whichever way makes you happy.

Relief of sunburn: If you are on this side of the Sahara, you will notice that the mercury has really risen, and will continue to rise until summer is gone. With the high temperatures comes sunburn; that’s if you are not overly careful. If you happen to get some sunburn, don’t fret because yogurt will definitely come to your rescue. If applied on sunburnt skin, the zinc will cool down your skin. Just remember to use a broad spectrum sun screen next time you are out and about, it goes a long way in preventing hyperpigmentation.

Skin moisturizer: If you have a dull skin and you need some natural moisturizer, yogurt would be a good choice. Just clean your face, towel it dry then apply some yogurt. One hour later, after washing it off, you will notice a natural glow.

If you decide to go the yogurt route as a way of natural skin care, I would recommend choosing a brand that is unsweetened, natural and contains a lot of probiotics. And before going all in, test the yogurt on a small section of your skin to make sure it will not cause you any irritations or allergies. You can also check out the benefits of using essential oils for skin beauty.

Wishing you a beautiful, radiant and youthful skin.

xoxo