Many people don’t realize that amla can be used for skin care. Amla is truly a magical ingredient with many skin care benefits, this is mainly due to its powerful antioxidant, anti inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
I make a number of skin care products with amla which includes amla bath powder, face pack body massage oil, serum and face cleanser. Though we get number of amla based skin care products in the markets, making them at home with fresh amla will give you the best benefits.
Amla Skin Care Benefits:
Amla Skin Care Benefits:1.Promotes Procollagen:
Amla promotes procollagen production, procollagen is the precursor of collagen. Collagen is the protein which serves as one of the main building blocks for our bones, skin, hair, muscles, tendons and ligaments. It keeps the skin firm and prevents it from sagging giving us a youthful glowing skin. Due to its powerful antibacterial properties, it also helps heal wounds very very fast. We can boil amla in water and use it as a wound wash too.
2. Protects Against UV Induced Photo Ageing:
It is very effective against UV induced photo aging too. At a concentration of 0.5 mg per ml, amla extract was very effective in in protecting the skin from UVB induced collagen damage. You can read the study that supports this claim here. Amla is a rich dietary source of many essential vitamins and minerals for good skin health like vitamin C, minerals, amino acids and phenolic compounds which also keeps our skin glowing when consumed regularly..
3. Rich In Antioxidants:
Amla is a rich antioxidants and antioxidants are very essential for fighting off free radicals which are the major cause of premature aging of our skin. Because of its antioxidant properties it helps reduce oxidative stress. Oxidative stress is one of the leading causes of various health problems which includes skin problems too.
Amla Juice & Skin Care:
Amla Juice & Skin Care:Not only external application but oral intake of amla juice regularly also helps improve skin condition significantly. In a study, 99 healthy female subjects were divided into three groups. The first group received a drink containing 25 mg of lingonberry and 30 mg of amla fruit extract.
The second group received a drink containing double the volume of extracts of the first group and the third group recoeved placebo drink. Each participant drank 50 ml of their assigned drink everyday for 12 weeks.
After 12 weeks, there was a significant improvement in skin thickness, skin elasticity, stratum corneum water content and there was improvement in wrinkles too. The improvement was more in the second group compared to the first group.
5 Top Ways To Use Amla For Skin Care
5 Top Ways To Use Amla For Skin Care1. Amla Face Cleanser
This amla face cleanser is an effective anti acne face cleanser. To make the cleanser, soak 2 reethas after removing their seeds in water overnight. The next day, they will be soft to touch, to that add 2 deseeded amlas and 2 cups of water and boil for 10 minutes till the water has reduced and strain. Use this as a face cleanser. To use, take it in a piece of cotton and apply all over the face and neck, massage for a few seconds and then wash it off.
2. Amla Face Pack
For the face pack, take a tbsp amla powder and orange peel powder in a bowl. Add in rice water to form a paste and apply as a face pack. Wait for it to dry and then wash it off. This face pack brightens dull skin very effectively.
3. Amla Bath Powder
I usually make a bath and face wash powder with amla powder, besan, orange peel powder and kasturi turmeric powder. It is very effective for reducing dark spots and blemishes. For using, you can mix it with either rose water, rice water or milk depending upon your skin type, you can find the recipe for it here.
4. Amla Juice:
Amla juice is one of the best ingredients for skin care and it can be made in many ways. In my opinion, amla juice doesn’t taste good on its own so I always prefer to add it to juices to mask the taste. Try making the juice when the amlas are still fresh for better taste. You can find my favourite amla juice recipe here.
5. Amla Oil For Skin:
For the body massage oil, grate 5 amla in a bowl, sun dry till crisp and take it in a bowl. Add in 1/4 cup dried rose petals to it and add in a cup of virgin olive oil. Let it steep for a week and then strain. Use this as a body massage oil, it will help treat all skin problems.
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Yumm where to buy this or fruit in Oz?
Hi James,I am sorry, I don't know where you get amlas in oz.
If I boil Amla, dry it and then add honey/soak in honey,will it not work? let someone clear my doubt
i generally take arai nellikai…. which s my favorite. big goosberry, i will prepare pachadi and tasted Pickle, never had this..
Ari nelli dhan amla
Mouth Watering Ramya!
Dear Ramya,Loved this recipe…full of nutrition and goodness of both amla and honey. We live in a flat and don't have balcony here. So cannot access to sunlight for drying the "amla soaked in honey". So what else can I do to dry these "amlas soaked in honey"? Can I just keep them in the house only for drying them instead of keeping them outside in the sun? Will it remain for more months if I don't keep them outside in the sun for drying? Please reply. Thanks.
Dear Ramya,Do you have amla soaked in salt water recipe…a tangy and salty tasting amla recipe? I have tasted it when I was in school. My school mate who was growing amla in the village used to bring amla soaked in salt water. It was so tasty and tangy and mouth watering. Looking to see its exact recipe. I think they used to put ginger pieces also in the salt water where the amla are soaked…I guess so. Please share the recipe if you know about it.
If you don't have access to direct sunlight, keep the bottle in the windowsill. It will take longer to soak than the direct sunlight method, but it will not spoil sooner. I have a recipe for amlas soaked in salt water, I will try posting it in the blog, fast……
Thank you so much for the reply, Ramya. Would like to be in touch with you in future as we both are like minded people. I also love trying and using home remedies for all the health problems. Would like to get your email id so that I can be in touch with you in future too. Thanks for the reply again. God bless.
I would like to see the Cheese Cloth that you are mentioning to cover the bottle before keeping it for sunlight. What type of cloth is that and how you are tying it on the bottle? Are you covering the cheese cloth around the bottle using rubber band? I am not sure how would I cover it with a cloth…please reply. Thanks.
Cheese is a thin pure white cotton cloth (any thin cotton cloth will work). Tie it around the mouth of the jar, secure it with a thread and sun dry. Thin cotton cloths prevent dust settling, but allows enough sunlight to dry the ingredients…..
I tried to preserve the goose berry in honey I think the honey it self became watery and there is fungus on the top of the goose berries.I had bought Dabur honey from the store ,I didn't sun dry it but the jar was a clean dry one. what went wrong
Hi Manoj, The amla should be fully immersed in honey, if the amlas pops out of honey, it will spoil soon. Next time, make sure it is fully immersed and try sun drying it….
Has anyone tried soaking dried amlas (available in ayurvedic medicine stores) in honey? Does it give the same effect as soaking fresh amla in honey and they sun-drying?The place where I live is too dusty to sun-dry with just a cotton wrap on the bottle. Suggest me some alternatives, in that case.
You can soak dried amlas in honey and it has the same benefits. Prick it all over with a fork and pour honey on top till fully immersed and let the amlas soften. It might longer to soften than fresh amlas…..
Does amla lose all its nutrients when soaked in salt water.?
Hi, Amla does not lose any of it's nutrients when soaked in salt water….
Hi pls help me l'm from coimbatore and l tried this but the gooseberries are all shrunken can l boil it ,dry it for 1or2 days then soak in honey in case of boiling will it lose it's vitamins etc. Please suggest. Thanks
Hi, I have never tried the boiling method, but give it a try. Instead of boiling it directly in water, try steaming it in idli maker and then continue with the process, that way the amla won't lose any of its nutrients….
Hi ramya,Thanks for this wonderful blog. I tried this amla in honey, but the amlas got shrunken in two days itself and its not soft. How much time it needs to be in direct sun light? Pls guide me on what went wrong.
Hi Uma, As water leaches out the amlas will shrink, as far as it is not molding nothing to worry about. Two to three hours daily in the sunlight will work well. Wait for at least 15 to 20 days for the amlas to soften up, keeping it under sunlight will speed up the process. But make sure the amlas are fully covered in honey, else they will mold.
Hello!Pls informe what the best for constipation and stomach problemms as gastrite.Best regards
hi Ramya, Very nice information. can we consume this during pregancy, if so from which month to we can start and end.sriswarna
Hi Sriswarna, You can have amla from the start to the end of your pregnancy, take one daily…
Eating one amala daily will give same health benefits
Hi Ramya Ji, I wana preserve the fresh amlas for long time to eat one daily. Could u pls give an idea on that. i don`t wana dry n honey mix things.
Hi, the only way to preserve fresh amlas for longer is by refrigerating it. Other than that, try this amla murabba recipe, it really lasts longer and it tastes amazingly good too: http://wildturmeric.net/2015/07/amla-murabba-recipe-health-benefits-pregnancy-hair-skin.html
Hi RamyaI am trying out the amla in honey. I kept it in sunlight for a week or so. It has shrunk but it is not soft like in your pics. Can I remove it from the first bottle and transfer it into another bottle with honey or should I wait till it turns soft and continue keeping it in sunlight. Also can I use the first run down honey mixture again immediately for making another batch and can the run down honey mixture be eaten or should it be thrown away at the end. Another question how long can the amla honey be used if kept at room temp. Have you written amla in saltwater recipe?
Since it has shrunk, the water must have fully leached out of it, you can transfer to another bottle with honey. You can use the run down honey immediately to make another batch. The run down honey should be eventually thrown away because it won't taste good. The amlas in honey can last well for months together at room temperature. I have not written amla in salt still…:) Try and let me know how it turns out for you…
Hi Ramya,Have made two small batches till now. Both have turned out good. Have also made Amla with salt and lemon and the other one I talked about with sugar and spices. I make small batches and they keep on getting over 😀 They are so tasty. Nowadays I am a fan of anything made with amla. Should make a big batch now so that it will last for some time at least. How many times run down honey bottle can be used? Is it okay to pour in some fresh honey in that bottle and continue using it? Also another place I read about amla and jaggery as a tonic to increase immunity in kids and adults. If you know do write about it. The procedure was putting in amla covered with shredded jaggery in a porcelain bottle, packed properly and leaving it in a dark place for around 40-50 days and then removing it and straining out the juice. One teaspoon to be had to increase immunity. Am trying that out too in a small batch. If successful will try a bigger batch 😀
If the run down honey smells rancid do discard it and then use fresh honey for making the next batches, don't add fresh honey to the run down honey. Amla with jaggery sounds Delicious, should try it some time, do let me know how it turns out for you…
HiI am Senthil.. Saw your post and prepared Amla with honey as described here.. Initially I did not keep the honey in sunlight. After 1 week only, I kept it in Sun light for 4 to 5 days, by the time of all them got sunk while it was flotating on top initially. Now I have discarded the thinned down honey. Have put those amlas in New Honey bottle with fresh oney added. When I consume it, the taste is different. How do we know if the Amla (nellikai in tamil) has Molded. How to identify it. Bcoz the taste is very different, I need to know as I am consuming it daily morning. Please guide me
If the amlas are molded which happens when certain parts are exposed to air, there will be a white growth on top of the amlas (which can be easily identified). Usually most of the store bought amla in honey are actually boiled in sugar syrups with little bit of honey added at the end, so the amlas made this way will taste different from it. Unless there is no white growth on top and it does not taste bad, continue having it…
Hey,How long we have to keep this amla with honey in sunlight??? can i keep it from morning 10 to evening 4????? help me in this..
Usually during hot summers 2 to 3 days under hot sunlight (10am to 3 pm) is enough for the amlas to leach out the water completely…
Can we reuse the honey used for soaking amla. I have heard it should be kept in steel bottle not the plastic one.
Yes, you can. I always keep my honey in glass bottle…
Original honey is too expensive in UAE so need some solution for reusing it , i wont use the dabur,himalaya or any other supermarket honey as it wont seems to be original. I can consume the run down honey or throw away. I purchase original balqees honey from yemen 3000INR only 150Gm
You can't consume the rundown honey as it will not taste good. But you can reuse it for the next batch of amla in honey…
If you are looking for high quality Sidr honey, yet more affordable than Balqees, you get it online from this website: http://www.yemensidrhoney.com
Mam, tell which is best used company's honey in the market, if original honey is not available
Mam, which is the best used company's honey, if original honey is not available
Hi Ramya,I tried your receipe with little alteration in the procedure.Instead of keeping it full i just cut it into slices and follow your procedure.my query is incase if the water is not fully leached out and still we put it in a honey, will that get spoil or get fungus?
I just came across your site 2 days ago & love it completely. Thank you for amazing posts.We don't get much sunlight here in Canada and its very cold right now. How can we dehydrate them or can we use amla powder?
Thank u for sharing this wonderful oil recipe…
I tried this method but the amlas got shrunken and is very hard.If I transfer this to a new bottle with fresh honey, will it become soft
Hi Ramya, I visited ur blog after a very long time and I tried a different version of amla and honey recipe which was suggested by many which is as follows: cut/pierce amla add honey….Soak it in sun for 3-4 days and preserve it in glass jarI have done exactly the same however, you have suggested adding a second batch of honey but frankly I have prepared a huge batch using the said method and spent a lot on using organic honey. Will it be OK if I don't transfer them from the run down honey and use it as is? Will it be preserved for long time? There wouldn't be any fungus if I continue using it in the same hindu right?Please help clear my doubts.Thanks and yes keep blogging ur dng a great job 👍😊
Hello, sorry for the late reply. When we soak honey in honey, the water leaches out and the honey thins down, that is why I use a second batch. You can also sun dry the amlas till they loose their moisture content and then soak in honey. If you sun dry you don't have to use two batches pf honey. Try and let me know how it goes…