The name “Moringa” comes from the Tamil word meaning twisted pod.

Moringa Leaf, derived from the Moringa Tree is a plant found in the Himalayas in India, Nigeria, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, and worldwide.

On the other hand, pimples are a symptom of a condition, while acne is the condition itself. Acne-prone skin experiences pimples as part of their condition, but not everyone experiences occasional pimples.

Here’s how moringa leaves help treat both:

1. Fights bacteria

Moringa has antiseptic and antibacterial properties, which may help reduce acne by preventing the growth of bacteria that trigger outbreaks.

It strengthens the skin’s natural barrier and reduces acne by cleansing and detoxifying the skin.

A study in the Journal of Ayurveda and Integrative Medicine demonstrated that moringa leaf extracts have antibacterial effects against skin pathogens

2. Removes dark spots

Moringa works helps to fix skin conditions like inflammation and acne because of its high vitamin C concentration.

It helps repair skin by encouraging skin cell turnover and lowering the number of discoloured skin cells that lead to hyperpigmentation, like acne scars.

Studies have shown that topical vitamin C can reduce hyperpigmentation and improve skin’s complexion by inhibiting the enzyme tyrosinase, which is responsible for melanin production.

3. Moisturises the skin

Moringa powder, which is high in omegas, is an excellent moisturiser because it can control the natural oil production of the skin. It keeps the skin hydrated and repairs the skin barrier.

Also, because of its low oil content, it can be used by acne-prone people without clogging their skin and resulting in breakouts.

4. Reduces inflammation

Inflammation can be brought on by environmental factors, acne, and some products. The Vitamin E in moringa slows down this reaction, reduces inflammation, and soothes skin to return to its original state.

How to use moringa leaves to clear acne and pimples

Just follow these simple steps:

1. Gather your ingredients: 1 tablespoon Moringa powder, ½ tablespoon Turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon raw honey, and rose water or lemon juice.
2. Mix: Combine the ingredients in a small bowl, adding rose water or lemon juice until you reach your desired consistency.
3. Apply: Gently apply the mask to your clean face, avoiding the eye area.
4. Wait: Leave the mask on for about 15 minutes.
5. Rinse: Rinse your face thoroughly with warm water.

If your skin is really sensitive or you have an adverse reaction to this, you should discontinue use.

The skin is the body’s biggest organ and serves as a protective barrier against environmental stimuli. Taking care of your skin is vital for maintaining its health, but some regular practices might damage it over time.

Here are five common habits that might be harming your skin.

Inadequate Sun Protection

Although sunshine feels good on your skin, research has shown that too much of it (ultraviolet radiation from the sun) for a long time can lead to photoaging by breaking down collagen and elastin, leading to wrinkles, dark spots, rough texture, sagging skin, and an increased risk of skin cancer.

To keep your skin looking youthful and healthy for longer, wearing sunscreen daily, limiting sun exposure, and wearing protective clothes can help prevent photoaging.

Smoking

Health experts have warned that smoking negatively affects your health in many ways due to the harmful chemicals in cigarettes that damage the collagen and elastin proteins, break down fibres in the skin, and also slow down cell repair, thereby preventing the skin from being able to make new skin cells. This leads to deep wrinkles, sagging, and discoloured skin.

Nicotine, one of the harmful chemicals in cigarettes, reduces blood flow to your skin, which means it doesn’t get enough oxygen and nutrients, thereby contributing to the development of dark spots, scarring, psoriasis, spider veins, eczema, skin cancer, and other conditions.

Sharing towels

Skin rash, body acne, skin infections, and yeast infections are also some of the infections you can contact by sharing towels or not washing your home towel at least once a week and your gym towel every day after use.

Wash your face before bed

To protect your skin from acne, wrinkles, dullness, and aging, make it a habit to wash your body every night, no matter how tired you are. Doing this will remove the oil, bacteria, and pollutants that can build up after a stressful day.

For those who wear makeup, if you don’t remove it before bed, it will prevent your skin from renewing itself overnight, which can cause dullness and accelerate aging.

Also, prolonged face washing may destroy your skin’s natural oils, resulting in dryness, irritation, and even an overproduction of oil in an attempt to compensate. This can cause acne and an unattractive complexion. To maintain healthy skin, use a moderate, moisturising cleanser and only cleanse twice each day.

Sleeping on dirty pillowcases

Your skin might become irritated by sleeping on a dirty pillowcase, as it retains perspiration, oil, and bacteria from your skin and hair. It can affect the skin and lead to acne if it is not frequently cleaned. To preserve healthy skin, replace your pillowcases regularly.

Children generally are adorable and associated with a sweet, welcoming smell. This is why anything short of this, like a body odour, gives cause to raise an eyebrow.

Worried about your child emitting some funny smells and seeking a sure remedy to the situation?

1.      Help your kid(s) maintain good hygiene

Lack of proper hygiene, dirty armpits and groin areas topped with irregular bathing, are common causes of body odour. In fact, double should be your worry if yours is an active kid.

The bacteria accumulated in the clothes stick to the sweat and add to body odour. This is why the first step to take when looking to tackle body odour in kids is to help them augment their personal hygiene.

In addition, kids can be pretty vulnerable to teasing, so you want to do your best to help them try to prevent it.

Regular bathing is key to dealing with it, including a thorough scrub under the arms.

If your child has reached the age where he/she may no longer want a parent to bathe them, what they probably need is some encouragement and pointers to do a thorough job themselves.

Make sure your kids wear clean clothes which are washed and dry. Discourage them from repeating clothes.

Ensure they wear shoes that are clean and dry, as wet shoes could result in infections. Finally, encourage your child to stay hydrated and drink lots of water.

2.      Introduce them to deodorant/antiperspirant

For some kids, bathing won’t be enough to keep the body odour at bay throughout the day, especially if they’re active.

In such a case, deodorant or antiperspirant is recommended. Deodorants act by covering up the smell of sweat, while antiperspirants actually stop or reduce the amount of sweat produced.

Now, while there isn’t any medical concern with kids using deodorants or antiperspirants, it is still relevant that you may have your reservations about this option.

If so, consider the several naturals; unscented products in the market, including deodorant crystals and baking soda-based products. Or even better, you can make a deodorant with rosemary.

Rosemary contains menthol and chlorophyll, acting as natural deodorants to tackle odour-causing bacteria.

All you have to do is simply boil a cup of rosemary leaves in a cup of water and add to your kid’s bathwater.

The other option is to add a few droplets of rosemary oil to the bathwater.

 3.      Look into food habits

What goes in comes out in a distasteful manner. After digestion, some food seep into the pores of the skin and create an odour, meaning that the food consumed not only affects our breath but body odour too.

Some common food that is said to cause body odour in kids and adults are:

Red meat which has an amino acid called carnitine, garlic and onions, milk and dairy products take a longer time to digest, excess consumption releases methyl mercaptan and hydrogen sulphide, causing a foul smell.

Fish, eggs, cabbage, legumes, processed food, and foods that lack fibre.

Try replacing cow’s milk with organic, soy or almond milk, and increase the intake of fresh, green leafy vegetables and include aromatic herbs like basil, sage and rosemary in their diet.

Chlorophyll in plants is a nature-given body cleanser.

The battle of tackling body odour in your kid(s) is one that must be won on all fronts.

4.      Blame it on puberty

If your child is closer to puberty attaining age, then body odour is really no reason to get worked up. Girls reach puberty between 9 and 14, while boys are between 12 and 15.

During this phase, their bodies undergo a lot of hormonal changes leading to changes in their physical appearance and behaviour.

Their sweat glands work overtime, which provides an explanation for why they might have a body odour.

Early sexual maturation in kids is another reason for body odour.

5.      Consider an underlying medical condition and see a doctor.

A very distinct body odour in your child could be pointing to an underlying medical condition like a kidney or liver-related ailment, diabetes, inflammation of organs, etc.

If your child is sweating profusely then they may have hyperhidrosis (a medical condition with the primary symptom of excessive sweating, in excess of that required by the body temperature).

Either way. it is necessary to seek medical intervention as soon as possible.

6.      Consider some home remedies

Consider home remedies like the application of lemon juice in bathwater.

The juice of lemon increases the pH levels of the body and keeps it dry thereby preventing the growth of bacteria. Squeeze, and add a few drops to the bathwater.

Alternatively, you can simply apply lemon juice to sensitive areas.

Dilute a spoonful of lemon juice with a cup of water and dab it on your child’s armpits with a cotton ball soaked in the concentrate.

Leave it for ten minutes, and then rinse it with water.

Another home remedy to tackle body odour in children is to cleanse with apple cider vinegar.

So, dab a cotton ball soaked in apple cider vinegar on the parts of the body that sweat for a few minutes before a bath.

Repeat this procedure twice a day before bath for happy results.