Charm of chocolate

Aug 21, 2012 - Namita Gupta

Jennifer Aniston likes to pamper herself with chocolate treatments

Chocolate is fast catching on as a favoured ingredient for many beauty treatments across the world. Many spas and salons utilise chocolate, which can benefit the skin and make it more beautiful. Being used by both men and women for facials, body massages and waxing, it is creeping in most treatments as it is a good moisturiser for dry skin.

Dr Veena Patnam, spa manager at The Spa, The Leela Palace, Bengaluru, shares tips on how chocolate can be used in beauty care for its skin softening ingredients.

Smooth as silk
Chocolate contains cocoa butter which softens the skin. Chocolate is extremely rejuvenating and refreshing for the skin. It is an exceptional natural moisturising agent which makes the skin baby soft and supple. It can also be used as a body wrap to increase blood circulation, as it helps rejuvenate the entire skin. It is better than any other ingredient. It can be used anywhere on the body. It is highly recommended for dry skin. If blended with olive oil, it makes for a great wrap.

Young and new
Chocolate when mixed with a scrubbing agent like apricot can make for a very good scrub for the body as well as the back. It scrubs the dead cells and help regenerate the new ones during exfoliation. This allows new, young and healthy skin cells to grow in their place. Chocolate is generally extracted and used in body butters in the form of masks and treatments like chocolate bath, chocolate facials, chocolate manicures and pedicures and aromatherapy.

Get a chocolatey fix
Chocolate is also an antioxidant in nature so it helps prevent skin damage. It helps maintain the protein and elasticity and keeps the skin younger. Chocolate is a powerful antioxidant, which can help slow the skin’s natural aging process from the inside out. Dark chocolate is one of the most powerful weapons in the fight against aging skin and according to an international survey, can reduce wrinkles and age spots and also improve skin elasticity.

Do-it-yourself
Chocolate facial masks can be made at home. Mix cocoa powder, heavy cream, cottage cheese, honey and oatmeal. Apply the mixture to the face for 10 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. It is an excellent moisturiser that helps in maintaining the youthful glow of the skin.

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