If you are a fan of yogurt, then your fridge is probably filled with favorite flavors of this delectable treat. Or if you’re health conscious, then you probably fill up on low-fat yogurt for breakfast frequently. But did you know that yogurt is one of nature’s best remedies and can be used very effectively for health and beauty needs?

The word “yogurt” comes from Turkey, and it means “thick, tart milk.” It is produced when milk interacts with beneficial bacteria and consequently undergoes a fermentation process. The end product is the curdled, sour-tasting, thick milk – known to most the world now as yogurt.

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Yogurt contains lactic acid, which is produced during the fermentation process, and a host of other nutrients like zinc, calcium, probiotics, and vitamins B and D. Not only is yogurt good food for your health, it can also be used externally in various face and hair beauty treatments.

intro use yogurt for skin and hair
Yogurt can be used in many ways to benefit your skin and hair

We have gathered together some of the various ways in which you can use yogurt for skin and hair problems. Continue reading for ideas of which method might suit your needs best.

# For Skin

Method 1: Get Relief from Itchy Skin

Are you plagued with excessively dry skin that gets flaky and itchy, especially in the winter? If you are tired of applying expensive lotions and still getting no relief, give this yogurt-based mask a try.

Simply combine plain yogurt with natural clay, aloe vera gel and rose water to make a deeply soothing mask for dry, itchy skin.

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The lactic acid in yogurt works along with aloe vera to eliminate any infection-causing pathogens and soothe the irritated skin. The natural clay and rose water further help alleviate itching and enhance the skin’s appearance.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin itching

  • Plain yogurt (soothes skin) – 2 tablespoons
  • Natural clay (soothes irritated skin) – ¼ teaspoon
  • Aloe vera gel (skin-soothing and anti-inflammatory) – ½ teaspoon
  • Rose water (tones skin) – as required

Step 1. Combine all four ingredients

Mix yogurt with clay, rose water and aloe vera gel to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix yogurt with clay, rose water and aloe vera gel
  • Put 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add ¼ teaspoon of natural clay.
  • Add ½ teaspoon of fresh aloe vera gel. You can either buy it from the store or make your own fresh aloe vera gel at home.
  • Add just enough rose water to make a smooth paste for application.

Step 2. Mix well and apply the paste on your itchy skin

Mix well and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well and apply on itchy skin for 30 minutes
  • Mix the ingredients well to get a uniform paste.
  • Apply the paste on your itchy skin.
  • Leave it on for 30 minutes, then wash it off with warm water.
  • Gently pat your skin dry and apply a light moisturizer if desired.

Use this remedy as needed to get relief from itchy skin.

Method 2: Get Rid of a Suntan

A well-deserved beach vacation can leave you happy and at peace, but it may also leave you with a lingering reminder in the form of persistent suntan lines. However, you don't need to worry. All you have to do is apply a mixture of plain yogurt and gram flour to restore your natural complexion.

The lactic acid in yogurt acts as a natural skin lightening agent, and its moisturizing and nourishing properties help repair skin damage from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays of the sun. The gram flour also works to further soothe and lighten the tanned or damaged skin.

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Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin tanning

  • Gram flour (soothes and lightens skin) – 2 tablespoons
  • Plain yogurt (natural bleaching agent) – 2 tablespoons

Step 1. Combine gram flour and yogurt

Take gram flour and yogurt in a bowl to use yogurt for skin and hair
Take gram flour and yogurt in a bowl
  • Put 2 tablespoons of gram flour in a mixing bowl.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt.

Step 2. Mix well and apply it on your tanned skin

Mix and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well to form a paste and apply on tanned skin
  • Mix the ingredients well.
  • Apply the yogurt-gram flour paste to your tanned skin.
  • Keep it on for 30 minutes, then massage and wash it off with some cool water.

Apply this paste daily for at least 2 to 3 weeks to get rid of a suntan or even sunburn.

Method 3: Remove Blemishes

Yogurt and lemon contain lactic and citric acid, respectively, which works to lighten skin and fade blemishes naturally. You can combine these two potent ingredients to make an even more powerful mask to get rid of blemishes or scars.

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Note: Since lemon acts as a natural skin-lightening agent, those with sensitive skin should do a patch test before proceeding to use this remedy.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin blemishes

  • Plain yogurt (natural bleaching agent) – 2 tablespoons
  • Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (natural bleaching agent) – ½ lemon

Step 1. Combine plain yogurt and lemon juice

Add lemon juice to yogurt to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add lemon juice to yogurt
  • Put 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt in a container.
  • Add freshly squeezed juice from ½ lemon.

Step 2. Mix well and apply the paste to get clear, blemish-free skin

Mix well and apply the paste to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well and apply the paste once every 3 days
  • Mix the ingredients well.
  • Apply the mixture on the affected areas.
  • Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Afterward, wash your face first with warm water and then with cold water to close the pores.
  • Gently pat your skin dry with a soft towel.

Apply this paste once every 3 days for at least 2 to 3 weeks to remove most blemishes from your skin.

Method 4: Tighten Pores

If you have oily skin, you’ve probably suffered through frequent breakouts of acne and the chronic recurrence of whiteheads and blackheads. While you can use DIY natural face masks to get rid of acne and blackheads, in the end, you are still left with wide, open pores on your skin.

Egg whites act as an excellent skin-tightening agent that help close your pores reducing their appearance dramatically. You can mix egg whites with plain yogurt to create a face mask that will cleanse and close your pores, giving you smooth, flawless skin.

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Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin tightening

  • Plain yogurt (cleanses and reduces the appearance of pores) – 2 tablespoons
  • Egg whites (tightens skin) – 1 medium-sized egg

Step 1. Combine egg whites and plain yogurt

Add yogurt to egg whites to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add yogurt to egg whites

Step 2. Blend well and apply the mask to tighten your pores

Blend well and apply to yse yogurt for skin and hair
Blend well and apply the mask to shrink pores
  • Blend the ingredients using a small, motorized blender to get a smooth paste.
  • Use a cosmetic brush to apply the mask all over your face.
  • Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse your face with cool water.
  • Gently pat dry using a soft towel.

Apply this mask 2 or 3 times a week to use yogurt for skin and hair and reduce the appearance of pores.

Method 5: Treat Acne

Raw honey has potent antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties that make it an excellent remedy for acne. It also helps repair damaged skin and, in combination with plain yogurt that has antibacterial and antifungal properties, it makes an excellent mask to get rid of acne and acne scars.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin acne

  • Raw honey (antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory) – 2 tablespoons
  • Plain yogurt (antibacterial and antifungal) – 2 tablespoons

Step 1. Combine plain yogurt and honey

Add honey to yogurt to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add honey to yogurt
  • Put 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt in a container.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey to it.

Step 2. Blend well and apply it on your acne

Blend well and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Blend well and apply the mix on acne-affected skin
  • Use a small, motorized blender to mix the ingredients into a smooth paste.
  • Using a cosmetic brush, apply the yogurt-honey mixture on the acne-affected areas.
  • Leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes, then gently pat your face clean with a damp cloth.

Apply this paste at least 2 or 3 times a week on a regular basis to get rid of acne and keep it from recurring.

Method 6: Get Rid of Age Spots

Age spots are gray, brown or black spots that often develop on the skin due to excess melanin production in a certain area.

3% hydrogen peroxide acts as a strong lightening agent and, in combination with plain yogurt, it can be used to fade and remove these spots, giving you younger-looking and flawless skin.

Note: Since 3% hydrogen peroxide is a strong ingredient, do a patch test before proceeding with the remedy.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin ageing

  • Plain yogurt (contains lactic acid) – 2 tablespoons
  • 3% hydrogen peroxide (acts as lightening agent) – 2 teaspoons

Step 1. Combine plain yogurt and hydrogen peroxide

Add hydrogen peroxide to yogurt to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add hydrogen peroxide to yogurt
  • Put 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt in a container.
  • Add 2 teaspoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to it.

Step 2. Mix thoroughly and apply it to get rid of age spots

mix well and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well and apply the blend on spots
  • Mix the ingredients thoroughly.
  • Use a cosmetic brush to apply the mixture on the affected skin.
  • Leave it on for 15 minutes, then wash it off with water.
  • Gently pat dry with a soft towel.

Repeat daily for a few months to get rid of age spots.

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Method 7: Soften Dry Skin

You can make an extremely nourishing mask for dry, dull and damaged skin by mixing plain yogurt, Manuka honey, and unsweetened cocoa powder.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair and skin softening

  • Unsweetened cocoa powder (nourishes and rejuvenates skin) – 2 tablespoons
  • Manuka honey (acts as a humectant) – 2 tablespoons
  • Plain yogurt (nourishes and moisturizes the skin) – 2 tablespoons

Step 1. Combine yogurt, Manuka honey, and cocoa powder

Add cocoa powder and Manuka honey to yogurt to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add cocoa powder and Manuka honey to yogurt
  • Put 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of Manuka honey to it.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder.

Step 2. Mix well and apply the mask to rejuvenate dry skin

Mix well and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well and apply the mask 2-3 times a week
  • Mix the ingredients well.
  • Use a cosmetic brush to apply it all over your face.
  • Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes, then rinse your face with warm water.

Apply this face mask 2 or 3 times a week to moisturize and enrich dry skin.

Method 8: Erase Dark Circles

You can also use yogurt to get rid of dark circles, as it works to reduce the puffiness around your eyes and the lactic acid in it helps fade and reduce dark circles.

Single-Step Treatment: Apply yogurt on the dark circles near your eyes

apply yogurt on dark circles to use yogurt for skin and hair
The lactic acid in yogurt helps fade away dark circles
  • Put some plain yogurt in a bowl.
  • Dip a cotton ball in it and apply it on your dark circles.
  • Keep it on for 10 minutes, then wash your face with cool water.

Do this daily at night for at least 4 weeks to erase dark circles. You will notice a significant improvement in the very first week.

# For Hair

Method 1: Cure Dandruff

Plain yogurt can also be used in combination with lemon juice and raw honey to make a deeply-nourishing hair mask that works to eliminate dandruff from your scalp.

Lemon contains citric acid that prevents fungal growth on the scalp and helps remove dead skin cells to boost the health of your scalp. Similarly, plain yogurt contains lactic acid that inhibits scalp infections and milk proteins that nourish the scalp.

This mask also contains raw honey to help moisturize and hydrate the scalp preventing dryness and dandruff flaking.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair dandruff and skin

  • Lemon juice, freshly squeezed (cleanses scalp) – 1 tablespoon
  • Raw honey (acts as a humectant) – 4 tablespoons
  • Plain yogurt (contains lactic acid) – 4 tablespoons

Step 1. Combine yogurt, honey and lemon juice

Add lemon juice and honey to yogurt to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add lemon juice and honey to yogurt
  • Put 4 tablespoons of plain yogurt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add 4 tablespoons of raw honey to it.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice as well.

Step 2. Mix well and apply the scalp and hair mask to treat dandruff

Mix well and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well and apply the mask on your hair and scalp
  • Mix the ingredients well.
  • Use a hair-dye applicator brush to apply the mask on your scalp and hair.
  • You can roll up your hair and put on a shower cap to prevent the mask from dripping all over you, your clothes and the floor.
  • Leave treatment in for 30 minutes.
  • Afterward, rinse your hair with cool, running water and use a mild shampoo.

Apply this hair mask once a week to get rid of dandruff naturally while using yogurt for skin and hair.

Method 2: Condition Your Hair

If you have dry, dull or brittle hair, this deeply-conditioning hair mask is especially recommended for you.

This mask contains deeply nourishing ingredients like raw honey and almond oil that nourish and hydrate your scalp and hair, rejuvenating and strengthening your dull and damaged hair strands.

Things you’ll need:

Things you'll need to use yogurt for hair conditioning and skin

  • Plain yogurt (nourishes and conditions hair) – ¼ cup
  • Raw honey (acts as a humectant) – 2 tablespoons
  • Almond oil (moisturizer to improve appearance) – 1 tablespoon

Step 1. Combine yogurt, honey, and almond oil

Add almond oil and honey to yogurt to use yogurt for skin and hair
Add almond oil and honey to yogurt
  • Put ¼ cup of plain yogurt in a mixing bowl.
  • Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey.
  • Add 1 tablespoon of almond oil as well.

Step 2. Blend well and apply the deep-conditioning hair mask

Mix well and apply to use yogurt for skin and hair
Mix well and apply on your hair once a week
  • Blend the ingredients thoroughly using a small, motorized hand blender.
  • Use a hair-dye brush to apply the hair mask, cover your hair entirely from roots to tips.
  • You can roll your hair into a bun and put on a shower cap to avoid creating a mess.
  • Keep it on for 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Rinse your hair under running water and wash it with a mild shampoo.
  • Let your hair air-dry naturally.

Apply this hair mask once a week to repair, hydrate and condition your hair.

Tips for using yogurt for skin and hair

  • You can also prepare a face mask by mixing plain yogurt with lemon juice to get rid of acne and acne scars. Just combine 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt with a ½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix well. Apply the paste on the affected areas and wash it off after 10 minutes. Repeat 2 or 3 times weekly to get rid of acne within 1 month.
  • Yogurt can also be used to get rid of a yeast infection naturally.
  • You can also mix 2 tablespoons of full-fat yogurt with 1 tablespoon each of extra-virgin coconut and olive oils to prepare a nourishing mask for colored hair. Apply it once a week for 30 to 40 minutes.
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