Homemade Ayurvedic Herbal Bath Powder : Snan Ubtan

India is a country that boasts on its rituals, culture, traditions and customs. We have a rich cultural and traditional heritage in almost all the aspects of human life, beauty being one of it. We love ubtans and oils, all homemade running down from generations and passed on to the genext. Be it Haldi ceremony during wedding when we apply Haldi Ubtan for bride and groom, or Abhayang Snan done one day before the grand festival Di

wali, on the day of Narakchaturdashi, we cherish our traditions. Ayurvedic herbal bath powder, ubtan and homemade oils were the daily requirements in Royal India but today its glory is fading, the major reason being the shortage of time in our daily schedules.

Homemade Ubtans, Oils, Keshkalps (Hair packs) and bath powders are prepared and used in Indian homes since time immemorial, although the busy and competitive life of present day has changed the scenario and such things have now been reserved only for festivities and ceremonies yet the rituals are still alive and celebrated time and again with full zest.

Homemade Indian Herbal Bath Powder (Utne / Ubtan)

This recipe may resemble the “Sugandhi Utane“, the herbal Bath Powder applied before Abhayang Snan, but I do not claim it to be authentic, I am still searching for the authentic recipe and once I succeed in finding the traditional Sugandhi Utane (Ubtan) recipe, I will post it here. For now this recipe is given by an acquaintance, its an amazing bath powder that is nothing less than a treat for the skin.

“Utane” as its called in marathi or “Ubtan” in Hindi is a combination of herbs and spices that cleanses and nourishes the skin leaving it radiant and smooth. It is mixed with fragrant oils,rose water or milk and applied all over the body. You do not need any soap with this, the herbal bath powder is just enough to clean and enrich your skin.

The Ingredients

Red Lentil Flour (Moong Dal powder / ata) 250gms

Sandal Wood Powder (Chandan Powder) 25 gms

Turmeric Powder (Ambe Haldi Powder) 5 gms

Camphor (Kaphoor ) 5 gms

Manjishtha Powder 25 gms

Orange Peel Powder 100 gms

Rose Petals Crushed  1 tbsp

Khas (Vetiver) 10 gms

How To Prepare

Mix all the ingredients and store in an airtight jar.

To use this fragrant bath powder, mix the ubtan with water or Rose water and apply all over the body, leaving the parts where the skin is too delicate and sensitive.

Gently scrub this ubtan on the skin, this will exfoliate and clean the skin. Rinse off with warm water. Now massage your skin with an aromatic / fragrant herbal oil. Use a natural soap for bathing, this will help removing the oil. If you are not going in for the oil massage, soap is not required while bathing as the Bath Powder works well all by itself.

Benefits Of Using Natural Homemade Herbal Bath Powder – Ubtan on Skin

Masoor dal is known for its skin brightening properties, Camphor and Vetiver adds fragrance and soothing effect. Vetiver also helps is reducing the appearance of dark spots and will also deals acne due to its antiseptic properties. Rose petals makes the bestows glow to the skin, Orange Peel powder removes spots and provides even tone to the skin.

The biggest plus point of using a bath powder is that it does not strip off the natural oils from your skin, thus leaving it supple.

Overall this herbal bath powder is quite therapeautic for the skin as well as the mind. The fragnaces removes negativity and relaxes the mind, and the other ingredients provides deep pore cleansing and exfoliation to the skin leaving it smooth, glossy and fresh.

If all the ingredients of this bath powder are not available to you, try the Masoor dal Ubtan it simple and has less ingredients, but an effective brightening mask.