Everyone’s riding the natural skin care wave, and if you’re wondering where to start, we have some fruity tips for you! Before splurging on the latest beauty products, let the kitchen [more specifically your fruit basket] be your beauty store to help you get your glow-up.
PINNEAPPLE
Pineapple is a great source of dietary fibre and vitamin C that help improve oral health, eye health and give you stronger thicker hair. It also has great anti-inflammatory benefits.
SKIN: Due to its high amounts of Vitamin C and Bromelain, Pineapple is great for wrinkle free skin and reducing acne. Apply Pineapple juice directly on your face for 5 – 10 minutes and rinse off or create a scrub with Coconut Oil and Black Lava Sea Salt to exfoliate and deep cleanse.
LIPS: Exfoliate your lips with a pineapple slice and rinse off after 5 minutes [to prevent the acid from burning you] to get soothing relieve from dry cracked lips.
NAILS: Use a cotton ball full of pineapple juice or a pineapple paste to rub over the tips of your fingers to heal cracked cuticles and maintain beautiful nails.
PAPAYA
Papaya is tasty and loaded with health benefits ranging from improving heart health and aiding in digestion because of the presence of the enzyme papain. It also has strong anti-inflammatory elements and is great for skin, hair and nails when ingested, and applied topically.
SKIN: Not only can you use the pawpaw flesh, but you can also use the seeds by making a paste from the seeds [you may need to grind them] with or without lemon to create a mask which will remove dead skin – brightening your face – and remove visible wrinkles by tightening your face.
HAIR: Condition your hair with mashed papaya [seeds intact] and the antifungal properties of papaya seeds will help control dandruff, which is technically a fungal infection. Massage the paste onto your hair and scalp for an hour and shampoo off.
AVOCADO
Avocado is a super-fruit and has amazing benefits because it is loaded with monosaturated fatty acids, which is the healthy kind of fat that also helps you absorb nutrients from other plant foods. They are loaded with potassium and vitamins with all sorts of benefits to your health and skin when eaten.
EYES: The leftover parts of an avocado are most loaded with vitamins and will help your body produce its own collagen, making it perfect for the wrinkle-prone areas around your eyes. Simply scrape off what is usually left on the peel and apply around your eye socket. Cover this with a damp cotton pad and relax. Rinse off with warm water after 10 minutes.
SKIN & HAIR: Simply apply mashed avocado directly onto your cleansed face or hair after shampooing for up to 10 minutes as a mask to rehydrate dry blotchy skin and relieve an itchy scalp. You can also opt for more innovative combinations depending on your skin’s needs such as Avocado and Oatmeal or Avocado and Honey masks.
KIWI
The Kiwi fruit is a high source of vitamin C, packing more than that found in oranges and lemons. It is also a high source of antioxidants, a great source of fibre and is known for inducing sleep if you eat the fruit one hour before bedtime.
SKIN: The Kiwi fruit makes great masks for younger fresher looking skin for all face types. Try mixing the juice of half a Kiwi together with one tablespoon of Olive Oil and one Egg Yolk and allow this to sit for 15 minutes – or until it dries – and rinse off with warm water to tighten and clear your skin.
HAIR: The Kiwi fruit is also great in preventing hair loss. To create a Kiwi deep conditioner, peel and pulp down the flesh of two Kiwi fruits, add one tablespoon of Brandy or Vodka and massage on to your washed hair and scalp. Cover with a plastic cap and towel for 15 minutes, then rinse off and shampoo one last time.
SWEET MELON
Sweet melon has no fat, no cholesterol and is low in calories making it the perfect fruit for anyone on a weight-loss diet. It is also high in vitamins, minerals, carotenoids and bioflavonoids with an array of health benefits including cancer prevention and strengthened immunity.
SKIN: Melon is highly moisturizing making a great mask for dry skin. Simply mash it and apply the pulp / juice on your face for up to 30 minutes. If you have oily skin however, you may want to replace the melon with a cucumber to achieve the same moisturized effect without overkill.
SKIN MIST: Is your skin getting dehydrated through the day? Carry a melon mist in an air-tight opaque spray bottle and use it as a refresher through the day. To do this, add one-part melon to three parts sparkling water and an essential oil of your choice. Keep it refrigerated when you can, and it should last for 4 – 5 days.
COCONUT
Growing quickly into a superfood, coconuts are rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals. Coconut water is one of the best rehydration liquids to replace water lost as a result of a running stomach or excessive alcohol consumption, and coconut milk is a great replacement to cow’s milk as it is lactose free. Coconuts are also a star in the DIY beauty world!
SKIN, HAIR, NAILS: Making your own coconut oil is not nearly as difficult as it may seem. Simply blend raw coconut flesh with some water – or use a juicer without water. If you blended, strain off the excess water with a cloth or coffee filter. Let the viscous mixer settle and the curd [or coconut milk if you like] and oil will separate. Apply the coconut oil directly onto your skin, hair and nails for amazing hydration benefits, or mix with any other ingredient on here for a creative mask.
LEMON
Lemon is a great source of vitamin C as well as other vitamins and minerals. Place lemon slices into your drinking water to make it more alkaline, hence increasing its absorption rate into your cells. Lemon also gives relief from fever and cold and has great benefits for skin and hair, including providing relief from sunburn and beestings.
SKIN: Lemon literally makes your skin glow by lightening scars and spots, tightening and toning as well as reducing visible wrinkles. Use the lemon juice directly clean skin by applying for 5 – 10 minutes [or even rubbing the lemon itself onto your skin] before rinsing off to achieve any of these benefits. It is also a great addition to home-made masks for oily skin.
NAILS: To moisturize your finger or toenails, soak cotton balls with Lemon juice and apply for 2 minutes before rinsing off. For a nail strengthener, mix two parts of Olive Oil to one part of Lemon juice, warm it in the microwave for 10seconds, apply on your nails and cover it overnight [do this process before bedtime]. Wash off in the morning and use the Lemon once more as a moisturiser for 2 minutes.
PASSION
Passion fruit contains non-heme, a plant-based iron which is extremely good for the body. It is fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, low in calories, but rich in fibre [when consumed with seeds], minerals and vitamins.
FACE: Because of the nature of the passion fruit, it makes for a great face and skin exfoliator when used with honey and oatmeal power. Apply it onto your cleansed face and scrub off after 15 minutes for a greatly moisturised finish.
Do you have a favourite fruit you’ve successfully added to your beauty regime? Comment below and let us know your secret recipe!