Using Fresh Fruits & Vegetables for Beauty

From a young age, we are told that fruits and vegetables are good for us. We are urged to eat them in grand abundance because they are good for our bodies. However, we aren’t often told of the other benefits of fresh fruits and vegetables.

Sure, fresh fruits and vegetables do wonders for us internally. But, did you know that fresh fruits and vegetables can also do wonders for our bodies when used externally?

Here we will share with you some wonderful recipes for facial masks and other topical uses of fresh fruits and vegetables. We think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results of using these recipes. They will leave your skin feeling fresh, and looking clean and positively glowing.

And, best of all? They are inexpensive, natural, organic, and are easy to make and use!

If you have a beauty recipe that calls for fresh fruits or vegetables, and you would like to share it with everyone, please feel free to do so in the comments section below!

Strawberry Facial Mask

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fresh strawberries
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Directions:

Step 1 – In a small bowl, mash all ingredients together until you have created a smooth paste. (Tip: to create your paste quicker, you can slightly blend strawberries in a blender or food processor before mashing them together with the other ingredients in the bowl)

Step 2 – Using clean finger tips, spread the paste over your clean face and neck. Leave paste on for 20 minutes.

Step 3 – Rinse face with warm water to remove paste. You can use a wash cloth to help remove the paste as well. Use paste twice weekly.

Benefits:

Strawberries are full of natural antioxidants. Antioxidants repair skin cells and also contain anti-aging properties. They can also protect your skin from environmental free radicals.

Strawberries also contain a low level of salicylic acid which is known to remove dead skin cells, and will leave you with glowing, radiant skin.

Notes:

You want to be sure you are using strawberries that are at their peak ripeness. Using strawberries that are under ripe or over ripe can cause a decrease in phytonutrient content of strawberries.

Using strawberries at their peak ripeness will assure you that they will be rich in antioxidants.

You can use any milk that you choose. However, goat’s milk has a similar pH level to your skin’s natural pH level, so it tends to work the best for facial masks.

Also, the higher the fat content of the milk, the more your skin will be hydrated. Vitamins and proteins found in the fat of the milk will help moisturize your skin really well.

If you choose not to use animal products, do not worry – you can still create this mask using rice, soy, or almond milk.

Be careful to not get mixture into your eyes. If you do, flush with cool, clean water.

Carrot Facial Mask

Ingredients:

• 2-3 large carrots
• 4 ½ tablespoons of honey

Directions:

Step 1 – Cook your carrots. You can do this a few different ways – you can steam them until they are soft, or boil them – whatever is easiest for you.

Step 2 – Once the carrots are cooked until soft, you can place them in a bowl and mash them until they are the consistency of a smooth paste.

Step 3 – Add your honey to the bowl and mix well with your carrot paste.

Step 4 – With clean finger tips, apply the carrot-honey paste to your clean face and neck. Leave paste mask on face for 10 minutes, and then rinse off.

Benefits:

Carrots are known to contain high levels of Vitamin A. They also contain Vitamin C, potassium, and folic acid.

Using carrots in your facial mask will help to moisturize your skin. Carrots can also help to repair skin cells. Carrot juice is also a great toner for your skin.

Carrots are wonderful for revitalizing dull skin, and will leave your skin looking fresh and youthful.

Notes:

Allow your cooked carrots time to cool before applying mask to face.

As with all facial masks, be careful not to get mixture into your eyes.

Is your hair feeling dull and dry? Use this recipe and add 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, and 1 teaspoon of Vitamin E oil. Mix well and apply to damp hair – coating from roots to hair tips. Cover hair with a plastic shower cap and leave in for at least 1 hour. Wash and style as usual.

The mixture will leave your hair feeling moisturized, soft and shiny.

Cucumbers and Healthy Skin

Cucumbers have so many wonderful benefits to our bodies – especially our skin! There are plethoras of ways in which you can use cucumbers in your beauty routine:

Fading Dark Circles – Cucumbers contain gobs of antioxidants and silica within their fleshy insides. These antioxidants can quickly and safely help reduce the intensity of dark circles under your eyes.

You can simply place cucumber slices over your eyes for 20 minutes to help diminish your dark under eye circles. Or you can soak cotton pads in fresh cucumber juice and place the pads over your eyes for 20 minutes.

Reduce Eye Puffiness – Cucumbers also contain high levels of ascorbic acid. The ascorbic acid in the cucumber decreases water retention, and can help decrease the puffiness under your eyes.

If you are suffering from puffiness under your eyes from stress, crying, or lack of sleep, cucumber slices will help reduce the puffiness.

Simply cut a cucumber slice in half and place a half-moon shaped cucumber slice under each eye. Lay back and relax for 20 minutes while the cucumbers do all the hard work!

Improve Your Complexion – Cucumbers are long known for improving complexions and rejuvenating skin.

Make a simple facial mask with blended fresh cucumbers and ¼ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice and apply to your face. Rinse off after 10 minutes and enjoy your fresh, rejuvenated skin.

This facial mask has also been known to lightly fade the appearance of scars, freckles, and skin pigmentation.

Treat Sunburns – Using cucumbers is a natural way to cool and soothe your skin in a gentle way after spending too much time in the sun.

You can apply fresh, chilled cucumber slices directly to the burned areas.

You can also make a soothing skin mask using 1 chilled, peeled cucumber, ¼ cup fresh aloe gel, and 200mg of aspirin. Blend ingredients in a blender or food processor until you have a smooth paste. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, until chilled. Apply directly to sunburned areas and leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse off in a cool shower.

Tighten Your Pores – Cucumbers are great to use as a skin toner. You can place fresh cucumber slices directly on your skin, or you can blend cucumbers in a blender or food processor and apply as a facial mask to help tighten your pores.

To create a stronger skin toner, you can blend a cucumber with ¼ teaspoon apple cider vinegar, ¼ teaspoon fresh squeezed lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon honey and apply directly to your face. Be careful to avoid getting this mixture into your eyes. Allow to sit for 10 minutes and then rinse your face clean with cool water.