Best Oils & Foods To Apply On Your Face
By Sheridan Genrich
Some of the gentlest and most effective skin care ingredients are probably already in your kitchen.
Many expensive, natural beauty products already use foods including natural oils, so why not try using the raw ingredients yourself? What ingredients you use depends on your skin type and what it needs most. Possibly oily, dry, combination or have spots.
Your skin changes with the four seasons and with age.
Right now, I’m using a night cream I made for myself that is just a mix of olive oil, coconut oil and beeswax. I love it! The beeswax holds it together and makes it thick and not runny.
Other great things to try an include and should be in your kitchen or cabinet anyway are:
FOR DRY & AGEING SKIN:
* Avocado – a great moisturizer to use as a face mask, mashed up in hair, or use just about anywhere you could use a little extra hydration.
* Egg white – use uncooked as a classic way to improve tone and texture. Spread evenly over skin and leave on for 10-15 mins.
* Raw Honey – is a natural antimicrobial and soothes & draws moisture into the skin. Use it in masks or as a spot treatment.
* Green tea – Full of antioxidants and helpful for reducing redness. Rinse your face in cool green tea for a great way to gently soothe skin.
* Cucumbers & Kiwifruit – great for sensitive skins and those that need cooling. Often used over the eyes to relieve puffiness and brighten them. Leave on for at least 10-15mins.
* Watermelon – good for dry skin and age spots. You won’t need much for it to benefit and washing off is optional.
* Oatmeal – a wonderful fast-acting soother with major anti-inflammatory properties. You can drop it in the bath, slather it on your face, or even use it as a gentle scrub.
* Extra Virgin Olive oil & Extra Virgin Coconut oil – both of them keep the skin’s connective tissues strong, which prevents sagging and wrinkles. Especially good to apply in the early evening and be sure to gently rub in well. It can reduce fine lines and is great after sun exposure.
FOR COMBINATION, OILY SKIN:
* Tea tree oil is a great skin cleanser and useful as a natural cure for blackheads. This is a must have in your cabinet as it is also good for cuts, insect bites and a few drops put into a spray bottle with water works well in kids hair if they have lice (ie. nits).
* Banana – the inside part of a banana peel is good to rub for blackhead prone areas. Look at the banana peel when you finish rubbing and you’ll be surprised at how much comes off.
* Lemons or Lime: great for oily or acne prone or skin with a build up of dead cells. You don’t leave citrus on for more than 10-15 minutes and avoid sunlight immediately after applying it. Lemons in particular, can cause photosensitivity (and lightening of the skin) and avoid use on broken skin.
* Papaya – a really good skin decongestant due to the enzyme papain. Apply evenly and leave on for 15mins for one of the best enzyme masks around.
If you’re keen to know the best foods to eat to improve your skin from the inside see my other article here.
Try some of these next time you’re at home or even staying in a hotel. Just have fun experimenting with them & fruits or nut oils, bearing in mind some of the tips above.
I’d love to know how you go with them too.