How to start incorporating fruits into your skincare routines

Synthetic skincare vs Natural skincare: is it possible to include fruits in your skincare routine and get similar results? Find out!

According to the Australian Academy of Science beauty products available in the market contain about 50 ingredients each, and the average woman uses up to 15 personal-care products a day –that’s a whole lot of chemicals and wasted packaging, right?

Natural products have always struggled to keep up with synthetic products –i.e.: products containing ingredients derived scientifically in a lab using copies of natural ingredients– in terms of performance and efficiency, so I’m not saying that we should completely replace all our skincare routine. Hyaluronic acid and retinol, for example, cannot be found in nature, but swapping a few products for natural ones is the first step you can take to find the road back to nature.

Benefits of eating fruit

Fruits are a great source of water, and if you want to keep a plump complexion, taking care of your skin’s hydration is paramount. Tomato, watermelon, cucumber, grapefruit and strawberries contain a lot of water.

Yellow and orange fruits are high in beta-carotene; what’s amazing about this nutrient is that it gets transported into the blood and accumulates in the tissues giving the skin a lovely translucent glow.

If you start your day with a smoothie made of greens, fruit and lemon, you’ll be helping your body eliminate toxins, as fruits have a great detox effect because of their fiber.

How about actually applying fruit to your skin?

According to experts, while there is a lot of anecdotal evidence stating that fruits are beneficial for the skin, it still necessary to research this subject. There are, however, several fruits that can refresh your skin and improve its appearance, here’s a list:

How to start incorporating fruits into your skincare routines

Lemon

Lemons are rich in vitamin C. With age the body’s ability to produce collagen decreases, but fortunately, including vitamin C will boost the production of collagen and strengthen your immune system.

How to include lemon

• In the morning drink lemon juice and a few drops of apple cider vinegar in water to detox.
• Rub your elbows and knees with some lemon juice for 15 minutes and rinse –this will brighten and lighten the skin.
• Mix some lemon juice and baking soda to whiten your nails.
• Exfoliating scrub: Mix ½ cup of salt, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of coconut oil and the juice of ½ a lemon, then massage dry skin before taking a shower.

Tomato

Free radicals accelerate the oxidization process and lead to early aging. Fortunately, tomatoes are rich in antioxidants –these components fight free radicals.

How to include tomatoes

• First of all, include tomatoes in your meals!
• Sunburn reliever: mix tomato juice and buttermilk apply to the affected area for 20 minutes and rinse.
• Tomato cleanser: mix the juice of one tomato with the same amount of whole milk, apply it to the face and neck twice a day and rinse off after 10 minutes. This is perfect for normal and oily skin. The lactic acid offers a gentle peeling effect, so test on the wrist first.
• If you rub half tomato on your skin, it will help reduce the size of your pores.

Kiwi

Packed with vitamin E and C –as you probably know, they are powerful antioxidants–, and vitamin K –which reduces stretch marks and aids wound healing. If you include kiwi in your diet it will help you regulate blood sugars.

How to include kiwi

• Try a kiwi smoothie for breakfast.
• Pop a slice of kiwi over each eye to refresh puffy eyes.
• Mash one banana and one kiwi and mix it with some yogurt, apply for 10 minutes, and rinse off for a gentle exfoliation and hydration. The result: soft and supple skin.

Watermelon

Watermelon is rich in vitamins A, C and cucurbitacin E –powerful antioxidants– and it also has anti-inflammatory effects.

How to include watermelon

• Mash watermelon and blend with yogurt for supple and radiant skin.
• Apply the white rind in slices to your face to alleviate dry or irritated skin.

Banana

High in fiber and potassium, vitamin B6, they are great for your skin and promote better sleep. Besides, bananas are easy to carry and a healthy snack.

How to include bananas

• Exfoliator: Mix banana with raw sugar to prepare a scrub to remove the dead cells on the surface of your skin.
• Scalp exfoliator: if your scalp is dry and flaky, try mashing a ripe banana with honey and massage the mixture from the roots of your hair to the ends, leave for 20 minutes and wash.
• Try some banana masks to brighten your skin and reduce acne.

Strawberry

Strawberries are also rich in antioxidants and have an anti-inflammatory effect.

How to include strawberries

• Face mask: mash strawberries and a tablespoon of honey and yogurt to revitalize the skin.

If you have read until the end of this article, I might have already persuaded you to start incorporating fruit for skincare purposes. Slowly replacing some of your industrial products with natural options is not only good for your skin and health in general, but it is also a big step towards becoming more environmentally conscious –isn’t that well worth trying?