 Biting
into an apple? Plopping a strawberry into your mouth? Wait, try putting
them on your face instead. Fruit masks are an age-old recipe for good
skin and many of the best ready-to-use skin products use some fruit
extract or the other. So, why not try some 'fruity' beauty treatments?
Fruit masks or packs may be divided into two - those that serve the
purpose of an astringent and those that nourish the skin. But before
you start applying pulp on your face here are some ground rules:
- Before the application of any face pack, rinse your face with
lukewarm or cold water.
- In the context of application, face refers to facial and neck
regions.
Astringent facemasks
Citrus fruits are generally used to make astringent fruit masks
as they have good cleansing properties because of their acidic content.
Most citrus fruits also have high vitamin content, which nourishes
the skin. So the net effect of astringent fruit masks is to clean
and tone the skin without stripping it off its moisture content.
Here are some you can try.
Tangy Toner
Mix two tablespoon of lime juice with two tablespoons of orange
juice. Apply and leave it for 15 minutes and then wash it off. This
can be done twice or thrice a week in a month. If you wish, you
can also store the mask in an airtight bottle and refrigerate it.
Wine and women
 Grape
pulp is an excellent skin toner. Liquidify a few grapes. Apply and
leave for 10-15 minutes and then wash off.
Caution: These astringent masks should not be used on skin
that is irritated or has rashes. It can however be used on acne
prone skin as it absorbs excess oil.
Berry Berry nice
Mash two berries and apply on your face for 10 minutes. Not only
does this pack clean and tone, it also provides nourishment as strawberries
are rich in both iron and vitamins.
Nourishing fruit masks
The main purpose of these masks is to provide nutrition to the skin.
Fruits that have a high content of vitamins provide good nourishment
to the skin. Banana and papaya masks for instance applied twice a
week over five to six weeks leaves your skin noticeably healthy and
glowing.
Paw powder
Mash two tablespoons of ripe papaya and apply on your face
and neck. Rinse off after 10 minutes with lukewarm or cold water.
To remove traces of characteristic papaya smell, splash a dash of
lime juice on your face and wash away after five minutes. Note, this
pack should not be applied on acne prone faces.
An apple a day
Mas h
half a peeled apple and leave for 15 minutes before washing it off.
This leaves an after glow because of the high iron and vitamin content
in the apple. This mask can also be used in extremely hot climate
because it has an astringent property.
A plum job
Mash two plums and apply on the face for 15 minutes. This
usually works wonders with acne prone skin. If plums are ripe you
can mash them, if they aren't skin them.
All these masks should be applied twice a week and within a few weeks
you can surely notice a glowing healthy skin!
-Aditi Kumar
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