Kitchen Beauty Secrets
If you think food is only for eating, think again. A number of ingredients can be used in a variety of effective, beauty treatments. Try some of the following:
Carrots are rich in betacarotene, and extracts are added to many moisturising creams, shampoos, conditioners, cleansers and body butters. Betacarotene is a skin-friendly nutrient that is converted to Vitamin A inside the body where it helps to repair skin and provides some protection against sunlight. For oily skin, mix grated carrot with honey and apply as a face mask to help your skin glow. For dry skin, add a few drops of macadamia, avocado, evening primrose, wheatgerm or argan oil. Leave on for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing.
Avocado Oil is a useful treatment for dry, inflammatory skin conditions such as acne, dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis and rosacea. When consumed, its healthy fats are converted into anti-inflammatory substances that helps to damp down redness and inflammation. When applied as a cream containing vitamin B12 and avocado oil, psoriasis plaques improved significantly.Make a simple mask for dry skin by mashing a ripe avocado and apply to the face. Lie back and relax for 15 minutes, then rinse.
Use any left-overs to massage into your hands and feet – especially cracked heels. Make a mask for oily skin by combing the mashed flesh of a small, ripe, avocado with one egg white, 1 tablespoon of rolled oats and a tablespoon of lemon juice. Leave on for 20 minutes, then rinse.
Spinach is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. An antioxidant plant hormone, called kinetin, derived from green leaves promotes growth and has an anti-aging effects on plants. It is now included in many anti-ageing creams after studies showed it helps to reduce areas of hyper-pigmentation (age spots), improve skin texture, colour, blotchiness and fine wrinkles as well as stimulating the proliferation of new, healthy skin cells.
A study involving over 400 people aged 70 plus (72 Avg), concluded that people with good intakes of green leafy vegetables showed 21% fewer signs of skin ageing than those with low intakes. Make a refreshing and rejuvenating face mask by blending a bag of spinach with a little water to make a paste. Apply to the face for 20 minutes, then rinse. Boost the effects with a homemade spinach smoothie – blend together 250ml apple juice, a bag of spinach and the flesh from half an avocado and drink while fresh!