FRUITY FACE PACKS
 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
 Mash
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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