The polluted environment that we are exposed to each day and stress of every day life can often cause one’s skin to break out with acne flare-ups, become dull and lose its glow. In some cases, this has even been found to invite telltale signs of premature ageing such as wrinkles in the skin and stress lines on the forehead and near the eyes. If worrying about your skin is driving you bananas, then bananas indeed are the answer to your woes! Bananas contain antioxidants, minerals like potassium and essential vitamins including A, B, C and E that hold a lot of beauty benefits for you. Here are a few ways to use all of these benefits as do-it-yourself banana face packs that you can make and apply at home to get that naturally glowing, dewy skin.
Banana Face Packs for Glowing Skin
1. Lock That Moisture In:
Your daily hectic schedule may hardly leave you with enough time to visit spas or moisturize regularly and this may result in dry, flaky skin. Dry skin, being stripped of its natural oils, may cause excess production in sebaceous glands which might cause acne. The excessive caffeine intake during the times you wake up through the nights to complete your assignments is also a major contributor towards having dry and itchy skin. So if you want soft, supple skin which is perfectly smooth to the touch, then this is the face pack for you.What will you need?
- a spoon
- half a banana
- a tablespoon of honey
- a small bowl
What to do?
Put half of a banana into a small bowl and use a spoon to mash it up until you have succeeded in obtaining a thick textured paste. Now, add a tablespoon of honey into the mashed banana and give it a good mix until the mixture is consistent enough to be used as a face pack. Apply the face pack and lightly massage in all over your face. Leave the pack on your skin for about 15 minutes. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and gently tap a towel on your face to dry it.
Why does this help?
Bananas contain potassium and Vitamin E that restores your skin’s moisture by hydrating it. Your skin will also become softer because the Vitamin A present in bananas will heal the damaged skin cells and smooth out your skin while also making it radiant and shiny. Honey will act with bananas to soothe any irritation or roughness and adding to your natural glow.
2. Say Bye To Wrinkles:
As you grow out of your twenties, your skin starts becoming saggy and thin. Premature aging, which often becomes a cause of stress and worry in young women, gives itself away in the form of less elastic skin, wrinkles, and hyper-pigmentation. It may be caused by prolonged exposure to the sun, genes, lifestyle, diet, inadequate sleep, excessive caffeine intake as energy drinks and coffee and even stress. If you want to maintain your bouncy, youthful skin, then you should try the face pack below.
What will you need?
- a spoon
- half a banana
- 1 tablespoon rose water
- 1 tablespoon yogurt
- a small bowl
What to do?
Use the spoon to mash up half a banana in the small bowl. Once you have obtained a thick mixture, add a tablespoon of yogurt into it. Blend the ingredients well to get a mixture of adequate thickness. Dilute the mixture with rose water and blend it again. Once you are done, apply a thick layer of the face pack onto your skin and let it sit for 15 minutes. Once the pack is relatively dry, wash it off with lukewarm water and gently towel dry your skin.
Why does this help?
Collagen is the protein contained in skin which gives it elastic structure and bounciness. But it is lost by the body as it grows older which causes wrinkles and other signs of aging. Bananas contains antioxidants and silica which fights off the formation of wrinkles and fine lines and restores the youthful strength of skin. Yogurt also contains antioxidants and the lactic acid in it tightens the pores present in the skin. Rose water maintains the pH level of the skin and aids in fighting signs of ageing.
3. Control Acne Breakouts:
Pimples are a common problem caused by bacteria on your skin or excessive oil production by the sebaceous glands due to hormonal imbalance. Cosmetic products that don’t suit your skin, menstruation cycles and excessive stress can be another factor leading to acne breakouts. They can become a constantly recurring problem which aggravates if not handled correctly. Moreover, pimples cause scarring of skin and leave behind blemishes and scars on your face. This condition can just about affect any person, irrespective of his or her skin type. The following face pack is suitable to prevent pimples and treat scars and blemishes.
What will you need?
- a spoon
- half a banana
- half tablespoon turmeric powder
- a small bowl
What to do?
Mash up half a banana in the small bowl using a spoon. Add half a spoon of crushed turmeric powder and mix it into the mashed banana. Keep stirring until the mixture attains a consistent yellowish color. Now apply the face pack on your face, especially keeping in mind the t-zone (forehead, nose and chin) and any other areas where you frequently break out. After applying, let the mask sit for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.
Why does this help?
Bananas are one of the most rich sources of Vitamin A. This can help reduce the inflammation caused by the pimples, reduce the associated pain and soothe the skin. Vitamin A and C can even help in reducing the hyper pigmentation of your skin that might be caused because of scarring. Turmeric is the perfect complement because of its antibacterial properties that can help you to heal your acne and clear up your skin. It can also treat uneven skin tone and leaves behind a radiant after glow.
4. Get Rid Of Stubborn Tans:
Prolonged exposure to UV rays that are present in sunlight causes the skin to produce large amounts of a pigment called melanin. Excessive tanning of the skin can damage it and invite problems such as premature aging. But often your daily schedule might make it inevitable for you to end up spending a considerable time outside which can cause the skin on your face to tan, despite applying a topical cosmetic product like sunblock to avoid it. If you are tired of the stubborn tanning on your face then this face pack might be the perfect solution to your problem.
What will you need?
- a spoon
- half a banana
- One and a half tablespoon of raw milk
- a small bowl
What to do?
Take the small bowl and add half of a banana into it. Mash up the banana using a spoon and carefully add one and a half tablespoons of raw milk. Raw milk is fresh milk that has not yet been boiled or pasteurized. Mix up the contents of the bowl until the liquid milk is not visible and fully seeps into the banana. The mixture should be thick enough to be used in the form of a face pack. Now, apply this face pack to all the tanned areas of your face and let it sit for at least 10 minutes until it is completely dry. Now wash your face with lukewarm water and rinse off the face pack. Gently towel dry your face by patting it.
Why this helps?
Bananas can be used as natural bleaching agents that can help you remove the stubborn tans that are caused on your face by the sun. Milk also has anti-tanning properties and removes pigmentation without irritating sensitive skin. The lactic acid present in milk helps to exfoliate the skin, moisturize it and remove sun tans. It will help you to even out your skin tone and also make your skin soft and glowing after usage.
A Word Of Caution:
You should not use banana face masks on your skin if you are, in any way, allergic to bananas. To be on the safer side, you should do a small patch test on your skin to make sure you do not experience any abnormal signs like redness or itching which might indicate an allergic reaction.
Using banana face masks is an easy, fun and cost effective way that you can use to bid your skin troubles good bye. So the next time you are about to throw an over ripe banana into the bin, do consider making a natural face pack and enjoying some do-it-yourself beauty benefits. Have fun using all of these face masks and finding out which combination of natural ingredients suits you and benefits your skin the most!