Strawberries make a delicious and healthy snack, but did you know that they have a great purpose in your beauty regime as well? This juicy red conical fruit is packed with essential nutrients such as Vitamin C, A and K, folic acid, magnesium potassium, and calcium. And, they have powerful antioxidants and are anti-inflammatory. Strawberries boost radiance and brighten dull skin because of the alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) in them which has been shown to help reverse signs of ageing and promote exfoliation.
If you have acne-prone skin, you will be pleased to know that strawberries contain natural salicylic acid to unclog pores and promote cleaner and clearer skin. They also contain ellagic acid which removes the toxins from your body and protects against harmful free radicals. So, if you have any bacterial infections on your face or an acne breakout, strawberries can help to resolve this condition naturally. For more information on an effective basic skincare routine for oily or acne-prone skin click here.
If this is not enough motivation to start incorporating strawberries into your beauty routine then we are going to make it a little bit easier to get behind these red beauties by sharing with you 3 beauty hacks that are so easy you are going to be asking yourself why you hadn’t thought of strawberry beauty sooner. All we ask is that you please try to refrain from eating them straight off your face so they have a chance to work their magic on your skin.
WATCH THE VIDEO: 3 STRAWBERRY BEAUTY HACKS TO TRY
HACK 1: Exfoliating scrub mask
Strawberries have many benefits for your health and skin and are perfect to make nourishing and revitalizing masks. This strawberry exfoliating Scrub Mask is a face mask and scrub all in one. In this blog, we focus on the face scrub mask, but you can easily replace the sugar with salt and transform this into a body scrub.
Ingredients & Method:
- 1 Cup white granulated sugar
- 2 Regular-sized strawberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 Teaspoon coconut oil
- 1 Teaspoon water (optional)
Place the strawberries in a blender and puree. Add the strawberry puree to a mixing bowl and add the sugar. Stir. Add the coconut oil and mix well until the oil and the puree mixture are incorporated well with no separation of liquid. If you prefer a cool mixture, then use frozen strawberries which will also serve to calm any puffiness on your face. Leave this mask on for around 10 to 15 minutes. Then gently scrub the mask in circular motions to exfoliate the dead skin cells on your face. When done, gently wipe off with a warm wet towel or face cloth. You can apply this treatment 1 to 2 times a week.
Strawberry, PRP AED 19, available at falconfresh.com
Frozen Strawberries, PRP AED 12, available at boylans.com
Fine Granulated Sugar, PRP AED 6, available at noon.com
Organic Coconut Oil, PRP AED 16, available at noon.com
HACK 2: Puffy eyes no more
No matter what your age, all women should have some tricks on how to get alleviate puffy eyes. Genetics, lifestyle, diet, and the ageing process can all contribute to the development of under-eyebags. They can strike at any age and at any time! While you cannot prevent bags from forming under your eyes, nor remove eye bags entirely once formed there are ways to smooth the delicate area under your eyes, so the puffiness is less of an eyesore. So, let’s bag those puffy eyes, shall we?
This beauty fix uses strawberries which have many benefits for your health and skin. Strawberries contain a natural form of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) that helps smooth skin, reduce puffiness and lighten dark circles. You can safely apply this treatment as often as you like.
Ingredients & Method:
- 1 Large strawberry
You will want to use a large strawberry for this do-it-yourself beauty fix so that you cover your whole eye with one slice. Place the strawberry in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 mins. After the time’s up, remove the strawberry from the refrigerator and cut 2 thick slices. Lie down on your back and place a slice of strawberry under each eye. You will want to push down on the slice lightly to ensure there is skin contact. After 5 minutes, remove and rinse with cold water. If you prefer a more intense cooling effect, you can place your strawberry in the freezer for a few minutes.
Fresh Halved Strawberries, PRP AED 22, available at qualityfoods.ae
HACK 3: Teeth whitening
Who doesn’t want whiter teeth? Exactly what we thought too – we ALL want whiter teeth! Teeth cannot seem to get white enough for us. There is a huge tooth whitening market out there – strips, dental procedures, charcoal toothpaste…. you name it and it’s available. Some of the procedures and products do work in achieving the ivory grin you are craving for. But, if you are looking for a natural way to whiten your teeth look no further than your kitchen (or garden if you can grow strawberries)! Strawberries are a great way to achieve your favourite shade of pearly-whites naturally and the best part is you don’t have all the waste that’s generated from whitening strips, so its sustainable too.
You might be thinking strawberries are far too tasty and sweet to be good for your tooth. Yes, it does seem a bit too good to be true, but strawberries contain malic acid which is a tooth-whitening agent. Strawberries do contain natural sugar so if you do try this make sure to brush afterwards with your regular toothpaste to remove all trace of the strawberries and maintain the enamel on your teeth.
Ingredients & Method:
- 1 Small strawberry
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
Smash the strawberry into a pulp. If this is your first time trying this out, you may want to use just the strawberries without adding in the baking soda. After this, if you feel you want a stronger whitening effect you can try the mixture with the baking soda. You will want to use a 1:1 ratio – so 1 teaspoon strawberry pulp to 1 teaspoon baking soda. It’s perfectly normal for the strawberry mixture to bubble when you use it with baking soda. You are now ready to apply!
Always use a soft toothbrush to apply the mixture onto your teeth. Leave the mixture on your teeth for 5 minutes then brush thoroughly for about 1-minute with toothpaste to remove all the strawberry/baking soda mixture. Do ensure not to push too hard with your toothbrush when brushing. You want to use a light circular motion when brushing. Rinse and floss to remove any strawberry seeds. Voila! You have whiter teeth. You can apply this strawberry/baking soda treatment once a week.
Strawberries Grown Fresh Produce Fruit Vegetables, PRP AED 175, available at ubuy.ae
Baking Soda, PRP AED 14, available at organicfoodsandcafe.com
Soft Bamboo Toothbrush, PRP AED 15, available at feelunique.com
