Simple Beauty | Pineapple Papaya Facial Mask

 

The last time I had a facial (thank you Groupon) my aesthetician told me I had a lot of sun spots on my cheeks and recommended laser treatments to remove them. Yes, I admit sunscreen was not really a priority as a teenager. My cheeks would ALWAYS burn.

And we won't even discuss the burning/peeling on my chest. What was I thinking??


Before signing up for lasers I did a little online research and found a lovely all natural solution to minimize those blotches and freckles.

Why Pineapple & Papaya?

• Unripe papaya contains natural alpha-hydroxy acids and high levels of papain, an enzyme that helps dissolve dead skin cells.
• Pineapple has lots of the enzyme bromelian, which helps remove the outer layers of skin to reduce age spots and wrinkles.
• Used together, the enzymes and AHAs in papaya and pineapple naturally exfoliate and lighten skin color. Yay!

 

How to Make Your Own Pineapple Papaya Facial Mask

You'll need:

• 1/2 fresh papaya, peeled and seeded
• 1 cup fresh pineapple
• 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Instructions:

1. Juice papaya and pineapple in juicer if you have one. If you don't have a juicer, you can mash the fruit together or put it in a blender. Strain out the pulp with fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth.

2. Gently wash your chest, neck and face.

3. Use a cotton ball to apply juice to chest, neck and face. Avoid the eye area - yeah, it stings. You can also do the backs of your hands at the same time.

4. Lie down and let it work for 10-15 minutes. It will tingle and itch. This is the AHAs working so try not to scratch.

5. Rinse with warm water and moisturize. Again, I highly recommend coconut oil.

You can do this mask 1-2 times a week. And if you have extra juice, it will keep in the refrigerator in a closed container for a week.

If you want to try another easy mask (also from the kitchen) try this one with turmeric.