Seeing the first signs of aging on your skin can be quite devastating. It may hit you hard that you need to start paying more attention to your skin lest it starts revealing your age! But you’re not one to trust chemical and clinical treatment nor one to splurge on cosmetic treatments. So you may wonder- how to get rid of wrinkles, fine lines and dark spots naturally?
Your answer lies, quite literally, in your kitchen. The pantry shelves, fruit baskets and vegetable trays hold numerous options to fight aging! Here are some of them.
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Banana-olive oil mask
Banana is an excellent anti-aging ingredient because of its high antioxidant and nutrient content. Vitamin A- retinol reduces the appearance of blemishes and dark spots caused by sun exposure. The antioxidants fight off the free radicals that cause wrinkles and fine lines. Banana also works as a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin cells and brighten the face.
Olive oil, on the other hand, has amazing moisturizing properties that make the skin supple and taut to prevent fine lines and wrinkles. It also contains anti-inflammatories that protect the skin against damage caused by the sun’s UV radiation.
How to use:
Mash up a ripe banana and mix in a tablespoon of olive oil to make your mask. Apply it on the face and leave it on for about 15-20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
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Rose water pack
Enlarged pores are often one of the results of premature aging. Rose water works as a mild astringent to tighten pores and even out the skin tone. It has anti-inflammatory properties that calm redness. It also increases the skin’s ability to retain moisture and prevent it from drying up.
How to use:
Make your own home-made toner with rose water. Simply mix 2tsp of chilled rose water with 3-4 drops of glycerin and ¾tsp of lemon juice. Apply this with a soft cotton ball and wash off. Use once a day after cleansing your face.
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Avocado paste
Avocados are rich in essential fatty acids that deeply nourish the skin to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Your favorite fruit contains vitamins A, C, E and K that have antioxidant properties that fight sun damage. Rich in potassium, avocado also moisturizes the skin and keeps it supple.
How to use:
Take a ripe avocado and remove its flesh. Mash it up to make a smooth paste and apply it on the face. Massage gently in circular motions and leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes before washing it off.
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Milk-honey mask
Milk contains vitamin A or retinol which is a renowned anti-aging antioxidant and lactic acid that has cleansing and anti-bacterial properties. In addition, milk also has vitamin D which has anti-inflammatory properties that offer skin protection.
Honey is perhaps the most common and effective anti-aging ingredient in your kitchen. It is full of antioxidants and nutrients that not only nourish the skin but also protect it. Its antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties shield the skin from external aggressions. Honey also increases the skin’s water retention to make it plump and tight.
How to use:
Take 1tbsp of honey and mix it with 2tbsp of raw milk to get a creamy consistency. Apply this mix on the face and massage gently. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and wash with cool water.
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Green tea mask
Green tea works to fight aging, both when consumed and when applied topically. It has amazing skin tightening abilities because of its rich antioxidant content that fights wrinkles and saggy skin. Green tea also has the ability to slow down the aging of collagen – the protein responsible for skin elasticity.
Green tea repairs damaged and dying skin cells and rejuvenates them to make the skin look healthier and more radiant. It also fades scars and sun spots to clear up the skin. Additionally, its anti-inflammatory properties protect the skin from UV damage to keep the skin young for longer.
How to use:
Open a green tea bag, remove the leaves in a bowl and soak them in hot water. After about 10 minutes, apply these leaves on the face like a mask and leave them on for 10-15 minutes before washing off with water.
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Papaya mask
Papaya contains the enzyme papain that has an anti-inflammatory effect on the skin. It is also rich in antioxidants like lycopene that fight free radicals to reduce the signs of aging.
Take 2 slices of a ripe papaya and mash it up in a bowl to make a smooth paste. Apply it on the skin as a mask and leave it on for 20 minutes. Wash with regular water.
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Lemon-egg mask
Egg white is rich in proteins that improve skin hydration and reduce wrinkles. It is also rich in magnesium and potassium that boost the healing of damaged skin cells. Lemon helps fade dark spots and brightens the skin.
How to use:
Take the white of an egg and beat it with a fork till it starts frothing. Add 1tsp of lemon juice and mix. Apply this mix on the face and leave it on for 15 minutes before rinsing with cold water.
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Ginger-honey mask
Ginger works excellently with honey to provide over 40 antioxidants to fight aging. It also increases blood flow to the skin cells to rejuvenate them. Ginger-honey mix also has the perfect antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effect on the skin to prevent skin damage and photo-aging.
How to use:
Take a one-inch stick of ginger and grind it to make a fine paste. Mix in 1tbsp honey and apply the mix as a mask. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and wash with warm water.
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Aloe-cucumber mask
Aloe soothes and heals skin damage by increasing collagen production in the skin. This stimulates cell-growth that makes skin younger and firmer. Cucumber is rich in vitamins A and C which are antioxidants that fight wrinkles and give the skin a dewy look.
How to use:
Remove the jelly-like flesh of an aloe stem and mix in half a grated cucumber. Apply this on the skin and leave it on for 30 minutes. Rinse with cold water.
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Oatmeal-honey mask
Oatmeal is an effective exfoliator – it sloughs off dead skin cells and stimulates the production of new ones. Together with honey, it protects the skin from inflammation and other sun damage.
How to use:
Take a bowl of oatmeal and grind it to make a fine powder. Mix 2tbsp of honey and make a paste. Apply it on the skin and massage gently for 5 minutes to exfoliate. Wash with warm water.
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Potato slices
Potato works against aging by brightening the skin and getting rid of dark circles and spots through the action of its enzyme- catecholase.
How to use:
Simply cut up slices of a potato and put them on the face where wrinkles appear the most – near the eyes and mouth. Let them sit for 10-15 minutes, massage a few times and wash your face.
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Tomato massage
Tomatoes are rich in vitamin C and lycopene that have excellent antioxidant properties. Apart from fighting wrinkles, tomatoes also close pores and deep cleanse the skin to get rid of blackheads.
How to use:
Simply cut up a tomato into 2 halves and rub them on the skin gently for 3-4 minutes. Wash with cool water.
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Yoghurt-turmeric mask
Yoghurt is rich in lactic acid that is a natural bleaching agent that brightens the skin and fades scars and dark spots. It also exfoliates the skin and rejuvenates it to make it softer and younger.
Turmeric has antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties that protect the skin cells from damage and stimulate the production of new ones.
How to use:
Take 2tbsp of yoghurt and mix in 2tsp of turmeric to make a cream-like mix. Apply this on the face and massage gently. Leave it on for 20 minutes and wash with warm water.
