From pumpkin to peppermint, some of the season's tastiest
holiday ingredients make for great at-home skin treatments
Natural beauty starts in the kitchen. "Holiday
foods such as pumpkin and cranberry offer tons of beautifying vitamins
and antioxidants without subjecting your skin to irritating chemicals,
fragrances, and preservatives," says Jessica Wu, M.D., a dermatologist who is also the author of Feed Your Face. Plus, you can
custom-blend the ingredients to suit your skin perfectly, and they smell
delicious!
Pumpkin and Honey Mask
Pumpkin is a winter wonder-fruit that doesn't just get an A for its powerful punch of skin-healthy ingredients--it gets four A's! Packed with vitamin A plus antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal compounds, it's the ideal ingredient for soothing sensitive skin and treating rosacea and redness. "It also has beta-carotene, which slows the aging process by helping to protect the skin's collagen," says Wu.
DIY: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mashed pumpkin pulp (can be canned) and 1 tablespoon honey until smooth. Apply to clean, damp skin in the evening, and leave it on for 20 minutes. (This mask can be sticky, so be sure to wear an old T-shirt when using it.) Rinse with water and pat dry. Your skin will feel soft but not squeaky-clean, because this mask hydrates instead of stripping your skin of its natural oils. Apply once a week or whenever your skin is red or irritated
Buy it: Zia Pumpkin Exfoliating Mas
Cranberry Face Scrub
The little red guys are loaded with ellagic acid, a type of polyphenol antioxidant found in certain types of berries. "Ellagic acid blocks the formation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), the enzyme that breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin," explains Wu. What's more, a study in Experimental Dermatology found that applying ellagic acid topically helps prevent wrinkles caused by the sun's UVB rays.
DIY: In a bowl, blend 1/4 cup cornmeal, 2 tablespoons freshly crushed cranberries, 1 tablespoon buttermilk, and 2 teaspoons honey with a fork. Massage the scrub onto your face and neck for two or three minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water. Apply to clean, damp skin once or twice a week.
Buy it: Burt's Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub
Peppermint Patty Foot Scrub
Your mouth may call first dibs on minty freshness, but that doesn't mean the rest of your body should go without peppermint's cooling benefits.
"The menthol in peppermint is soothing and energizing at the same time," says Wu. "It also has antibacterial properties that fight infection and odor, making it perfect for your feet and legs, especially when you're wearing boots all day."
DIY: Mix 3 drops peppermint essential oil, 1/2 cup minced fresh mint, 1 cup coarse sea salt, 5 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. Soak feet in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing. Starting at your toes, knead the scrub onto your skin, making small circular motions with your fingers. Go over the entire sole, spending extra time on rougher areas. Rinse.
Buy it: Kiss My Face Peppermint Foot Scrub
Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Body Scrub
When shopping and party-hopping leave you feeling run down, reach for nature's Red Bull: cinnamon. "It gives your circulation a boost, energizing your whole body and giving your skin a glow," explains Janice Cox, coauthor of Ecobeauty. Bonus: The antibacterial and antifungal properties may help keep back acne at bay.
DIY: Mix 1 cup raw sugar, 1/4 cup walnut oil, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and spoon into a clean container that you can keep in your shower. Use circular strokes to massage a few tablespoons all over your wet body before rinsing clean.
Apple Juice Toner
An apple a day keeps breakouts away, thanks to its powerful combo of acids that degrease skin without drying it out. "Acetic acid acts as a mild astringent and antiseptic to keep pores clean and bacteria-free, while malic acid, an antioxidant, shields skin from environmental toxins," says Cox. Finally, amylase, an exfoliating enzyme, helps remove dead skin cells and surface dirt.
DIY: Combine 1/4 cup apple juice (homemade or store-bought) with 4 tablespoons witch hazel. Pour into a clean bottle. Use a cotton pad to swipe the toner onto your just-washed face in the morning and evening, avoiding the eye area. (If you have dry skin, stick to once a day.)
Best of luck
Pumpkin and Honey Mask
Pumpkin is a winter wonder-fruit that doesn't just get an A for its powerful punch of skin-healthy ingredients--it gets four A's! Packed with vitamin A plus antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antifungal compounds, it's the ideal ingredient for soothing sensitive skin and treating rosacea and redness. "It also has beta-carotene, which slows the aging process by helping to protect the skin's collagen," says Wu.
DIY: In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mashed pumpkin pulp (can be canned) and 1 tablespoon honey until smooth. Apply to clean, damp skin in the evening, and leave it on for 20 minutes. (This mask can be sticky, so be sure to wear an old T-shirt when using it.) Rinse with water and pat dry. Your skin will feel soft but not squeaky-clean, because this mask hydrates instead of stripping your skin of its natural oils. Apply once a week or whenever your skin is red or irritated
Buy it: Zia Pumpkin Exfoliating Mas
Cranberry Face Scrub
The little red guys are loaded with ellagic acid, a type of polyphenol antioxidant found in certain types of berries. "Ellagic acid blocks the formation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), the enzyme that breaks down collagen and elastin in the skin," explains Wu. What's more, a study in Experimental Dermatology found that applying ellagic acid topically helps prevent wrinkles caused by the sun's UVB rays.
DIY: In a bowl, blend 1/4 cup cornmeal, 2 tablespoons freshly crushed cranberries, 1 tablespoon buttermilk, and 2 teaspoons honey with a fork. Massage the scrub onto your face and neck for two or three minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water. Apply to clean, damp skin once or twice a week.
Buy it: Burt's Bees Cranberry & Pomegranate Sugar Scrub
Peppermint Patty Foot Scrub
Your mouth may call first dibs on minty freshness, but that doesn't mean the rest of your body should go without peppermint's cooling benefits.
"The menthol in peppermint is soothing and energizing at the same time," says Wu. "It also has antibacterial properties that fight infection and odor, making it perfect for your feet and legs, especially when you're wearing boots all day."
DIY: Mix 3 drops peppermint essential oil, 1/2 cup minced fresh mint, 1 cup coarse sea salt, 5 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil, and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. Soak feet in warm water for 10 to 15 minutes before scrubbing. Starting at your toes, knead the scrub onto your skin, making small circular motions with your fingers. Go over the entire sole, spending extra time on rougher areas. Rinse.
Buy it: Kiss My Face Peppermint Foot Scrub
Cinnamon Sugar & Spice Body Scrub
When shopping and party-hopping leave you feeling run down, reach for nature's Red Bull: cinnamon. "It gives your circulation a boost, energizing your whole body and giving your skin a glow," explains Janice Cox, coauthor of Ecobeauty. Bonus: The antibacterial and antifungal properties may help keep back acne at bay.
DIY: Mix 1 cup raw sugar, 1/4 cup walnut oil, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and spoon into a clean container that you can keep in your shower. Use circular strokes to massage a few tablespoons all over your wet body before rinsing clean.
Apple Juice Toner
An apple a day keeps breakouts away, thanks to its powerful combo of acids that degrease skin without drying it out. "Acetic acid acts as a mild astringent and antiseptic to keep pores clean and bacteria-free, while malic acid, an antioxidant, shields skin from environmental toxins," says Cox. Finally, amylase, an exfoliating enzyme, helps remove dead skin cells and surface dirt.
DIY: Combine 1/4 cup apple juice (homemade or store-bought) with 4 tablespoons witch hazel. Pour into a clean bottle. Use a cotton pad to swipe the toner onto your just-washed face in the morning and evening, avoiding the eye area. (If you have dry skin, stick to once a day.)
Best of luck
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