Spa Girl loves a Strawberry facial

I don’t have a big garden, but almost everything in it you can eat, from tomatoes to eatable flowers. This year I have an abundance of strawberries, which I eat on my cereal or as a treat with my yogurt.

Strawberries are well known for their medicinal properties and have also been used in face products, particularly in face washes and facial masks. History has it that the Romans prized wild strawberries for their curative qualities and with more vitamin C than other citrus fruit (like all foods rich in C) they may even lower cancers of the gastrointestinal tract—according to the American Cancer Society.

The salicylic acid and antioxidants found in strawberries, if used in a facial, help reduce pore size, exfoliates the skin removing dead cells, and makes your skin brighter and shinier. As well, strawberries reduce facial redness and swelling and enable the skin to absorb more moisture. And best of all the antioxidants help to repair damaged skin and counteract the effects of age--and who doesn't like that!

The largest organ of the body, your skin produces millions of new cells every day and fully regenerates itself every 30 to 40 days. As we get older this rejuvenating process slows down. Applying a strawberry facial helps your skin to weather the aging process, but like all skin routines, you have to be consistent.

In addition to the strawberries other natural ingredients used in facial masks such as honey, brown sugar, finely ground oats, essential oils, heavy cream, plain yogurt, eggs whites and lemon juice lend their own natural healing properties. Check out my blog from Cardboard to Face, Works for Me…http://spagirl007.blogspot.com/2009/12/spa-girl-says-cupboard-to-face-works.html

Generally your esthetician will recommend that you apply a facial mask once a week in order to keep the skin soft and glowing.

Here are some great recipes for strawberry facials:

• Mash or puree 1/2 cup of ripe strawberries, add two teaspoons of heavy cream (or yogurt) and 1 tsp of honey. Apply to face avoiding the lips and eyes. Leave mask on for 15 minutes then wash off with warm water and pat dry. If you have an allergy to strawberries, try a small text spot to make sure you don’t react!

• Mash together ½ cup fresh strawberries, 1 tablespoon milk and 1 tablespoon of rice flour or cornstarch to make a smooth paste. Apply to face and neck and leave mask for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and pat dry.

• If your skin is looking dull and dry, mash together 1/c cup of fresh strawberries with 1 tsp of brown sugar. Gently rub the mixture into your skin with your fingertips, and leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water and pat dry.

• If you skin is oil,y puree a cup of ripe strawberries with 1 tsp. of lemon juice, 2 egg whites and several teaspoons of honey. Leave it on for 15 minutes then rinse off with warm water and pat dry.

For some great strawberry facials and how to videos Spa Girl says check these sites out:

http://www.natural-homeremedies-for-life.com/strawberry-facial-mask.html

http://www.ehow.com/video_4988599_homemade-strawberry-facial-masks.html