I whipped up this face mask because I had some left over apples and pears that I needed to use up. In addition to these fruits, I added ground oats, lemon juice, olive oil, and soybean oil. I had reasons for choosing each of these ingredients, besides the season and the need to use up the fruit:
Apples contain antioxidants that speed cell regeneration. Used topically, this fruit helps brighten skin, smooth fine lines and soothe skin irritations. The vitamins in apples combat acne and acne causing bacteria while the glycolic acid helps exfoliate the skin and clear pores.
Pears naturally exfoliate the skin and help the skin to retain moisture while firming the skin, evening skin tone, and minimizing the appearance of fine lines. The enzymes found in pears help speed up cell production.
Oats help to treat acne by removing bacteria and excess skin oils. Oats are used to moisturize the skin and to heal and soothe dry, itchy, and otherwise irritated skin. Used in skin care products, oats help even skin tone and naturally cleanses the skin, removing dirt.
Lemon juice diminishes scars and age spots while evening out skin tone. This juice helps to heal acne and gently exfoliates the skin.
Olive oil provides long lasting moisture for the skin. It is said to protect against and help heal sun damaged skin. Use of olive oil keeps the skin soft and supple.
Soybean oil reduces blotchiness and discoloration while moisturizing the skin. It helps reduce the appearance of fine lines while stimulating collagen. Soybean oil is naturally rich in Vitamin E, which helps the skin maintain elasticity, prevent premature aging, and promote healing.
To use, apply the mask to the face and allow to remain on the skin 15-20 minutes. Rinse off well and moisturize the skin as usual.
