This may be a gentle reminder to you that blueberries are a potent antioxidant. But are you aware that we can work with this miracle fruit to beautify on the inside and outside?
Cool the skin of the face to tighten pores and gently exfoliate with the cooling fruit acids inside blueberries. Inside out we can beautify with the healing support of this magical fruit!
What’s so great about blueberries on the inside?
Perhaps an overlooked fruit at this time of year when berries are blanketing the rows of farmer’s market stalls. The red of the strawberries, raspberries, cherries, and even peaches may overshadow the the simple and petite blueberry. After all, it’s not new news about all of the benefits of eating blueberries:
- Blueberries contain a plant compound called anthocyanin. This gives blueberries both their blue color and many of their health benefits.
- Blueberries contain iron, phosphorous, calcium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, and vitamin K. Helping heart health, bone strength, skin health, blood pressure, diabetes management, cancer prevention, and mental health.
- Collagen is the support system of the skin. It relies on vitamin C as an essential nutrient, and works to help prevent skin damage caused by the sun, pollution, and smoke. One cup of blueberries provides 24 percent of a person recommended daily allowance of vitamin C.
- Research suggests that antioxidants may inhibit tumor growth, decrease inflammation in the body, and help ward off or slow down esophageal, lung, mouth, pharynx, endometrial, pancreatic, prostate, and colon cancers.
- Blueberries also contain folate, which plays a role in DNA synthesis and repair. This can prevent the formation of cancer cells due to mutations in the DNA.
- Studies have shown that consumption of blueberries is connected to slower cognitive decline in older women. Findings also suggest an addition to reducing the risk of cognitive damage, blueberries can also improve a person’s short-term memoryTrusted Source and motor coordination.
These are great reminders to included blueberries in your cereal bowl line up, right? There are only so many berries you can eat, but do include these year round if you can find them fresh. Frozen blueberries can offer an easy product to work with. However, you may lose around 40% of the efficacy of the above health benefits. So take care in shopping more frequently to keep fresh blueberries at the ready for your daily breakfast.
Blueberry: a skin booster on the outside.
A blueberry bonus that may surprise you is that you can also use blueberries in a facial mask. This is a special treat for the face that I recommend once weekly or adding to your rotation of facial masks. Recipe below.
If you don’t already, adding a facial mask to your self-care routine offers a simple surge in blood flow, stimulates the facial pores, and adds a lovely gentle exfoliation to your skin. As we age, we want to do these infrequently than when we were younger.
I recall doing a daily mask when I was a teen. The sebum layer in our youth is so active and prolific with waste production that we find an oily sheen on the face at all hours of the day during the teen years. Many teens experience acne because there isn’t an efficient way to cleanse the face multiple times daily.
After age 35, our sebum layer is not as efficient. The energy surging to the skin’s surface is beginning the natural phase of slowing down. For some of us, we may experience adult acne at this time. This is a sign of hormone shifting and it may include a spree of extra oil production, albeit inefficient and spotty in areas. Have you experienced this?
To balance the beautiful skin over 35 years, slow down on the aggressive exfoliations. Acid peels can damage the skin. Daily scrubs are unnecessary and can damage the sebum layer. At this point in our lives, the sebum layer needs support and encouragement with gentle attention.
A twice daily routine of gentle cleansing, herbal water toners, facial oil serum, and moisturizer is a holistic approach to nurturing the skin on the outside. Additions of weekly masks can boost and plump the skin with marma massage. I love creating my own masks from probiotic yogurts and other additions. In this recipe below, I showcase the delicious inside & out blueberry. Look for more seasonal mask recipes to come!
The benefits of making your own masks:
- Use of fresh effective ingredients for maximum affect to the skin.
- Minimal exposure to toxins when you know what is inside your own masks.
- Zero waste and carbon neutral in an extra product purchased and shipped to you or retail store.
- Potency is boosted with no shelf-life requiring preservatives.
- Many preservatives that applied to our skin can build up in our systems (which get more delicate as we age) and can create signs and symptoms of health concerns.
- Fresh organic ingredients create masks from live plants for the most robust and desired outcomes.
- You can use this mask on your neck, decollete, hands, feet, and all over the body. Simply increase the recipe
Try this mask and send me a pic on Insta. I would love to see you in your blueberry mask! Check out the recipe below.⬇️
Magical Blueberry Facial Mask
Ingredients:
- 3 blueberries
- 1 tsp of your favorite yogurt (coconut, almond, cashew, dairy, and what other kinds can you think of?)
- extra additions: honey, jojoba oil, olive oil, passion flower tea, chamomile tea, rose tea, essential oils that you may like to add and know do not irritate your skin.
Preparation
- Simply prepare blueberries and yogurt with a mortal and pestle. (You can use a blender, but that is overkill for this small a la minute preparation. Use a fork and a small bowl to get the same effect as the mortal pestle).
- Mash and pulverize and immediately place onto face. Allow to rest on face for 10-20 minutes. Relax and enjoy the cooling sensation. Rinse off and spritz with herbal water to reset the ph of the skin. Apply facial oil serum and moisturizer. You are ready for the day or for tucking in for bed.
Additions of essential oils blended with a carrier oil like jojoba that are known to be favorable on the facial skin. Check out these supports for your skin type:
Sensitive Skin: Sandalwood, Frankincense, Lavender
Dry skin: Rose, Chamomile, Helichrysum, Sandalwood, Lavender
Oily Skin: Clary Sage, Rosemary, Geranium, Neroli, Tea Tree, Melaleuca
Which ones have I missed here?
Have fun with this mask and look for more mask recipes coming up. A weekly blueberry treat to the face can be felt on the outside as well as the inside of the body!
xoxx,
Angela
