Oftentimes, we get more caught up in what celebrities with beautiful skin put their stamp of approval on versus whether a product is really beneficial or not. Many celebrities, such as Kerry Washington from the hit show “Scandal,” have been known to use Cetaphil as their go-to facial cleanser. I have to say, its not what it’s all cracked up to be.
After years and years of using the popular “dermatologist” approved facial cleanser Cetaphil, I have come to the conclusion that though it may seem like it’s working, it is doing more long term damage to my skin and body than good. This large container is made up of just eight ingredients: water, cetyl alcohol, propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, stearyl alcohol, methylparaben, propylparaben and butylparaben. Everything but the water is chemically manufactured, and propylene glycol, sodium lauryl sulfate, and three (yes THREE!) parabens are potentially cancer-causing. Which means, there is not a single beneficial ingredients in this cleanser.
So what is the alternative? Well, we all know that fruits are GREAT for you, but did you know that many fruits have natural acids that can be a miracle for clearing up skin nightmares such as dry patches, acne and large pores? Fruit is cheap compared to the mainstream chemical-filled facial cleansers that we use, making this skin care alternative both eco-friendly and affordable. While virtually all fruits are safe to use on your skin, strawberries and bananas are two that will treat your face with the most TLC.
Strawberries
Strawberries are a natural source of salicylic acid, a common ingredient in most over-the-counter acne medications. Because of this, strawberries are ideal for using in all-natural, homemade face washes to treat your acne-prone skin. Strawberries are also ideal for using on oily skin, as they are rich in alpha-hydroxy acid which can reduce oil production in your pores. Regularly washing your face with strawberries can help control breakouts, smooth out imperfections in your skin and brighten up your overall complexion. You can mash them to make a mask, mix them with honey or combine them with milk.
Bananas
Bananas are packed with tons of essential vitamins and nutrients, including potassium, antioxidants, vitamin B and vitamin B6. This makes bananas excellent for treating dry, flaky skin, and they’re an ingredient I swear by in the wintertime when my face is as dry as the Mojave. You can mash them, mix them with honey or milk, combine them with oatmeal to treat combination skin or water them down into a toner to use after scrubbing your face with a cleanser.
For more skin and beauty articles, visit the BlackDoctor.org Healthy Living – Skin & Beauty center.
For more fruit face mask recipes, click here.
