Listen, I'm not one to judge New Year's resolutions — or your lack in being able to stick to them. Mine has been "swear less" for the past five years, and it's going horribly, thank you very much. When my roommate announced she'd be giving up sweets, dairy, and gluten (yes, all at once) for 2015, I was just excited that those bananas she'd been saving for making bread could now be mashed up into a banana face mask, hair mask, and a whole bunch of other natural beauty recipes I'd been itching to try. After all, bananas are great for healthy skin, which would give me one less thing to swear about.
Getting out of bed after a long night of no sleep, one of our first thoughts is often, "How much coffee can I drink to keep from crashing?" Most of us overlook a natural source of energy: bananas and other vitamin packed fruits. The same goes for beauty — bananas aren't exactly synonymous with treating a problem complexion or drying hair just yet. However, since they grow in many different climates, a bundle of bananas isn't going to break the bank or be hard to come by, which makes for some fun DIY banana recipes.
In the very early days of my DIY banana use, I jumped on the banana hair mask fad — hard. I executed my first banana hair mask after being warned of the slight horrors that my friend endured during her own hair mask. I did several of the same things wrong that my good pal did: I didn't rinse my hair with enough water. I didn't mix in other ingredients to loosen the bananas in my tight curls. I got distracted by a game of Candy Crush and ended up leaving the mask on for wayyyy too long. I ignored my friend's warnings because I was too busy picturing how long and shiny and beautiful my hair would be after I smeared it with bananas. I was left with a sticky, buildup-y mess that took days to fully rinse out of my curls.
Did this less-than-perfect attempt deter me from getting all the topical benefits of bananas? Psh. Please. My locks may still be suffering from the attempt on its life, but that doesn't mean my skin wasn't very curious to have one of my fave fruits all over it. Bananas are a natural stimulant with their great source of fiber, B6, and B12. This makes for an excellent defense against fine lines, wrinkles, and droopy skin. Bananas are also incredibly hydrating, and the peels contain a plethora of antioxidants that are helpful for anyone enduring mild to moderate outbreaks.
If you have a hard time eating all eight bananas from a bunch in three days, you know about how long it takes for a bundle of organic bananas to turn on you. Next time they start to turn, mash them up for one of these natural beauty treatments instead of tossing them in the trash.
1. Banana Peels For Bruises And Acne
Use the peel of a banana to get rid of an annoying bruise or acne spot. First, peel the banana, leaving the peel for your skin and the fruit for your tummy. Next, rub the inside of the peel directly on the location for five to ten minutes. Leave the banana residue on your skin for at least a half hour to allow the nutrients to work themselves deep into your skin. After a couple days, you should start to see the skin discoloration diminish.
2. Banana Hair Mask
This mask from Black Hair Media is much safer and therefore much more effective than some of the other banana hair masks out there. The major thing you want to avoid when applying anything sticky to your hair is getting said stickiness STUCK in your locks for good. If you have kinky curls, proceed with a test patch in your hair and adjust the recipe accordingly before applying all over. Blend the ingredients below together and leave on for 20 minutes as a deep conditioning mask.
- 2-3 bananas (the site recommended three, but that turned out to be way too thick for my kinks)
- 3 tablespoons of raw honey
- 2 tablespoons of yogurt
- 1 tablespoon of coconut milk
3. Banana Facial For All Kind
Here's a DIY facial that is awesome for those days where you are lacking sleep, didn't drink enough water, or maybe your face just needs a natural lift. This mask is stimulating, hydrating, and exfoliating, all the things a morning mask should have to get you through the day. Just use a banana, a quarter cup of brewed coffee grinds and 1-2 tablespoons of honey for a much needed wake-up call!
Image:
Giphy; Kristin Collins Jackson; Kara McGrath
