How To Do A Papaya Facial At Home For Clear And Glowing Skin

Fruits are great for your skin, including them in your diet or applying them topically on the face can offer great results. Rubbing a slice or applying mashed papaya on the face can address many skin concerns and lead to healthy and glowing skin. Here's what papaya can do for your skin. i) Reduces wrinkles Signs of ageing have started appearing sooner and sooner in women. Antioxidants are essential to tackle this issue. Papaya is rich in the antioxidant lycopene that fights wrinkles and fine lines. It also has the ability to improve skin elasticity, thereby making it look smooth and supple. **ii) Controls acne ** The enzymes papain and chymopapain found in papaya are known to reduce inflammation of the skin. This reduces inflammation and redness of active acne. What's more, it also has mild exfoliating properties that remove dead skin cells, which may clog pores if left on the skin. Papaya also contains flavonoids, which means it is an excellent antibacterial and antifungal ingredient that keeps acne causing bacteria at bay. **iii) Removes dead skin cells ** Physical exfoliators can be pretty harsh, especially for those with sensitive skin. Applying ripe, mashed papaya on the face can gently remove dead skin cells. This mild exfoliator removes dirt and other impurities from the skin, leaving you with smooth, radiant and younger-looking skin. **iv) Soothes irritated skin ** The healing enzymes in papaya make it an excellent fruit for soothing irritated skin. It also offers relief from sunburn. Simply rubbing the insides of a papaya peel on sunburnt or irritated skin can offer quick relief. **v) Improves skin tone ** Dark spots and blemishes are common skin concerns. They can be corrected by using the goodness of papaya. The fruit is often used as a home remedy to treat dark spots and blemishes by mixing it with honey.

Now that you are aware of all the benefits of papaya for your skin, we bet you want to know how to reap its benefits, right? Apart from applying it as a mask from time to time, you can also give yourself a papaya facial at home by mixing the fruit with other natural ingredients. Here's how you can do it.

The first step of any facial procedure is cleansing to get rid of dirt and oil from the face. The lactic acid in milk mildly exfoliates the skin to remove dirt and oil that clog the pores. Using this cleanser on a regular basis can help get rid of acne, whiteheads, blackheads, etc. To prepare your own papaya cleanser at home follow the instructions below. You will need:

• 1 tablespoon of mashed papaya
• 2 tablespoon of milk How to: In a clean bowl, add the mashed papaya and milk and mix well. Apply all over the face using your fingers and massage well for about 1-2 minutes to thoroughly cleanse the skin. Wash with lukewarm water to finish your first step of the papaya facial.

The next step as you know is exfoliating. This helps remove deep-set dirt, opens pores to extract impurities sitting inside and leaves you with smooth skin. It also improves blood circulation, thereby making your skin glow. Rice flour is gentle, yet an amazing exfoliating ingredient, which means this scrub can even be used by those with sensitive skin. You will need:

• 1 tablespoon of mashed papaya
• 1 tablespoon of rice flour **How to: **Mix papaya and rice flour in a bowl to form a thick paste. If needed, add more papaya to the mixture. Use the paste to massage your face and neck area. Be gentle and continue for a few minutes, then wash it off.

Now that your pores have been cleansed deeply, it's time to open them up using steam. This step also relaxes your skin and body and takes the dull and tired look off your face. You will need:

• A bowl of steaming hot water **How to: **Bend over the bowl so that the steam from the water touches your face, and make sure you don't go too close. Cover your head with a cloth to prevent the heat from escaping. Alternatively, you can dip a towel in hot water, wring out the excess water and place it on your face for a few minutes. This ends the third step of your all-natural papaya facial.

The next step of your papaya facial is massaging. This step ensures the ingredients from the cream reach deep into the skin as the pores are open. It also improves blood circulation and closes the pores so that external dirt and impurities don't enter them. Aloe vera has superior soothing and healing properties, and massaging it with papaya on the face will hydrate the skin as well as work on problems like pigmentation, sunburn and premature ageing. You will need:

• 1 tablespoon of mashed papaya
• 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel How to: Put the mashed papaya paste into the bowl, then add fresh aloe vera gel by scraping it off the leaf. Combine the two ingredients to form a cream-like consistency. Use it to massage your face and neck area. Massage in upward motions with mild pressure for about 10 minutes, then wipe it off using a soft cotton napkin.

The final step of this papaya facial is a mask. Masking further relaxes your skin, nourishes it and imparts a healthy glow, making it an important step. Honey has soothing and moisture-retaining properties that keep your skin supple and glowing. Lemon works as an astringent to close the pores and form a protective layer. You will need:

• 2 tablespoons of mashed papaya
• 1 teaspoon of a honey Half teaspoon of lemon juice How to: Add all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. With the help of a brush or clean fingers, apply the mask evenly all over your face and neck area and relax. Allow it to dry for about 10-15 minutes before washing with water. Pat dry and notice how soft, glowing and clear your skin looks. That's how you do a papaya facial! Do it twice a month for the skin of your dreams. After the facial, make sure you don't step out in the sun immediately. Wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen and use gentle skincare products to care for your skin.