In the Kitchen Series…Papaya and Avocado

Happy New Year family!! I am starting a first in a series of blogs called “In the Kitchen…” where I will talk about fruits, plants and other household items that you can use to make your skincare routine easier and more natural. For our inaugural post in this series,  I am going to talk about a mask that I used to make and talk about extensively when I used to do these talks live many years ago. This mask was a very popular one and you will see why shortly…

One thing we all want to be able to do is stay looking youthful, or at least keep the signs of ageing at bay. And one of the best ways to do that sans medical intervention is through a more natural lifestyle and incorporating natural and organic skincare into your skin care routine. But let’s be honest, sometimes that can get to be a bit expensive or you want to do something just a bit different. Enter the wonderful tropical fruit PAPAYA (carica papaya). I am sure many of you know that pound for pound, papaya has more Vitamin C than any citrus fruit and that is important for skin health. Vitamin C is important for the regeneration of collagen, it is an antioxidant and some even say that it has some ultraviolet protection properties. Papaya also contains papain which helps the body combat free radicals, it helps to exfoliate and can also help to diminish the appearance of marks on the skin. The anecdotal evidence of Papaya and its uses in skin and health care is world renowned! Papaya is a powerhouse when it comes to helping you maintain a youthful appearance as well as exfoliating and helping to moisturize your skin.

Next, let’s look at the amazing AVOCADO (persea gratissima). I just LOVE this fruit. And to think, there was a point in my life where I absolutely hated it! I am ashamed to admit it, but what can you say when you are young and don’t know any better ;-). I love this oil because it helps to keep the skin looking young! The more you use it, the more it helps with collagen repair (imagine that being combined with the Vitamin C rich Papaya), it absorbs quickly into the skin and is great for very dry, very dehydrated and chapped skin. Avocado contains some of the highest unsaturated fats found in vegetable oils, including the omega-3’s that are found in fish oil. It boosts skin and scalp health and it is filled with wonderful proteins, potassium and lecithin! Plus it tastes great 😉

So how do you combine these two to get that AMAZING youthful glow to your skin? Let’s get…In the Kitchen!!

Go to your local farmer’s market or local Caribbean store and get some FRESH and RIPE Papaya and Avocado. It is important to make sure that the Papaya is FULLY ripened and not green. The reason why is the level of papain is highest in the GREEN papaya and it will be too strong for the skin. Plus, it will be very sticky and too hard to work with as the flesh of the fruit is still very hard. So a fresh Papaya, a small will do, and a fully ripened Avocado. Again, you want to work with FULLY RIPENED fruits as the flesh is soft, malleable and easy to get out and work with ;-).

In a clean bowl, combine the flesh of the Papaya and the Avocado until blended together in a paste. And apply to your face. That’s it! Then  get a chair, a clean towel (cause this will get messy), some soft music and a nice glass of water or natural fruit drink. Sit and allow the vitamins and enzymes from both fruits get to work and sloughing away the dead, dry skin and revealing that healthy, beautiful new you!! Rinse with room temperature water, towel dry. The oils in the Avocado flesh are so penetrating that you won’t need to add any oils afterward. But should you feel you need to, then follow with a light application of Avocado oil, unrefined is best!

Enjoy!!