During the summer months, avocado crops are plentiful and you'll find large shipments in your grocery store - and while they make the perfect ingredients for some of your favorite dishes, avocados are also an amazing beauty treatment! Ancient cultures in South America have been using the luxurious avocado in many treatments for hair, skin and nails - so there's no reason you can't take inspiration from them and use the fruit in your weekly treatments. Here are a few common beauty treatments to use with the avocado - I'll be sure to pick up a few extra the next time I shop:
Hair - Use avocado as a natural hydrating mask for your hair. The oils and fat in the fruit leave the hair very soft and hydrated - so use this mask throughout the year to keep hair healthy and shiny. To create a hair mask, mash half an avocado with an egg yolk and teaspoon of olive oil and apply to the hair - don't forget to get the mask down to the ends of the hair. Leave the mask in the hair for about 20 minutes and rinse with your favorite shampoo and conditioner.
Face - I mentioned how hydrating the natural fats and oils in the avocado are; it only makes sense to apply a mashed avocado to the skin for extra moisturizing. Create a simple mask by mashing half an avocado in a bowl and applying it to freshly cleansed skin. Leave the mask on your face for about 15 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water. Lock in that moisture with your favorite cream - my preference is Oil of Olay All Day UV Moisturizer.
Hands and Feet - Create a nourishing foot and hand scrub using this wonder fruit and a few other easy ingredients. In a bowl, mash half an avocado with three tablespoons of dry oatmeal, an egg white and teaspoon of fresh lemon juice. Mix the ingredients together and massage them into the hands or feet - leave on for about 15 minutes and rinse off with warm water. When your hands or feet are clean, use a hydrating lotion to seal in moisture - my favorite products are the Aveda's Hand Relief and Foot Relief. An added bonus? Use the avocado seed to massage the feet and hands during a treatment!
Avocado is a healthy and tasty addition for many dishes, but it's also an amazing beauty ingredient. Try using one in some of your at-home treatments and see how soft it leaves your skin and hair!
