How To
The Beauty-full Berry : Strawberry Hair Benefits
When I go to a hometown burger joint I also (almost always) order a strawberry milkshake. A frosted glass of that blended strawberry goodness is THE freshest elixir. Tell me you agree that it’s the most perfect flavor? Because what’s sweeter, more fresh and more ADORBALE than that little red seeded berry? Nothin is.
But it turns out that the strawberry isn’t JUST a looker. It’s got real depth to it. Let me explain…
Did you know that strawberries are considered a beauty fruit? The vitamins, minerals and fiber contained in our favorite red berry have anti-aging properties. But they can also help you in your quest for healthy hair— AND can help with a brighter smile.
Here lay my favorite strawberry beauty tips:
Want to know the biggest cause of wrinkling on the skin? Free radicals. And free radicals surround us everywhere! Bear with my science lesson— free radicals are bad, “unstable” molecules that are missing an electron. Because they want to be whole, they want to take your electrons. Free radicals are essentially little hungry scavengers, that steal electrons in your body through a process called “oxidation.” When this happens, your skin’s collagen, elastin, epidermal lipids & even your DNA are under attack. This oxidation process leads to major wrinkles.
Which is where strawberries come in! Because guess what strawberries have in extremely high doses? Vitamin C. Strawberries boast more vitamin C than oranges! And this is important because vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. And remember what I said about those gross free radicals? A way to defend your body from damage is to feed it antioxidants. Strawberry antioxidants keep your cells healthy and even help to create new collagen in your skin. And collagen = plump, youthful skin. Think of strawberries as little antioxidant warriors, helping our bodies (and skin!) to stay healthy and beautiful.
Strawberries are also highly acidic. And acids are good things! Especially in terms of skincare. Strawberries contain salicylic acid which is a game changing if you want to fight acne, oily skin and discoloration. Chances are you’ve probably heard a lot about salicylic acid— In fact, it’s probably in lots of the skincare products you own. Salicylic acid in these berries will help to remove excess oil and dead skin cells from off of the skin and to open up clogged pores. Dirty clogged pores usually mean acne. The acid in strawberries will also help improve your complexion & tone by reducing inflammation, and sloughing off flaky, dull skin.
You can slice a berry in half and rub it along problem areas, for a quick treatment. Or you can make a strawberry face mask or scrub! Crush strawberries up and combine them with two tablespoons of organic sugar, and one tablespoon of coconut oil. Mix it up, apply and scrub into your skin, then leave on for 15-30 minutes. You’ll be GLOWING.
Or use an ice-cold strawberry, slice it in half, and rub it over your under-eye area as a de-puffing treatment.
Want a brighter smile? Strawberries also contain malic acid, which can act as a mild astringent to remove discoloration off your teeth. It’s a good natural option, if you have sensitive teeth. Crush a strawberry and combine it with a teaspoon of baking soda. Using a soft-bristled toothbrush, rub the mixture on your teeth for 3-5 minutes. Your teeth will feel deeply cleansed! Since there’s also natural sugar in strawberries make sure you follow up this treatment with a toothpaste cleanse after.
*Because it IS an acid, be careful not to do this treatment too frequently.
But what about strawberry hair care?
We talked about the high levels of vitamin C, ascorbic acid, in strawberries— which is especially important for our hair’s health. Here’s the thing, vitamin C helps to build and maintain collagen, which is needed for full, thick hair. Hair is made up of collagen, which are proteins and amino acids. So collagen builders are essential! And just as free radicals can drastically hurt skin, they can do equal damage to the health and wellness of our hair, follicles and scalp. Antioxidants and vitamin C will help in promoting healthy growth & in regrowing hair after you’ve gone through hair loss from environmental or internal stresses.
Which means loading up on delicious strawberries! Win, win.
It’s easy to see why strawberries or the most beauty-full berries, amirite? They’re the berry we love, that loves us right back!
