GRAPE-Y GOODNESS
Grapes, tiny in size and tarty in flavour, are rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are immensely beneficial. Read on to know more.
Needless to say, besides being nutritious and delicious, grapes have forever been used as a beauty ingredient. Speaking of one such ancient tradition, did you know, Queen Cleopatra used a mixture of grapes, juniper berries, oil and two unidentified plants to dye her hair?
Drawing inspiration from the past, be it in The Body Shop Grapeseed Glossing Serum, or the L’Occitane Hand Cream with grape seed extracts, the power-packed goodness of this fruit has undoubtedly made it the star of numerous much coveted beauty lines.
Here are 5 ways in which you can incorporate grapes into your daily life, along with its amazing beauty benefits.
DIY Body Scrub: Put mashed grapes into a bowl of sugar and pour in avocado oil, then stir to combine. Remember, the more you stir, the more the sugar will dissolve. So, use more of a folding motion to keep the granules intact.
Beauty Application: Grapes bring its free-radical fighting powers to the scrub that help equalise your skin tone and bust everything from blemishes to wrinkles. Best news: The mild avocado oil along with the grapes used in the homemade scrub, will help unblock your pores.
DIY Hair Nourishing Mask: Take a few grapes and mash them so that you can get the pulp out. Take an equal amount of kiwi with the black seeds. Mix the two well. You can add yogurt to the mix if you like. Leave the hair mask on the scalp and dry hair strands for about 20 minutes. Rinse it off with lukewarm water.
Beauty Application: This recipe has grapes and kiwi. Kiwi is rich in anti oxidants as well as vitamins C, E and K. Its black seeds also contain Omega-3 oils, which can do wonders for your scalp. On the other hand, the high vitamin E content of grapes helps to increase the blood circulation in the scalp, strengthens blood vessels and leads to healthy hair growth.
DIY Protecting Lip Balm: In a small double boiler, heat 3 tbsp grape seed oil, 3 tbsp sweet almond oil, and 1 tbsp natural beeswax, until the beeswax melts. Stir the lip balm until it is mixed well. While it is still in liquid form, fill small jars. Because this lip balm contains no water, it will stay for about a year.
Beauty Application: The essential oil present in grape seeds prevents the lips from the invasion of external toxic elements by forming a natural barrier. It also nourishes and keeps the lips smooth. Grape seed oil has a light, thin consistency that allows it to penetrate the skin nicely.
DIY Slimming Potion: Combine yoghurt, mashed grapes, crushed ice and a little bit of sugar in a blender till the mixture is smooth and frothy. Garnish it with a few slices of grapes and serve chilled.
Beauty Application: In an effort to help speed up fat loss, just start drinking this healthy homemade grape concoction. Grapes aid weight loss not because they speed up your metabolism, but because the fruits themselves are low in calories. Therefore, replacing a calorie dense snack with a glass of this delicious grape smoothie may mean you eat fewer calories and lose more weight.
DIY Grapes and Strawberry Face Pack: Salicylic acid in strawberries and alpha-hydroxyl acids is great for dull and lifeless skin. To make a face pack, mash in 2-3 strawberries along with a few grapes. Add in honey or yoghurt to bind the mixture and apply on the face and neck. Rinse off with lukewarm water after 20 minutes.
Beauty Application: Grapes have the ability to make the skin smooth. The amino acids present in it prevent sagging of the skin, and makes it tight. The anti oxidant, retinol, of the fruit also aids in smoothening the skin.
Cheers to healthy living!
