The vibrant orange papaya is one fruit we don’t see a lot of in rainy England - it originated in Southern Mexico and Central America, and can now be found growing all over the world in tropical regions. Its playful colour isn’t the only reason we like getting our hands on it, though: papaya boasts a whole host of skin benefits sure to impress you!
The papain contained in papaya is a natural chemical exfoliant. If you don’t find yourself reaching for scrubs, try out our Miracle Organic Face Mask, which blends papaya extract with natural AHAs to help gently remove dead skin cells from the surface of the face, leaving your skin smooth and plumped. Chemical exfoliation is a great choice if you suffer from sensitive skin, as it doesn’t pull or create micro-tears (though the right scrub shouldn’t, either!). In this mask, papaya plays another role too: its high levels of beta-carotene, enzymes, and phytochemicals help to even out your complexion, so acne blemishes and scars appear lighter and reduced in redness. As an added bonus, this mask works in just a few minutes, so if you need a skin pick-me-up before a big day, smooth on a bit of this while you pick out your outfit, meditate, or do whatever calms you down! Wait three to five minutes and voila - glowing, calmer skin: confidence in a pot!
We don’t just like using papaya to exfoliate our face, either! We’ve incorporated the ingredient into our Sunless Glow Organic Self Tanner, where it helps to smooth the skin as you deepen your skin colour with the help of Erythulose, which reacts with the natural keratin in your skin to create a subtly tan. Add in shea butter to soothe and moisturise as you go, and you’ll be glowing in no time - sans sun exposure!
It’s not all totally topical: eating papaya has some hidden effects too. The levels of Folic Acid help to strengthen hair, improving blood circulation to your hair follicles and so promoting hair growth. If you’re looking for longer, healthier hair, try adding some papaya into your diet. We love blending it into a smoothie like this one with some ginger and carrot juice, which add to the health benefits: both are anti-ageing, helping to prevent wrinkles through their high levels of antioxidants. Carrot juice also contains vitamin C, which helps skin to heal, and yet more beta-carotene, which reduces inflammation and so aids in healing as well. This is one brilliant smoothie for a healthy appearance!
If hair’s the least of your worries, you might be wondering if there’s a good reason to add this fruit into your diet. Well there is - not only do the antioxidants fight against free radicals on your face, but they also wage war on your behalf in your immune system. If you’ve been feeling run down, or are always catching colds, try adding some papaya into your meal plans - you might see quite a difference! Additionally, the high concentration of vitamins A and C in papaya helps to reduce the oxidation of cholesterol in your body, which in turn prevents it from clogging up your blood vessels. Amongst other things, this means papaya is brilliant for your heart, and helps to reduce the risk of heart attacks.
Do you love this fabulous fruit as much as we do? Try out our papaya products and decide for yourself!
