Strawberries for Clear Skin
I got a chance to visit the Strawberry Festival this weekend, an annual fair held here in the Tampa Bay area. It was a great time with plenty of events and lots of fresh strawberries (along with great weather, thanks to our cooler-than-normal temperatures this year). The freshly picked fruit was fantastic, and besides tasting great, it also so happens to be extremely healthy for your skin. In fact, there are a number of acne-fighting uses that strawberries can be applied to.
It should come as no surprise that, like most berries, strawberries are rich in antioxidants and key vitamins and minerals, including vitamins C, B5, B6, B2, K, sodium, iron, folic acid, copper and magnesium (to name a few…). Think of berries as nature’s vitamin supplements. They’re packed with powerful nutrients, taste great, and are low in calories. Strawberries in particular are also a great source of those Omega-3s and alpha-hydroxy acids. As such, one way to apply the skin care benefits of strawberries is rather obvious: by eating more of them.
That said, some methods of using strawberries for healthy skin involve a little more creativity.
Did you know there are a bunch of recipes for topical skin care regimens that involve strawberries? Here’s a simple one: after washing your face (and the strawberry), simply slice the berry in half and apply it directly to acne blemishes or trouble areas of your skin. Those alpha-hydroxy acids will aid with exfoliation and speed the healing of blemishes. Do this for a few minutes, then wash and pat dry for a brighter, more evenly-toned complexion.
Other topical uses of strawberries include strawberry facial masks. There are a number of different formulas that you can find online, but here’s an easy one: combine a cup of strawberries with a cup of plain yogurt and 2 tablespoons of honey (a great natural moisturizer), blend, then apply the smoothie mask to your face for 8 minutes before rinsing and drying. Do this once or twice a week to help improve your complexion and also diminish the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
As noted above, strawberries can help with more than just fighting acne. The nutrients packed into them are also great for preserving youthful, healthy-looking skin. And hey, even if you’re a guy like me and would rather just eat them all, you really can’t go wrong 
. They’re certainly better for you than that fried donut burger they were also selling at the festival…
