- Banana contains many potent phytochemicals that can benefit the skin.
- Banana’s skin-beneficial effects can be obtained by using it via a face mask which is easy to make at home.
- Banana is rich in vitamins and minerals that nourish the skin and protect it from oxidative stress.
- A banana face mask moisturizes the skin and helps preserve the integrity of the upper skin layer.
Banana is known to do wonders for your skin when applied via a face mask. Rich in nutrients that confer several health benefits to your skin, a banana face mask should make up an important part of your DIY skincare regimen.
Contents
What is a Banana Face Mask?
A banana face mask is a preparation of mashed ripe bananas that gets applied to the face and neck. It is great for people with dry, oily and sensitive skin. Banana contains natural antioxidants and potent phytochemicals that nourish and moisturize skin and protect it from damage and signs of aging.
Benefits
Vitamin A
Dark spots (or age spots, liver spots, solar lentigines) often form on the skin as one of the first signs of aging. They form on the face, neck and hands as a result of overproduction of melanin due to long term exposure to the UV light portion of sunlight.
Banana contains vitamin A, or retinol, which has been proven to be highly effective in treating signs of photoaging (aging due to exposure to sunlight). The natural retinol in banana is found to be more effective in treating signs of photoaging than its synthetic derivatives (like tretinoin and isotretinoin) found in commercially-available skin care products, while also having fewer side effects.
Regular use of a banana face mask helps in not only fading dark spots but also in fighting other signs of aging like fine lines and wrinkles.
Vitamin B
Production of free radicals due to exposure to UV light causes the skin to experience oxidative stress that often leads to manifestations of signs of skin aging – such as wrinkles, gradual loss of elasticity and spots. Bananas are rich in B vitamins (B2, B3, B6 and B9) which are powerful antioxidants that protect the skin from UV-induced free radical damage.
B vitamins are also known to induce positive effects on wound healing. Topical application of B vitamins, like in a banana face mask, can accelerate the healing of wounds caused by acne and other skin conditions.
Vitamin E
One of the oldest nutrients to be used in skincare, vitamin E is a potent photoprotective compound and shields the skin from harmful UV rays of the sun. It also possesses antioxidant properties that help it fight free radical damage in the skin.
Vitamin E also fights melasma, a condition in which brown to gray-brown patches appear on the skin of the face and the neck as a result of too much sun exposure. Thus vitamin E fights UV-induced damage to the skin and reduces signs of aging and also helps in lightening skin.
Potassium
Potassium is an important mineral that makes up the natural moisturizing factor (NMF) found in your skin. NMF is a collection of water-soluble molecular compounds that keep the skin hydrated.
People with dry skin conditions like mild atopic dermatitis are known to have lower levels of potassium in the NMF. Potassium is also an important component in maintaining skin barrier integrity.
Bananas are a rich source of potassium and when applied via a face mask, they help supplement potassium to the NMF, causing the skin to be naturally moisturized.
Types
Skin lightening
This facial mask, with the added benefits of honey and lemon juice, works to clear blemishes and lighten dark spots.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
Recipe
- Peel a ripe banana and mash it with a fork in a mixing bowl.
- Mix honey and lemon juice and mix to make a smooth, even paste. Your face mask is ready to be applied.
Tips
- While applying the banana face mask onto your face and neck, be sure to rub it in gently with your fingertips by employing a circular motion.
- Pull your hair back or cover it with a bath towel or shower cap to protect it from getting messy from the banana mash.
- The face mask may drip, so be sure to wear an old T-shirt while applying.
Acne
Add a bit of turmeric and baking soda to banana to make a soothing face mask that heals and gently exfoliates.
Ingredients
- 1 ripe banana
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Recipe
- Peel a ripe banana and mash it with a fork in a mixing bowl.
- Mix baking powder and turmeric powder and mix to make a smooth, even paste. Apply generously over face and neck and leave it on for 10 to 15 minutes.
Tips
- This is an exfoliating mask. Do not use it everyday or too frequently.
- If you make a larger batch of a banana face mask, with a bigger banana, you can simply refrigerate the remainder and use it for up to one week. However, do check the smell before using it again. If you get an off smell, it is better to discard it and make a fresh batch.
- After washing the mask off, gently massage your skin with ice wrapped in a soft towel. This will have an astringent action on the skin and tighten the pores to prevent pollutants from entering the skin.
Anti-aging and wrinkles
The powerful antioxidants in banana fight signs of aging like wrinkles and fine lines, and help bring back youthful skin.
Ingredients
- 1 medium-sized ripe banana
- 1 teaspoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon thick yogurt
Recipe
- Combine all the ingredients in a clean mixing bowl and mash with a fork to make a smooth paste.
- Apply over face and neck using clean fingertips. Rub the paste in using a gentle circular motion.
- Leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes. Wash it off with cold water and pat dry with a soft towel.
- Apply a moisturizer.
Tips
- Natural masks are usually drippy and messy because they do not have artificial holding agents. Always apply masks over a sink to prevent a mess.
- If the mask has dried over some parts of your skin, do not try to tug at it. Simply wash it off with water.
- You can skip the moisturizing step at the end if you add ½ teaspoon of olive or coconut oil to the face mask.
Other Popular Banana Face Masks
Avocado banana face mask
This face mask offers the additional benefits of avocado which is rich in fatty acids, vitamin E, potassium and lecithin, all of which have immense nourishing benefits for the skin.
To make this face mask, take a small ripe banana and one-fourth of a ripe avocado. Mash them together with a fork in a clean mixing bowl to make a smooth, lump-free paste.
Banana oatmeal face mask
Oatmeal is rich in amino acids, powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds like avenanthramides, niacin and beta-glucan, and minerals like zinc, copper and magnesium that nourish and protect the skin. Combining banana and oatmeal to make a face mask is a great way to resolve skin problems like dryness, rosacea, acne and free radical damage.
To make this face mask, thoroughly mix colloidal, or powdered, oatmeal with mashed ripe banana to get a smooth, lump-free paste. Apply over face and neck and leave it on for 10-15 minutes. Wash it off with cold water and pat dry with a soft towel to get clean, glowing skin.
Takeaway
As a nutrient-rich fruit, banana not only benefits the body in general, but also the skin. It contains vitamins and minerals that nourish and moisturize your skin.
The phytochemicals in banana reduce dryness, fight free radical damage from UV exposure, help treat acne and resolve signs of aging like spots, wrinkles and sagging skin. A banana face mask is easy to make and apply and can become an important component of your at-home skincare regimen.
Sources
- Mukherjee, S., Date, A., Patravale, V., Korting, H. C., Roeder, A., & Weindl, G. (2006). Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Clinical interventions in aging, 1(4), 327–348. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/
- Kang, S., Duell, E. A., Fisher, G. J., Datta, S. C., Wang, Z. Q., Reddy, A. P., Tavakkol, A., Yi, J. Y., Griffiths, C. E., Elder, J. T., et al. (1995) Application of retinol to human skin in vivo induces epidermal hyperplasia and cellular retinoid binding proteins characteristic of retinoic acid but without measurable retinoic acid levels or irritation. The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 105(4), 549-56 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7561157/
- Rembe, J-D, Fromm-Dornieden, C., Stuermer, E. (2018) Effects of Vitamin B Complex and Vitamin C on Human Skin Cells: Is the Perceived Effect Measurable? Advances in Skin & Wound Care, 31(5): 225–233. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29672394
- Yoshida, E., et al. (2006). Topical Application of a Novel, Hydrophilic γ-Tocopherol Derivative Reduces Photo-Inflammation in Mice Skin. Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 126 (7): 1633 – 1640
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16543897/ - Badreshia-Bansal, S., Draelos, Z. D. Insight into skin lightening cosmeceuticals for women of color (2007). Journal of Drugs in Dermatology 6(1): 32-9 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17373159/
- Sugawara, T. et al. (2012). Decreased lactate and potassium levels in natural moisturizing factor from the stratum corneum of mild atopic dermatitis patients are involved with the reduced hydration state. Journal of Dermatological Science, 66(2): 154 – 159 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22464763
- Yoshizawa, Y. , Kitamura, K. , Kawana, S. and Maibach, H. I. (2003), Water, salts and skin barrier of normal skin. Skin Research and Technology, 9: 31-33. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12535281