Carrot Face Mask

Welcome to the third Beaty Food Friday, a special feature I am doing every Friday for the month of October that shows beauty products that can be made from everyday items in your kitchen. 

When I was a teenager I was obsessed with finding kitchen ingredients and making them into homemade face masks.  You can bet that I came up with a mix of yummy and weird combinations, including: strawberries and honey, avocado and cucumber, and even lemon and raw egg whites.  Let me tell you, the last one did not smell pretty.

With the seasons changing, my skin's been feeling a little drier than normal and it seemed like the perfect time to try my hand at mask-making yet again.  This time I wanted to experiment with carrots because they contain a variety of vitamins and are said to be great for toning the skin.

This mask is perfect for any skin type because it can easily be adapted for dry or oily skin.  It's also a great way to use up an overripe banana!  If you have drier skin, the banana, agave, and olive oil are perfect for moisturizing.  And if you have oily skin, the lemon juice acts as a natural astringent and toner.  I really like combining these ingredients for a mask that tones as well as moisturizes, but feel free to experiment with different combinations.

Ingredients
2 medium carrots
1/2 medium banana
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon agave syrup
1 Tablespoon olive oil

Peel and dice the carrots.  Steam for 15 minutes, or until very soft.  Add the carrots, banana, lemon juice, and agave to a food processor and process.  While the blade is running, add the olive oil.  Process until smooth.

Apply the mask to your skin (avoid the eyes and lips) for ten to fifteen minutes.  Rinse with cool water.