How to Deal with Dry Skin Naturally

Living in highly-polluted Lima, I have been having problems with dry, flaky skin for a while now, and yesterday I found the perfect solution: avocado peel. Having long known the moisturising benefits of avocados on the skin, I already use the mashed fruit as a face mask every now and then. However, because my skin has always been reasonably healthy and moisturised, the amazing effects of the avocado have never been seen to such a degree as they were yesterday.

Ready for my face!

Being on a tight budget since I got to Peru in July, I have been loathe to use my precious food on my face instead of in my stomach, and so I have avoided using avocados externally. However, I read an article about how just the oil in the peel can also work as a great moisturiser. And I decided to try it.

The recipe is easy:

1) Make a delicious meal using an avocado (I made an avocado salad).

2) Once the flesh has been scraped out and used, rub the avocado peel on your face. The trick is to be gentle - you don't want to tug that precious facial skin.

3) Take off any remaining avocado flesh from the peel and rub it gently into your skin.

Voila!

4) Eat your food with a slightly green face. I had the fruit on mine for about half and hour and this seemed to work. It didn't feel uncomfortable or tight either. In fact, I forgot it was there.

5) Wet your face, put a little olive oil on your fingers, and gently rub off the avocado.

6) Finish by rinsing thoroughly with a flannel or your hands. Again, be gentle.

I was absolutely amazed at how quickly it worked. It was not the kind of skin treatment where you have to wait a week or so to see the results. My skin was bright, soft, and moisturised from the moment I dabbed it dry with a towel, and today it still feels great. Next time I have dry skin, I'm reaching straight for the avocados.


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has more information on avocado oil and other natural products that can be used on skin:
http://www.epa.gov/region9/healthy-hair/ingredients.html