Bananas: Beauty's best friend

Shahnaz Husain *

Bananas, the queen potassium are ranked fourth amongst the world's food crops in terms of money.

One banana contains about 475 mg of potassium and is super-rich in antioxidants and other nutrients which is vital to control your blood pressure, which in turn protects your heart.

Its regular consumption enrich and nourish the body that help radiant skin and shiny hair. If you wants to be healthy and look beautiful then turn to your fruit basket instead of spending on costly beauty products of reputed companies laden with chemicals. The banana has immense health and beauty benefits.

Banana is rich in moisture, petrochemicals, anti-oxidants and nutrients which make it perfect for natural face masks to revitalise dry skin, acne prone oily skin and smoothen rough and ageing skin.

Banana, one of the most popular fruits, packs quite a punch in terms of nutrition and health benefits. It is one of the richest sources of potassium and also contains Vitamin C and B6.

Bananas are beneficial for both skin and hair treatments. Its potassium content helps to soften both dry hair and dry skin.

Bananas can be made into a pulp and added to both face and hair packs. Bananas help hair that has been damaged by repeated colouring and other chemical treatments.

Bananas can be added to fruit packs, or applied by itself on the face. It has a tightening effect on the skin and also helps to nourish it. Egg yolk or curd may be added to mashed bananas and applied as a hair pack.

If the hair is very dry, add one teaspoon pure glycerin or honey to the banana pack. Almond oil may also be added to the banana hair pack.

In beauty salons also, fruit masks are applied after facial massage or facial treatments. For the hair too, fruit masks are used.

Banana is one of the fruits that is popular for both skin and hair care. It is usually made into a pulp and applied on the hair, like a pack. Fruits have a revitalizing and cleansing effect.

As far as the banana is concerned, it helps to nourish and condition dry hair. It also adds lustre to the hair.

In fact, banana helps hair that has been damaged by repeated colouring and other chemical treatments. Banana is extremely nourishing, because it contains Vitamins B and C and is a rich source of potassium. In fact, potassium also helps to soften the hair.

Bananas can be made into a pulp and applied on the hair like a pack. Leave it on for 20 to 30 minutes and then wash it off.

Egg yolk or curd may be added to mashed bananas and applied on the face or hair. Wash it off after 20 to 30 minutes. If the hair is very dry, add one teaspoon pure glycerin or honey to the banana pack. Almond oil may also be added to the banana hair pack.

Banana can also be mixed with other fruits and made into a hair pack. For example, you can add grated apple, ripe papaya pulp and oranges.

Papaya contains enzymes and helps to cleanse the scalp and remove dandruff flakes. Oranges restore the normal acid-alkaline balance, while apples contain pectin and have a cleansing and toning effect.

It's a good idea to give the hair a massage with warm oil and then apply the pack. You can use pure almond oil, or olive oil.

After applying the pack, put on a shower cap to allow the scalp and hair to absorb the ingredients. Keep it on for half and hour and then wash off with lukewarm water.