Papaya is not just a mushy, sweet fruit to indulge in but when applied topically, it can do wonders for your skin and hair health. One of the few fruits that is available during all seasons, papaya is full of essential nutrients. Its benefits can be credited to the active enzyme present inside the fruit called papain. It is particularly found in large quantities in the peel of an unripe papaya! It has excellent properties of exfoliating dead skin, unclogging pores and preventing dullness.
Apart from papain, papaya is extremely rich in Vitamin C. Known for its mind-blowing anti-aging properties, it can help with premature wrinkles on your face and around the eyes. Papain’s abilities to dissolve properties also makes papaya a common ingredient in hair mask. When applied on hair, it helps with removal of dead skin and buildup on your scalp, thus letting it breathe and aiding hair growth.
Papaya Nutrition Profile:
1 cup of papaya ~ 140 grams contains:
Calories: 55
Vitamin A: 1531 IU, 31%
Vitamin C: 86.5mg, 144%
Protein: 0.9 grams, 2%
Fiber: 2.5 grams, 10%
Potassium: 360 mg, 10%
Folate: 53.2 mcg, 13%
Benefits of Papaya for Skin
Skin Whitening:
Papain is an active ingredient in many exfoliating and skin-whitening creams like Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant and Biotique Bio Papaya Tan Removal Scrub. Apart from papain, presence of beta-carotene, phytochemicals and other enzymes in papaya helps with removing tan and dead skin to give you an even and lighter skin tone.
Anti-aging:
Owing to its skin repairing and healing properties, papayas works fantastically well to reverse signs of ageing. They also help with negating the effects of daily skin damages like sun, pollution etc. Presence of lycopene in papaya also helps fight free radical damage and improve skin elasticity with time. Adding to that, presence of lycopene in papaya also helps in boosting collagen production, making skin feel firm and supple.
Helps with acne control:
Proteolytic enzymes in papaya, namely papain and chymopapain, exfoliates the dead layer of the skin and has excellent antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. All of these properties together help with acne and pimples on your facial skin. It can also help with pigmentation acne scars, making them lighter and fading them over time.
Moisturises Dry Skin:
If you are a bride-to-be that suffers from dry, flaky skin or has a combination skin type! Good news, papaya’s natural enzymes and nutrients hydrate the skin from within and can help moisturise your skin, making it soft, radiant and glowy just in time for the wedding.
Reduces Unwanted Hair:
Those little facial hair on face are really annoying! Papaya can help. Since it acts as a gentle scrub on face, papaya can help with removing little hairs on your face with regular use. No more bleaching, waxing or usage of any other harmful chemicals, this natural sweet fruit can do the job just as well!
Papaya Skin Masks
Rub the peel. Papain, the star-ingredient in papaya, is present in maximum concentrations in the peel. Rub the peel on your face for 5-10 minutes. Leave it on for a few minutes and wash it off.
Papaya + Honey for moisturising and glowing skin. Mash 3 to 4 cubes of papaya and add 1 tbsp of honey to it. Leave it on for 15 mins and wash off with cold water. Honey is a natural humectant, which means it draws moisture to your skin. You can also add a bit of turmeric to the mask for some additional benefits.
Papaya + Egg White for skin tightening. Whip up an egg white with papaya pulp. Leave it on your face for 20 minutes and then, rinse it off! Egg whites act as a natural astringent and can help shrink enlarged pores. This mask is a superb DIY for brides suffering from premature wrinkles and fine lines.
Papaya + Ground Oatmeal for scrubbing your skin. Mash some papaya with ground oatmeal. You can also add a bit of lemon juice or rose water to liquefy the pack a little bit. Apply it on your face and scrub for about a minute. Leave it on for 15 minutes and remove it with gentle scrubbing again. Papaya’s chemical exfoliating properties along with oatmeal’s natural cleansing action will make sure that all your dead skin cells are sloughed right away!
Papaya Ice Cubes. Being a bride-to-be means there’s a lot on your to-do list! We get it and therefore, we have come up with an easy way to include papaya into your skin regime. Mash the papaya and freeze the pulp into ice cubes. You can directly rub the papaya cube or melt it and make the face packs mentioned above. You can easily use these cubes for 2 weeks.
Benefits of Papaya for Hair
Deep Conditioning:
Papaya contains Vitamin A and Vitamin C, which are both amazing for hair conditioning. They balance the production of sebum on the scalp, which makes hair soft and supple. Moreover, high water content of papaya also helps in keeping the hair hydrated.
Promotes Hair Growth:
There are studies that have proven it. A 2018 research proved that there are compounds in papaya which can stimulate hair growth activity. How great is that! A simple, economical solution to hair growth has been lying in our fridge all along.
Controls Dandruff:
Dandruff is mainly caused by dead cells, scalp build up and dryness. Papain enzyme exfoliates the scalp while folic acid and other enzymes in papaya helps with moisturisation. This controls dandruff, clears the scalp and helps with hair growth.
Papaya Hair Masks
Papaya + Banana + Honey for split ends, brittle hair and deep conditioning. Long and smooth hair is a dream for all brides-to-be. But pesky split ends can stand in the way. This mask is a must try for all brides. It will nourish and hydrate your hair from root to tip while fortifying and adding volume to your hair. To make this mask, mix equal quantities of papaya and banana, add 2 tbsp of honey and sieve it. The last step helps in preventing any pulp residue on your hair. Keep it on for 45 minutes and wash off with a mild shampoo.
Papaya + Aloe Vera for hair growth. Aloe vera is rich in proteolytic enzymes that repair dead cells on the scalp and condition your hair. Along with papaya, it can do wonders for your tresses. Just mix in equal quantities of aloe vera gel with papaya, leave it on for 2 hours and wash it off with a shampoo.
Papaya + Olive Oil for dandruff. Papain has an amazing action to remove scalp build up and dead cells. This can help prevent dandruff or white scales on the scalp. To prepare the mask, just whip up some papaya according to your hair length with 2 tbsp of hair oil. Leave it on for 30 mins before washing off with a mild shampoo. You can also mix in some neem powder to the mask for some added anti-inflammatory action.
Apart from including papaya in your DIY routine, we also recommend that you make it a part of your bridal diet. Here are some benefits of eating papaya:
- Papaya is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals like Vitamins C that boosts glowing skin from within, Vitamin A that helps with production of new cells and antioxidants like lycopene that prevents free radical damage.
- The fruit is also rich in water and fiber content. This stimulates digestion and promotes good gut health. A healthy gut can help fight a lot of health-related issues and is often related with skin-related problems like acne and psoriasis.
- Papaya is an excellent immunity-booster and prevents you from sickness, which any bride-to-be would want to stay away from!
- Some studies have shown that eating the fruit at least thrice a week has shown visible results in those suffering from hair thinning or balding. So start consuming it for thick and healthy tresses.
- For brides who go through painful periods, papayas are a great natural remedy. Papain in the fruit helps in regulating and easing flow.
- Since papayas are rich in fiber, they can help you feel fuller for a longer time. This can keep the cravings and snacking at bay and help with weight loss.
Consume this delicious fruit – both internally and externally – and let us know how it benefited you through your bridal regime. We always love to hear from our dear brides-to-be!
What fruit would you like us to cover next? Comment down below!
