Efficiency is important to me. I figure if you're going to buy food with your own money, then carry it all the way home, you'd might as well put some on your face. As it turns out, an avocado mask can make your face look fresh and bright.
Disclaimer from the dietitian : This skin related recommendation is not based on scientific evidence. There is no 1,000 person study evaluating the benefits of smearing avocado on your face. But, when I combine what I learned in nutrition school, what I've learned from my esthetician, I assess possible risk, and see how fine I look after I rub this on my face, it's enough to recommend it. This post is the very thing blogs are for, despite my dislike of the word blog.
Open a ripe avocado with a knife.
This avocado worked well on my face, despite being bruised.
Wash your face with a rag, or use a gentle exfoliant. This will remove normally occurring dead skin on your face, which blocks good serums and moisturizers from getting properly absorbed into your skin.
amount of avocado I used on my face. I think I spent 10 cents for the portion.
After washing and scrubbing, smear the spoonful of avocado all over your face. Most store bought masks instruct you to keep the product away from your eyes, but as far as I can tell after testing, there is no risk in applying as far as I did in the photo. Rub on the avocado and give your face a good massage with it, because it feels nice. Now go do other things and wait until the mask has dried, about 20 minutes. You'll know when it has dried, and it will feel exciting. Now, ask your unsuspecting housemate Malay to take photos of you with green on your face.
It just so happens I'm a female, but men can rub avocado on their face too.
Wash the mask off in the shower, because there is probably some in your hair.
Why could this be good for your face? There are a lot of vitamin C skin products out there. I have bought them and like what they do to my skin, as vitamin C is needed for collagen synthesis. It's also present in all plant foods, and is an antioxidant (meaning it keeps things from oxidizing, or getting older). There is a lot of vitamin C in avocado, as well as thousands of other antioxidants and enzymes that do good things. There are enzymes and antioxidants scientists haven't even discovered, but they're doing the research, and they know that these magical compounds are present in plants. If you buy face masks that boast enzymes and antioxidants, why not instead go straight to the source? Also, the fat from the avocado seems to make my skin soft, though this is merely my observation.
Please know however - avocado on your face will not save your life - or fix everything about your skin. I still purchase face products. Many are great, and I'm selective. A lot of the products are also expensive, from companies run by people who aren't trying to save the world, and the products come in excessive and wasteful packaging. But yes, some products do work well.
To take care of my skin beyond my homemade masks, I get facials whenever time and budget allows for it. I spend money and time on my face because, well, it's my face.
The avocado had now dried, explaining why I'm so happy.
Like I said, I plan to eat the avocado too. Efficiency is important. I consume avocados because (a) they taste good (b) they're healthy : fiber + good fats + a lot of antioxidants + some carbohydrate + tiny bit protein (c) they're easy to eat and (d) they are a whole food. The composition of nutrients in any whole food is already at ratios of fat, carbohydrate, protein and fiber your digestive system prefers. They contain a little bit of everything in ideal amounts. This is a key point to understanding nutrition science.
Circling back. When I'm in a hurry, I eat the entire avocado with a spoon after cutting it in half. This went well when I had to be to work at 7 am and needed something quick in my stomach. The avocado would sustain me until 10 am, then I'd be ready to eat something else. Now, below is a photo of toast. That will improve things.
Keep bread in the freezer and it will last longer. Soon I'll cover this with avocado.
Avocado toast is a food trend that I support. Instead of eating just the avocado like a barbarian, get yourself a piece of bread, which keeps you full for a longer period of time. Toast it, spread on the avocado with a fork, and add salt.
The minerals potassium, magnesium and calcium in the avocado offset the sodium content you are adding to make this avocado toast taste good. I don't worry about sodium when it's added to a plant food like this, because those minerals actually have the ability to displace it. Mind blown!
You could also use rice crackers or put a corn tortilla in the toaster if you don't have bread. Some places that sell avocado toast add lime juice, cilantro, sesame seeds, jalapeno, an egg, and/or high quality salt.
I don't see nothin' wrong with a little Tapatio pump 'n grind.
There you have it.
You just spent $2.50 on an avocado and managed to eat a healthy snack, plus you look dead sexy with your now glowing and soft skin. You didn't spend more money on products and you also didn't contribute to more garbage. You are fantastic.