5 Surprising Uses for Papaya
Crazy for papaya? The delicious fruit is more than just for eating. Here are 5 different ways to use papaya for your hair, skin, and more.
Bruce and Jeanne Lubin
Papaya Hair Mask
If you’re looking to strengthen your hair, look no further than the papaya. Mash the flesh of half of a papaya with a half cup of plain yogurt. Apply to damp hair, and cover with a shower cap for 20 minutes. Rinse, and wash and condition as usual.
Papaya Exfoliant
Rubbing a slice of papaya onto your skin will help remove dead cells. Leave for five minutes, then rinse off with water. For a more exfoliating action, sprinkle some brown sugar or fine salt on it first.
See also: All-Natural Beauty Night: DIY Face Masks, Toner, and More
Papaya Moisturizer
Papaya is also a great ingredient for a moisturizing mask. Mash a cup or two of papaya with a tablespoon or so of honey, and spread the mixture on the skin for five minutes. It can also help lighten blemishes and dark spots.
Sunburn Soother
To gently remove dead skin cells from a peeling sunburn, apply some mashed papaya to the skin. Papaya contains papain, a natural exfoliator and anti-inflammatory agent, so it will soothe your pain and eliminate the dead skin cells. Keep the papaya on the skin for five minutes, then rinse.
Heartburn Helper
Papaya contains an enzyme called papain, or vegetable pepsin, which is used for a variety of medicinal purposes, including as an anti-inflammatory and a remedy for indigestion. You can use papain to help heartburn by eating fresh papaya for dessert or in a salad or drinking papaya juice.
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Image courtesy of Shutterstock.
About the Author
Bruce Lubin and Jeanne Bossolina-Lubin are the proud parents of three boys and more than a dozen books. After saving thousands per year using everyday tips and simple lifehacks, they started their own business in the hopes of sharing their knowledge with others. They have been known to go into their friends’ refrigerators to turn their eggs upside down so that they last longer.