Now there’s more than one reason to keep lemons in your fruit basket. Yes, they’re great when sliced into a cocktail, but used cleverly, they’re the perfect addition to your beauty routine too.
1 For a deep clean
Got blackheads? Simply rub a lemon over the affected area at night and wash it away in the morning. Lemon contains citric acid which helps to dissolve away dead skin cells that may have trapped oil and dirt, causing the blackheads.
2 To exfoliate
Cut a lemon in half and dip it in sugar. Rub over your face for a natural facial scrub once a week. The granules help remove dead skin cells while the lemon works to even out your skin tone.
3 Strengthen your nails
Lemons are rich in Vitamin C, so soak your nails in lemon juice for five to 10 minutes. It’ll give your nails a moisture boost and help remove that yellowish tinge if you’ve worn polish without a base coat.
4 Create a clarifying shampoo
Lemon juice can reduce the dullness created by hard water and soap residue. For shinier hair, simply combine two tablespoons of lemon juice with one cup of warm water, pour the mixture slowly over your hair, then rinse through after allowing it to sit for one minute.
5 To brighten your skin
Thanks to their natural citric acid and Vitamin C, lemons can also be used for brightening any dark spots on your skin. Simply swipe lemon juice onto any affected areas with a cotton pad, then allow the juice to sit for 15 to 20 minutes, before rinsing with warm water and moisturising. Don’t expect overnight results though – instead, be patient and continue the treatment for at least 28 days, after which you can expect to start seeing results.
6 Whiten your teeth
Why go to the dentist for a teeth whitening treatment when you can just buy lemons instead? Mix together half a teaspoon of baking soda with a teaspoon of lemon juice to create the whitening paste, then wipe your teeth with a paper towel and remove any excess saliva. Put a good amount of the paste onto your toothbrush and apply to your teeth. Leave the paste on for one minute, then rinse well.
Have you heard about the new ‘clean beauty’ trend? Click here to learn what it actually is (and why you definitely need it).
