You use lemons aplenty in many of the dishes you prepare, mostly in the form of its juice. It’s a citrus fruit, which is rich in vitamin C and calcium, making it an excellent food source. However, not many people don’t know that its peel is as beneficial as the fruit itself, if not more so.
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Let’s take a look at some of the primary health benefits of lemon peels:
- It strengthens bones, thereby improving bone health.
- It treats oxidative stress, which is the underlying cause of aging and several other health issues.
- It helps eliminate toxins from your body, thanks to the citrus bioflavonoids present in it.
- It helps fight cancer.
- It helps lower cholesterol, and thereby preventing heart conditions.
- It helps maintain oral health and hygiene.
- It promotes weight loss.
- It helps combat common skin issues like acne, pigmentation, wrinkles, and dark spots.
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Similarly, lemon peel is a boon for your skin too. Lemon peel contains:
- Vitamin C – helps protect skin from free radical damage, while also helping keep acne at bay. Vitamin C is essentially an antioxidant, and therefore helps give your skin a healthy glow.
- Calcium – helps renew damaged cells. It helps heal dry and itchy skin.
- Potassium – helps moisturize and hydrate dry skin.
How to make lemon peel powder
For lemon peel face mask recipes, you need to prepare lemon peel powder. Here’s how to make it:
- Preserve lemon peels from about 6-7 large lemons. Be sure to remove the fibrous white part from the inside of the lemon peels. Now, rinse them in warm water.
- Carefully put these slightly damp peels on a tray and place it in an area which receives more than enough direct sunshine through the day. Leave the tray as is so that the peels are fully dried. It might take anywhere between 3-5 days to fully dry.
- Now that they are completely dried, crush and powder the lemon peels in a food processor, till you get a fine powder.
- Store this lemon peel powder in an airtight container and use as needed.
Homemade lemon peel face mask recipes
Let’s take a look at some of the most beneficial lemon peel face mask recipes that will do a world of good for your skin.
1. Lemon juice and lemon peel mask – to lighten skin tone
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Lemon juice and lemon peel both contain high amounts of vitamin C, and both contain natural bleaching properties. So if you want to lighten your skin tone, use this mask.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, take 1 tablespoon each of lemon peel powder, lemon juice, and organic honey. Mix all the ingredients well to form a smooth paste. Apply this paste in a thick coat all over your face and neck, leaving out the sensitive under-eye areas. Let it sit for 20 minutes, before washing it off with lukewarm water.
2. Baking soda, oatmeal, and lemon peel mask – for acne-prone skin
Baking soda helps balance the pH of your skin, while also deeply cleansing it. Oatmeal is an excellent scrub, which gently exfoliates your skin, while getting rid of grime and other impurities. Lemon peel has powerful antioxidants which help keep pesky acne and pimples away.
Face mask
- Take 2 teaspoons of lemon peel powder, 1 teaspoon each of oatmeal and baking soda. Slowly add drops of water to this to form a granular paste. Using your fingertips in circular motions, massage this paste on your face and neck, for about a minute. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Wash it off with cool water, and apply 2-3 drops of olive oil as a natural moisturizer once you’ve dried your face with a towel.
3. Gram flour and lemon peel mask – for soft, smooth skin
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Gram flour provides excellent nourishment to your skin, while also helping absorb excess oil.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, take 2 teaspoons of lemon peel powder and 1 teaspoon of gram flour. Add rose water as needed and mix well. Spread this paste on your face and neck, leaving out the sensitive under-eye areas. Let it sit for 20 minutes, and then wash off with tepid water.
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4. Yogurt, honey, and lemon peel mask – to get rid of blemishes
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Yogurt nourishes your skin from deep within, while also moisturizing and hydrating it. Honey has powerful antioxidants that help even out your skin tone, while also helping slow down skin aging by fighting off free radical damage.
Face mask
- Take 2 teaspoons of lemon peel powder and 1 teaspoon each of honey and plain yogurt. Mix together all the ingredients to form a smooth paste. Apply this paste in a thick layer on your face and neck, leaving it on for 20 minutes, before rinsing it off with tepid water. Pat dry with a soft towel. To help seal in the moisture, apply a couple of drops of coconut oil or olive oil as a natural moisturizer.
5. Sandalwood powder and lemon peel mask – to combat signs of skin aging
Among the early signs of skin aging, wrinkles, fine lines, and dark spots are major. Sandalwood powder helps fight these signs effectively, while lemon peel powder helps reduce the damage done by oxidative stress on skin cells, thereby helping maintain younger-looking skin.
Face mask
- Take 2 teaspoons of lemon peel powder and 1 teaspoon of sandalwood powder in a clean bowl. To this, add rose water as needed, to form a smooth paste. Spread this paste on your face and neck, leaving it on for half an hour, before washing it off with cool water.
6. Honey and lemon peel mask – for hydration
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Honey hydrates your skin from deep within, providing the much-needed moisturization. Together with lemon peel powder, honey helps hydrate your skin, while also helping seal in the moisture as well.
Face mask
- Take 2 tablespoons of lemon peel powder and 1 tablespoon of honey, and mix well. Using your fingertips in circular motions, massage this paste on your face and neck, for about a minute. Leave it on for 20 minutes, before washing it off with lukewarm water.
7. Coconut oil, milk, and lemon peel mask – for oily, pimple-prone skin
Coconut oil is an excellent natural moisturizer, which nourishes your skin from the inside out. Milk contains vital vitamins and minerals that nourish your skin and make it smooth, soft, and supple. Lemon peel helps absorb excess oil from your skin, which is what causes the pores to clog and cause acne.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, add 2 teaspoons of lemon peel powder, and 1 teaspoon each of coconut oil and milk. Mix all the ingredients together to form a smooth paste. Spread this on your face and neck, gently massaging it using your fingertips in circular motions. Let it sit for 15 minutes, before washing it off with tepid water.
Pro tip: It’s best if you steam your face before applying this mask, so that your pores are opened up.
8. Turmeric, honey, and lemon peel mask – to reverse sun tan
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Honey has vital anti-microbial properties, and turmeric has antiseptic properties. Combined with lemon peel powder, these two make an excellent face mask to reverse the effects of sun tan and keep your skin healthy.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, take 1 tablespoon each of honey and lemon peel powder, and add in a pinch of turmeric to this. Mix all the ingredients well to form a smooth paste. Spread this paste on your face and neck. Let it sit for 10-12 minutes, before washing it off with cool water.
9. Walnut powder and lemon peel mask – for exfoliation
Walnut powder exfoliates your skin by helping remove all the dirt, grime, and other impurities from your skin.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, take lemon peel powder, sandalwood powder, and walnut powder in equal quantities of 1 tablespoon. Now, add 2 tablespoons of rose water and 3 drops of lemon juice to this and mix well to form a smooth paste. Spread this paste on your face and neck, gently massaging it in using just your fingertips in circular motions. Let it sit for 15 minutes, and then rinse it off with cool water.
10. Egg white and lemon peel mask – for dry skin
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Egg white provides excellent nourishment for your skin, while lemon peel powder helps exfoliate it gently.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, add 2 tablespoons of lemon peel powder and 1 egg white. Mix thoroughly to form a smooth paste. Apply this paste all over your face and neck, letting it dry for 15 minutes. Rinse it off with cool water, patting it dry with a soft towel.
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11. Fuller’s Earth and lemon peel mask – for oily skin
Fuller’s Earth is excellent to absorb excess oil from your skin. It also helps pull out the unseemly blackheads and whiteheads, without any pain at all.
Face mask
- In a clean bowl, add 1 tablespoon each of lemon peel powder and Fuller’s Earth. Add rose water as needed, and make a smooth paste. Apply this paste on your face and neck, leaving it on for 15 minutes or so, before washing it off with cool water.
These are all the homemade lemon peel face mask recipes your skin needs. For healthy, glowing, soft, supple skin, try these face masks. You won’t be disappointed!
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