If you think fruits trigger only your taste-buds, you are wrong. They can be a trigger to happy skin too, particularly in this weather. True to the need, fruit facials are showing a rising trend in the city. Why is there such a demand this season and what are the real benefits?
Given the high humidity, sweaty skin is an irritant. To tackle the problem, fruits rich in Vitamin C are the sure winners. Vitamin C, present in oranges and papayas, regulates oil in the skin and enhances complexion too. Bananas and avocados work wonders as moisturizers. Strawberry tightens collagen fibers to make skin look younger and apple’s mallic acid content restores skin elasticity. But these don’t seem to be the only reasons for people who go for fruit facials.
“Mothers have lots of free time in summer as kids are on vacation. So they come more often,” says Meera S., the owner of a home beauty salon in Thirunagar. She adds that it could also be a question of easy availability of summer fruits over the winter ones. “Skin whitening is the greatest attraction in Madurai,” says S. Chitra, consultant and trainer at Vinita’s Spa and Salon, K.K. Nagar. “Most people don’t opt for conventional fruit facials with fruit pulp as it can be easily done at home. Also, the results are slow.” She says that facials with fruit extracts like wine facials are the current rage. Most clients also opt for facials depending on the rates. S. Sunderesh, Manager at Green Trends says, “Only people with sensitive skin specifically ask for fruit facials.”
Skin type
Many skin experts say that it is not so much a question of seasons as it is of the skin type. Ratina Priya, owner of Naturals Salon and Spa in K.K. Nagar and Glo Studio on By-pass road points out that these facials pick up in summer because people assume that fruits relieve our skin in the heat. “This is not true,” says Ratina Priya, “irrespective of the season, a fruit can only be used after analyzing the skin to see if it is dry, normal or oily.” This analysis is done in some parlours using a procedure which involves one or two sittings.
Belinda Raymond, beautician at Rachna’s Beauty Studio, says that most people already know their skin types accurately and services are arranged accordingly. According to her, most decisions involve prior observation, for which she reasons that acne prone skin cannot use papaya because it retains heat. They use a fruit pack obtained from Mumbai which makes the skin feel supple and maintain a neutral pH level.
“Skin texture varies even with and dry types. Normal skin is very rare. In summers, people with oily skin come more for facials. For them we have a Triple Fruit Facial which has mainly orange extract,” says Cheema P., Beauty consultant at Green Trends, adding that there is a scale for their analysis.
Generally, people with normal skin use fruit facials regularly for maintenance, as skin cannot achieve a perfect balance in one visit to the spa. Fruits applied externally take a long time to act.
Nothing compares to making fruits a regular part of our diet, says Priya, but people generally come to us expecting miracles in one sitting. “We suggest some quick facials which give quick results depending on what the client exactly wants -- skin lightening or removal of black spots,” she adds.
Alternative fruit facials
Belinda says that they choose not to deal with conventional fruit facials because they can get messy. In summer, she says they grate cucumber and mix it with other face packs, but getting a fruit, making a pulp and applying it can be a tedious. Chitra, however, dismisses these facials that were popular two decades ago. “Our French Champagne facial, which contains processed white grape extracts, has the same impact on the skin as compared to a citrus pulp in lesser time. There is also a Thai whitening one, which is rich in Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA), an extract which is present in papaya,” she says.
Going completely modern, there is an alternative in nano-technology too. Glo Studio uses this to extract nano-particles from fruits. They are collected in a serum and used on the skin. “Because of the penetration such small particles can achieve, you can see instant results, unlike direct application on skin,” says Priya. This is again done after analysis of skin type. While banana extract is used for dry skin, strawberry and green apple are used for normal skin and orange for oily skin.
Conventional fruit facials may be a tad bit messy to deal with, but there is no escaping their benefits which can make the skin glow. “I hardly ever go to the parlour for facials; I can make the fruit packs at home at my convenience. They help my skin look and feel young, especially in the summers,” says P. Radhika, a home-maker in Madurai.
On that note, here’s a A do-it-yourself guide for three easy fruit facials at home:
Make a pulp of papaya, add a little bit of honey and apply it on your face. Wash it off once it dries – for normal skin not prone to acne
Remove the fibrous layer from an orange and squeeze the juice out. Apply and wash off after it dries – for oily skin
Grate a carrot and mix it with cold milk. Run this in the mixer till a paste of even consistency is got. Apply; wash off when dry – for dry skin]
Source: Ms Rathina Priya, Owner- Natural Salon and Spa and Glo Studio
