Butter, while often flagged as fattening, actually does a lot of good for the body, not to mention that its delicious aroma and taste that can turn any food into a heavenly delight.
Good old-fashioned butter can make an easy and affordable facial mask. PHOTO © GETTY IMAGES/THINKSTOCK
There are many kinds of butter. The most original is essentially the fat of milk. Peanut butter is made by blending roasted, unsalted peanuts with salt and peanut or safflower oil. Other kinds of butter are usually made by a similar process.
Our skin benefits greatly from butter, both through consumption and through topical application. The vitamins, minerals and essential fatty acids in butter are great for the body, and they can help the skin improve as well, and we're talking about various kinds of butter, not just the dairy type.
One example would be peanut butter, which is rich in antioxidants. The idea of using peanut butter as a home-made face mask has been spreading recently. Some people say they use a peanut butter face mask once or twice a week to rid the skin of impurities. The chunky peanut bits help exfoliate the skin, too.
Here's how they do it. After cleansing, apply peanut butter on your face, avoiding the eye area. Wait until it dries and rub the skin gently in circular motions. Rinse the mask off with warm water.
However, be warned that the peanut butter mask does not work wonders for everyone, especially not with those who are allergic to peanuts. Some people who have tried this formula said that they broke out afterwards. And even though allergic reactions caused by peanut butter facial masks might not be as severe as those caused by peanut butter consumption, be sure to test on a small area of your skin first.
Good old-fashioned butter is also incorporated into some home-made facial mask recipes. Essentially, the logic is that if milk works as a facial mask, why not butter? However, butter facial masks are not for all skin types. It is not recommended for oily skin, or easily irritated skin. Some people have said their skin feels softer after masking with butter. They note, however, that it's better to use organic, unsalted butter.
If you are not a fan of experimenting with kitchen ingredients, you can still benefit from butter. Many skincare brands now incorporate shea butter, cocoa butter, almond butter and mango butter into the products to moisturise the skin. Essentially, they are all emollients, but each has its own distinctive benefits.
Panpuri Vanilla Planifolia Revitalizing Body Butter is a blend of organic vanilla, tangerine and sandalwood to boost youthful radiance.
Crabtree & Evelyn La Source Revitalising Foot Smoother nourishes the skin with shea butter and macadamia oil.
Nourish your lips and give them gorgeous colour with Cute Press Colour Fantasy Nature Shine Lip Butter.
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