No surprise, bananas are good for you. They’re great for debloating, creamy enough to be an ice cream base, wonderful in banana bread, and—yes—nice to use on your face. The high potassium content, plus the vitamins, antioxidants, and natural oils inside this fruit [source] will treat and soften the skin and hair, enriching them with necessary nutrients.
So when your bananas turn a little brown, go ahead and raid the fruit basket to mash one into a mask right away.
13 Banana Mask Recipes
Banana Foot Masks
1. Banana Sandal Foot Mask
-1 banana
-Honey
-Plastic wrap
Mash half a banana with a few drops of honey, then slather it all over your feet and wrap them in plastic wrap for at least 10 minutes—the perfect way to get instant soft heels.
2. Banana & Coffee Foot Scrub
-¼ cup fresh coffee grounds
-¼ cup kosher salt
-¼ cup olive oil
-½ banana
Combine the fresh coffee grounds, salt, olive oil, and half a banana. Mix together and slather all over the feet (this is a good one to do sitting on the edge of the tub). Let it sit for 10 minutes, then scrub and rinse.
Banana Hair Masks
3. Healing Banana Hair Smoothie
This banana hair smoothie heals split ends and strengthens the hair follicles.
-1 ripe banana
-1 teaspoon coconut oil
-1 tablespoon honey
-1 tablespoon olive oil
Blend the banana, coconut oil, honey, and olive oil together until completely smooth. Once it’s blended well, apply the smoothie to your hair and scalp. You can cover your hair with a shower cap for a little heat penetration, but it’s not necessary.
Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, carefully combing it from the scalp to the ends of your hair during the final minute. Rinse thoroughly and shampoo to get rid of excess oil.
4. Banana & Honey Hair Mask
-½ cup raw, organic honey
-2 ripe bananas
-½ cup olive oil
-Blender
-Dye brush
-Shower cap (optional)
Blend the organic honey with the ripe bananas and olive oil. Apply with a brush from the top of the head to the hair tips, and cover your hair with a shower cap for at least 10 minutes. The mask soothes an itchy scalp and moisturizes the hair at the same time.
5. Banana & Olive Oil Hair Treatment
-1 banana
-1 tablespoon olive oil
Puree the banana and olive oil really, really well! Massage the mask into the hair and scalp, leaving it on for 30 minutes before rinsing. Your hair will be hydrated and smooth after this treatment.
6. Banana Repair Mask for Frizzy Hair
You only need two ingredients to make this hair mask: honey and banana. Get a handle on your locks and get rid of summer frizz.
-1 ripe banana
-1 tablespoon raw, organic honey
In a blender, combine until the mixture is smooth and concentrate on your ends to repair damage. Leave it on for 20 minutes, and then rinse thoroughly.
Banana Face Masks
7. Apricot + Banana Anti-Aging Face Mask
-1 ripe banana
-1 ripe apricot (pitted)
-1 tablespoon olive oil
Mash or blend a ripe banana and an apricot together with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Apply the mixture to the face for 10–15 minutes and rinse off with warm water.
8. Greek Yogurt + Banana Face Mask
Add half a ripe banana, honey, and a few drops of tea tree oil (if you are battling acne) to a simple yogurt mask.
-2 tablespoons plain, unflavored Greek yogurt
-1 teaspoon raw, organic honey
-1 ripe banana
-Tea tree essential oil (optional)
Mash or blend the ingredients well, and apply the mixture to the face. Leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
9. Acne Banana Mask
-1 banana
-1 teaspoon milk
-Pinch nutmeg
-1 teaspoon oatmeal
Mix a banana with the milk, nutmeg, and oatmeal. Apply to the face and allow it to dry before rinsing. Oatmeal is soothing and anti-inflammatory [source], providing moisture and protection for irritated or acne-prone skin.
10. Banana + Honey Facial Mask
These two ingredients are so versatile! First, we saw the combination used for our feet. Then we utilized them for our hair and now our skin!
-½ banana
-2 teaspoons raw, organic honey
Mix the two ingredients in a bowl and apply to the face after doing a facial steam. Allow to sit for 10 minutes before washing.
11. Oily Skin Treatment
Get rid of excess oil and lighten your skin by mixing a banana with lemon juice.
-1 banana
-2 teaspoons lemon juice
Combine the ingredients and apply the mixture to clean skin. Let it sit for 15 minutes, and then rinse off with warm water.
12. Cooling Banana Face Pack
Bananas are great for dry skin, adding much-needed hydration and evening out skin tone. The vitamin A and C and other antioxidants in bananas [source] help brighten the skin, too. This recipe couldn’t be any easier!
-1 chilled ripe banana
Just mash the banana with a fork, and apply it to your face and neck. Leave it on for 15–20 minutes for maximum benefits.
13. Acne-Fighting Banana Treatment
Many people haven’t heard about this, but bananas have antimicrobial effects, keeping many different pathogens at bay [source]. And the curcumin in turmeric is a potent anti-inflammatory known to treat wounds and help control skin conditions [source]. Try this acne-blasting treatment once or twice a week.
-1 ripe banana
-½ teaspoon turmeric powder
Mash the banana and stir in the turmeric powder. Apply to just the problem areas or all over the face if you are prone to blemishes or congestion. Leave it on for 10–15 minutes before washing off with warm water.
References:
1. Pereira A, et al. Banana (Musa spp) from peel to pulp: ethnopharmacology, source of bioactive compounds and its relevance for human health. J Ethnopharmacol. 2015.
2. Pazyar N, et al. Oatmeal in dermatology: a brief review. Indian J Dermatol Venereol Leprol. 2012.
3. Mondal A, et al. Cancer preventive and therapeutic potential of banana and its bioactive constituents: a systematic, comprehensive, and mechanistic review. Front Oncol. 2021.
4. Jouneghani RS, et al. Antimicrobial activity of selected banana cultivars against important human pathogens, including Candida biofilm. Foods. 2020.
5. Vollono L, et al. Potential of curcumin in skin disorders. Nutrients. 2019.
This article was medically reviewed by Dr. Gina Jansheski, a licensed, board-certified physician with more than 20 years of practice experience. Learn more about Hello Glow's medical reviewers here. As always, this is not personal medical advice, and we recommend that you talk with your doctor.
Photos by Ana Stanciu
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