I don't know about you, but summer is my absolute favorite season for fruit—sun-kissed fruit still on the vine, still warm as you pick them, and delicious as you take a bite. Blackberries are one of those beautiful, lush berries that don't last long in my kitchen. No one can resist their tart and sweet combination, and that's a good thing because they are full of nutrients and antioxidants.
These delightfully delicious berries also hold remarkable beauty powers. Don't overlook this secret ingredient for rejuvenating facial mask and scrub recipes!
Blackberry Benefits for Skin
Blackberries are more than just a delicious addition to smoothies! They offer several beauty benefits when applied directly to the skin. Loaded with vitamins A and C, blackberries are the perfect age-fighting ingredient for a facial mask or scrub.
1. Antioxidant power
Blackberries are packed with beauty-boosting antioxidants, including vitamins A, C, and E, as well as anthocyanins [source]. These antioxidants help protect the skin from free radicals, which cause premature aging, wrinkles, and dullness.
2. Brightening and more even complexion
The high vitamin C content in blackberries makes them effective in brightening the skin and promoting a more even complexion. Vitamin C helps inhibit the production of melanin, the pigment responsible for dark spots and uneven skin tone [source]. Regular use of blackberries on the skin can contribute to a brighter and more radiant complexion.
3. Hydration
Blackberries are rich in water content and can help hydrate and moisturize the skin. When applied topically, they provide a refreshing boost of moisture, which is particularly beneficial for dry, dehydrated skin. Proper hydration helps improve the skin's texture, making it appear plumper and more supple.
4. Exfoliation and cleansing
The tiny seeds and alpha-hydroxy acids present in blackberries can act as a natural exfoliant, gently sloughing off dead skin cells and unclogging pores. The fruit also contains anti-inflammatory compounds [source] that can soothe any irritation caused by exfoliating. Additionally, the acidic nature of blackberries helps cleanse the skin, removing impurities and excess oil. Regular use can help prevent breakouts and promote a clearer complexion
To harness these benefits, try these recipes for more vibrant skin and softer, shinier hair—yes, you can put food in your hair! Simply crush fresh blackberries and apply the pulp directly to your skin, or mix them with other ingredients like yogurt, honey, or oatmeal for added benefits.
As always, individual skin sensitivities can vary, so it's always a good idea to perform a patch test before applying blackberries or any new ingredient to your face.
Beautiful Berry Recipes
To harness these benefits, try these recipes for more vibrant skin and softer, shinier hair (yes, you can put food in your hair!). Simply crush fresh blackberries and apply the pulp directly to your skin, or mix them with other ingredients like yogurt, honey, or oatmeal for added benefits.
As always, individual skin sensitivities can vary, so it's always a good idea to perform a patch test before applying blackberries or any new ingredient to your face.
Blackberry for Hair
1. Add Shine with a Blackberry Mask
The many antioxidant compounds in berries will fight the damaging environmental effects [source] on hair and leave hair shiny and voluminous. Use dark towels and protect anything from berry stains, as this one might get a little messy. I recommend doing the hair mask in the shower or bathtub.
—Equal amounts of raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries
1. Blend the raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries and a little water in a blender to form a paste.
2. Directly apply to wet hair and leave on for 10–15 minutes.
3. Wash hair as usual and follow with typical styling.
2. Strengthen Strands with a Blackberry Coconut Mask
If your hair breaks easily when you brush or comb it, try a blackberry hair mask to improve hair elasticity. Blackberries are rich in hair-strengthening vitamin A to repair fragile strands. Add hydrating coconut milk to moisturize and nourish hair.
—⅔ cup blackberries
—Coconut milk
1. In a blender, pulse blackberries until smooth. Add enough coconut milk to make a paste.
2. Apply directly to wet, clean hair. Let sit 15 minutes, then rinse.
3. Enhance Dark Hark Color with a Blackberry Hair Rinse
After shampooing, use this blackberry hair rinse as a final step to enhance dark hair color and add shine.
—Handful of blackberries
—2 cups of water
1. Boil a handful of blackberries in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes.
2. Let the mixture cool down and strain out the liquid.
3. After shampooing your hair, use the blackberry liquid as a final rinse to add shine and enhance your hair's natural color.
Blackberry for the Face
4. Fight Aging with Blackberries and Yogurt
Blackberries are extremely high in antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K, and they contain high levels of phenolic antioxidant compounds [source].
And we love antioxidants because they help protect the skin from damage caused by environmental factors like pollution and UV radiation [source]. Plus, they help prevent collagen breakdown, which is essential for maintaining the skin's elasticity and firmness (aka avoiding wrinkles and sagging skin).
That antioxidant power makes berries a wonderful ingredient for a facial mask. Combine this with yogurt's gentle exfoliating properties and honey's humectant powers, and you've got a match—I mean mask—made in heaven.
—2 tablespoons plain organic yogurt
—2 tablespoons raw honey
—¼ cup blackberries
1. Combine yogurt, honey, and berries in a blender and pulse until smooth.
2. Apply to clean skin with facial brush and leave on for 10–20 minutes.
3. Rinse off with warm water and follow with moisturizer.
5. Soften Lips with Blackberry and Sugar
Exfoliating your lips with tasty ingredients like blackberries and sugar has to be one of the best beauty DIYs around. This recipe is tasty, but try not to lick your lips after applying it.
—2–3 blackberries
—1 tablespoon sugar
—1 teaspoon coconut oil
1. Crush a few blackberries and mix them with the sugar and coconut oil.
2. Gently massage the mixture onto your lips in circular motions for a minute or two.
3. Rinse off and apply a lip balm to moisturize and soften your lips.
6. Gently Exfoliate Dry Skin with Blackberry and Oatmeal
The combination of blackberries and oatmeal helps to gently exfoliate the skin, removing dead cells and impurities, resulting in smoother and refreshed skin.
—Handful of blackberries
—2 tablespoons finely ground oatmeal
—1 teaspoon yogurt
1. Blend a handful of blackberries with 2 tablespoons of finely ground oatmeal. Add a teaspoon of yogurt and mix until it forms a paste.
2. Gently massage the mixture onto your face in circular motions for a minute or two.
3. Leave it on for an additional 5 minutes, then rinse off with water to reveal smooth and refreshed skin.
7. Fade Sun Damage with Blackberry and Green Tea Sheet Mask
This mask combines the antioxidant power of blackberries and green tea to protect the skin from free radicals, promote a youthful appearance, and revitalize the complexion.
—1 cup green tea, cooled
—2 tablespoons blackberries, mashed
1. Brew a cup of green tea and let it cool. Combine 2 tablespoons of cooled green tea with the mashed berry liquid.
2. Lay your sheet mask flat (use a premade version or DIY your own) on a dinner plate and pour the blackberry mixture onto the sheet mask, ensuring it is evenly saturated but not dripping.
3. Apply the sheet mask to your cleansed face, aligning the holes with your eyes, nose, and mouth.
4. Smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles and ensure it adheres well to your skin.
5. Leave the sheet mask on for about 15–20 minutes to allow the beneficial ingredients to penetrate your skin.
Blackberry for the Body
8. Get Glowing with a Blackberry Honey Body Scrub
Maybe you have a few blackberries on their way out, or you didn't need the whole batch for your smoothie? Instead of throwing them in the trash, use them for an exfoliating blackberry sugar scrub.
The combination of blackberries, sugar, and honey helps exfoliate the skin, removing dead cells and revealing smoother, softer skin while providing antioxidant benefits. Apply this one in the shower because things might get messy!
—4 tablespoons organic honey
—⅔ cup blackberries
—2 teaspoons white sugar
1. Mash the blackberries with a fork or pulse in a blender until chopped. Add in the honey and sugar and mix well. The coarser the sugar, the more exfoliating/abrasive it will be, so don't use this one on the face.
2. Gently apply to the skin and rub the sugar in a circular motion, concentrating on rough areas, such as the elbows and knees. Once you have thoroughly scrubbed your body, you can then leave it on as a body mask for optimal benefits.
3. After 10 minutes, shower off and apply body a moisturizer. Enjoy softer, smoother skin.
9. Whiten Nails with a Blackberry Hand Soak
The vitamins and minerals in blackberries nourish and strengthen the nails, and the fruit contains natural pigments that brighten the nails and reduce any discoloration. Bonus: this hand soak will also help lighten any age spots on the backs of your hands!
—Handful of crushed blackberries
—1 tablespoon of lemon juice
—1 cup warm water
1. In a bowl, mash the blackberries using a fork to extract the juice. Add the lemon juice to the mashed blackberries and stir well.
2. Pour the warm water into the bowl, and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Submerge your nails in the blackberry nail soak for about 10–15 minutes.
3. Scrub the blackberry mixture into your nails while you soak. Then rinse your nails with water and pat them dry.
10. Soften Rough Soles with a Blackberry Foot Scrub
The blackberries, olive oil, and sea salt in this foot scrub work together to exfoliate rough skin, hydrate dry areas, and leave your feet feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.
—Handful of blackberries
—2 tablespoons olive oil
—1–2 tablespoons coarse sea salt
1. Blend a handful of blackberries with the olive oil and coarse sea salt.
2. Massage the scrub onto your feet, focusing on rough areas, and rinse off with warm water.
References
Kaume L, et al. The blackberry fruit: a review on its composition and chemistry, metabolism and bioavailability, and health benefits. J Agric Food Chem. 2012.
Al-Niaimi F, et al. Topical vitamin C and the skin: mechanisms of action and clinical applications. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017.
Piazza S, et al. A review of the potential benefits of plants producing berries in skin disorders. Antioxidants (Basel). 2020.
Huang WY, et al. Survey of antioxidant capacity and phenolic composition of blueberry, blackberry, and strawberry in Nanjing. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 2012.
Pandel R, et al. Skin photoaging and the role of antioxidants in its prevention. ISRN Dermatol. 2013.