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Beauty

5 Ways Berries Can Smooth Wrinkles, Erase Age Spots, Thicken Hair, and More

They're not just for eating.

Most of us know that fruits and vegetables are good for our health. But did you know that using berries for skin aging can help you fight off things like dullness and wrinkles? Use the season’s bounty of the antioxidant-rich fruit to whip up these body-pampering treatments!

Berries for Skin Treatments

Smooth wrinkles with blueberries.

Blueberry’s anti-aging compounds promote skin-firming collagen production to help fill in lines, says dermatologist Dendy Engelman, M.D. Plus, their antioxidants fight the free radicals in UV rays that cause fine lines to form in the first place. And mixing with hydrating coconut oil smooths skin — stat!

Try it: Puree 1⁄4 cup of blueberries, then combine with 2 Tbs. of coconut oil. Massage onto wrinkly skin and let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing.

Enliven dull skin with raspberries.

Vitamin C in the tart berry brightens skin and helps shed dead, dry cells to reveal healthy and glowing skin underneath. Using with sugar (it exfoliates) and olive oil (it moisturizes) leaves the complexion looking radiant in no time.

Try it: Mix 2 Tbs. of mashed raspberries, 1 Tbs. of sugar and 1 Tbs. of olive oil. Rub onto damp facial skin for 1 minute. Let sit 5 minutes; rinse.

Erase age spots with mulberries.

Compounds in mulberries act like a mild bleach to lighten discoloration. Mixing in yogurt (its lactic acid removes dead cells) helps even out skin tone faster.

Try it: Combine 1 Tbs. of mashed mulberries and 2 Tbs. of plain yogurt; dab on wherever you have spots (face, chest, hands). Let sit for 10 minutes, then rinse.

Soothe rashes with blackberries.

“Anti-inflammatory properties in blackberries help relieve redness and irritation quickly,” says Dr. Engelman. And pairing them with aloe (it nourishes and repairs skin’s barrier) helps boost the skin-calming benefits while warding off future rashes.

Try it: Combine 1⁄4 cup of mashed blackberries and 1⁄4 cup of aloe vera gel. Rub onto areas with irritated skin; let sit for 15 minutes, then rinse.

Thicken hair with gooseberries.

Gooseberry’s vitamins increase circulation to the scalp to deliver growth-encouraging nutrients to follicles. Even better? Combining with fatty acid–packed castor oil “swells” strands to help hair appear twice as thick instantly.

Try it: Puree 1⁄2 cup of gooseberries and mix with 1⁄4 cup of castor oil. Apply to damp hair from roots to ends. Let sit for 20 minutes, then rinse.

This article originally appeared in our print magazine.

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