That healthy eating is good for beauty is nothing new: it is known that fruits and vegetables, rich in antioxidants, counteract the action of free radicals, the molecules responsible for aging.
Also applied to the skin, some foods can nourish, moisturize, soften skin, hair and nails.
However, cosmetic research has accepted a new challenge and is studying how to formulate natural cosmetics using food waste, with a view to a more efficient use of resources.
Natural cosmetics with food waste
According to data from the University of Milan, in Italy about 12 million tons of waste are produced by the agri-food industry : a mine of substances with high nutritional and health value but which are disposed of as waste.
In view of a better use of resources, today the world of natural cosmetics is evaluating a new use of these substances: the molecules contained in the skins of fruit and vegetables such as grapes, apples, tomatoes and olives can in fact be used to obtain functional ingredients cheap and with a low environmental impact to add to shampoos, shower gel, face and body creams.
For example, EticHub, a spin-off of the University of Pavia, has developed a process to extract agri-food waste active ingredients for the production of cosmetics ; at the moment, the procedures to obtain the patents for their new cosmetic line have been started.
Similarly, the ACADERMIC project, finalist of the National Award for Innovation of the University of Sassari, provides for the preparation of essential water obtained from waste from the agri-food industry through low environmental impact extraction techniques: the aim is then to use essential waters to create sustainable cosmetic formulations to be offered to consumers through Pharmacies.
Food waste is also useful for making compost, which is natural fertilizer
DIY cosmetics with food scraps
Even at home we can recycle waste to make our do-it-yourself cosmetics . Ripe fruit, for example, can be used to prepare beauty masks in just a few minutes.
If there are a couple of ripe strawberries left over, we can make a whitening toothpaste : simply crush them with a fork and massage the strawberry puree on the teeth with a toothbrush.
There are several foods that we can save from garbage and recycle in our cosmetic preparations: we see 3 recipes for beauty with ingredients that are considered waste.
Cherry peduncles for cracked skin
Soon it will be cherry season: the peduncles of these delicious fruits are normally thrown away but they are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids and vitamins very useful for the skin.
They are useful if you have irritated, cracked skin, but also in case of capillaries visible on the face or legs .
Ingredients
> a cup of water
> 6 g of cherry peduncles
Preparation
Bring the water to which you have added the dried cherry peduncles to the boil. Turn off the heat and leave to infuse for about fifteen minutes.
Soak gauze tablets in the decoction and apply on the areas to be treated for about twenty minutes.
The same decoction, prepared with about 20 grams of peduncles in a liter of water and taken during the day is useful for purifying the body, draining and combating cellulite.
Antioxidant mask with coffee grounds
Coffee grounds should never be thrown away: they can be used to fertilize plants, remove scale on washable surfaces in the home and create an antioxidant mask that will make the skin soft and smooth .
Ingredients
> coffee grounds
> half a teaspoon of turmeric
> olive oil
Preparation
Allow the coffee grounds to dry for a few hours, placing them on a plate. Once dry, transfer them to a bowl, add the turmeric and add the olive oil until you get a fairly thick cream.
Apply to the face, gently massaging on wet skin for a few minutes; leave on for about fifteen minutes, then rinse.
Body scrub with citrus peel
Citrus peel is rich in essential oils that help fight cellulite. Combined with salt, which has draining properties, they can be used to make an effective scrub against water retention.
Ingredients
> the peel of an orange or a lemon
> 5 tablespoons of coarse salt
> 1 tablespoon of fine salt
> 5 tablespoons of olive oil
> 2 tablespoons of sunflower oil
Preparation
Grate the orange or lemon rind and, in a bowl, mix it with the salt. Add the oil, stir again and transfer the scrub to a container with a wide mouth.
Let the scrub rest for a few hours, after which you can use it on the body, massaging it on wet skin with circular movements from the bottom upwards. Then proceed with normal cleansing to eliminate oil residues.
