To travel you don't always need to take planes, trains or cars. Sometimes, just close your eyes and feel the scents of faraway lands, which taste of sun, sea and breeze. Like the sweet smell of pineapple, the exotic scent of coconut and the sour note of hibiscus that speak to us of the breathtaking landscapes of Polynesia, where the sea water seems crystal and the nature pulsing of life and colors merges with the sky. Polynesians love to take care of their beauty with the fruits that the earth offers them to have radiant and regenerated skin. So let us be inspired by their beauty rituals, closing our eyes and letting ourselves be lulled by the gentle waves of the sea.
Pineapple
The scent of pineapple fills the nose while its fresh juice flows down the throat. And then pineapple is also healthy, it provides calcium, potassium, vitamin C and vitamin A, it is anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, diuretic and helps to counteract obesity (El-Shazly et al, Food Sci Biotechnol, 2018). One of the most interesting and powerful substances in pineapple is an enzyme, called bromelain, which is found in the pulp and stem. Bromelain is also useful for the beauty of the skin, in fact it counteracts inflammation, is healing, exfoliating and counteracts the aging processes for a bright and rejuvenated skin (Rathnavelu et al, Biomed Rep, 2016). When you taste pineapple, keep a couple of slices aside. You can gently rub them directly on the skin, wait ten minutes and then rinse, or you can blend them, add a couple of teaspoons of rice starch or oatmeal, to give consistency and add a soothing action. Apply this mask on the face, leave on for ten minutes then rinse. Do not do this mask too often as it may cause skin irritation.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is an essential ingredient in the beauty routine in Polynesia, it may be for its exotic and delicious note or for its truly remarkable cosmetic properties. Coconut oil, which you can easily find in all supermarkets and which at room temperature is solid, is an excellent moisturizer and soothing ingredient, repairs the damaged skin barrier, is healing and antibacterial, helps in case of atopic dermatitis and eczema (Tzu-kai Lin et al, Int J Mol Sci, 2018 - Varma et al, J Tradit Complement Med., 2019). Coconut oil is an excellent product, for example, to treat dry lips. Take a small quantity of coconut oil and apply it on the lips, massage. After a bath or shower, when the skin is still damp, you can massage the coconut oil on the body in case of dry skin or just on the areas where the skin is more flaky, such as heels or elbows. Coconut oil, however, is also useful for the health of the hair, by making it strong, fighting hair damages and also dandruff. Before the shower, moisten the hair and apply a little product on the lengths and on the scalp, leave on for 15 minutes, then rinse with shampoo.
Hibiscus
Hibiscus flowers are brought behind the ear by Polynesian women and infusions of this flower are used for the beauty of skin and hair. In fact, hibiscus is antioxidant, healing and acts by protecting the skin barrier (Bhaskar et al, Indian J Pharmacol., 2012). Hence a hibiscus tea can be used as a tonic, to help in case of sun-reddened skin, enlarged pores but also mature skin. Bring a cup of water to a boil, then remove from the heat and add 2 teaspoons of dried hibiscus flowers, or a bag of hibiscus that you can easily find at the supermarket. Leave to infuse for ten minutes, then filter and pour into a glass bottle, which should be kept in the refrigerator for no more than a week. Pour a little infusion onto a cotton ball and pass it over your face before applying the cream.
