How to add Thanksgiving leftovers into your skincare routine
- Some Thanksgiving foods, like pumpkins, are great topical skincare ingredients
- A doctor broke down to DailyMail.com which foods are and aren't okay to use
- READ MORE: Gwyneth Paltrow reveals the surprising canned dish she loves
Did you make too much turkey on Thanksgiving, or are finding your fridge overflowing with too many trays of sweet potato casserole?
Although you may want to put your delicious holiday leftovers onto elaborate sandwiches or even turn them into some kind of soup, you may want to think twice.
It turns out that some of your Thanksgiving ingredients, like pumpkins and sweet potatoes, not only have great health advantages, but also some amazing skincare benefits - specifically pumpkins, sweet potatoes and cranberries.
Top cosmetic and medical dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, broke everything you need to know about these foods and their skincare benefits down to DailyMail.com - and revealed if it's safe or not to put the raw food on your face.
Perhaps one of the most popular Thanksgiving foods, pumpkins, are a 'great source of natural exfoliating enzymes that can improve the complexion by removing dull skin cells and smoothing skin,' Dr. Murphy-Rose told DailyMail.com.
The fruit is also 'rich in vitamins and minerals including vitamins A and C and zinc to nourish skin and fight signs of aging,' the doctor, who specializes in facial rejuvenation in New York City and California at the Newport Beach Dermatology & Plastic Surgery, explained.
Similarly, cranberries 'contain alpha hydroxy acids which can provide exfoliation to brighten and smooth skin,' according to Dr. Murphy-Rose.
They can also help to fight damage from free radicals, which is a cell-damaging molecule that's similar to a pollutant, and is found naturally in the human body, but also externally from things like cigarette smoke and X-rays.
It turns out that some of your Thanksgiving ingredients, like pumpkins and sweet potatoes, not only have great health advantages, but also some amazing skincare benefits
It seems like some beauty brands are catching on to these benefits, too, as they've introduced these ingredients into their products
Top cosmetic and medical dermatologist Dr. Blair Murphy-Rose , MD, FAAD, broke everything you need to know about these foods and their skincare benefits down to DailyMail.com - and revealed if it's safe or not to put the raw food on your face
It seems like some beauty brands are catching on to these benefits, too, as they've introduced these ingredients into their products.
Cult-favorite Peter Thomas Roth, created a Pumpkin Enzyme Mask, and Kiehl's, another popular classic, sells a Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Energizing Radiance Masque.
But are they safe to put on your face if you're sick of eating them?
According to Dr. Murphy-Rose, it's a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to applying raw ingredients on your face in the name of skincare.
'The benefit to using all-natural foods like these on your skin is that they generally are non-toxic and may provide great skin benefits,' Dr. Murphy-Rose told DailyMail.com.
'Of course, you cannot bottle them and expect to be able to apply to your skin for days or weeks on end because they do not contain preservatives to protect against microbial contamination,' she shared.
She only recommends using a few of these superfoods topically.
When it comes to putting pumpkin or sweet potato on your face, the Skincare Junkie founder recommended applying it for just a few minutes.
According to Dr. Murphy-Rose, it's a bit of a mixed bag when it comes to applying raw ingredients on your face in the name of skincare
When it comes to putting pumpkin or sweet potato on your face, the Skincare Junkie founder recommended applying it for just a few minutes
'I would recommend using a well-designed skincare product that contains pumpkin before trying pure pumpkin on your skin,' Dr. Murphy-Rose admitted to DailyMail.com.
'If you are inclined to try it, however, start with a short duration of exposure. For example, apply pumpkin or sweet potato puree has a mask for only 1-2 minutes to evaluate your response to it,' she continued.
The dermatologist said that if you 'develop any itch or discomfort,' that you should take the food off your face 'right away.'
And, when you're applying the pumpkin, make sure it's straight from the source - meaning no added oils or butter.
'Definitely avoid applying a leftover mashed sweet potato souffle on your skin as the butters or oils are highly comedogenic,' Dr. Murphy-Rose said.
But when it comes to cranberries, you may want to be a bit more careful.
'For those with sensitive skin, topical use of cranberries could irritate skin which could increase risk of a breakout,' Dr. Murphy-Rose told DailyMail.com.
'They are not known to be comedogenic on their own.'
'For those with sensitive skin, topical use of cranberries could irritate skin which could increase risk of a breakout,' Dr. Murphy-Rose told DailyMail.com
And, if you have an allergy to cranberries, you will want to steer clear of them, too.
Of course, you can't forget the fact that the bright red fruit tends to leave a stain, either.
'Generally, there are better ingredients to achieve exfoliation or antioxidant benefits,' the expert said.
'So while access to cranberries may be excellent on Thanksgiving, I would reserve them for your dinner table rather than your face.'
So, at the end of the day, while some Thanksgiving foods may not be harmful to your skin, not all of them are dermatologist-approved.
Instead, you may want to look for the ingredients in your favorite skincare products.
'Just because ingredients are found in your kitchen or known to be safe to eat, does not mean they are perfectly safe used on your skin,' Dr. Murphy-Rose said.
'They may cause redness and irritation, dryness or worse.'
