Gelatin Facial Peels
Facial peels can be expensive, but they are easy to do yourself with gelatin and other natural ingredients.
Gelatin is a plasticiser and a sticking agent, so makes a good base for the peel. It will pull off the top layer of dead skin cells without the need for scrubbing which could damage the new skin underneath. It also promotes collagen formation since gelatin is made entirely from collagen itself.
Ingredients
What you need:
Enough gelatin to make a single serving of jelly,
1 orange,
1 lemon,
1 egg yolk
Method
Juice the orange and the lemon.
Add the gelatin powder to the juice and heat the mixture gently in a saucepan until the gelatin has dissolved.
Cool the mixture in the fridge for up to 30 minutes – until the mixture has started to set but is not solid.
Beat the egg yolk into the mixture.
Apply to the face and leave for twenty minutes. When the mask is no longer tacky, you will be able to peel it off. Alternatively it can be washed off with warm water.
Why it works
Whilst gelatin is good for pulling off the top layer of skin, the fruit acids of the orange and lemon (α-hydroxy-acids – mainly citric acid and malic acid) loosen that layer by removing the oil keeping the dead skin attached. This also stimulates new cell production and is why you will often find many skin peels available contain any number of fruit acids. The egg yolk moisturises the skin, and has been replaced with other moisturisers in commercial cosmetic products.