For thousands of years, cinnamon has been used for aroma, its distinct flavour and its medicinal properties. Antioxidants in cinnamon helps in fighting damage caused by free radicals in the body, which are responsible for diseases like arthritis, dementia, diabetes and age-related macular degeneration. There are four different types of cinnamon – Indonesian cinnamon, Saigon cinnamon, Cassia cinnamon and Ceylon cinnamon. In this article, we talk about how cinnamon affects skin and how you can use the spice for a glowing and radiant skin.
Health benefits of cinnamon for skin
1. Cinnamon is great for treating acne: Antibacterial properties of cinnamon can be really helpful for people with acne. Including cinnamon in your diet can help in eliminating bacteria which increases acne. Also, you can use cinnamon for getting rid of acne by preparing a cinnamon face mask at home. You can mix 3 tbsp of honey in 1 tsp of cinnamon to make a thick paste. Apply it on your face for around 10 minutes and then wash with lukewarm water. It will help in reducing redness and will also restore skin’s moisture.
2. Cinnamon has skin lighting properties: You might not believe this but cinnamon has skin lightening properties. It works towards fading away acne scars, blemishes, marks and dark spots.
3. Cinnamon brings blood to skin surface: This property of cinnamon can help in getting rid of fine lines on the face. Mix essential oil of cinnamon in petroleum jelly and apply on the face.
4. Cinnamon can be helpful in giving you plump lips: No one like lips that are too thin. For some girls, it is a real struggle to get the perfect pout. For getting plumper lips, you can apply petroleum jelly on your lips, followed by a pinch of cinnamon. Rub the mixture on your lips for a few seconds and let it sit for a minute or so. A tingling sensation would be felt initially. In case of irritability, apply more of petroleum jelly.
A word of caution for using cinnamon on your skin: never apply the spice directly on your skin as it is likely to cause skin irritation.
