Lemons - The Super Citrus

If you've picked up anything about me from my writing so far (obviously more through my articles than this shiny new blog) it should be that I am fascinated with home remedies and the holistic properties of items we already keep in our kitchen. One of my all-time favorites, though, who barely gets an honorable mention, the lemon! I just love the scent of a fresh cut or zested lemon; I've even read that they work great as aroma therapy because they do act as a mood enhancer. These zippy citrus fruits have major properties beyond their uplifting scent, though. Here are a couple of my favorite properties that I've found!

Lemon juice helps to get rid of black heads. Squeeze some fresh lemon juice and apply to blackheads nightly before bed. Rinse away with cool water in the morning. The lemon juice should make the blackheads complete disappear (diminishing more and more along the way.

The same fresh squeezed lemon juice can also help make your dark, age spots disappear. Add a ½ cup of lemon juice to your bath at night for a full body treatment. If you want to focus on spots on your face, treat them the same as black heads: apply fresh lemon juice to the spots and leave overnight. Wash away in the morning with cool water. Over a week or two, the lemon will brighten your skin and lighten the discoloration.

Lemon juice will go beyond blackhead and dark spots, though, to brighten and soften regular skin, as well. You can apply and massage lemon juice over any area of your body to create a soft and succulent glow. Apply to your arms, legs, elbow and knee; it will help keep you just as smooth as your usual lotion.

To exfoliate dry and dead skin, why not try dry lemonade! Slice your lemon in half and then dip the cut end into granulated sugar. Rub over your face gently in a circular motion. Not only will this clear away the dead skin, but the lemon juice will also brighten and rejuvenate the fresh skin below.