Watermelons have always been versatile. People with no ingenuity may consider their best case to be as a cooling summer snack. Zoe Kravitz argues they work best as a yonic symbol (Diddy agrees), Animal Crossing players see them as material for furniture, and two bank robbers in Virginia thought the melons would make perfect masks. Last week, in his new music video “Watermelon Sugar,” Harry Styles proved he and the fruit together could make women pregnant through their eyes. Now that it’s officially summer, watermelon is making the transition from cookouts to wherever you keep your skincare products.
Watermelon in skincare is nothing new, especially to K-beauty fanatics. “Now as a dermatologist, after all these years, I finally have answers to a strange facial tradition my mother used to make me do every time we ate watermelon,” explains Tiffany J. Libby, MD, board certified dermatologist and dermatologic surgeon at Brown Physicians. “My mother would cut off the pulp to expose the white rind, and have me rub it all over my face. We would then quarter them off into little squares and place them on our eyes as you would cucumber slices.” Dr. Libby notes that watermelons have been used in Asian cultures for centuries because of the fruit’s anti-inflammatory properties that work to help reduce redness, inflammation, and repair the skin. “Watermelon is rich in skin-loving vitamins A, C, and E, which also give it its antioxidant power to help neutralize free radical damage and reduce stress on skin,” adds Dr. Libby.
What are the benefits of watermelon?
The entire watermelon has skincare benefits. “The pulp is loaded with water, which is naturally hydrating for dry skin,” explains Dr. Libby. “The rinds are used to help skin irritations and help hydrate and repair skin. The seeds are made of protein and are fortified with fatty acids to help plump and hydrate skin.”
Because the wonder fruit is made up of 90% water, it’s extremely hydrating. “It helps to moisturize, plump the skin, and also soothe the skin,” explains Lee. “It can help with flakiness and dry skin that we experience from time to time and also fine lines and sometimes wrinkles as well.” Read more
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