Reading Time: 3 minutes

Let’s face it: few look forward to the sagging skin, crow’s feet, and swinging jowls that signal the passage of time, no matter how confident or accomplished they are. Although some commit to embracing their gray hair and wrinkles as markers of lives happily lived, that carefree acceptance proves more challenging as the years pass. So, if given a chance to erase three or five years, who wouldn’t? That’s where a DIY sweet potato face mask can help.

Okay, so maybe sweet potatoes won’t erase five years, but they are some of nature’s most potent anti-aging weapons, dermatologists say.

So read below to learn how sweet potatoes benefit your skin, and then try the DIY sweet potato face mask that one dermatologist recommends.

Sweet Potato: Skin Benefits

Sweet potato is packed with nutrients that improve your skin and health. This fiery orange potato contains niacin, vitamins A and C, and other skin-friendly nutrients. In fact, one cup of baked sweet potato contains 769% of your daily recommended vitamin A, says Healthline.

According to New York dermatologist Dr. Ellen Marmur, vitamin A softens the appearance of fine lines, repairs sun-damaged skin, and boosts collagen.

But vitamin A isn’t all these healthy sweet treats offer. Sweet potatoes also contain copper and selenium, two minerals essential to your skin’s health.

Copper fights inflammation, boosts blood flow to the skin, and stimulates collagen and elastin production. Meanwhile, selenium blasts wrinkles and protects your skin from free radicals.

So, if you’re tired of looking worn and tired, fret no more. Instead, reach for a sweet potato—and some yogurt.

Below is one DIY sweet potato face mask recipe Dr. Marmur recommends.

DIY Sweet Potato Face Mask

This DIY sweet potato face mask takes just a minute to make, and you’ll love how silky your skin looks and feels afterward. All you need is a boiling pot, a sweet potato, some yogurt, a knife, and a fork. See below for details.

Ingredients

• a whole sweet potato (skin on)
• 1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt
• a boiling pot
• a knife (to slice the potato skin)

Instructions

1. First, boil one whole sweet potato, skin on, for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. Next, slice the sweet potato several times with a fork.
3. Then, add the yogurt and mix well.
4. Let the mixture cool until it’s comfortable to the touch.
5. Then, apply the mixture to your face and neck, and rinse after 20 or 30 minutes.
6. Follow with serum and moisturizer.

Yogurt soothes and hydrates your skin, while yogurt’s lactic acid and zinc slough off debris and speed healing. The result? Skin looks and feels smooth, alive, and fresh. And you’ll see continued improvement with regular use.

Another beauty tip? Use the leftover sweet potato mask on your neck and hands. Then see these anti-aging DIY grapeseed oil beauty recipes.

Final Thoughts

As all skincare enthusiasts know, glowing skin starts from within. So add sweet potato to your diet and beauty routine to boost your health and keep your skin looking youthful.

Sweet potato contains an arsenal of skin-friendly nutrients, including vitamin A, which fights wrinkles and protects your skin. That’s why sweet potato is one of nature’s most potent anti-aging weapons.

So, make this DIY sweet potato mask once or twice per week for best results, and you’ll see smoother, brighter skin with regular use.

Now, enjoy your DIY sweet potato face mask—and your new skin—and check back for more beauty reviews and skincare tips.

This post first appeared on Beauty and Travel Reviews.

Suggested Reading

• Get Carded After 30? DIY Carrot Face Mask, Lip Scrub + Juice
• DIY Tomato Face Masks and Lip Scrub: Reclaim the Brighter You
• 10 DIY Avocado Beauty Recipes You Probably Don’t Know About
• DIY Papaya Mask and Smoothie: Get Skin so Poreless You’ll Stop Traffic
• DIY Chocolate Beauty Treats: 5 Cocoa Beauty Recipes for Radiant Skin
• DIY Pearl Masks: Skin Like an Empress in 3 Steps
• How To Use Pearls to Get Glowing Skin: Klavuu Beauty Tutorial