Healthy Avocado Seed and Eggshell Facial! (and other uses)

Avocado Seed and Eggshell Face Mask

What do avocado seeds and eggshells have in common? You might think "nothing" or "they are round". While the latter is true, they are also two things that are often tossed aside and thrown out when they are actually both full of lovely nutrients!

Avocados are delicious and nutritious, heart healthy and an anti-inflammatory,  because they are full of healthy fats and proteins, fiber, carotenoids, vitamin C, vitamin E, and potassium. Many people enjoy avocados on sandwiches, in health shakes, or my personal favorite, in guacamole. (Mmm!) However, I feel that few people know the benefits of the pit- which is also high in potassium and fiber- which can be eaten as well. Now, I can't see myself eating the pit (some people just toss it in with their morning health-shake) as it is quite bitter- but I have found another use. 

Eggs are also good for us- besides being high in cholesterol that is. The eggshells, which many people just throw away, can be rinsed out and saved for other uses as well because they are high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus.

Both of these things are compostable but what if instead we used these nutrient packed "extras" to make a rejuvenating face mask! They can also be used as a fertilizer in your garden! Here is how I went about it:

• Things you will need: 

• avocado pits (I used 5)
• eggshells (I used 5-8)
• oatmeal
• honey
• a knife
• a cutting board
• a blender
• water
• measuring cups/spoons

1. First we have to mince these avocado seeds. I took the husk off of them to reveal the tender pink-white flesh of the pit- you can see I've already done this to the first two. I read an article that talked about making avocado seed oil which stated you should place them in a bag and smash them into bits with a hammer until you can squeeze the oil from them. Perhaps I've let them dry for too long (a week or more) because there was NO smashing these little guys. Instead I had to whip out the cutting board and the sharpest knife we've got to cut them up into tiny bits. They were about the consistency of those big pink erasers. Another thing I noticed is that they smell surprisingly (and strongly) of pine.
2. So I'm not sure how one would actually go about extracting oil from these bits that are pretty rubbery and dry (like I said, I dried them for too long) so I decided it would be best to just blend them into oblivion and make a paste using the pits and the eggshells. Something to keep in mind is that its important to wash your eggshells out before storing.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   I even washed mine again before use just to be sure there wasn't any funky bacteria growth in there (top). I put my eggshells and pits in the blender cup (bottom) and blended until they were a moist clumpy-powder (right) and placed it in a jar as we wont be using all of it for this mask. This powdery concoction can also be used as a fertilizer for your plants!
    
3. Now we need some oatmeal- this is also good for your skin. I used about 1/4 cup. I blended it into a powder so that I don't end up with clumps of oats on my face! (left)
   
4. Add two tablespoons of the avocado pit and eggshell mixture, and stir. (center) 
   
5. Add 1/4 cup hot (not boiling!) water to the mixture and stir. Let it cool a bit. This helps to half-cook the oatmeal, making the mixture thick enough to use as a facemask
   
6. Add about 2 teaspoons of honey to help make the mixture sticky and smooth. Honey is also very good for your skin (and overall well being).  [Note: I realized once I had my mixture cooling that I am currently out of honey, which you will notice once you see it on my face- you can see it dripping down my face!]
   
   
7. Now its time to put it on your face! Apply it generously and leave it on for about 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and pat dry. Enjoy your fresh and rejuvenated skin!
   
    
   
   
   
   
   
   Do you have any other uses for avocado pits or eggshells? Please comment below!