I’m always on the lookout for ingredients that double as both delicious to eat and beneficial for your skin – it’s the concept that this whole blog is based on – and this one was low-hanging fruit.  Or should I say nut?

Coconut water is what’s sloshing around inside those green, under-ripe coconuts – it’s thin, sweet liquid loaded with more potassium than a banana, and only 11g of sugar per cup.

It’s truly best straight from the coconut, which I got to enjoy on the beach here in Miami a few months ago.  Unfortunately, unless you have an extra large purse and a man with a machete hanging around to crack them open for you, they’re a little bit impractical.  Not Mother Nature’s best packaging job (she did so well with the banana…what happened?!).  Lucky for us, the coconut water industry has blown up in the past few years, and you can buy it at almost all grocery stores in convenient, lightweight bottles.

Since winter finally seems to be leaving us alone for the year, here’s a little recipe for a moisturizing rinse-off toner to refresh skin for spring that takes advantage of coconut water’s hydrating properties and the glycolic acid found in pineapple to remove dead skin and oil.  Trust me – you’ll want to lick your lips after this one!

Ingredients:

• 1 c coconut water
• 1 c pineapple chunks
• 1/2 a large banana
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 4 Tbsp chia seeds

Directions:
Slice the pineapple.

Puree the chunks with the coconut water in a blender.

Remove about 2 Tbsp – this is your toner.  Add the banana and honey to the rest of the mixture in the blender and mix on high until smooth.  Pour into a sealable container, and stir in chia seeds.  Refrigerate for about 3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent chunks.

Layer with greek yogurt for a protein and fiber packed breakfast (this one definitely fits my 5 Rules for Healthy Breakfast) or snack and bask in the sun with your revitalized skin!

By posting this recipe I am entering a recipe contest sponsored by Vita Coco and am eligible to win prizes associated with the contest. I was not compensated for my time or the product.