Star Secret to YOUTHFUL RADIANCE

A-listers are aging in reverse with homemade skin-care products that feature fresh fruit. Find your recipe to stunning!

“I incorporate [olive and macadamia oils] into a homemade scrub with grapefruit juice and sea salt — a beauty trick taught to me by a friend.”

Cate Blanchett, 48

Cate Blanchett has access to the priciest lotions and potions, so we were surprised to hear the 48-yearold stunner actually swears by a DIY scrub infused with fruit to keep her skin looking ageless. It’s a smart strategy, says dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, M.D., who treats celebrities at her New York City practice. “Fruits are great for antiaging, as some are mildly acidic to accelerate skin turnover, which brings newer skin cells to the surface faster.” Read on to turn back the clock!

BRIGHTEN DULL, DRY SKIN

A buildup of dead cells on the skin can lead to a lackluster complexion. The natural Rx: a face scrub infused with pineapple. “This tropical fruit is rich in the enzyme bromelain, which exfoliates skin to make it silky-smooth,” says Dr. Nazarian. Plus, vitamin C in pineapple helps firm skin by increasing collagen synthesis.

To do: In a bowl, mix 1 ⁄ cup of pureed

2 pineapple, 1 ⁄ cup of melted coconut

2 oil (its fats hydrate skin) and 1 cup of sugar (its granules exfoliate). Apply to damp skin in a circular motion for a minute; rinse. Use twice a week for taut, glowing skin in two weeks.

ERASE FOREHEAD FURROWS

To smooth fine lines and wrinkles, reach for cantaloupe. When applied topically, its vitamin A encourages skin-cell regeneration. It works like the retinols in many beauty creams — without triggering irritation, says Andleeb Usmani, M.D., a dermatologist in West Palm Beach, Florida. To do: Blend 1 cup of cantaloupe, 1⁄ cup of blueberries (their antioxidants

2 fight skin-aging free radicals) and 1⁄ cup of full-fat plain Greek

2 yogurt (its fatty acids moisturize). Apply to the face; let sit 10 minutes. Use twice a week for smoother skin after four weeks.

FADE SUN SPOTS

Years of sun exposure can lead to brown spots on the face, chest and hands. To the rescue: strawberries! They contain nutrients that regulate the production of melanin (the pigment that gives skin its color) and speed cell turnover to fade spots, says Dr. Usmani. And when left on skin for 5 minutes, the berry’s antioxidants penetrate deeply and improve skin’s ability to ward off future sun damage, preventing new spots from forming.

To do: In a bowl, combine 1⁄ cup of

2 strawberries, the juice of half a lemon (its citric acid brightens skin and sloughs off dead cells), half a banana (its vitamin E protects skin from UV rays) and 1⁄ cup of coconut water (it

2 keeps skin supple); mix into a paste. In the shower, rub onto skin; leave on for 5 minutes. Use three times a week to fade dark spots in a month.