Idaho® Potato Spud Spa

A trip to the spa is like a mini vacation, a restorative, calming break from the hustle and stress of everyday life. If you love the nourished, pampered feeling you get after leaving the spa, we have good news: With a few clever DIY preparations, you can set up your own spa day at home!

The best part? You can craft lavish skin and hair treatments with a natural, affordable ingredient we bet you’ve already got in your pantry: Idaho® russet potatoes! As much as we love baking, frying, roasting and eating them, these versatile and nutritious veggies are loaded with important vitamins and minerals like potassium and Vitamin C that benefit your body inside and out.

Potatoes are incredibly effective for softening, brightening, and reviving your skin. In fact, potatoes have been prized for their skin-soothing properties for centuries in a number of global cultures, including India and indigenous communities in the Andes mountains.

The main benefits of potatoes for skin and hair health:

  • Potassium: Did you know that potatoes contain more potassium than bananas? It’s true! One medium potato contains up to 25% of your daily recommended potassium. Skin and hair love potassium! Though this mineral/electrolyte can’t be absorbed through the skin, topically it can improve your skin’s moisture content and texture.
  • Vitamin C: Potatoes are loaded with Vitamin C; approximately 42 grams are in a medium-size potato. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that can dramatically improve skin’s natural radiance and boost collagen production. It can brighten skin, lighten hyperpigmentation and acne scars, and smooth out skin tone.
  • Catecholase: A naturally occurring enzyme in potatoes that many people believe helps lighten dark and sun spots.
  • Anti-inflammatory properties: The starch, fiber and anthocyanins (flavor compounds) in potatoes can help soothe stressed out and inflamed skin.