Whether you want to save a little cash or go natural in your beauty routine, many household items will help. Your kitchen can provide you with an exfoliating scrub, facial toners, moisturizers, hair treatments and more. Making your own hair and facial products rewards you with simplicity, radiant beauty and savings.
Oatmeal
Not just for breakfast, oatmeal makes a soothing facial product. Pulse a handful of oats in the food processor with some fruit, like strawberries, for a facial mask and scrub. Make a poultice for rashes by making a paste with ground oats and water. You can even add a handful to the bath for a soothing, full body treatment.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar keeps your face toned and your hair healthy. The smell might put you off at first, but you’ll adjust as you see the results. Use 1 tsp. of vinegar in 2 cups of filtered or spring water for a non-drying facial toner. Wipe on the skin after you cleanse but prior to applying moisturizer. Add 1 oz. cider vinegar to 4 oz. water for a clarifying hair rinse.
Sugar
Eat less sugar by using up your supplies in a delicious, nourishing scrub. Use 1 tbsp. of a coarse sugar, such as turbinado, mixed with 1 tsp. warm water. Gently rub it onto your skin in circular motions. The texture of the sugar exfoliates while the sugar gives you a quick dose of minerals.
Avocado
The oils and nutrients in avocado provide an ideal facial moisturizer. Simply use the avocado as usual, but leave just a little more flesh on the skin when you cut it. Rub the flesh side onto your face, leaving a coating. Rinse off after 10 minutes. The skin exfoliates while the oils moisturize your skin.
Olive Oil
From hair treatment to makeup remover to moisturizer, olive oil serves more purposes than its use in Italian cooking. Gently rub a few drops of olive oil into your face. Leave on for a few minutes. Wipe off the excess. The oil removes makeup and moisturizes. For hair, warm olive oil. Be careful not to make it hot. Rub the warmed oil into your scalp. Allow it to absorb for an hour, or longer, for really dry hair. Wash as usual.
Cucumber
Cucumber cools and soothes, making it unsurpassed as a refreshing facial treatment. Puree the cucumber in a blender and strain. Mix juice with ¼ cup water. Refrigerate the mix–it should keep for one week. Use as a toner after cleaning. Add a few drop of olive oil for a more moisturizing affect.
Lemon
Lemon juice has astringent properties. Put a drop on blemishes frequently to dry and clear them. Wipe pure lemon juice on your nails to remove stains and whiten the tips. Add a few drops of lemon to your vinegar hair rinse and cucumber facial toner.
Photo Credit
- the kitchen. image by guiney from Fotolia.com
