You don’t have to go out of your way to be beautiful. Fruits, vegetables, and cooking oils found in grocery stores can all be used to quickly and inexpensively improve your looks. You will get to explore organic alternatives and skip out on the perfumed beauty treatments that smell too strong, compete with your favorite perfume, and can cause skin irritations.
Going natural is not only healthier for you, but you will be surprised at how quick and easy it really is to make the change from name brands to Mother Nature’s own offerings. For many of these beauty recipes, you probably already have the ingredients sitting in your kitchen. If not, most aren’t any more expensive than a bag of potatoes. For the pricier items, such as coconut oil, you will find that the natural ingredients last a long time because you only need small amounts of them for these recipes.
Always test out ingredients on your skin, preferably on your wrist, before you use them for the first time to see if you are allergic. Lemons, for example, should be tested out a few days before using them for any skin treatment because some people break out from the citric acid. Avoid anything that you know you are allergic to. We hope you enjoy these natural beauty treatments!
15 Fix Frizzy Hair
Is frizzy hair getting in the way of your social life? Head into the kitchen or make a quick run to the grocery store and get one small, ripe banana and one ripe avocado. In a small bowl, mash together the banana and half of the avocado with a fork. You can wrap and refrigerate the other avocado half for a later application. Massage the mixture into your dry hair and scalp. Cover your head with a plastic cap or, like I do, pile your hair on top of your head and wrap it with plastic wrap. Leave this mixture on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse it off in cool water. This mixture not only calms frizzy hair, it also nourishes your hair.
14 Honey Smooth Skin
Honey is a popular, natural ingredient that is used in many beauty products, but you don’t have to run off to the drugstore beauty aisle to enjoy the benefits of honey. All you need is a bottle or jar of raw honey. Pull your hair away from your face using either a headband or a ponytail. This helps keep the honey out of your hair. First wash your face with warm water as this help open your pores. Apply about a spoonful of the honey to your face and neck, avoiding your eyes as you smooth a thin layer on your skin. Leave the honey mask on for about 10 to 15 minutes. Rinse it off with cool water and pat your skin dry. Apply your favorite moisturizer. A weekly or monthly honey wash will help keep your skin soft and healthy looking.
13 Lighten Skin Naturally
Lemon juice is a slow, natural way to lighten your skin without using harsh chemicals. Mix together 1 part freshly squeezed lemon juice with an equal part water. Put the mixture in a spray bottle and spray it onto your skin. Leave on for up to 30 minutes and rinse it off. You can do up to 4 lemon water applications a week, but be careful that you do not over dry your skin. This treatment, like other skin lightening treatments, will make you sensitive to sunlight. Use sunscreen and avoid any lengthy time in the sun.
12 Shaving Cream
It’s easy to run out of shaving cream just as you finish shaving one leg, leaving you with either soap or body wash to shave the other leg. Then, there is the expense of buying the shaving cream that seems to be more expensive than the men’s creams. Of course, you can forego all of the hassle and expense by making your own, natural shaving cream. In a double boiler, warm 4 tablespoons of natural shea butter and 3 tablespoons coconut oil. As soon as they are melted, remove them from the heat and add 2 tablespoons of either sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil. Stir and pour the mixture into a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate until hardened. Use an electric mixer to whip the oils into a cream. Scrape the shaving cream into a small container (I prefer plastic to avoid broken glass) and keep it by the tub. Use this as you would store bought shaving cream, only you will find your legs feeling much smoother and softer after a shave.
11 Lighten Hair With Tea
Want to gently lighten your hair without having to put any smelly chemicals on your head? Your answer is chamomile tea and fresh lemon juice. Simply brew a cup of chamomile tea and squeeze in a bit of lemon, anywhere from a quarter to half a lemon. Let the tea cool. Take this in with you when you shower and use it to rinse your hair after your shampoo it. Blow dry your hair or sit in the sun to dry and begin lightening your hair.
10 Organic Toothpaste for Pimples
Organic toothpaste can be used for more than just your teeth. Many people feel that applying toothpaste to a bug bite helps reduce the sting, but toothpaste can also be used to get rid of pimples. Instead of popping your pimples and risking scarring or infection, put a dab of toothpaste on your pimples at night before going to sleep. It’s believed that the toothpaste draws out the excess oil and dries out pimples. In the morning, simply wash off the toothpaste and moisturize as you normally would.
9 Make Your Blow Out Last Longer
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The next time you get a blow out at the salon, make it last longer. The oil your scalp produces can quickly weigh down a blow out and make your hair limp. Avoid this by lightly dusting a washcloth with your homemade dry shampoo (ingredients in the image above) and dab this onto the roots of your hair as soon as it is dry. This will absorb the oil and help keep your hair from looking unwashed. And if your hair is looking a little greasy and you won't have time to dry and style it the next day, put some homemade dry shampoo on your roots at night before you go to sleep.
8 Get Rid of Puffy Eyes and Dark Circles
Raw potatoes provide a great way to get rid of puffy eyes and they help reduce under eye dark circles. Simply wash and skin a small potato. Cut two thin slices off of the potato, the same way you would if you were making scalloped potatoes, and put a slice on each closed eye. Kick back and relax for 10-20 minutes. When you are finished, remove the slices and wash your face with lukewarm water. Another popular method is to blend the potatoes and place small amounts under each eye for 10-15 minutes.
7 Prevent Wrinkles, Fat, and Pimples
Skin icing is a practice used in many spas and beauty salons as this helps close pores, diminish blemishes, and prevent wrinkles. Who knew ice was such a miracle beauty treatment? All you have to do is thoroughly clean your face and place one or two ice cubes in a damp cloth, when the ice begins to melt you can rest the cloth on your face, covering each part for a minute or so, while moving in a circular motion. This can even be done on your chest to help reduce wrinkles and on legs to help with spider veins. Once the ice has melted you can then remove the cloth and moisturize. Voila!
6 Berry Beautiful Lips
Stain your lips naturally with fresh berries. Using blackberries, raspberries, and pomegranate seeds, mash a few of these berries together. Squeeze the juice through a strainer to remove the seeds. In a small bowl, mix the berry juice together with a 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, apricot kernel oil, or sweet almond oil. Apply the lip stain with a Q-tip or a lip brush. The berry stain can be kept for up to a few days in a closed container in the refrigerator.
5 Lip Scrub
Chapped, peeling lips look even worse when covered with lipstick. To get rid of dead, peeling lip skin, mix 1/2 teaspoon of granulated or raw sugar with 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil. For those who do not want to use oil you can replace that ingredient with Vaseline or your favoirte organic (pink tinted) lip balm. Gently place the scrub across your lips, stretch your mouth and scrub for about 10 seconds. Wipe off your lips with a washcloth, pat dry and apply lip balm. Your lips should be silky smooth.
4 All Natural Deodorant
Commercial deodorants can leave ugly stains in your shirts and they contain aluminum that some scientists believe to be a cause of breast cancer. Do yourself a favor and try out this all natural deodorant instead, and note that this will not stop you from sweating but it can help in reducing ordors.
In a double boiler, add 1/4 cup coconut oil and 2 tablespoons each of corn starch and baking soda. Stir until melted and then remove from the heat. Pour the mixture into a small, glass jar and let cool off. Use your fingers to apply the deodorant under your arms.
3 Rose Petal Body Scrub
This easy to make body scrub not only gets rid of dead skin, it also helps moisturize dry skin. Fill one third of a small jar, such as a jelly jar, with coconut oil. Put freshly plucked rose petals from one rose on top of the coconut oil. Add a third of granulated or raw sugar to the jar, and top it off with either sweet almond oil or apricot kernel oil. Close the jar with a lid and allow it to soak for a day or two. Open the jar and, with a spoon, mash the ingredients together (inside the jar). Use as a full body scrub whenever you shower or bathe. This mixture does not need to be refrigerated and can stay good for up to a year.
2 Fade Scars
Use raw honey to help fade troublesome scars. Mix one part raw honey with one part baking soda. Massage this mixture onto the scar for about 3 minutes and cover it with a hot washcloth. Relax until the washcloth becomes cold and then use it to wipe off the honey mixture. Moisturize the area with coconut oil, cocoa butter, or shea butter. Do this up to 3 times a week, just as you would a face scrub.
1 Berry Good Teeth Whitener
Teeth whitening products are expensive and can sometimes cause gum irritation, tooth sensitivity and more. Instead of taking a risk, try out this great whitening paste made from fresh strawberries. Mash 1 to 3 ripe strawberries in a small bowl. Mix in a teaspoon of baking soda and apply the mixture to your teeth (you can use a toothbrush to help apply). Leave the mixture on for 5 minutes and then rinse your mouth out with water. Brush your teeth as you normally do.
This natural whitener can help brighten your teeth but do remember it is not recommended to use on a daily basis.
Sources: fitnessmagazine.com, wikihow.com, huffingtonpost.ca
