Not every time you go into the kitchen with a bag full of ingredients you have to actually cook — nor eat! There are times when you are mixing natural ingredients to make an awesome, affordable concoction for your skin and hair. These are lifehacks for your beauty routine and you should master them if you want to have smooth and glowing skin. The plus: you can always change your mind and have a quick snack instead!
Show your face some love
Face masks are great for cleaning and hydrating your face skin, so we’re going to start with them. Natural ingredients, like fruits and yoghurt, have natural anti-inflammatory properties and provide a deep cleaning of your skin, reducing the amount of oils, without hurting the outer layers of skin.
All face masks made in your own home must be used right after they are prepared, so your face can benefit from all the nutrients in the natural ingredients. You simply apply the mask all over your face, except the eyes, and sit for 15-30 minutes.
Recipe: Yogurt and Watermelon Face Mask
This recipe uses a mix of yogurt, which contains lactic acid, a source of alpha hydroxy acids, known to moisturize and soothe irritated skin. The acids exfoliate the skin gently and can reverse the signs of aging, according to certain studies. The watermelon contains vitamin C, which stimulates the production of collagen, the substance which helps our skin stay supple and firm.
To make the face mask, mix ½ cup of watermelon cubes and 3 tablespoons of yogurt. Mix them well and apply the mixture on your face for 20 minutes, then rinse.
Body scrubs help you look ravishing
One of the most beautiful assets of a woman is her skin, which is also the biggest organ. However, our skin is forced to take a lot of damage from pollution and the sun’s rays, as well as from our diet. Applying body scrubs on a regular basis is important to keep your skin looking its best.
Exfoliating your body is scientifically shown to remove the dirt and the dead skin cells from the outer layers of the skin, allowing new cells to grow and leaving you with a smooth and silky touch.
When you use a scrub, try not to rub too harshly or use it more than once or twice a week, as this is going to damage your skin, leaving it prone to irritation and ailments. Applying a scrub once a week is just enough to remove the old dead cells and allow the new ones to thrive.
If your skin feels scaly, you can skip this rule and scrub more often — but don’t overdo it!
Body scrubs contain one part oil, such as liquid coconut oil, and two parts grit, which can be sugar, salt, coffee grounds, or cereals. Depending on your needs, you can make the exfoliator stronger or softer by changing the ingredients. Brown sugar and sea salt are coarser, so they work best for your knees and other non-sensitive parts of the body, while simple table salt works best for your face as it is gentler.
To make a body scrub, mix the grit with the oil in a wet ball, which can preserve its shape without leaking between your fingers. Rub the exfoliator ball in circular motions on your body, making sure you are not overdoing it and causing irritations.
Recipe: Coffee and Sugar Body Scrub
For a good body scrub, mix ¼ cup of coconut oil, ½ cup of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of ground coffee. The coffee is rich in antioxidants, especially polyphenols, which reduces swelling. You don’t have to use fresh grounded coffee. The remains after you brew your morning energizer are perfect for the scrub because they preserve their beneficial properties. Coconut oil was proven to reduce the number of bacteria on the skin surface and improve the skin condition by preventing it from becoming dehydrated. Together with the sugar, this mixture is going to leave your skin fresh and smooth.
Hair beauty routine
We have two main problems with our hair: it becomes dirty too quick and it’s always in need of moisture. Both of these problems can be addressed with natural hair masks made from stuff found at the grocery store. To condition your hair, apply the mask or treatment on the length or at the roots, depending on the mask, then wait 15 minutes before rinsing. You can also leave some hair masks to act overnight, when needed.
Recipe: Coconut oil conditioner
Coconut oil can do wonders for your hair, and it’s one of the best remedies against dry hair. When your strands become strawy, soak them in liquid coconut oil for 30 minutes. You can also let the coconut oil sit on your hair overnight for deeper conditioning. One of the greatest benefits of coconut oil hair conditioner is that it is attracted to the hair proteins, which means it can penetrate the hair shaft, ensuring a deep moisturizing. Coconut oil also prevents hygral fatigue, which is due to the repetitive sequences of expansion-contraction your hair goes through when it’s wet, then dried out.
Everyone is different and our skin and hair are also different. Try these recipes and see how well they work for you, then adjust them until they are perfect. Don’t be afraid to apply your own homemade mixtures on your skin and hair, as a good treatment doesn’t have to be expensive in order to work. Most often, simple ingredients are the most effective, so rely on your kitchen pantry for your beauty routine.
Featured photo credit: Daily Suze/Flickr via flickr.com
