Natural beauty with products you already have at home
The next time you begin a search for the best hair treatment, skin revitalizer, or eye cream, consider taking a look at your pantry before you head out to the stores. While many beauty brands are jumping on the all-natural bandwagon, these treatments below are truly organic and may even be a bit surprising as to how well they work. So skip the beauty isle and whip up some of these natural beauty remedies at home – your skin, hair, and wallet will thank you.
To De-Puff Eyes:
For centuries, tea has been used as a pick-me-up for tired minds and bodies, but now its working double duty as a pick-me-up for tired eyes. The caffeine found in green tea can shrink the appearance of blood vessels around eyes, while antioxidants reduce inflammation. Soak two cotton rounds in a chilled cup of tea and apply to eyelids for ten minutes. If you are looking for a less drippy alternative, refrigerated raw potato slices also reduce swelling, acting as a natural astringent as well, which can help minimize pores.
For Healthy Hair:
For stronger hair, look for natural products, like eggs, that contain an abundance of protein, helping hair follicles grow stronger and preventing breakage and heat damage. Fatty acids found in avocado and olive oil help moisturize and soften hair, bringing shine back to dull locks. Consider applying a mask of traditional mayonnaise (a pantry staple that has high amounts of both eggs and oils in its ingredient list) once a week for 30 minutes – just make sure you thoroughly wash it out afterwards to avoid a hyper-oily sculpt.
To reduce the appearance of brassy hair color that may have resulted from an unfortunate dye job gone wrong, soak it in a wash of tea that, when brewed, is close to your locks’ pigment. The tea will also help close the cuticle of your hair, promoting extra shine and softness. For the extremists out there, rinsing your hair with a good quality, organic beer once a week may encourage shiny, thick hair, thanks to the malt and protein found in the hops.
For Glowing Skin:
Exfoliating skin regularly helps remove dry or dead skin cells and promote circulation, giving the appearance of glowing, youthful skin. Thankfully, nature has a copious amount of natural exfoliators available, from mashed strawberries to brown sugar. Create a natural scrub at home by combining one of these buffers with moisturizing coconut oil, hydrating, antibacterial honey, or coffee grounds, which can diminish cellulite and varicose veins by improving blood flow to the skin.
To Reduce Redness:
Vitamins A and E are essential nutrients for healing wounds, protecting against sun damage and encouraging cell turnover, and both can be found in bananas and oatmeal. Create a mask of mashed bananas and oatmeal and apply it weekly for around 30 minutes to treat flakiness and redness. Build upon this mask by adding honey (for its hydrating properties), cinnamon (a gentle exfoliate), or licorice extract (shown to reduce uneven pigmentation).
