Your kitchen doesn’t have to be reserved just for cooking family dinners or whipping up your favorite dessert. With a few ingredients and some ingenuity, you can make your own homemade beauty products while saving money and exposure to harsh chemicals in the process.
Ready to cook up some kitchen cosmetics? Here are five common kitchen ingredients that can be added to your beauty routine.
Sea Salt Hair Spray
For tousled “I spent the day at the beach” hair, add six teaspoons of sea salt to six ounces of hot water. Stir until the salt has fully dissolved, then let the mixture cool and pour it into a clean spray bottle. Spa Index recommends a drop of tea tree oil and a teaspoon of any conditioner before shaking up the bottle to finish your solution. Spritz a little throughout wet or dry hair and scrunch it up, squeezing handfuls of hair to remove the excess to get enviable beach waves.
Honey Cornmeal Facial
To give your face a little pampering, combine just a tablespoon of honey with a tablespoon of finely ground cornmeal in a small bowl and mix into a paste. Smooth over your face and leave it for 15 minutes as a mask. Or, for a gentle exfoliator, massage in a circular motion with your fingertips. Rinse with warm water once you’re done.
Sugar Lip Scrub
In a small bowl, combine a teaspoon of any granular sugar with a few drops of a light cooking oil to make a thick paste. Apply just a dab to your lips and rub together gently to smooth the chapped skin around the edges of your mouth. If you’d like, add a drop or two of peppermint essential oil (or liquid extract) for added fresh scent. When you’re done, simply lick your lips clean!
Lemon Skin-Brightening Toner
Combine a half cup of lemon juice, one cup of water and two-thirds cup of witch hazel in a plastic bottle to keep in the fridge. After cleansing and rinsing, apply this toner in an upward, outward motion over your face and neck with a soft cotton ball or pad for a cleanse that will brighten your skin.
Coconut Oil Hair Mask
Smooth a small amount of coconut oil into hair and scalp and let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove it by massaging it out with shampoo and rinsing to dissolve the oil, leaving you with healthier, shiner hair. Coconut oil also makes a great body moisturizer.
Using natural ingredients can be better for your skin and the environment. By making your own beauty products, you avoid unknown chemicals that may irritate your skin. Instead of heading to the spa or salon, look to Mother Nature for your next beauty treatment.
Share your own DIY home beauty treatments below!
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