Spring and summer is a time for low maintenance beauty. When you’re in a pinch you don’t need to look any further than your kitchen cupboards to get a beauty fix. Mother nature can offer a number of chemical free and inexpensive ways to get gorgeous fast. Try out these simple, at-home tricks to be your most beautiful this season!
Skin Care
If you have dry or peeling skin try grabbing something you use everyday for cooking: olive oil. Use it as a natural moisturizer for lips, elbows, knees, cuticles, and any other dry patches by simply massaging into your skin. It’s great for curing hangnails or cracked heels. Simply apply the oil and put on gloves or socks for an hour or so.
Is your skin sunburnt or irritated? Try reducing pain and swelling with a cold, green tea compress.
Full of lactic acid, full-fat Greek yogurt can also help moisturize skin and soothe sunburns. It can also work like a clay mask to improve skin’s overall texture. Apply it liberally to clean skin and wait until it dries before rinsing off.
Also consider skipping your morning cup of java and using the coffee grounds as a great skin exfoliant instead. Mix them into your favourite body wash to promote new skin cell growth.
Having nice skin doesn’t only come from what you put on it but also from what you put inside yourself. Drinking lots of water and having a healthy, balanced diet is the most natural way to get beautiful, glowing skin.
Teeth Whitening
White teeth don’t need to come from just brushing with toothpaste (although it does make a good zit zapper if you’re ever desperate). Make your own toothpaste from baking soda and a bit of vinegar. It’s very similar to what you can get in stores.
Strawberries are said to be great whitening agents (used by Catherine Zeta-Jones to get her pearly whites). Simply cut one in half and rub it on your teeth, skin side out, until they look pinkish and then rinse. However with excessive use they can cause erosion of enamel because of the acid in them. If you are going to try this, wait 20 minutes before brushing your teeth off gently so that the enamel has time to re-harden itself.
Hair
Skip the cocktails and try a beer rinse on your hair instead! Add a few tablespoons of beer to some warm water and rinse hair with it after shampooing to enjoy body and shine. It can also help repair damaged tresses.
If you’re not into the beer smell try something sweet, like honey, which helps restore moisture to dried out locks. Mix 1 tsp of honey into 1 cup of water and use after shampooing and conditioning. You can also squeeze pure honey onto roots to help get rid of tangles and damage.
The best ways to avoid hair damage is to stop using shampoos and conditioners with tons of fragrance or alcohol and harsh heating tools to style hair.
