here are some weird and wacky beauty facts that you can do with stuff you have in your kitchen.
1. milk & honey bath
lactic acid, found in milk, is a natural skin-softener, said darrell mccurtain, a therapist at the golden door spa. if filling an entire tub feels too indulgent, try using a small basin to soak feet or hands, or add a few cups to your bath water. throw in a few teaspoons of honey to capture its anti-bacterial effect.
you could purchase this almond coconut milk honey bath from laura mercier (honey bath is a decadent, foaming honey moisture bath with natural ingredients that leaves the skin feeling clean, fresh and supple).
or here is a recipe you can make yourself:
1-2 cups of milk (or 1/2 c. full-fat powdered milk)
1/2 c. honey
pour 1-2 cups of milk (or 1/2 c. full-fat powdered milk) and 1/2 c. honey under running, warm water. (if desired add jojoba or olive oil) swish around to mix, and hop in. soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour (or to your desired time).
i will be trying this one out with the laura mercier and the homemade recipe to see which one is better.
2. red wine
“the antioxidants and polyphenols found in wine are good for softening skin, and they’re easily absorbed through through it as well.” similar to the milk bath, fill your whole tub if you’re feeling luxe (or lush), or try in smaller doses like a foot or hand soak.
here is a recipe you can make yourself:
add to bath:
4 cups of the cheapest red wine available
1 cup of honey
i was so happy to see this on the list because i am a huge wine lover, especially the blueberry wine my dad bring me from jersey!
3. (this one made me chuckle) boxers
curly-haired ladies like me should borrow a (clean!) pair of their man’s boxers to dry their locks, since a towel’s fibers can actually increase frizziness. simple cotton is far less agitating.
instead of boxers, i use one of my hubby’s oversized cotton t-shirt to dry my hair and it really does help with the frizziness.
4. lettuce & spinach
fight wrinkles and keep hair and nails healthy by fortifying your diet with lots of silicone-rich foods. smart buys include romaine lettuce, spinach, cucumber, bell pepper, and tomatoes (including the skin).
since moving i haven’t been eating all of these thing listed, but i will be getting my green back on and mixing them together to make a great salad!
5. celery seed
start digging through your spice rack– celery seed is a natural diuretic to combat bloating.
a simple tea recipe to reap the benefits:
pour one cup of boiling water over a teaspoon of crushed seeds, steep for 10 to 20 minutes, and sip.
6. parsley
ever wonder why there’s a fresh sprig of parsley on your dinner plate when you’re at a restaurant?. it’s thought that parsley contains antibacterial properties helpful for fighting bad breath.
to make it work for you, chew on a fresh sprig, dried versions won’t work.
i will try but parsley taste so yucky to me…
7. honey and vaseline
caring for dry, cracked lips. honey! it helps to heal and hydrate, plus the anti-viral properties make it good for healing cold sores, too. vaseline is one of the best skin softeners and protectants. when you combine these two items you have a delicious home remedy to banish those chaps!
check out the homemade recipe below:
firstly apply a generous coating of honey to lips. (you may be required to lick on occasion to avoid drizzling.)
apply some vaseline on top of the honey and leave for 10-15 minutes.
remove using a damp cotton pad
do this once a day for 2-5 days
or another alternative you could do is purchase the burt’s bees honey lip balm with vitamin e.
honey = magic… love this stuff!
8. green tea bags
chilled, already-steeped green tea bags are an easy way to fight puffy circles in the morning.
steep two and let them sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes. the coolness will feel amazing, and the brew’s caffeine will help increase micro-circulation.
9. caffeine
an american college of sports medicine study found that consuming caffeine such as coffee, iced tea, or soda (diet!) can help increase physical performance during your workout. “drink a caffeinated beverage before your workout!”
i will be drinking coffee before my workout today, because i need the extra help. update: i did drink coffee before my run and i could not finish, it was way to hard for me…. maybe this would be better when just lifting weights.
10. lemons
have oily hair? lemon juice combined with tea is an easy fix for oily hair. the lemon works as a great astringent but doesn’t ruin the ph balance of the hair and scalp.
do it yourself:
half lemon juice
half black tea
rinse through clean hair
or you can purchase desert essence shampoo for oily hair, lemon tea tree. (desert essence organics lemon tea tree shampoo is a gentle but effective cleansing system based on sugar and coconut oil. organic oils help to remove excess oil and build-up so that hair is clean and manageable.) for reviews click here! to purchase click here!
i do have oily hair, so i am hoping this will work!
11. olive oil
if you have untamable curly locks, try mixing a dime-sized amount of olive oil in with your regular styling cream. you’ll get smooth texture and unbeatable shine.
i am always trying to find ways to control my curls, maybe this will work for me.
12. and again… olive oil
want make your body feel like silk? yup—more olive oil! after a shower while your skin’s still damp, apply olive oil all over your body and pat dry with a damp towel.
it’s so moisturizing!
13. even more olive oil
in a pinch, olive oil can remove eye makeup! a small amount of olive oil on a cotton pad can gently remove the toughest makeup, just be sure to remove any oil residue with a clean pad dipped in water.
so simple and it will always be available as a backup makeup remover!
14. moisturizing lotion
try using your regular moisturizing lotion as conditioner for your hair. “it’s great hydration for your scalp!”
15. avocados
this guac-like concoction works wonders on your hair, too.
the recipe calls for mashing up one to two avocados (depending on how much hair you’ve got), working through your hair, and letting it sit for 20 minutes before rinsing. you may or may not apply a shampoo, but make sure you wash out the gritty bits of the pulp thoroughly
i love eating avocados, maybe i will love it in my hair to.
