Natural
Beauty
Ready to take a
break from store bought, man-made beauty products?
You can do the job yourself using a few basic products you probably
already own.
Using basic ingredients
from the grocery store and pharmacy, you can concoct your own homemade
cosmetics. Just clear off the kitchen table, roll up your sleeves
and start mixing. Get some herbs, extracts or essential oils (available
at specialty shops) to make your stuff smell pretty-or skip it and
go fragrance-free.
- For a great face and body
scrub, mix 2 T. oatmeal, 2 T. cornmeal, 2 tsp. wheat germ, 1 T.
honey and 1/4 tsp. orange or almond extract in a bowl. Add just
enough water to make a paste. Scrubbing your face and body with
this mixture washes off dead skin cells and makes your skin feel
very soft. For a skin-softening mask, leave on face for 10 minutes
before rinsing. But be careful where you rinse-this stuff can
clog sinks!
- To make some lip gloss,
stir up 1 tsp. aloe vera gel and 1 tsp. petroleum jelly until
mixed well. Add a few drops of strawberry essential oil or other
fruity flavoring, and transfer it to a small container.
- To create a skin toner,
mix 1 cup witch hazel, 1/4 cup white vinegar and 1/4 tsp. mint
extract. If you want, drop in some fresh peppermint leaves. Dab
on your face with a cotton ball to hydrate skin and remove excess
dirt from pores.
- Making bath salts is easy.
Put 2 cups Epsom salts in a jar and add a few drops of lemon extract
or essential oil, mixing well. Add 1/2 cup baking soda, put the
lid on the jar and shake, shake, shake. Use a pretty shell to
scoop some under running water at bath time.
- If you prefer oils in your
bath, fill a bottle with safflower oil or sunflower oil, and add
a sprig of fresh lavender or a few drops of essential oil. Hint:
Add oil to your bath after your body is wet to lock moisture into
your skin.
- For a refreshing after-bath
splash, combine 1 1/2 cups water, 1/4 cup witch hazel and 1/4
cup aloe vera gel in a pretty bottle. Put the lid on tightly and
shake until gel dissolves. Add several drops of mango essential
oil and a fresh rosemary stem. If you don't have fresh rosemary,
get some dried from your spice cabinet, tie it up in a small piece
of fabric like a tiny sachet and drop it into the bottle.
- Straight olive oil serves
multiple purposes. If you can't stand the smell, add a few drops
of essential oil. Use as a moisturizer for dry, rough spots on
your knees and elbows. To soften cuticles, dip a cotton ball in
some olive oil, dab on tops of fingernails and rub in. For a great
split ends treatment, shampoo hair, use olive oil in place of
conditioner on ends only, and then rinse thoroughly with warm
water.
- For fly-away hair, mix
1/2 tsp. lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. lime juice with 1/2 cup of water
in a spray bottle. Shake to mix. Spray onto your hair to tame
static. Store remaining mixture in the refrigerator.
- If you have dark circles
or puffiness under your eyes, put your head back and place wet
chamomile tea bags or cucumber slices over your eyes for 15 minutes.
Be sure to toss them in the trash when you're done.
- Instead of baby powder,
dust your body with plain cornstarch. Just keep some on your dresser
in a salt or sugar shaker.
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