Here’s a guest post from one of this spring’s magazine writing students, Audrey Gallinger. Audrey says she has a blog of her own, but it’s not ready yet for the whole world to see. Here’s hoping for a bright new blog in the New Year! 🙂
Staying beautiful on a budget can be difficult. Luckily with just a few pantry staples (and no excess packaging or chemical additives) you can create these four all-natural beauty treatments at home.
For an exfoliating mask mix 2 tablespoons of honey with a teaspoon each of ground nutmeg and cinnamon, microwave for 5 seconds to soften the honey and apply all over your face and neck. Leave on for 30 minutes and gently scrub away with a warm damp cloth using a circular motion. Immediately follow with your favorite moisturizer for silky soft skin.
Love Bioré pore strips but not the sticker price? Mix 1 tablespoon unflavored Knox gelatin with 2 tablespoons of milk, microwave 10-15 seconds, stir and quickly apply across the bridge of your nose. Let harden 15 minutes then gently peel away the mixture to reveal clean, dirt free pores.
To restore shine to dull, damaged hair combine 3 teaspoons of olive oil with 1 teaspoon of honey in a small saucepan, heat until mixture begins to boil. Remove from heat and allow hot oil treatment to cool. Apply mixture at the roots, comb through hair and wrap in a towel or cover hair in a shower cap. Leave treatment on for 30 minutes then shampoo as normal.
For incredibly smooth skin create a brown sugar body scrub by combining ½ cup of coarse brown sugar with a tablespoon each of honey and olive oil and ¼ tablespoon of fresh lemon juice, apply all over your body using a gentle scrubbing motion and rinse.
These simple, inexpensive beauty solutions are as good for your wallet as they are for your body. Now you can create a DIY spa right in your own home, so raid your pantry and pamper yourself with these all-natural beauty treatments tonight.
not to be scroogy–but lemon juice is not good for your skin, nor are pore strips!
sorry….
@ frugalscholar: Depends on your skin. The Ponds pore strips did cause a red spider vein on my nose, exactly as the warnings said they would. But I don’t know what Knox gelatin would do. For sure, removing one of those pore strips doesn’t come under the heading of “remove gently.” It may be that if you can remove the dried gelatin concoction more gently, it would be easier on your skin.
I’ve used lemon juice as an astringent off and on for years. Basically the acid in it is the same stuff as in age-defying skin creams; at least so I’ve been told. So far I’ve never had an adverse reaction to applying lemon juice to the skin. On the other hand…it hasn’t done much for me, either. One person claimed it would bleach age spots, if used regularly for some weeks. Doesn’t.
From Audrey, by e-mail:
Thank you! Also, you are correct, Knox gelatin is more gentle than the poor strips- those things are dangerous (I ended up with a badly bruised nose 2 days before my wedding and have not used them since!) as with any mask just remove gently. As for lemon, if its safe to put in your body its safe to use on the outside too. 🙂