The largest organ in your body is your skin. It protects you from germs and bacteria, regulates your body temperature, helps prevent infections, and keeps harmful chemicals out of your bloodstream. But no matter how big or small we are, it’s important to take care of these things the best way we can. Maybe you’re not ready to dive deep into the vast, and sometimes expensive, world of beauty but want to know where to start. Luckily, we can start with a couple of items in your pantry. Here are 10 practical ingredients in your kitchen that you can use for beauty care!
Brown Sugar
Thanks to brown sugar’s rough consistency it is perfect for exfoliating. The benefits of exfoliating weekly are good for absorbing nutrients and allows the skin to absorb the products you’re using. The glycolic acid content is also good for removing dead skin cells, blackheads, and whiteheads. This is possible because of the rough texture and slight abrasiveness of brown sugar. You can use brown sugar in place of your regular face wash or scrub to get rid of those nasty little things.
Coffee
Is there anything coffee can’t do? Caffeine helps promote better blood circulation and is packed with antioxidants. Coffee grounds are also a natural diuretic, which helps the body get rid of excess water weight. Mix coffee grounds with olive oil and let them sit for 15 minutes to create a mask that will help draw out impurities from your skin and leave it feeling smooth.
Coffee grounds also contain many vitamins and minerals that are good for your skin, including potassium, magnesium and zinc. Soak a cotton ball in coffee grounds and place it over your under-eye area to help reduce puffiness.
You can also use coffee grounds as an exfoliant to get rid of dead skin cells and help with cellulite reduction by mixing it with an oil or moisturizer. Coffee grounds can also be used to exfoliate your lips and make them feel soft. Mix the coffee grounds with honey for a natural lip scrub.
Honey
Honey is nature’s best moisture promoter. It helps absorb and lock in moisture, making it excellent for facial masks. You can use it on its own, spread it on the skin, and remove it when it starts dripping. Or you can use it with one of the exfoliants mentioned above for added benefits. The best part about honey is that it’s inexpensive and easy to find. You can get it at any grocery store or health food store.
Honey has been used for centuries as a topical treatment for wounds and other skin conditions because of its antibacterial properties. Honey is also believed to be an anti-inflammatory agent and has been used for that purpose. It can help reduce swelling, redness, and irritation. In addition, honey contains antioxidants that help repair skin damage caused by free radicals.
Strawberry
Strawberries won’t just make your mouth water—they can also make your teeth whiter! Thanks to the malic acid’s bleaching properties, strawberries make the perfect natural tooth-whitening agent. The acid in strawberries is known as a natural “enamel-safe” substance, which means it won’t damage your teeth. It works by dissolving stains within the enamel of your teeth and making them appear whiter.
The best way to use strawberries for teeth whitening is by making a paste out of them. Mix the juice from about 10-12 strawberries with 1/4 tsp baking soda and 1/4 tsp coconut oil (or other natural oil). Rub this mixture onto your teeth and leave it on for 5 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
Baking Soda
Has it been forever since you’ve made baked goods? Dust off that baking shelf and bring on the baking soda.
Baking soda is a great natural ingredient for all things beauty. Here are some ways to use it in your beauty routine:
- It can be used as a natural scrub. Baking soda has mild exfoliating properties that make it excellent at removing dead skin cells and other buildup on the skin and in hair.
- It can also be used as an alternative to toothpaste. The abrasive nature of baking soda makes it a great cleaner for teeth and gums. Just dip your toothbrush in some water and dip it into some baking soda, then brush away! This is especially good for those who want a more natural alternative to toothpaste but still want the benefits of fluoride, like cavity prevention and tartar control.
- A little baking soda dissolved in water makes a great deep-cleansing face wash! The baking soda will help remove any dirt, oils, or other impurities from your face without drying out your skin like many commercial products do. Just add one tablespoon of baking soda to one cup water and apply with a cotton ball or washcloth (or both!).
- It can also be used to make an all-natural dry shampoo! Use it alone or use one part baking soda with one part cornstarch for maximum effect. If you have dark hair, you can replace the cornstarch with cocoa powder.
Coconut Oil
Coconut oil has been around forever and is probably one of your grandmother’s best-kept beauty secrets that has great moisturizing properties and is perfect for those stubborn rough patches. Coconut oil is a powerful ingredient that can be used on hair, skin, nails and even teeth. The best part? It’s cheap! So you don’t have to worry about spending too much money on beauty products. Watch out elbows and knees!
Here are some tips on how to use coconut oil:
- Moisturizer: Coconut oil can be used as a natural moisturizer for the face, body and hair. It works well as a face mask too! Apply a thin layer of coconut oil to the face at night before bedtime. Let it sit for 15 minutes then rinse off with warm water. You’ll wake up with baby soft skin!
- Lip Balm: Coconut oil makes an excellent lip balm! Just rub a little bit into your lips before bedtime or throughout the day when needed!
- Hair Treatment: If you’re looking for an inexpensive but effective hair treatment, try using coconut oil once a week instead of your usual conditioner or shampoo (or both). Leave it on for 30 minutes then rinse off with warm water like you would with any other conditioner/shampoo treatment.
- Coconut oil is also a great alternative for shaving cream, especially if you have sensitive skin. It helps prevent razor burn and bumps by keeping your skin moisturized throughout the day.
The best part about coconut oil is that it’s an all-natural product that can be used by anyone with any skin type, even people with oily skin!
Avocados
Did you let another avocado go overripe? Instead of trashing it, use this opportunity to take advantage of its rich healthy fat content. Mash it and apply it to the skin to help with dry skin or apply it as a hair mask to give your hair a drink.
Avocado is rich in vitamin E and antioxidants, which can help boost collagen production, improve skin elasticity and reduce inflammation.
To use for dry skin:
Mash an avocado and mix with equal parts olive oil until fully combined. Apply to clean skin as a moisturizer. Let sit for 15 minutes before rinsing off with warm water.
For stronger hair:
Mix 1/4 cup mashed avocado with 1/2 cup mayonnaise or yogurt until smooth. Apply to clean wet hair and leave on for at least 30 minutes before rinsing off with warm water
Plain Yogurt
If you’ve ever been out in the sun too long and gotten a sunburn, you know it can be a painful experience. If you don’t have any cold aloe vera gel on hand, try plain yogurt! As one of nature’s great moisturizers, it helps soothe red skin and reduce inflammation.
At its most basic level, yogurt is made from milk that has been fermented with bacteria. This fermentation process causes lactic acid to form. Lactic acid is what gives yogurt its unique tangy flavor. It also has antibacterial properties that make it useful for healing wounds and soothing sunburns.
Yogurt contains lactic acid as well as other beneficial nutrients like calcium and zinc that help heal damaged skin cells and prevent infection by acting as natural antiseptics on the skin surface.
You can apply plain yogurt directly to your skin using a soft cloth or cotton swab if you don’t want to smear it all over yourself with your fingers (which can leave behind germs). Or mix it with some water or another liquid until it forms a paste-like consistency and apply it that way. You can also use yogurt as an aftershave lotion since the enzymes will help eliminate dead
Cucumbers
Thanks to the anti-inflammatory properties in cucumber, not only is it good for dark undereye circles, but also for moisture. You can mash up cucumber and add an oil of your choice for a moisturizing mask.
Another great way to use cucumber is as a toner. If you have sensitive skin, this is a great option because it won’t irritate or dry out your skin like some toners can do. Plus, cucumber has anti-aging benefits that help reduce wrinkles and fine lines by hydrating the skin and preventing free radical damage.
Lemon
Looking for the best way to brighten up your complexion? Lemon is your new best friend. As a citrus, lemon has a high content of Vitamin C which supports collagen production boosting skin elasticity. Mix in with face masks or scrubs to receive this benefit.
- Reduce redness and irritation: Lemon can be used as an astringent to reduce redness and irritation from acne breakouts. The citric acid helps kill bacteria on the surface of your skin, which can help prevent further breakouts.
- Clear blemishes and acne: Lemons are known for their antibacterial properties, which help clear blemishes and acne by killing bacteria on the surface of your skin before they have time to cause damage or scarring. Combine lemon juice with honey for a powerful mask that will leave your skin feeling smoother than ever!
- Lighten dark spots & pigmentation: The vitamin C content in lemons is also great at lightening dark spots and pigmentation over time (it may take weeks to see results). Try using lemon juice directly on areas prone to hyperpigmentation like sun spots or freckles!
