By Sophie David-Mbamara
Every girl at some point desires a beauty regimen, she wants to pamper her skin and step out flawless (and some beauty-loving guys too). But truth is, not everyone would be able to visit the spa when she wants to. Sometimes, your schedule may just not make room for the spa visit or you may be working with a tight budget, hey! it’s okay. Your skin doesn’t have to suffer for any of that. There are natural ingredients that work just as well and effective right in our kitchens. Yes, right there on our counters, in our refrigerators.
Some of the most effective beauty treatments can be made ever so simply in the kitchen with everyday food items. Such kitchen staples offer natural fixes to the most common beauty needs in the book: shinier hair for those of us who go slap-happy with hot tools, smoother complexions for the girls whose skin has been abused by the ever brilliant sun and de-puffed eyes for when we stay out partying or studying all night.
There’s no need to panic if you realize mid-shower that that bottle of shaving cream sitting there has been empty for days. Many solution lies on your kitchen counter……
Banana
If you thought the only use for overripe bananas was to bake banana bread, think again. The creamy consistency mimics shaving cream if you mash it up and add a bit of water. The result? A sweet-smelling shower and the smoothest legs ever. Add a bit of water to a whole mashed-up banana to get a creamy consistency that will spread over your legs. The vitamin A and potassium content in bananas will leave your skin super-moisturized. And the best part is that this use for bananas is calorie free!
Avocado
That overripe avocado on the counter? Congratulations, you’ve made an excellent hair mask. Mash them up to combine with other ingredients to make a mask that’ll enrich and hydrate. Whisk together one ripe avocado with 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil and generously slather it on damp hair, from scalp to ends. Cover your hair with a shower cap for 20 minutes, and then rinse and shampoo as usual.
For a facemask, combine a whole ripe avocado with ¼ cup of honey and apply and leave on your skin for 10 minutes. Your skin and/or hair will soak up all of the avocado’s rich, oily goodness.
Lemon juice
Leftover limes, lemons, or oranges you don’t know what to do with? Slice them in half and shove your nails in them to whiten, remove polish stains, and soften cuticles.
Lemons can also be used for bigger and better things now, and acne-prevention is one of them. One of the acids found in lemon juice kills bacteria that clog up the pores that lead to pimples. Lemons have toning and cleansing properties, and when combined with other ingredients like sugar or yogurt, they can make for some serious skin-clearing stuff. For maximum effect, mix lemon juice with a teaspoon of sugar and scrub it into acne-prone areas on your face.
Yogurt
Not only is this a delicious and filling breakfast (especially when mixed with fresh fruit!), it can also work magic on the driest of skin. Yogurt is one of the finest ingredients you can use if you’re looking for a moisturizing facemask.
Add a teaspoon of raw, organic honey to your Yogurt and slather it on your face. Apply the mixture to your face for about 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off and applying your favorite moisturizer. As it turns out, the lactic acid in Yogurt is a natural cleanser and gentle scrub. The vitamins, probiotics and live bacteria make this super-food one of the most valuable beauty items in your refrigerator, as they all repair and reinvigorate your complexion.
Sugar
It’s no secret that the grainy sweet stuff is great for exfoliating skin. Sugar (both brown and white varieties) is found in tons of beauty products that you can think of, but this household item works wonders even without the fancy packaging and complex formulas that some of these products boast. Combine it with your own normal facial cleanser for a face exfoliator that has a familiar formula, or call on a few other ingredients (anything from honey to olive oil) to slough off the dead stuff with a nice body scrub. Combine one part oil to two parts sugar, and add in an essential oil of your choice for a spa-like experience.
Coconut oil
This can be used for virtually anything that needs a little extra glam – healing dry skin on your face or body, repairing split ends or taming fly-aways. Coconut oil is dense enough to penetrate skin deeper than normal moisturizers, so it can help strengthen skin beneath the surface. Replace it with your usual lotion for deeper moisture, or run it through your hair for a silky smooth look. This ingredient won’t clog your pores, so it’s a safe bet if you’re looking for a product that can be effective, yet gentle.
Would you try any of these?