Wednesday, January 12, 2011

Beauty Products in...Your Kitchen

One thing we all need to be mindful of is the chemicals in the products we put on our skin. The advice on chemicals in cosmetics can be a bit overwhelming, but it's worth it to keep up. Or a really simple rule of thumb is that if the ingredients are things you can eat, then it's safe to put on skin, which makes sense because much of what you put on your body is absorbed into your body!

Below are a few easy ways to get glam using products found in our kitchens.

Olive oil: Use a tiny bit as a moisturizer after a shower (just make sure to let it all soak in before you get dressed).

Coconut oil: For a super moisturizing hair treatment that leaves hair soft and shiny, slather coconut oil onto your hair and let it soak in for an hour (or longer -- we like to throw our oil-slicked hair into a tight bun and hit the gym while the oil is working its magic). Shampoo hair twice and then condition normally.

Baking soda: If you have product build-up in your hair, mixing just a teaspoon of baking soda with your normal shampoo before using creates a clarifying shampoo. Use it just once per week to keep build-up at bay.

Apple cider vinegar: Another hair product build-up fighter that also helps boost shine and body! Mix 1/3 cup vinegar with 4 cups water and rinse your hair with this mixture after shampooing. Follow the vinegar rinse with a cool water rinse and then condition as usual.

Brown sugar: Mix 1/4 cup of brown sugar with enough olive oil (or coconut oil) to make a paste. Store this in a jar and use as a body scrub for your body (it's too rough for your face, so stick with using only on your body). Trust us, this smells like cookie dough and leaves your skin SO SOFT.

Green tea: If you have a cup of green tea at breakfast, save a tablespoon and use it as an antioxidant-rich toner. Just soak a cotton ball in the tea and gently swipe onto your skin before moisturizing. Or, just swipe the tea bag right on your face!

Pineapple: Pineapple and papaya both contain enzymes that help to get rid of dead skin and leave your face glowing. Lightly mash up two tablespoons of either pineapple or papaya, mix with two teaspoons of honey or plain yogurt and apply to your face. Leave on for 10 minutes and then rinse off
with warm water.


Do you use any of the products in your kitchen on your body? If so, please do share!

*All the information in this post can be found here.

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