Pantry Potential: Make Your Own Beauty Products!

By Erica

Honey removes dirt from pores and dead skin cells from the surface of your body, while yogurt is an incredible moisturizer.  Strawberries have lots of folic acid and vitamin C, which help clean your skin and close pores.  Milk is great for softening the skin, vinegar will make your hair shiny, and using honey as a conditioner will increase your hair’s moisture.

So why should I go out and spend $10 on face lotion, $17 on under eye cream, and $10 more on body lotion when I already have all of those things in my kitchen?

Duh, I shouldn’t, and either should you. Instead, let’s all use everyday food and other products we’ve already got lying around the house to do the same things as all those expensive beauty products. Here are 5 at-home remedies to start with that are fun to make, all-natural and easy on the wallet. I think this is what Charlie Sheen would call ‘Winning.’

1. Eye Makeup Remover

Olive oil is a great eye makeup remover because it moisturizes the skin around your eyes as well as your lashes as it removes the makeup.  Just use it the same way you would use a normal product; dab some on a Q-tip or a cotton ball and wipe away.

2. Body Scrub

For exfoliating, combine brown sugar, a little bit of sea salt (removes dead skin), honey, lemon juice, and olive oil together.  This will create a product with the same kind of grainy texture as an exfoliating product you might buy in a store. Plus, since it’s all natural, it will be way better for your skin!

3. Hand and Foot Exfoliator

Salt+ sugar +olive oil= hand and foot exfoliator. If you are doing an at-home manicure, try massaging this into your skin before you start polishing.   Total cost= virtually nothing.

4. Face Mask

Mix a half cup of oatmeal with half of a peeled cucumber (chopped), an egg white, a teaspoon of olive oil, and a tablespoon of honey.  Blend these together in a bowl. Wash your face and hold it over a bowl of steaming water for about ten minutes to open your pores, then place the mixture on your face and let it sit for 15-20 minutes.  The natural mask will moisturize and nourish your skin, giving you a healthy glow and baby soft skin. If you feel like really indulging, put some cucumbers over your eyes.

5. Deep Conditioner

As strange as it may sound, the protein in eggs is great for damaged hair.  Add a tablespoon of olive oil to mixed eggs, put it on your hair, and wrap it in a warm towel for 20 minutes.  Afterward, you can shampoo and condition like you normally would. Cheaper than one of those deep conditioning treatments at the drug store, this will give your hair a much needed pick-me-up from your normal routine.

In addition to helping you save money, these natural products can often be better for your face and body than chemical-filled products.  It can also be nice to know exactly what is going on your skin, instead of using a pre-made mixture full of ingredients you can’t pronounce. And these few ideas are only the tip of the iceberg; there are LOTS of options for skipping the drugstore and making your own stuff at home. (Here are 50!)

If you have any more tips about great at-home remedies, share the wealth and comment below!