I’m a huge fan of DIY beauty products and remedies, because nature is awesome. Also, beauty products are expensive and don’t always yield the expected results. We purchase these fancy products which promise miracles, and then end up growing disappointed when that expensive conditioner leaves our hair too dry, or our concealer wears off in a matter of hours. There are plenty of beauty products which I love, but there are also easy ways to make your own on a budget. Here are thirteen at-home solutions for pesky beauty issues:
1. Vaseline prevents hair dye from staining your skin
I dye my own hair black every six weeks, so I’m used to the occasional smudge on my ear or forehead. It’s all just part of the boxed hair dye experience, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. Just apply some Vaseline along your hairline and ears and then wash it off along with the dye. Just make sure to keep the Vaseline away from your hair, because it will prevent the color from transferring to your hair follicles.
2. Heal acne with apple vinegar and hot white tea – Beauty serum
Mix 1/3 cup of hot white tea with 1/3 cup apple cider, and let it cool for a bit. Then, use a cotton ball to apply this mixture to your face, especially the areas which are particularly bothering you. This concoction helps restore PH balance and clears pores. This is an awesome substitution for skin correcting serums, like Clinique’s Even Better.
3. Mix blush and lip balm together to create lip stain
I love my Benefit Benetint lip stain, but thirty dollars is a lot for me, and if I run out, I don’t mind making my own lip tint in order to save money. Plus, I’ve found this DIY lip stain to be much more moisturizing.
4. Apple cider makes your hair shinier
A lot of shampoos and conditioners will promise you shinier and softer hair, but a lot of them contain sulfates and unnatural products which actually damage your hair in the long run. I love my Moroccan Oil products, but they’re also pricey. Get the most mileage out of your apple cider and use it as a cheap way to boost hair shine! After you shampoo in the shower, use a cup of vinegar and rinse it out in cold water.
5. Extend your perfume life by applying Vaseline first
I know all skin types are different, and naturally mine does not really absorb scent. It fades in a couple of hours; there wasn’t much I could do about it, so I researched some ways I could hold on to the scent longer. Vaseline was the most popular answer I could find, and you know what? It totally helped. It increased the lifespan of my perfume by several hours.
6. Use coffee to boost brunette hair color
A lot of my friends transition from blonde to brunette during the winter, and within a couple of weeks post-salon field trip, their new brown hair starts to fade. Since our hair unfortunately just wants to be itself, we have to fight it and show our hair who’s boss (yep, I just personified hair). Mixing ground coffee beans (I’ve heard used or fresh work) in your conditioner helps keep that brown color from going anywhere. Plus, your hair will smell like a latte, which is always a good thing.
7. Brighten your smile with strawberries and baking soda
According to my sister-in-law, baking soda is “God’s gift to the human race,” which I’m starting to believe more and more. Not only can you clean your coffee and tea-stained mugs with the stuff, but you can also clean your stained teeth. As an avid coffee, tea, and Diet Cherry Pepsi drinker, I have to whiten my teeth at least once a year. As we all know, Crest Whitestrips are highway robbery, and the other brands don’t quite work as well, so just tag team it with baking soda and strawberries! Strawberries contain a whitening agent called Malic acid and acts like an astringent by removing surface stains. Cool, huh?
8. Mint leaves can get rid of dark circles
Something like 100% of us are overworked and need more sleep. While we may be kicking ass and taking names, the dark circles under our eyes are glaring harder than our enemies. Mash (or blend) a sprig of mint leaves, apply this mixture to the area under your eyes, and wear this “mask” for twenty minutes. It feels amazing!
9. Shrink large pores with egg, and corn starch
Pores are the worst! Instead of getting a facial to deal with these little monsters, just combine the whites of one egg, one teaspoon of corn starch, and whisk this mix until it’s frothy. Apply the goo to your face until it’s dry (20 minutes) and rinse with warm water.
10. Make a toner with boiled rose petals
Toner can be expensive and smell really strongly of chemicals. Create your own with rose petals!
11. Mix lavender oil, corn starch, rice flower, and arrowroot powder to create homemade dry shampoo
I straighten my hair almost every single day, so I hate washing it if I don’t needto; you feel me? Dry shampoo is awesome. But it only works for several hours on my hair. I used to just use baby powder in college, but then I ended up smelling like a freshly changed baby. Ditch the powder and the bottle; find some corn starch, rice flower, arrowroot powder and mix these together to create the “dry shampoo,” and add lavender oil for a soothing, pretty scent.
12. Create a scrub using olive oil and sugar
All I do is mix a couple tablespoons of olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of sugar (mix more if you’re covering more surface area). Just make sure the consistency is gritty. Massage this into your face, elbows, feet, and lips. I love natural exfoliants because they’re not as harsh on your skin and leave it feeling super soft.
13. Use an orange as an exfoliator
Another way to gently exfoliate is to just slice an orange in half, and rub it against those dry areas, like elbows and feet.
