02 Nov Homemade Beauty Products

A quick scan of the beauty aisles at the drugstore confirms what we already know: the price of beauty is pretty steep. Face masks, exfoliants, conditioners and more can carry a hefty tag.  Even basic facial cleansers can cost in the $10-$15. And department store beauty treatments and kits can run in the three digit price range.

If you’re not willing to spend the big bucks to keep your skin and hair looking on point, just head to your kitchen.

Below are a few items you probably have in your fridge or pantry that also double as beauty products. Not only are they affordable, they’re natural, good for you ingredients and have endless uses.

• Baking Soda: You probably use this item to keep your fridge smelling fresh, but it’s also a gentle facial scrub when you mix three parts baking soda and one part water. Use the paste to gently remove dead skin cells from your face and body. See more uses for baking soda here, including as a bath soak and toothpaste.

• Raw Brown Sugar: This is another great exfoliant and helps to give skin a brighter appearance by removing dead skin cells.  I use this as a body scrub by mixing sugar and oil {olive oil, almond oil, etc}. You can also make a facial scrub by mixing sugar and lemon juice. The Moptop Maven has two great sugar scrub recipes.

• Raw Honey: There isn’t anything that honey can’t do! It’s a natural humectant and helps hair and skin retain moisture. My hair is extremely dry so I use honey when I deep condition every week {extra virgin olive oil and a bit of melted honey}. It leaves my hair feeling soft and shiny. Click here for a homemade rosemary and raw honey conditioner.

• Coconut Milk/Oil: These are two more edible items that are great for parches strands. I’ve already raved about coconut oil as a great moisturizer for natural hair and coconut milk is believed to minimize breakage and strengthen hair. Mashing an avocado and mixing it with coconut milk is a nourishing hair mask. Read up on the other health benefits of coconut milk.

Check back next week for more homemade beauty products, as well as an alternative to Shu Uemura’s cleansing oil {$28}. Psst, it’s an item you probably cook with every day!

What are some of your favorite food items that also double as beauty products? Have a favorite homemade beauty recipe you whip up on a regular basis?