How To Use Your Kitchen Cabinet As Your Beauty Cabinet

We collaborated with Ecover to answer questions about natural beauty...

Here is July's post:

As a Natural Beauty Expert and Makeup Artist I have spent years trying all sorts of products to heal, smooth and plump my hair, nails, and skin. After a great amount of research and trial and error with these “magical potions,” I have come to find that some of the simplest, time tested remedies work the best and are inexpensive. Don’t get me wrong, I love using a luxurious body oil or a specially formulated hair mask every once and awhile… but I’d also like to give you some other options, using ingredients that you already have in your kitchen cabinet, and that work really, really well.
Garlic- A true healer, this herb has been helping us feel better for centuries. I love to mash it up and use the paste to heal a pimple.
Extra Virgin Coconut Oil- this anti-aging, antibacterial multitasker is a must have for the cabinet. There are countless uses for this ingredient; some of my favorites are to use it as an allover body moisturizer or as a deep conditioning hair treatment. Apply oil to your hair and then wrap it in plastic and sit in the sun for your required 15 minutes of Vitamin D exposure. I then like to go and clean my house and leave it on for as long as possible before I rinse it out with some…

Apple Cider Vinegar- This is a kitchen/beauty cabinet must-have with hundreds of uses. Some of my favorites include using it as a clarifying and moisturizing hair rinse. It is also great to tone the skin or help internally for digestion and heartburn (which will in turn help your skin).
Rolled Oats- Cook oats in water and put them in a cheesecloth bag, add to bath water to soothe itchy skin due to a rash or insect bites. Also great for facials, mix oats and honey for a gentle exfoliating face mask. Looking for more hydration? Mix oats and yogurt for a soothing treat for your face.
Local Raw Honey is a miracle ingredient, soothes coughs and sore throats internally and also works for first aid and beauty recipes. Honey makes a wonderful hydrating facemask that provides gentle exfoliation. I love the “honey pat” technique: Apply the honey to clean skin and begin to tap (like you are typing) all over your face. When the honey becomes too sticky to lift your fingers, rinse off. Also great to use on your skin to heal a cut or skin irritation, and makes a great lip balm (tastes good too!).
And finally, please keep in mind that it is always best to choose organic and try to buy in glass whenever possible.  Let me know how the tips work out!
Jessa Blades
Natural Beauty Expert & Ecover Reporter
Top image via Design Shimmer