Youth Editor + Wellness Devotee, Ocean Pleasant
Natural Exfoliator Recipe
Squeeze half a lemon into a small bowl and mix with two tablespoons of brown sugar and one tablespoon of olive oil for a wonderful scrub. You can also substitute Himalayan salt for sugar, since salt is loaded with tons of minerals and nutrients like magnesium, calcium, sodium and potassium. Many of these minerals are also found in our skin cells, which is why real sea salt can be a great remedy for restoring and balancing out the skin.
DIY Face Masks
Goop is where it’s at! Mush up a ripe avocado and mix it with a teaspoon of carrier oil, which can be any oil of your choosing. Avocados are incredibly beneficial for the skin, containing vitamins A, D and E that are able to penetrate and really work magic. It can also help soothe a bad sunburn and boost collagen production.
Facial Toner
Once you’ve exfoliated, spritz your face with a mixture of 3 parts apple cider vinegar, 1 part water. If you’ve got some essential oils lying around the house, you can throw in a couple drops of your favorite soothing scent like lavender, or a pick-me-up like peppermint. Apple cider vinegar makes a great toner with its ability to clear skin problems thanks to its anti-fungal properties.
Sensitive Skin? No Problem
I love the classic oatmeal facial. It’s as simple as it sounds; just mix 2 teaspoons of oatmeal, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and enough water to form a paste. This is incredibly soothing and great for anyone with red, sensitive skin! Let it sit until it starts to harden and then rinse off.
Hair Care
Virgin olive oil and coconut oil also do wonders for dry hair and dead ends. I sleep with coconut oil in my hair overnight as a hair mask, and wash it out the next day. It’s like I pressed reset on my hair!
DIY Skin Moisturizer
Lather up with some virgin olive oil (dryer skin) or coconut oil (oily skin), two ingredients I always have in my pantry for a stirfry or dehydrated skin. If you have oily skin, you can treat this like a mask and wipe off the excess after 20 minutes. Coconut oil is proven to strengthen underlying epidermal tissue, remove dead skin cells, and even has antiviral properties. I use it as a makeup remover, too! Seriously, what can’t coconut oil do?
Deodorant With Only 2 Ingredients
Mix ¹⁄8 teaspoon of baking soda with ¼ teaspoon of water in your palm to create an effective deodorant paste. Many store-bought deodorants contain harmful chemicals linked to a variety of illnesses. I try to always use natural deodorant, and if in a pinch, it’s good to know that you can just pull out the baking soda in the back of your pantry