In our modern and complicated 24-7 life, its sometimes nice to get back to basics and live simply. Not sure where to start? Begin in the bathroom by nourishing your skin with the best ingredients nature can provide – food! Making your own beautifully simple skin care is environmentally friendly, zero waste and kind to your hip pocket too. Don’t spend money on expensive chemical laden skincare with fancy names. Its time for fridge to face beauty! Try these 3 simple and easy to make skincare recipes.
Clear Skin Masque
2 tablespoons of Honest to Goodness Organic Raw Honey
1 tablespoon of Bob’s Red Mill Aluminium Free Baking soda
Mix together and apply to face and massage on in a circular motion. Leave for 15-20 minutes then wash off with warm water.
Raw unfiltered and unpasteurised honey contains incredible nutritional value and health powers. It cleanses pores, nourishes skin and calms redness and is a natural antibacterial with wound healing effects which is great for helping to prevent acne. Baking soda is a great exfoliant, removing dead skin cells and clearing pores, leaving the surface of the skin feeling soft and smooth.
Sea Vegetable Mask
Nutritionists Choice Nori sheets. (Yep that’s it!)
Cut up some nori sheets (ie sushi seaweed) and dip them in water for a few seconds to soften, then mould onto your face. Chillax for 10 minutes. Remove then wash skin with ice cold water or apply a toner (such as apple cider vinegar diluted with water).
Nori seaweed is packed full of vitamins and nutrients. It’s very high in protein, iron and vitamin C and a great source of vitamin A, vitamin B2, iodine, potassium and magnesium. Nori has been shown to moisturize dry skin, improve circulation and detoxify the skin. Just one sheet of nori contains the same amount of omega-3 fatty acids as 2 avocados!
Nourishing Night Moisturiser
½ cup Loving Earth Organic Cold Pressed Coconut Oil
1 teaspoon Dr Organic Vitamin E Oil
6 drops of Springfields Aromatherapy Lavender Essential Oil
Combine the coconut oil, Vitamin E and lavender in a bowl. If your coconut oil is solid you can use a hand mixer to make a creamy whipped blend. Massage a small amount onto clean skin before bed, avoiding the eye area.
Vitamin E oil prevents and repairs free radical damage as it is both a nutrient and antioxidant. It treats wrinkles by supporting new skin cell growth and speeding up cell regeneration.
Coconut oil contains medium chain fatty acids which help to eliminate moisture loss through the pores on skin. Coconut oil is rich in many proteins which keep the skin healthy and rejuvenated. Proteins contribute to cellular health and tissue repair.
Lavender oil is not only effective for skincare but also has a positive mental influence. Lavender is gentle and great for sensitive skin while providing a wonderful aroma to help calm the nervous system and help you to relax and get a good nights sleep.
Tips:
Always make sure you use clean bowls and utensils when mixing natural skin care so there are no contaminants. If you have left overs keep in a sealed glass container in the fridge for 3 days.
Choose organic ingredients where possible. No point making beautiful skin care if its covered in pesticides and herbicides!
Look for raw unfiltered honey as honey which is heat treated has had all its natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals destroyed. Raw honey should be opaque so if you’re honey is sparkling clear then you know it’s been heat or chemically treated.
Anecdotal research shows that baking soda can sometimes leave some redness or itchiness if you have very sensitive skin. If this is you, try reducing the amount of baking soda and add some water to the recipe.