While copious amounts of shampoos, conditioners, face scrubs and body soaps fill the aisles of CVS, it is quite possible that the incomprehensible ingredients listed on the back of the bottle came from nuclear waste. Behentrimonium chloride? Hydroxyethyl palmitamide? Seriously?
Placing blind faith in cosmetics companies seems risky these days, especially after reports of lead-containing lipstick and companies fighting laws that mandate reporting cancer-causing chemicals. Instead of wasting your time wondering what potentially dangerous chemicals you are lathering on your body, try these homemade beauty items, guaranteed to contain natural, non-toxic ingredients that can be found in any kitchen or grocery store.
Soften your skin
What you need:
- Natural or raw sugar
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Lemon or orange juice
Benefit Boutique proprietor Christian VanBrimmer recommends this sugar scrub for dry face or skin. If you’re using it on the body, mix olive oil with sugar until you achieve a liquid, grainy consistency. For the face, add small amounts of olive oil, honey and lemon juice for a scrub that is “super easy, super fabulous and super simple,” VanBrimmer said.
Diminish your pores
What you need:
- Honey
- Egg whites
If your pores resemble tiny donuts, use this mixture to minimize their appearance. Separate the white from the egg, and mix in a spoonful of honey. Apply the mixture evenly to your face. Once it has dried, use cold water to remove it. Repeat every two weeks to reduce pore size and even out skin tone.
Rejuvenate your hair
What you need:
- Olive oil
- Honey
- Plastic bathing cap
- Shampoo
Mix two tablespoons of olive oil and one tablespoon of honey into a plastic bag. Place the bag into a cup of hot water. Once the mixture is warm, massage it into your hair and cover your head with a plastic cap. After 15 minutes, shampoo your hair as normal. This hot oil treatment will restore your hair and leave your locks light and shiny.
Exfoliate your face
What you need:
- Milk
- Salt
In a bowl, thoroughly mix a half cup of milk and a half teaspoon of salt. Use a cotton ball to dab the mixture over the forehead and face. Leave it on for two to three minutes and re-apply. After the mixture is dry, rub your face in circular motions and then rinse. The salt exfoliates dead cells and the milk nourishes the skin, giving it a brighter and fresher sheen.
Deep-condition your hair
What you need:
- Avocado
- Mayonnaise
- Olive oil
- Plastic shower cap
Place a peeled, cored avocado, a quarter to half cup of mayonnaise (depending on hair length), and two tablespoons of oil in a bowl. Mix until smooth. Apply the mixture to your hair as you would conditioner and place a shower cap over your head. Let it sit in your hair for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse the mixture off in the shower. This recipe will deep-condition your hair and make it strong and smooth.
Remove your hair’s excess product build-up
What you need:
- Water
- Vinegar
After repeated use, debris from hair products can build up at the roots of your hair, weakening it and preventing it from reaching its full potential. Combine one cup of water with a quarter cup of vinegar. After shampooing and conditioning, use this to rinse your hair to eliminate build-up.
Exfoliate your elbows and knees
What you need:
- Ground coffee
- Sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Olive oil
Mix a quarter cup of olive oil and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, mix a half cup of coffee grinds with a cup of sugar. Combine the two mixtures and blend them into a paste. Soften skin under warm water for five to ten minutes, and massage the scrub in small circles on dry or rough skin, and follow with a shower gel.
Note: Do not use this scrub on your face or any broken skin. Use once a week, unless you have particularly dry skin — then use it twice a week.
Other quick-fix remedies
Tea bags: VanBrimmer recommends using chamomile tea bags to de-puff the eye area. After brewing tea, place the used tea bags in the refrigerator and place them over the eyes the next morning.
Fresh fruits: Fruits, particularly strawberries, can be mashed and applied to the face to brighten the complexion.
Ice cubes: Combine one part milk with three parts water, and freeze; cover the frozen cube in a cloth, and rub that over your face to tighten pores and alleviate sunburns.
Cucumbers: They’re a quintessential beauty product, but deservingly so: Place a sliced cucumber over the eye for ten minutes to reduce undereye bags.
All-natural product lines
If you still prefer to buy your beauty products at the store, consider buying all-natural, chemical-free beauty products. Stella McCartney’s makeup line is all-natural and vegan, and Bare Escentuals is a mineral makeup line with no preservatives.
Photos by Tom Giratikanon and Tracy Fuad / North by Northwestern.