Here are 10 natural options for your beauty regimen:
1. Henna
Use: Hair dye
Changing your hair color can be a fun way to express your identity, but chemically, it can be a rough process. Henna hair dye can help as well as make your hair stronger and shinier. Check out blogger Nikki Walton of CurliNikki’s tutorial and explanation of henna’s effect on natural hair.
2. Coconut Oil
Use: Combat dandruff
You may not need a chemical-filled shampoo to get rid of dandruff. Dandruff happens when your skin tries to fight off extra yeast growth by quickly shedding skin cells. Coconut oil’s natural anti-fungal properties fight that yeast. Apply it to your scalp for results in just a few days.
3. Peppermint Oil
Use: Make lip balm
Many lip balms contain fragrances, harmful chemicals from sunscreens and artificial colors that can irritate your skin, but it’s easy to make your own. Try this recipe.
4. Sugar (Sugaring)
Use: Hair removal
If waxing is just too much of a pain, sugaring may be a perfect alternative. The gentler process uses just sugar, water and lemon juice, but still removes hair from the root. For a tutorial, check out this step-by-step guide from 7 Beauty Tips.
READ: Managing Unwanted Facial Hair
5. Apple Cider Vinegar
Use: Toner
Apple cider vinegar is a natural astringent because it restores the skin’s natural acidity level that protects it from bacteria. Using one part apple cider vinegar and two or three parts water, dab it onto your skin after cleansing.
6. Olive oil
Use: Makeup remover
Using oils, like olive oil, to remove makeup is simple. Massage it onto your face and then wipe it away.
7. Brown Sugar
Use: Body scrub
Brown sugar’s grainy texture turns it into an excellent exfoliant and creating your own also gives you the opportunity to add in the vitamins, minerals and oils that you enjoy. For a start, try Wellness Mama’s Vanilla Brown Sugar Scrub recipe using brown sugar, almond oil, vitamin E oil and vanilla extract.
8. Lemon
Use: Skin and nail brightener
Lemon is a powerful but natural beauty product, especially for your skin. Cut a lemon and rub it on your elbows, knees, or wherever you have discoloration. This method also works for stained nails.
9. Honey
Use: Acne treatment
Use raw honey as a mask that helps clear up acne. Because honey has antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, it gets rid of bacteria on your skin and heals blemishes. It also reduces the appearance of scars from past blemishes. Just apply it to your face and wash off after about 15 minutes.
10. Ginger
Use: Hypopigmented Scars
Hypopigmented scars are those that have less pigment, or melanin, than your normal skin color. Ginger can stimulate the melanocytes — the skin cells that produce melanin — and help with discoloration. To use it as a treatment, lay thin slices of fresh ginger on the scars, holding them in place with adhesive bandages, for hours or until the ginger seems to dry up.