The sinews of your kitchen cupboard hold the key to age-old beauty secrets-peek into its deep dark corners, and you’ll find seemingly aged jars, bags, and boxes waiting to be opened to let out their efficacious beauty secrets.
A half-empty pack of oats, a bottle of boutique olive oil, a jar of golden date oil- and the list goes on. Play with your creativity and dish out some exotic beauty formulas.
Or go the easier route and try our hand-picked beauty recipes with skin-loving ingredients that you can whip up in a jiffy.
Anti-aging chocolate mask
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 olive oil
- Three tablespoons oats
- Four tablespoons of coconut cream
Combine cocoa powder with honey, oats, and coconut cream. You get a creamy concoction that easily spreads on your face. Gently apply a delicate layer, leave it for ten minutes, and rinse it off. Cocoa being an antioxidant powerhouse, helps in the regeneration of cells and enhances blood flow keeping your skin plump, young, and radiant. Olive oil keeps your skin hydrated. Coconut cream is an excellent moisturizer for dry skin. The natural fatty acids present not only nourishes dry skin but soothes irritated skin as well.
Papaya lightening mask
- 1/2 cup mashed papaya
- Olive oil tablespoons honey
Papaya lighting mask is highly effective against sun spots, hyperpigmentation, and uneven skin tones. Mix in olive oil and mashed papaya together and gently apply on your face for 15-20 minutes. Rinse it off and moisturize. Papaya’s skin-boosting benefits are due to vitamins A, B, and C. These nourishing vitamins plump up your skin and smooth out wrinkles. They even reduce acne by removing dead skin cells that clog pores. The beta carotene, phytochemicals, enzymes, and vitamins present in papaya have skin lightening properties. Enzymes present in papaya-papain, and chymopapain soothes inflammation.
Exfoliating brown sugar scrub mask
- Two tablespoons brown sugar
- Two tablespoons virgin coconut oil
Form a scrub using equal parts of brown sugar and virgin coconut oil. Apply this exfoliating scrub on your face using gentle circular motions. Allow it to penetrate your skin for a few minutes and wash it off with water. Brown sugar is a natural humectant and increases the suppleness of your skin. It exfoliates dead skin cells imparting a shiny glow. It’s antibacterial properties, and glycolic acid keeps your skin healthy and radiant.
Hydrating avocado mask
- One teaspoon plain coconut yogurt
- 1/2 ripe avocado
- 1 or 2 teaspoons of virgin olive oil (optional)
Mash the avocado into a soft, smooth paste and mix in olive oil and yogurt. Mask it on your face and rinse off after 10-15 minutes. Avocado is rich in vitamin E; in addition, it has lecithin, potassium, and other nutrients that nourish and moisturize your skin. The outermost layers of your skin easily absorb these nutrients, making it soft, supple, and smooth. Yogurt helps to moisturize skin, increasing elasticity, and brightness. It fights wrinkles and fine lines keeping your skin youthful.
Coffee body scrub
- 60 g ground coffee
- 20 g coconut oil
- 20 g raw cane sugar
Melt the coconut oil in a bowl by keeping it in a pan of warm water (bain-marie) once it liquifies mix in coffee and raw cane sugar. Store in an airtight glass jar and use it for your face and body. Coffee contains caffeic acid, an antioxidant that helps boost collagen and lowers premature aging of cells. Its antimicrobial properties help protect your skin against germs.
