Your Ultimate Guide on Easy and Useful Homemade Beauty Recipes Part 1

Save money and avoid harsh chemicals with these all-natural homemade beauty recipes that leave you feeling like a million bucks. Pamper yourself to a complete spa treatment in the comfort of your home!

The Delicious Secret of DIY

The use of fruits and natural products has been around for as long as people have been obsessed with beauty. Ancient civilizations constantly looked to nature for skin care solutions and remedies to both highlight, heal, and nourish. For instance, the Ancient Egyptians were known to favor sea salt and mud baths to keep their skin looking young, supple, and glowing.

Advanced for their time, this practice of the ancient world retains its popularity today, largely in part from its effective results and cost-cutting measures as well.  Store-bought products come in expensive packaging and contain several artificial ingredients that you can’t even pronounce. Many of these can cause adverse effects on your skin if you run on the sensitive side of things too.  If you’re also against animal testing and think green is the way to go, then this is definitely a must-try for you.

So go on, it’s tried and tested; there’s a reason why the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra used mud on her face and body back in the day.

Here are some recipes for success:

Facial Scrubs

woman peeling her face

  • Basically, these exfoliate dead skin cells on the surface of your skin, and results in a more youthful, healthier glow.
  • Remember to first moisten your skin by splashing it with cold water, then gently rubbing the scrub in circular motions all over your neck and face. Be sure to avoid the sensitive skin around your eyes.
  • Leave the scrub on for 15 minutes.
  • Finish off by washing the scrub off with warm water then finish with splashes of cold water to ensure that you have that rosy, healthy glow afterwards. Dry off by patting your face with a towel.
  • For the best results, try steaming your face or running yourself a hot bath first. The steam and warm water loosens dead skin on your face.
  • We’ve listed some great recipes for you to try. Do any of these at least once a week:

A.    The Baking Soda and Honey Scrub:

Combine 1 tablespoon each of baking soda, honey, and olive oil to create a thick yellow paste. This is great for pesky blackheads. If mixed in large amounts, this also makes a great for a full body scrub.

B.    Rose Oil Exfoliating Scrub:

For a fragrant and calming experience, mix 1 teaspoon of rose oil and ¼ teaspoon of sea salt and ¼ teaspoon of sugar. Massage this into your skin for an invigorating treat.

C.    Milk Relaxing Scrub:

Milk is particularly great for tired skin from restless and sleepless nights. Take a clean facecloth and dip it into a mix of cold milk and ice cubes. If you’re skin’s a little blotchy from the lack of sleep, suck on some ice while you wait. Afterwards, rub your face with the milk-cloth.

D.   Almond, Honey, and Milk Scrub:

A combination of 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of uncooked rolled oats, 2 tablespoons of ground almond, and 3 tablespoons of warm milk produces an amazing paste that gives skin radiance.

E.    Lemon, Olive Oil and Sugar Body Scrub:

A mixture of ½ cup of sugar, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, and 4 tablespoons of olive oil produces a fragrant and yummy exfoliant perfect for dry skin.

F.    Invigorating Coffee Body Scrub:

Using 3 teaspoons of caffeinated coffee grounds from a fresh brewed pot, (ideally, within 20 minutes) and a teaspoon of salt, scrub the mix all over your skin to make you feel refresh and energized for the day ahead.

Cleansers

  • Cleansers are for the days that you’re not using a scrub. You don’t want to combine the two as following one after the other can leave it raw and red.
  • Much like a scrub, first moisten your skin by splashing it with cold water, then gently rubbing the cleanser in circular motions all over your neck and face.
  • Massage the cleansers thoroughly into your face and neck for about 5 minutes, wash with warm then cold water.

A.    Oatmeal Facial and Body Cleanser:

For those who suffer from eczema or psoriasis, this is a must that soothes and softens skin. Ideal for those with skin allergies or extremely sensitive skin, all you pretty much need is oatmeal and water. Massage about a fistful of damp, softened oatmeal into your face, or onto your body.

Want something more calming? Run yourself a lukewarm oatmeal bath. Combine about a cup of oatmeal and ¼ cup of honey to create a milky skin treat.

Feel like spoiling yourself with something richer? Combine oatmeal with equal parts of yogurt and pat unto your skin.

B.    Grape Facial Cleanser:

Grapes are great for any skin type you may have. Split some grapes, take out the seeds, and mash them together with some almond flour. Rub this all over your face and neck then rinse.

C.    Avocado Facial Cleanser

This is great if you have dry skin and want to get that refreshed and glowing look. Take a lightly beaten egg yolk, about ½ a cup of milk and1/2 an avocado, and blend them together in a food processor to create a creamy wash.

D.   Tomato Pulp Cleanser:

Take a ripe tomato and mash it into a pulp with ¼ teaspoon of honey. The tomato pulp is great for blackheads and honey has amazing antibacterial properties.

E.    Every Skin Type Cleanser:

Take a blend of ½ cup of plain yogurt, 1 ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice, 1 teaspoon of honey, and 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil and massage into your face.

F.    Crushed Almond Facial Cleanser:

If you want to get into the nitty-gritty of things, a mix of 2 tablespoons crushed almonds and witch hazel is a great option. This is ideal for a deep pore cleanse, but to really make it effective, do a facial steam first (see below) and leave this on for about 20 minutes before rinsing.

Facial Steam

woman steaming face at beauty salon

  • One of the best and most underused homemade beauty regimens is the facial steam. It’s great for opening up your pores and releasing the toxins in them. While helping rid is of impurities, it also hydrates and moisturizes the skin. It’s incredibly easy to do, and extremely beneficial.
  • To make your own facial steam at home, first boil about 4 cups of water then transfer this to a basin. Add about 5 or so drops of your favorite essential oil. We recommend lavender or ylang ylang.
  • Place a towel over your head and shoulders and stand right above the basin. Your face should be right over the water, but don’t get too close that you scald your skin!
  • Make sure to not dip the towel into the basin and make sure your towel drapes over the outer edges of the towel. It should form a tent over the basin and your head essentially.
  • Now, relax. Take long and slow deep breaths to help relax you. Do this for about 5 minutes.
  • After your facial steam, splash your face with cold water twice.
  • To close your pores, apply some astringent all over your face and neck. Follow this with a facial mask to effectively cleanse your skin of toxins and oils.

Face Masks

beautiful girl with a cream on her face

  • Facial masks are great and are especially effective after exfoliate and cleansing you skin. The type of facial mask you use should also depends on what your kin needs. Problems with oily skin? Mud or clay masks are best. Your skin feeling dry? Hydrating masks are the way to go (cream masks are a particular must). Skin looking reddish and inflamed? A mask with calming and soothing properties should do the trick.
  • Facial masks are usually for a particular skin condition, so choose the best one for you. They generally stay on for about 10 to 15 minutes. Simply apply the mask liberally onto your face and neck. Wait for it to dry, then rinse or peel off.
  • Remember if you’re doing a facial mask more than twice a week, it’s important to use a facial cleanser beforehand.

A.    Avocado Face Mask:

A staple in every beauty DIY list, the mighty avocado is so potent, its all you need for this facial treatment. Blend an avocado in a food processor, or mash well with a fork. Apply all over your face then rinse with warm water.

B.    Avocado Egg and Mud Mask:

If your skin is particularly oily, this is a great choice to use for your skin. Simply blend together 1 teaspoon of witch hazel (a powerful natural astringent) ¼ of an avocado, powdered clay (available at any health food store), and an egg yolk.

C.    Moisturizing Antibacterial Honey Mask:

Honey is great for hydrating dry skin, and is also great against blemishes due to its antibacterial properties. So if your skin gets dried out from acne medications, honey is a fantastic ingredient to use. Simply mix 2 tablespoons of honey and 2 teaspoons of yogurt.

D.   Honey, Almond and Yogurt Mask:

Is your skin craving something richer? A mask made of one egg yolk, ½ teaspoon of almond oil, 1 tablespoon of yogurt and 1 tablespoon of honey should be enough to satisfy it.

E.    Honey, Milk and Flour Mask:

People with oily skin will benefit from a mask made of 1 tablespoon of honey, 2 tablespoons of milk, and 2 tablespoons of fermented flour.

F.    Papaya Pumpkin Mask:

Take 2/3 of a cup of papaya, a15 oz. can of pumpkin, a beaten egg, and mash it all together for a yummy treat.

G.   Oatmeal, Honey, and Yogurt Mask:

With ½ cup of oatmeal, an egg, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of yogurt, and 1 tablespoon of almond oil.

H.   Egg and Honey Mask:

Mix 2 egg whites, 1 tablespoon of honey and 1/8 teaspoon of cornstarch to give your skin a tighter, smoother and more youthful look.

I.      Lemon, Honey, and Strawberry Mask:

Lemon and Strawberries are great astringents that remove extra oil from your skin. Blend together 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, 2 egg whites, 2 teaspoons of honey, 1 cup of strawberries, and 1 tablespoon of honey in a food processor for a smooth mask.

J.     Sugar Water Mask:

Great for mature skin and an excellent exfoliant, combine 3 tablespoons of sugar and 4 tablespoons of warm water until the sugar is dissolved. Rinse when finished.

K.    Cucumber, Mint, and Lemon Mask:

This recipe calls for 1 tablespoon of yogurt, ½ peeled cucumber, 1 tablespoon of lemon, 1 teaspoon of milk, and 1 teaspoon of fresh mint. Be sure to avoid your sensitive eye area! 

Curious for more beauty tips and remedies? Click here for part 2 of our ultimate guide’s list of natural facial toners, astringents, moisturizers, and hair care, as well as other helpful skin fixes that may come in handy.

We’d love to hear from you, so tell us what’s your favorite recipe by hitting the reply button below, or tweet us at @YouQueenMag with pictures of your favorite recipes for success! 

About the author

Niccole Somodio

Niccole is a blogger based in Madrid, but is frequently in America and Asia as well. She's owned a private catering company, been a private language tutor, and a personal assistant.

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