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When it comes to beauty simple is best, and what could be simpler than using pantry items that leave your skin glowing, remove unwanted hair, or add that final touch to your make-up routine? What’s even better is that these unassuming grocery items are all natural and chemical free, leaving not only your insides nourished, but the outside as well.
Nowadays, with health issues on the rise due to our ongoing exposure to toxic chemicals in our everyday beauty products, it’s more important than ever to switch to healthier alternatives. Who would have thought that something like coconut oil or raw honey could replace at least a dozen beauty needs?
Not only does iHerb offer these healthier alternatives, they also sell them at amazing prices. To be honest, I’m not even sure how they stay in business! That’s how great their prices are and I can get everything I need from their huge selection of products (over 35,000!) ranging from grocery items to bath and body care that are non-GMO, paraben free, organic, and non-toxic. I call that winning! Oh! AND they ship to 160 different countries, are a Trusted Google Store, and provide excellent customer service in 10 languages.
Needless to say, my experience shopping with iHerb has been quick, easy, and stress free.
7 Quick and Dirty Beauty Hacks using Pantry Items
One of my favorite ways to get more bang for my buck is to use everyday items for beauty. Why buy several different products when you can get effective results using just one? Better yet, what if that product was straight out of your kitchen pantry? If it’s good enough to eat, I say it’s good enough to go on your face!
I’ve put together some of my all-time favorite quick and dirty beauty hacks featuring some of my favorite staple items from iHerb.
Beauty Hack #1 - Simple (yet effective!) Coconut Oil Deodorant
Coconut oil is one of my holy grail beauty secrets. I’ve used it with great success as a toothpaste, as a quick shaving cream, as an effective make-up remover, and as a quick moisturizer for dry irritated skin.
However, there’s one way to use it that’s downright amazing; as a quick one ingredient deodorant that’s surprisingly effective for odor control. Yep, that’s right. Just ONE ingredient – the humble yet ever so multifaceted secret sitting in your pantry - coconut oil.
Why does it work? Coconut is a highly stable and anti-bacterial carrier oil that prevents bacteria from replicating, including odor causing bacteria. This makes it perfect for use as a quick deodorant when you need something fast and effective.
To use it, simply scoop out a pea sized amount using clean fingers and apply it evenly to your underarms. Massage it in until completely absorbed, using more or less oil depending on your personal needs.
If you’re especially fancy, mix one drop of lavender essential oil with each pea sized amount of coconut oil to give yourself fresh floral scent. Peppermint EO works nicely in the summer!
My favorite coconut oil is the Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil since it’s fair-trade, organic, non-GMO, unrefined, and made from fresh coconuts!
Beauty Hack #2 - Green Tea Hair Rinse for Softness and Shine
Green tea has long been coveted for its anti-aging properties. Its high anti-oxidant content supports beautiful and radiant skin, strengthens our immune system, and gives us a gentle boost of energy when consumed daily, but did you know that green tea is also wonderful for hair?
I love using freshly brewed green tea as a hair rinse after I condition my hair to help seal in moisture and boost shine. The astringency imparted by green tea is an excellent remedy for frizz, dullness, and over-all lack-luster hair qualities we’d rather be rid of!
To make a green tea hair rinse simply brew 8-16oz (8oz for short hair and 16oz or more for long hair) of green tea and allow it to cool completely before use. After washing and conditioning, pour the green tea over your hair making sure to saturate every strand. The coolness and astringency of the tea will seal the hair shaft and smooth it out leaving hair full of shine.
After use, dry and style as usual.
On lazy days, I will often save a small amount of my morning green tea and use it on my ends before hopping out of the shower.
I prefer using Yogi Pure Green Tea for its high anti-oxidant content and beauty boosting effects.
Beauty Hack #3 - Soothing Raw Honey Aftershave Mask
Raw honey is another favorite pantry item that offers a multitude of beauty applications. I often use it as a gentle face cleanser (just massage it into wet skin), as an effective spot treatment, and even as a shampoo! However, I get the most use out of it when I apply it after waxing or shaving as an amazing remedy for preventing razor burn and ingrown hairs.
Raw honey does this because it’s not only an amazing humectant for the skin, it’s also incredibly anti-inflammatory. Applying it mixed with a few drops of water over freshly waxed or shaved areas soothes redness and irritation, reduces swelling, and kills bacteria that may contribute to infected hair follicles.
I like to leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
I love the thick and creamy texture of Y.S. Eco Bee Farms Raw Honey. It’s perfect for beauty masks and tastes amazing in tea!
Beauty Hack #4 - Exfoliating Oat Flour Face Scrub
Not only does oat flour make amazing baked goods, it’s also great for skin care! Many of us know the amazing benefits oats can have on the skin which is why so many bath and body companies include it in their formulas. Oats are soothing, restorative, moisturizing, reduce redness, and are anti-inflammatory in nature making them perfect for all sorts of skin care needs.
One need of mine in particular has been a gentle all-natural face scrub that’s suitable for sensitive skin and oat flour has fit the bill perfectly since it doesn’t contain irritating spices or harsh exfoliants like other natural/conventional scrubs.
Another great thing about this simple scrub is it also doubles as a soothing face mask. You can mix a tablespoon of oat flour with a bit of yogurt, honey, water, or a mixture of all three until you reach a spreadable consistency, apply it to wet skin and massage gently. I like to spend about a minute exfoliating and really concentrate on dry flaky areas to help remove dead skin and buildup. Afterwards, I’ll spread the scrub in a thin even layer all over my face to help soothe redness and irritation and moisturize any dry patches. After 15 minutes, I’ll rinse everything away with warm water and go on about my beauty routine as usual.
When mixed just with water and used as a face mask, oat flour has the ability to suck up excess oil as it dries. This is especially handy for oily skin types like myself!
I love using Bob’s Red Mill Whole Grain Oat Flour for face scrubs, milky baths, and soothing masks.
Beauty Hack #5 - Sugar Wax Recipe for Removing Unwanted Hair
This is one of the most useful recipes I’ve come across using pantry items – homemade sugar wax! Yes, believe it or not you can create all-natural hair removal wax at home using cane sugar that actually works.
Here’s what you need to make a hard sugar wax:
• 2 cups of cane sugar (I used organic cane sugar)
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup of water
Preparation:
Add all of the ingredients to a small pot and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to make sure it doesn’t scorch for 7-10 minutes.
Once the mixture is a deep amber color, take it off the heat and allow it to cool for 20 minutes until it reaches a comfortable temperature. If you won’t be using all of the wax, pour it into a heat safe container for future use before it hardens too much.
Scoop some of the wax out using a kitchen utensil (don’t worry, the sugar wax rinses right off so cleaning up is easy), and spread the blob of sugar wax against the grain of the hair and then swiftly pull it with the grain of the hair to remove it.)
Alternatively, you can make a soft sugar wax by adding only 1 cup of sugar, ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice, and ¼ cup of water to a small pot and bring it to a simmer for 5-7 minutes. Keep stirring to keep it from scorching. Once the mixture reaches a honey color, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool for 20 minutes.
This wax should be applied using a butter knife or wooden spatula to make it easier to spread in a thin even layer against the grain of the hair. Apply a cloth strip over the wax (I use cotton handkerchiefs cut into strips), press firmly, and then pull away in the direction of hair growth to remove unwanted hair.
Pretty nifty right?
I used the Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Cane Sugar for this amazing hack.
Beauty Hack #6 - Final Touch Cacao Powder Make-up Hacks
Cacao powder isn’t just a superfood, it’s also a clever way to add a few final touches to your make-up look when in a pinch. I mean, who doesn’t dream of using chocolate in their beauty routine? For one, it smells amazing! And second, cacao is extremely good for your skin. ‘Nuff said.
Two of my favorite beauty hacks that use cacao powder for enhancing natural beauty include:
• Using it as a bronzer – Simply dip your bronzing brush and use it to enhance the hallows of your cheeks and bring glowing color to your face.
• As an eyeliner or brow filler – Mix with a tiny bit of water and test the consistency on the back of your hand with an eyeliner/brow brush. You can add arrowroot starch to lighten the brown or the teeniest tiniest smidge of turmeric for a more golden tone.
My favorite cacao powder for both flavor and beauty is the Navitas Organics Organic Cacao Powder.
Beauty Hack #7 - Simple Mattifying Arrowroot Powder Make-up Veil
If you’re looking for simple, look no further than this quick and dirty beauty hack – a simple mattifying make-up veil using arrowroot powder. It honestly can’t get any easier (or cheaper!) than this!
Arrowroot powder is one of my daily beauty staples due to its creamy and smooth texture and its uncanny ability to mattify even the oiliest skin types. I’ve used it exclusively as my make-up veil since discovering its amazing mattifying effects 3 years ago and I don’t plan on going back to expensive less natural alternatives.
Simply use a kabuki brush and dust a small amount of arrowroot starch in a thin even layer over make-up (it’s especially good for baking under the eyes for a creaseless finish) or even apply it on its own to even out skin tone and balance oil production.
I love the consistency of Bob’s Red Mill Arrowroot Powder for setting make-up and giving skin a flawless finish.
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