Not Much Money? Try Creating Your Own Beauty Products From the Pantry

What's Up?

Trying to make your dollar stretch farther, yet you want beautiful skin? Try some of these alternatives for skin care under a few dollars.

Idea

Create your skin care products from the pantry. There are many old and new recipes available for creating cleansers, masks, scrubs, conditioners, and moisturizers. Some are relatively easy to create, while others take a little more time and ingredients.

Determine your skin and hair type, and what you might want to improve or beautify. Then have fun creating. Everyone will have their favorite or what works best for them. Share those ideas with others.

For more information review the list of resources and recipes below. Feel free to comment and add ones that particularly work for you.

How Does It Help?

Environment

Packaging: If you chose to make your own products, you are cutting down on beauty product packaging. This will lead to fewer plastics and less waste that goes into landfills. It also reduces the amount of natural resources utilized to create new packaging.

Animal Testing: There will be no animal testing since you are creating them yourself. Of course the only animal testing will be if you chose to try it on your dog or cat (my dog loves most of the ingredients in these, so probably would beg for them.)

Monetarily

Beauty products can be expensive. Their price range can be from several dollars to several hundred dollars for one item. If you get good results from one of the homemade recipes, you can save quite a bit of money and still have great skin or hair.

Parent(s)

Please get your parent(s) permission prior to starting this project and using any of the contents of the pantry.

Safety

Please ensure that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients that you are using, as this could have an adverse affect on your health.

Please ensure you safely use any kitchen appliance, and proceed with caution and all warnings attached to those appliances.

Recipe Ideas

Exfoliators

Baking soda is an excellent exfoliator. Try putting a little in your normal cleanser for every day use. Also you can mix 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water to create a stand alone exfoliator. Put this mixture on your face using circular upward motions for about 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water. ** Consider adding 2 teaspoons of fine oatmeal to 1 teaspoon of baking soda and water for another type of exfoliant.

Toner

Per the Reader's Digest, you can create several nice toners for less than 50 cents.

Basic: Take 1 teaspoon of dried chamomile and steep it in 1/3 cup of boiling water. Once it is cool, strain the liquid into a jar, and then add a few drops of essential oil. Shake well to mix. Allow to sit 48 hours prior to using. Store in a cool, dark, place.

Lemon Skin: Combine 2 ounces lemon juice, 4 ounces distilled water, and 3 ounces of witch hazel. Mix well. Refrigerate

Per Home Remedies Web, for Acne try Apple Cider Vinegar.

Apple Cider Vinegar: Mix one part vinegar to 3 parts water. Apply to face and leave on for ten minutes. Rinse. The vinegar kills bacteria and helps balance PH levels.

Moisturizer

Honey: Try putting honey on your face during the shower. Place a half dollar amount on your palm and spread it on your wet face. Leave on for 30 seconds and then rinse.

Peaches: Mash a peach up and add a little bit of cream to make it a soft mixture. Apply to the face and massage it in, for dewier looking skin.

Facials or Masks

There are numerous recipes for every different type of problem, skin type, budget, and preference. Below are a few websites that are great resources to research which facial or mask would be the best fit for you.

Make Your Cosmetics

Stretch Your Dollar Article on Homemade Facial Masks

Beauty Article on About.com on Face Masks

Article on the Benefits of a Clay Mask

Article on Using Olive Oil On the Face