Did you know that you can brighten, tighten and exfoliate your face with food? A recent news story featuring items likely to be in your kitchen right now, showed just how effective food can be for your skin. Click through the slideshow to check out each beauty entree.
No need to splurge when looking for high-performing beauty products. Just search your fridge and cabinets for food ingredients that are pure and pristine. Consider it culinary cosmetics!
Culinary cosmetics means using food grade organic ingredients from your kitchen cupboard in a skincare regime. These nature-based and inexpensive treatments are said to actually be more beneficial and more readily absorbed into the skin than a synthetic skincare cream. Now that's some serious food for thought. When you blend premium food grade ingredients together to create a topical skin care product, your skin is actually being fed the nutrient rich product. Feeding skin healthy nutrients is key, as it is the largest organ on our body and needs some good old-fashioned nourishment. So let's get cookin'!
The culinary cosmetics process brings us back to a time where a deeper connection with our bodies and the natural healing properties available in our close environment were all that were necessary to soothe, protect and beautify our skin. Donna Steinman, founder of Medicine Mama's Apothecary, a certified organic body care line agrees. "Culinary cosmetics may be a new word, but it's an ancient way of saying nature knows how to feed what it makes," she said.
Ready for a few oldie but goodies? Check out these recommended remedies Donna swears by and see the results for yourself:
For dry skin, rash, or blemishes - A Chamomile, honey, and oatmeal mix can be the natural answer. Mix steeped tea and honey into the oatmeal to make a paste. Brush onto your skin for about 10 minutes, and then rinse. "Antifungal, antibacterial, just amazing for the skin," Donna remarked.
To lighten, brighten, and tighten pores - Create a paste of Greek yogurt, lemon, and honey. The acidity in lemons helps skin to retain elasticity. The lactic acid found in the yogurt along with healthy bacteria, helps slough off dead skin cells. And we already know the benefits honey delivers to skin from head to toe.
To exfoliate skin - Whip up a mixture of avocado, sea salt, and olive oil. Scoop the mix into one of the sliced halves of the avocado and head to the shower. Then apply to rough skin areas such as elbows and knees.
Olive and Sweet Almond Oil are also fabulous facial skin care additions. Many of these natural ingredients are also great for DIY at-home hair care treatments as well. But before you go to grab a bowl and spatula, consider your skin type and the possible ways your skin might react to these foods.
Dermatologist, Dr. Harold Lancer warns that "if you know you're allergic to a certain food, don't put it on your skin," he warned. Dr. Lancer recommends using non-acidic fruits too, such as melon. And to help relieve acne, Dr. Lancer has an at-home remedy of his own. "Grapeseed oil mixed with a little rough, ground pepper. That can help acne-prone skin be a little bit less acne prone."
When in doubt of what skincare brand to try, simply head to your fridge! Who knew!
What do you think of these at-home skincare remedies? Which do you plan to try? Let us know with a note below!
