Skin Care from Your Kitchen
Skin care products are a huge business, especially as the baby boomer generation gets older. However, many of the products are very expensive. What if you could make your own? You can, and at a fraction of the cost.
Exfoliators
Removing dead skin is an important part of any skin care regimen. Many products are actually made from simple, common items. These can be divided into two categories, chemical and abrasive. Think it’s going to be hard and dangerous to make the chemical peels? Not really.
Abrasives are fairly obvious. Salt, honey, oats and other grains can help remove dead skin. Regular table salt might not work as well as sea salt or kosher salt. I prefer oats over the other grains because it has mucilage, a substance that will soothe the tender new skin you’re bringing out.
Chemical peels are as easy, but they may surprise you at first. Dried orange peels work wonders. Use a potato peeler to get strips of zest off the orange, then dry them. Once thoroughly dried, use either a coffee grinder or a mortar and pestle to make a powder. Add a bit of water and mix into a paste, which can be spread over the skin.
Pineapple juice is another method of making a chemical peel, though it might be easier to use pureed fresh pineapple. The bromelain content in this tropical fruit is the chemical that does the job. Be sure to test both the orange peel mixture and the pineapple on a small area before spreading it in large scale.
Moisturizers
Avocados, oats and olive oil can make effective moisturizers. You can mash fresh avocado, or you can use what’s on the inside of the peel (if the pieces are big enough). Let it stay on the skin for ten to fifteen minutes, then rinse off. Olive oil can be dabbed on with fingers or cotton swabs.
The oats will take a little preparation, as we aren’t going for the exfoliating aspect this time. Cooked steel cut oats are the best, but even quick oats will have some benefit. Prepare as the package instructs, then let it cool until it won’t burn when you apply it. If you want a whole body moisturizer, put some oats in a cheesecloth bag and put it into your bathwater.
Toners
Your kitchen even has some good toners. Cucumbers, green tea and tomatoes can all be helpful in this department. Peel and seed the cucumber, then puree it in your blender. Place the puree on your skin. If you have a juicer, you might find it easier, less messy and decrease the likelihood of needing a plumber by juicing them and using the results. The same holds true for the tomatoes. The latter should not be used on dry skin, as it could dry it out further.
Green tea should be brewed at least ten minutes, then allow it to cool. What you don’t use can be refrigerated and used for the next four days to a week. You may want to rinse your face after ten minutes.
The Author:
Mary Bodel is a master herbalist since 2004 although my training began long before I reached that level. I believe that health encompasses more than taking care of our bodies. It involves everything from what we eat to what we read. It involves our spirit as well as our body.
Photo. u_19g0ihl6c7
