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Natural Beauty at Home

I don't usually pass my readers off on other skin care websites, I do try hard to consolidate information so that you can get the information you need in a nice, one-stop spot. However, this little gem was just too good to keep to myself. I'm not sure if any of you have stumbled upon this website yet, but I found this link on, what else, Pinterest, and had to share. 

This website, Homemade Beauty Recipes, has a recipe for just about any piece of skin and any ailment that you might have. It even has baby skin and hair treatment recipes! I just found this website yesterday, so I have yet to whip up these concoctions, but the ingredients seem very legitimate- lots of good oils, avocados, cucumbers, milk, and honey mentions- and having given this a good once over, the recipes seem to be in line with other at-home remedies I have tried before. Nutmeg to clear pimples, avocado to moisturize (and hold a mask together), milk & honey to calm redness. 


I will recommend, when you start out with at-home beauty recipes, try not to go overboard. You can spend a lot of money buying the supplies and ingredients to some of these concoctions. I try to stick with recipes that can be made with things I already have at home- herbs, milk, olive oil, honey, eggs, etc. If you decide that at-home and/or natural beauty is working for you, then you can try more detailed recipes- ones that include essential oils, carrier oils, and other hard-to-find ingredients. DO be careful if you begin to work with essential oils, and never use them undiluted. Follow instructions, and do not try to find these "on the cheap". Essential oils are great, but only when used correctly and bought from a reputable source (like Whole Foods). 


Here are some of the recipes that I plan to try this week:

Pimple Zapper

Ingredients:

1 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp milk 

Instructions:

Mix the ingredients together and apply to pimple. Can be washed off after 20 minutes or apply before bed and rinse in am.

Egg White Facial mask

Ingredients:

One egg white, whipped 

Instructions:

Whip the egg white slightly. Apply to face and allow to dry, then rinse well. Great for tightening pores!

Fruity Alpha Hydroxy Acid facial peel

Ingredients:

1 tbs Strawberry juice

2 tbs orange juice

1 tbs whole milk

Instructions:

Combine ingredients. Apply to a clean face with tips of fingers.  Allow to dry for 5-10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.  Similar results of a facial peel. 

Oatmeal/Almond Scrub 

Ingredients:

2 tbs ground oatmeal or ground almonds (GCS Note: I think I'll include both, just for kicks, as I have dry skin.) 

Instructions:

Use oatmeal for normal skin and almonds for dry skin. Cleanse in a circular motion then rinse with warm water.

Enjoy! And, if you try one of these (or the others), let me know how it works for you, and if you'd recommend it! 

Is your allergy medicine drying out your skin?

Ah, spring! The weather is changing, the clocks have sprung forward, and the bees are buzzing around newly blossomed flowers. Sounds heavenly, right? Well, perhaps not if you suffer from seasonal allergies, a common ailment this time of year.

Often miserable allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, and watery eyes will motivate us to take an over-the-counter medication, like Benedryl, Zyrtec, or Claritin. These medications can do wonders for helping you to rid yourself of the annoying sneezes and runny nose*, but while they are drying out your nose, they may also be drying out your skin. Some mild acne sufferers have claimed that their allergy medicine helped clear their skin, but more often than not, dryness will actually make acne or other skin issues much worse.

 So, before you head to the allergy aisle at your local drug store, make sure that while you are taking an allergy medicine, that you are also drinking a LOT of water and staying very well hydrated. Of course, I always suggest water as the number one go-to beverage, but coconut water and beverages like Gatorade can also be nice supplements. (Not only will staying hydrated help keep your skin supple, it will help to loosen any yucky yuck in your nose and chest. Seriously, ask any Mom you know!)

Lastly, and this is important, what most people don't know is that while pollen, grass, and dust can certainly cause nasal allergies, they can just as easily cause rashes, hives, and skin allergies as well. 

Anytime that you begin to notice these symptoms, it's crucial to make an appointment with an allergist or dermatologist, ASAP! These may be simple allergies, or they may be a symptom of something more serious, like a food allergy. Don't try to self treat at home, see a professional!

1. Rashing around your eyes or mouth.
2. Hives, wheels, or other raised itchy patches anywhere on your skin.
3. Itchy, red, or irritated skin anywhere on your body that lasts over 12 hours.

*As I am most certainly not a doctor, do consult a physician or pharmacists before taking these medications in conjunction with other medications you may already be taking. Certainly make sure to double check the labels, especially if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.