COVID-19 has ultimately upended everyone’s lives, from daily routines and lifestyles to work and home environments. Now, more than ever, it is of utmost importance to take care of our health, as well as our family’s health. Navigating through the sudden changes brought about by the pandemic can cause a lot of stress and put pressure on people, especially parents. It is definitely not an easy feat to juggle doing house chores, working from home, and taking care of the kids all while cooped up at home—unable to have dinner with friends, visit the spa, or even just take a breather by taking a lovely walk in the park.
Moms always worry about everyone else but tend to forget about themselves. But remember that for you to take care of your family, it is essential to take care of your own health first. Self-care is never selfish, especially during these uncertain and challenging times. You may find your hands starting to dry from too much alcohol in hand sanitizer, notice deepened wrinkles and eye bags from lack of sleep, or suffer from bad breakouts from worry and stress. It’s time to take a step back and explore some self-care practices that will help you both relax and glow from within. The best part? You can relax at home with these homemade beauty recipes, that only take a couple of easy steps to make.
8 Homemade Beauty Recipes to Try This Week
There are a ton of homemade beauty recipes you can try to amp up your skincare routine and nurture your skin without breaking the bank. Because many drugstore skincare products contain harsh and even toxic ingredients, why not give these “au naturale” beauty recipes a try for a change?
1. Hydrating Lip Balm
The last two months of the year are upon us, which means it’s the start of the sweater weather! Although sadly, it also means dry, chapped lips. Leave your lips feeling smooth and supple by making a simple homemade moisturizing and healing lip balm with just four ingredients—beeswax oil, shea butter, coconut oil, and a few drops of an essential oil of your choice.
2. Natural Lip Scrub
The holidays are right around the corner and to add some much-needed festive cheer, why not try to make a holiday-inspired lip scrub infused with peppermint? Prepare to pucker up—simply combine a few ingredients to make a homemade lip scrub: a tablespoon of sugar, a tablespoon of coconut oil, and of course, some crushed peppermint candies!
3. Cucumber Eye Mask
Lack of sleep can cause puffy eyes or even dark circles, wrinkles, and fine lines. But do you really want to use a store-bought eye mask that may contain harsh chemicals? Soothe your eyes, reduce puffiness, and leave them feeling refreshed while enjoying a spa-like experience with an easy-to-make, all-natural eye mask infused with cucumber. The recipe calls for you to have a cold cucumber fresh from the fridge and grate it onto a piece of paper towel set on top of a clean plate. After grating, gently roll the paper towel and apply it onto closed eyes.
4. Eye Makeup Remover
Because the skin around the eyes is very delicate, it’s essential to show it some well-deserved tender loving care by having a gentle eye makeup remover handy. For this recipe, just mix two tablespoons of Vitamin E oil, two tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, three tablespoons of alcohol-free witch hazel, and half a cup of purified water. Aside from naturally removing eye makeup, it’s also an easy way to bring Vitamin E into your skincare routine!
5. Soothing Face Mask
Want to pamper yourself as if you’re at a spa and bring out that healthy glow? Rather than buying expensive drugstore face masks, try making your own plumping honey and lavender mask to give your skin a youthful glow. Apart from raw honey having potent antioxidant and moisturizing properties that fight skin aging, it also kills off bacteria, helping prevent pesky pimples. You literally just need two ingredients for this DIY face mask: one tablespoon of raw honey and 2–3 drops of lavender essential oil.
6. All-Natural Spot Cream
Speaking of pesky pimples, check out an easy homemade alternative to those expensive over-the-counter spot treatments. Of course, it goes without saying that eating well and getting enough exercise is also essential in preventing awful breakouts, but apart from that, it is also important to have an all-natural spot cream handy when some pimples pop up. All you need are thyme essential oil, jojoba oil (or any skin-friendly oil that you like), and a few teaspoons of baking soda. Why thyme essential oil, you ask? Thyme has natural antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties that help bring down the swelling of pimples and heal and get rid of blemishes quickly! But, of course, if thyme essential oil isn’t available, you can always reach for and try these products.
7. Exfoliating Facial Scrub
It’s not just your lips that needs exfoliating during cold months. Dead skin cells can build up rather quickly and can cause a lot of skin problems, including (you guessed it) acne. Rejuvenate and moisturize your skin while getting rid of dead skin cells with a DIY facial scrub made of honey and brown sugar! Simply combine half a cup of brown sugar, three tablespoons of honey, and two tablespoons of an essential oil of your choice. Leave the mixture on your face for five to 10 minutes, and your skin will surely thank you after.
8. Conditioning Hair Mask
There are hundreds of available hair products to choose from these days—from your usual shampoo and conditioner to sea salt spray, overnight serums, and hair masks. But instead of going to the store and finding the right product for your hair, why not try scouting your kitchen for a DIY hair mask to breathe life back into your locks? Got some overripe avocados lying around your kitchen counter? Don’t let them go to waste! Mash one up and mix with 1/4 cup of organic coconut oil and two tablespoons of honey to make a homemade hair mask that will leave your hair feeling shiny and smooth.
Take Care of Yourself With These Recipes!
Indeed, self-care is important for parents, especially during these uncertain and challenging times. Make sure to take time for yourself. What better way to do so than recreating a spa-like experience with these easy DIY homemade beauty recipes that will rejuvenate and do wonders for your skin and hair!
