Farm to Face: Complete Your Skincare Routine Using Only Items in YourKitchen

Look no further!  Some of the best facial treatments can be found in your kitchen.  Why spend hundreds of dollars on products, when you can make them yourself?  


1.  Cleanser = Baking Soda + Honey
 
Not only does baking soda draw out impurities from your pores like a packaged face wash would, but it also provides gentle exfoliation (much gentler than salt or sugar).  It is a little difficult to rub over your face, so use honey to make a more user-friendly paste.  Honey is, in my opinion, one of beauty's best kept secrets.  It has moisturizing and antiseptic properties and is packed with anti-oxidants.  This powerful combo will leave your skin glowing!

 
2.  Toner = Rice Water + Green Tea

Take some uncooked rice and dump it into some water.  Swirl the rice around in the bowl, until the water becomes cloudy.  Strain the rice out of the mixture, so that you're left with the cloudy, rice water.  Rice water has the ability to naturally soothe and calm skin with its anti-inflammatory, hydrating, and nourishing properties.  Next, soak a green tea bag in the rice water for 10 minutes.  Green tea will help remove left-behind residue, tighten pores, and provide anti-oxidant protection.

3.  Mask = Banana + Yogurt
 
Mush up a banana with a fork and then mix it with some plain yogurt (you don't want to have chunks of preserved fruit your face) and then smooth it over your face.  Leave it on your skin for 15-20 minutes before rinsing it off.  Bananas are a natural skin conditioner.  Rich in vitamins A, B, C, and E, this anti-aging fruit brightens and restores moisture to dull skin.  Yogurt also offers a variety of skin benefits.  First, it tightens pores and evens out your complexion.  Second, it has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, which helps keep breakouts from forming.  Lastly, the lactic acid will help exfoliate, soothe, and moisturize.


4.  Treatment = (Aspirin + Cinnamon) or (Red Wine) or (Apples + Strawberries)

If you are concerned about blemishes, you can find a natural version of the common acne-fighting ingredient, salicylic acid in aspirin.  Simply, take an un-coated (coated tablets don't break down very easily) and allow it to dissolve in a bowl of water.  Add a dash of cinnamon before applying the concoction to your skin.  Cinnamon will dry out zits and pull nutrients to the skin's surface.

If you are concerned about wrinkles, put a few drops of red wine on a cotton ball and rub it over your face using a gentle, circular motion.  One of the strongest anti-oxidants in skincare is resveratrol, which comes from grapes, and helps delay signs of aging.  Red wine is full of resveratrol, and it's much less sticky than rubbing a grape against your face.

If you are concerned about dark spots, place an apple slice and a strawberry in a small bowl

of water...mush and stir the ingredients to release the fruit juices.  Use a cotton ball to sweep the solution over your skin.  Apples contain natural alpha-hydroxy acids, which promote cell turnover.  Strawberries also contain alpha-hydroxy acids and are rich in vitamin C...a great brightening agent.  Many of us have heard of using lemons to lighten hair.  Lemons have bleaching properties, so they can also be used to lighten skin, but they can also make your skin very sensitive to the sun, so be careful if you decide to use it.

5.  Moisturizer = Olive Oil 

Olive oil (or you can substitute it for almond oil or grapeseed oil) is an ancient beauty secret. The premier skincare brand, DHC, even features olive oil as its main ingredient because it creates a barrier against free radicals and irritants.  And not to mention, it has great hydrating properties.  Pat some over your face and then rinse off the excess with a little bit of cool water.

 


The best part about making your own skincare products is that you can ensure that they're healthy and toxin-free.  Whether you're short on cash, have sensitive skin, or are an organic products geek, these quick and easy steps will leave you looking radiant and feeling fresh.