Face and hair products with natural ingredients are all the rage, but often come with a hefty price tag. Whip up your own products in your kitchen with these simple ideas from green beauty bloggers.
Flower Bouquet Facial
From: Kristin Cotte, The Grapeseed Company, Green Skin Care Blog
Best for: Deep cleaning and opening pores
Ingredients:
- A mixture of several flowers (roses, lavender, honeysuckle, eucalyptus or marigold)
- Boiling water
Directions:
- Pluck a few petals off your bouquet’s flowers and place in a large glass bowl.
- Gently crush the flower petals in the bowl to release the plant oils.
- Carefully pour boiling water over muddled petals.
- Let your concoction steep and cool for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Carefully position your face 12 inches over the bowl and steam your skin (drape a towel over your head to create a steam room effect).
- Follow with your favorite serum or moisturizer.
Avocado and Acacia Honey Mask
From: Gio Guazzarotti, Beautiful With Brains
Best for: Moisturizing and soothing irritated skin
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces ripe avocado flesh
- 1 teaspoon pure acacia honey
- 1 teaspoon molasses
- 1 ounce orange juice
- a few drops of chamomile essential oil
Directions:
- Mix all the ingredients together by either mashing in a bowl or using a blender.
- Apply the mixture on your face, and wait about 30 minutes before removing it with a washcloth.
Banana Mint Hair Mask
From: Karley Ziegler Mott, Chic & Green
Best for: A pre-shampoo hair conditioner
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana
- 10 drops peppermint essential oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut milk
- 1/2 teaspoon avocado oil (omit if your hair is oily)
Directions:
- Mash the banana and simply add in your other ingredients.
- Apply this to damp hair and massage into scalp.
- Leave in for 10 to 20 minutes, depending on hair and scalp dryness.
- Shampoo your hair; rinse as usual.
Natural Herbal Shampoo
From: Liani Widjaja, Aromatherapy At Home
Best for: Cleansing and soothing an irritated scalp
Ingredients:
- 1 ¾ liter boiling water
- ½ cup witch hazel
- 1 teaspoon chamomile oil
- 450 grams of pure soap (chopped or grated)
- 1 teaspoon rosemary
Directions:
- Combine the boiling water and soap in the large non-aluminum saucepan and bring to boil.
- Reduce heat and leave to mixture to simmer gently for a few minutes until soap has completely dissolved.
- Remove from heat and add witch hazel and essential oils.
- Stir until thoroughly blended.
- Pour the mixture into a jar or squeeze bottle when liquid.
Peppermint and Green Tea Cooling Mist
From: Liani Widjaja, Aromatherapy At Home
Best for: Refreshing tired or sunburned skin
Ingredients:
- 6 ounces distilled water
- 2 tablespoons dried peppermint leaf
- 1 teaspoon green tea leaves
Directions:
- Pour boiling water over herbs, cover and allow to sit for 2-4 hours.
- Strain leaves, and pour remaining liquid into a spray bottle. Use within 1-2 days, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Minty Margarita Soak
From: Kristin Cotte, The Grapeseed Company, Green Skin Care Blog
Best for: Soaking tired feet
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon epsom salt
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 2 limes
- A handful of fresh mint leaves, or 2 bags of peppermint tea
Directions:
- Cut 1 lime in half, squeeze juice into the basin with water and salts.
- Thinly slice the remaining lime and add. If using fresh mint, muddle leaves with mortar and pestle.
- For mint tea, rip open tea bag and pour herbs into basin.
- Soak for 10 minutes.
