Hi Sweet Shoppers, it’s Keely. It’s the last day before the kids go off to school and I think that calls for a little pampering before the chaos ensues. My oldest daughter and I are big fans of kitchen beauty so for our session we’re heading to the kitchen.

Over many years I’ve found that simple homemade treatments work as well or better than the products you pay for.  No crazy chemicals, no expensive ingredients,  no jars or bottles to find room for in the bathroom and everything can be whipped up in a few minutes. I’m going to share a couple of our favorites, to soothe and beautify.

(*Disclaimer- I don’t really measure beyond a guestimation. I have found that you can substitute all over the place with success.)

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In The Shower Exfoliater

1 Cup Sugar ( sometimes I use brown sugar or part brown sugar, you can also use salt or sea salt but I find it too harsh for our skin)

1/4 Cup of ground oatmeal ( I use my coffee grinder )

1/2 Cup of coconut oil

3 Tablespoons of lemon/lime/grapefruit juice

This is one I make a batch of every week or two, and keep the container in my shower. I’m prone to some skin issues and using this two or three times a week keeps those at bay and makes my skin feel so nice.

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Sensitive Skin Exfoliater

2 Parts ground oatmeal

1 Part baking soda

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Glow Softly Face Mask

1 Tablespoon of honey

2 Tablespoons of plain yogurt

Apply to clean skin. Wait 15 minutes and remove with warm water. Ahh

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Oily T Zone Mask

A bit of Coconut Oil

A bit of  Tumeric

Mix to a uniform paste, apply to clean skin. Let sit for 15 to 20 minutes then rinse with warm water and a wash cloth.

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Honestly a lot of times we’ll just mix up what we have randomly. Ripe avocado, bananas, yogurt, they make a great base.

Here’s a pretty good list of natural ingredients and their benefits. Natural Ingredients and What They Do  I’m sure you can find a plethora of info and recipes on the Google and Pinterest too.

Now for a couple of not so much recipes but some of my latest and greatest discoveries.

Coconut Oil– is the best eye make-up remover. I’ve said in multiple times and I’m saying it again.

Milk of Magnesia– as a mattifier.  I’ve seen it mentioned a time or two here and there and decided to test out my cheapy store brand version. I have weird skin, it’s super dry in places and really oily in others. In the Texas heat and humidity, especially during the summer, my make up slides and certain parts of my face get greasy fast. (not dewy, greasy) I’ve used it on my t-zone and it helps. I deem it a good bargain solution.

Moisturizing Nail Polish Remover. This isn’t natural but it’s been one of my favorite discoveries of late. I found this on Pinterest and tested it out. I love it!  It still removes your polish but it’s a lot less harsh  and drying and it costs much less than the $10 + Zoya type versions.