beauty diy | 3 natural beauty recipes for hair, face and body

On Monday morning I had the privilege of going on to one of my favorite metro morning shows, Better Kansas City, to talk DIY natural beauty recipes with co-host Lisa Holbrook.

(The last time I was on air for the show, I talked summer-to-fall transition fashion with Kelly Jones!)

Watch Lisa Holbrook and me on KCTV5’s “Better Kansas City”

Here’s the scoop on these three DIY beauty treatments:

1. Nourishing Hair Oil Treatment

Ingredients

1 part avocado oil
1 part coconut oil
5-10 drops lavender or rosemary essential oil

Instructions

If it’s colder than 76 degrees in your home, you may notice that your coconut oil is now a pure white solid. All you have to do is heat up container of coconut oil by setting it in a saucepan of water on the stove, set to low. The coconut oil will get back to its liquid state, and the warmth of the oil will feel lovely on your hair!

Simply mix equal parts coconut oil and avocado oil in a small container (use what you need for one application, or make more to last a week — just be sure to store it in a cool, dry place). Then, drop 5-10 splashes of essential oil into your creation. Go easy on the essential oil! You can always add more if like.

I use this treatment on my hair’s ends up through the mid-shaft area to help temporarily seal split ends and keep my locks soft and strong.

Why I Use These Ingredients

A study in the Journal of Cosmetic Science showed that coconut oil is able to bind itself to weak spots in the hair and help reduce protein loss. This provides temporary strength and helps the hair look thicker and shinier.

I use Tropical Traditions’ Certified-Organic Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil, the creme de la creme of coconut oils, which the company gifted to me for sampling and review. (My review: I love it. Longer review later.:))

Avocado oil is a new love of mine. It’s amazing at moisturizing dry, damaged hair thanks to its high vitamin count — vitamins A, B, D and E.

I choose rosemary oil for an invigorating scalp treatment. It’s been shown to help with hair regeneration, and it has wonderful aromatherapy benefits — especially if you apply this treatment in the morning pre-shower.

On the converse, you can also use lavender oil for a calming effect during an overnight hair oil treatment. Lavender essential oil, which is naturally anti-inflammatory and antibacterial, has a balancing effect on the scalp. Here’s to hoping flakies, blemishes and overly oily glands calm down!

2. Hydrating Facial Serum

Ingredients

2/3 jojoba oil*
1/3 tamanu oil**
5-10 drops jasmine essential oil***

*(You can also substitute argan oil, sweet almond oil, grapeseed oil or avocado oil for the jojoba oil— experiment and see what you like!)

**(You can also substitute rose hip seed oil — it’s great for all skin types — for the tamanu oil. Again, experiment!)

***(Rose, lavender, rosemary and lemongrass are also great choices; rose is perfect for dry skin while the other three a good for acne-prone skin)

Instructions

Fill a dropper bottle 2/3 full of your “base” oil, aka jojoba oil or one of the other recommended oils. Then, fill the remaining 1/3 with your second oil of choice — this is your hardworking oil that is treating your specific skin type. For me, it’s tamanu oil for acne.

I’d recommend playing with these ratios a bit. You may find that your skin reacts better with a little more “treatment” oil and a little less carrier/base oil. Leave enough room on top to drop 5-10 splashes of your favorite essential oil. I love jasmine for its luxurious, romantic scent.

Why I Use These Ingredients

Jojoba oil is a great base or “carrier” oil because it’s lightweight, odorless and easily absorbed by the skin. It’s very similar to our skin’s natural oil, sebum, so using jojoba oil on your face helps “trick” your skin into thinking it has produced enough oil — this can help keep your face clear of breakouts as well as clear of dry patches.

In my humble opinion, tamanu oil is going to be one of the next big “it” oils. It hails from Southeast Asia (like my mom! :)) and has a distinct, nutty smell. Tamanu oil is known for its antiseptic, antifungal properties, so this is another good oil for acne-prone or hormonally imbalanced skin.

3. Exfoliating Pumpkin Pie Sugar Scrub

Ingredients

2 cups brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup sweet almond oil
2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice OR equal parts ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon

Instructions

Mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a mixing bowl. Be sure to get out all the clumps (you may need to use your hands in addition to a wooden spoon) before adding in the sweet almond oil. After adding the oil, mix the concoction a bit more before transferring it to a glass jar and sealing it with a tight lid.

Why I Use These Ingredients

It’s so simple — literally just sugar and oil, so you probably have 2/3 of this recipe on hand already. Brown and granulated sugar naturally exfoliate your skin while sweet almond oil (or any carrier oil you want — just choose one that doesn’t have a strong odor so the sugar smell can come through) soften skin.

Add pumpkin pie spice for a yummy scent, or use your favorite essential oils for aromatherapy benefits.

What are your favorite DIY beauty recipes? What essential oils and carrier oils do you adore? Tell me your best natural beauty tips in the comments section!


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