Looking for a great moisturizer for your skin care routine? If so, instead of heading to the spa, head straight to your kitchen for natural skin care that’s super easy to whip up. Food is not only good for your body and soul; there’s lots of food that’s good for your skin too. Using common kitchen ingredients can help even the most frugal person to get good skin while keeping a tight budget. Choose your ingredients based on your skin condition, and get ready to whip up some beauty in your kitchen with the recipes below.
The 3 Best Foods to Use for Skin Care:
Oatmeal is the number one food used to calm sore, itchy or dry skin caused by irritants, sunburn or a rash. According to WebMD, oats have been used to treat dry skin for centuries. Only recently though have researchers discovered what eases the itch: chemicals called avenanthramides that fight inflammation and redness. The Old Farmer’s Almanac discourages purchasing expensive premade oatmeal preparations and simply suggests “pour a cup or two of plain, uncooked oat flour or rolled oats into the cut-off leg of an old pair of pantyhose or a tube sock, tie it loosely and set it under the faucet as you draw a tepid bath. Let the oats soak for a while in the water, periodically squeezing the stocking-bag to release the liquid. Try adding the liquid from squeezing out the sock to your favorite leave-on moisturizer to help hydrate the skin further.
Honey is another favorite skin care food because of its natural antibacterial and anti-fungal healing properties. To help heal acne prone skin, simply rub raw honey on clean skin and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, then rinse off and use your favorite moisturizer. Another great way to add honey to your skin care regimen is by making this quick and easy Oatmeal Honey Scrub recipe from DabblesandBabbles.com. This easy scrub can heal irritated, sore or dry skin. Make only enough to last about a week, keeping the unused scrub in the refrigerator and warming to room temperature before using.
Oatmeal Honey Scrub Recipe:
- Two parts oatmeal (ground up finely in a blender or food processor)
- One part honey
- One part sweet almond oil (or coconut or olive oil – which ever you prefer)
Mix everything together until it’s a thick sticky mixture. Feel free to add a little extra oil or even a few drops of water if it’s too sticky or clumpy. Smooth onto face and rub into skin for a couple of minutes and then rinse off.
Coconut Oil is used in many high-end skin care products, and for good reason. According to Prevention.com coconut oil is an excellent moisturizer that contains natural antibacterial and antifungal properties that can even help heal atopic dermatitis, a very itchy condition. Prevention magazine suggests using the oil to moisturize your hands and body, condition your hair, shave and even remove eye makeup. Take advantage of the healing properties by rubbing coconut oil into your face in a circular motion, then wash off the residue with your favorite face wash. Try adding a bit of coconut oil to your summer moisturizer to convert it into a stronger moisturizer for the winter months.
Bonus! 2 Great Foods to Pamper Aging Skin:
As your skin gets older, pamper yourself with some wine and roses to help ward off those pesky wrinkles and reduce the signs of aging caused by sun damage.
Rose water (see recipe below) helps maintain skin’s PH balance, heals sore and dry skin and may help soften wrinkles and fine lines. Be sure to use organic, pesticide free rose petals as commercial flowers are often sprayed heavily with chemicals. You can add a drop of lavender oil for additional healing and fragrance. Rose water can be misted on your skin or added to your favorite moisturizer.
How to make Rose Water:
¼ cup dried rose petals or ¾ cup fresh rose petals (organic, pesticide free)
1½ cups distilled water
In a small saucepan pour water over rose petals and place over medium-low heat. Cover pan and bring just to a simmer. Lower heat and continue to gently simmer for 5-10 minutes or until the color of the roses fade. Remove from heat and let cool completely, while covered. Strain petals from the water using a colander or cheesecloth and refrigerate in a dark glass jar with a lid for up to 3 weeks.
Next time you are enjoying a glass of your favorite wine remember the potent antioxidant called resveratrol, found primarily in red grapes and wine, may help protect skin from sun damage. A growing body of evidence, including a study by the National Institute of Health (2005), suggests resveratrol may protect skin from the sun, and reduce fine lines and wrinkles; it may also help prevent the development of skin cancer. Adding a touch of red wine to your favorite moisturizer might just kick up the SPF a bit and add a touch of wrinkle prevention. A study by The American Journal of Clinical Dermatology (2011) found that people who used a gel containing resveratrol on their skin for 30 days had a reduction in acne.
One more tip: choose organic ingredients to produce your own organic skin care line. For an easy 3-ingredient body moisturizer, try the recipe below from naturalandhealthyliving.com.
Homemade Moisturizer:
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 tsp. liquid vitamin E (Amazon.com)
12 drops lavender essential oil
Simply melt the coconut oil (by placing the jar into a bowl of warm water) and thoroughly mix in the Vitamin E and Lavender oil. Store in a glass jar with a lid.
So next time you are deciding how to have that perfect skin, instead of spending big bucks on high-end skincare products, head right to your kitchen for the best, easiest and cheapest skincare routine.
