5 Ways to Use Baking Soda for Beauty

Baking soda is a very versatile ingredient when it comes to beauty.  I also love that it can be found in your kitchen easily, which makes it perfect for DIY beauty treatments.  If you've read some of my posts on natural beauty before then you know that I'm a huge fan of using food grade ingredients that you typically have on hand.  Not only do I think it's great to use products that are more natural, but I think it's more fun to make your own!  Below I have for you five simple ways to incorporate baking soda into your beauty routine.

1. Shampoo Alternative

I sometimes have issues with regular shampoos since my scalp is super sensitive.  A few years ago I went on a complete shampoo detox and only used a baking soda to wash my hair, which completely changed my hair and scalp for the better.  Since I started using this mixture I now use only sulfate free shampoos and then this a few times a month as a clarifier and my hair looks so much better than before my detox.

To make the mixture I use a bottle like this (but you can also use a water bottle) and put 4-6 tbsp. baking soda into 16 oz of warm water, and then shake to mix.  I then get in the shower pour it over my roots, scrub my scalp, and rinse.  It's important to make sure you rinse your hair very thoroughly to all the baking soda out of it.  Condition as usual.

If you're looking to use this as a clarifying treatment I recommend doing this no more than two to three times a month.  If you are planning on switching your regular shampoo for this make sure to only wash your hair every few days and condition generously to avoid drying it out; I also recommend doing coconut oil treatments to help keep hair extra soft.

2. Face and Body Scrub

With it's gentle, but gritty texture baking soda is perfect for scrubbing both your face and body.  All you have to do is take baking soda and mix it with water to make a thick paste; you basically just want to take a few tablespoons of water and add small amounts of water to it until you've reached the desired consistency.  Apply the mixture to wet skin (in the shower is best for your face and body!) and massage gently in a circular motion.  When you're done scrubbing rinse off all of the scrub, pat dry, and apply lotion for super smooth skin.

3. Spot Treatment

Applying a baking soda paste to a pimple overnight will help to clear it up and dry it out quickly.  There are several different mixtures to use, but my favorite, and the easiest, is just baking soda and water.  Mix 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1 tsp. water; you want a thick paste consistency so if it is too dry add more water, and if it is too watery add more baking soda.  Take the mixture and apply to clean skin, allow it to dry before going to sleep, leave on overnight, and rinse off in the morning.  You can repeat each night until your pimple has cleared up completely.  You can find other baking soda spot treatment recipes like a Baking Soda Tea Tree Oil Paste here.

4. Teeth Whitening

Using baking soda is a really easy and inexpensive way to whiten your teeth.  There's a few different ways that you can go about using baking soda to whiten your teeth depending on what you want to do.  The most simple way is to wet your toothbrush, dip it in baking soda, and brush your teeth like you normally do, not only will this whiten your teeth, but it will clean your teeth very nicely.  If you're like me and don't like taste of just brushing your teeth with straight baking soda put toothpaste on your toothbrush, then dip it in baking soda, and brush as usual for a better tasting way to whiten.  Lastly you can mix 1 tsp. toothpaste, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. hydrogen peroxide, and 1/2 tsp. water and brush your teeth with that, but only use this mixture once a week.

5. Face Mask

Face masks are probably my favorite beauty product to whip up in my kitchen.  Baking soda is a great ingredient to use in your DIY masks as it will help with blemishes and blackheads.  Mix 1 1/2 tsp. baking soda and 1 tsp. orange juice, you want it to have the consistency of a thinner paste so so if it is too dry add more orange juice, and if it is too watery add more baking soda.  Apply this mixture to your face and leave on for twenty minutes, rinse off, pat dry, and moisturize as usual.  This mask is meant to help with blackheads and the vitamin c in the orange juice will also help to brighten your skin.  For other baking soda masks you can find countless recipes on Pinterest!

Do you use baking soda in your beauty routine?  If so how do you use it?

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowISpring, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.

5 Ways to Use Coconut Oil For Beauty

You can use coconut oil for seemingly anything - and I do; I even joke that I think coconut oil is the answer for just about everything.  My whole family is actually obsessed with coconut oil and my Mom has to buy a giant tub of it at Costco for all of us.  While it's great to cook with I always keep a container of it in my bathroom too because as I'm sure you can guess my favorite way to use this magic oil is for beauty.  Since it has a million different uses it's a great way to add more natural products to your beauty regimen and today I have for you five very simple ways that you can incorporate coconut oil into your beauty routine. 

1. Body Moisturizer

I think the most obvious use for coconut oil in beauty is as a moisturizer for your body.  Using coconut oil on your body is especially helpful during the winter months when skin tends to be significantly drier.  You can use it as a spot treatment for areas that are extra dry or you can apply it head to toe.  My favorite time to use it as a moisturizer is after a shower; if you shower at night pat your skin dry to leave some moisture behind and then apply coconut oil all over your body, including your feet, allow it to soak in for a few minutes before putting on your clothes for the softest skin of your life.

2. Hair Treatment

Coconut oil can be used alone or combined with other ingredients (like it is here) to make an intensive hair treatment.  Using a coconut oil hair treatment will bring life back to dry hair, making it softer, shinier, and healthier.  There are a few different ways I like to put just coconut oil in my hair, I usually either rub it into the ends at night before I go to bed when I know I am going to wash my hair in the morning or I section my hair and saturate each individual section with coconut oil for a really intense treatment.  

3. Facial Cleanser

You can use coconut oil to wash your face as a natural and inexpensive alternative to oil cleansers.  If you're not sure about an oil cleanser remember this, coconut oil works to gently break down the oil in your skin without drying it out.  To use it as a cleanser you will need coconut oil, and a wash cloth. Take enough coconut oil to cover your face, rub it between your hands to warm it so that it becomes a liquid, and apply to your face, massaging in a circular motion.  Wet the washcloth with the warmest water your skin can handle, and wring it out.  Take the damp cloth and lay it over your face for thirty seconds to one minute; this steams your skin and allows the pores to open up.  Remove the cloth and gently scrub your entire face with it in a circular motion.  Finish by splashing some warm water on your face.  Pat skin dry, then use toner & moisturizer as normal.

4. Cuticle Oil

Everyone suffers from dry cuticles from time to time and coconut oil is the natural alternative to cuticle oils you see in stores and at beauty salons.  I like to take a little coconut oil and rub it on my cuticles at night before bed so it can soak in overnight.  This will help to prevent dry, cracked, and peeling cuticles, which are never cute!

5. Eye Cream

If your eye area is feeling particularly dry swap your regular eye cream out for coconut oil for a few days.  Warm a tiny bit of the oil in the palm of your hand, dip your (clean) ring finger in the oil and gently tap it along the eye area.  Doing this is sure to bring the skin around your eyes back to life and is great to do from time to time to keep everything moisturized.

Do you use coconut oil in your beauty routine?  If you do let me know below, I'd love to hear how you use it!

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowIFall, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.

5 Ways to Use Honey For Beauty

Honey actually makes me really sick if I ingest it, but I always have at least one bottle of it around. You may be wondering why I keep something around that I can't eat, however the bottle I have lives in my bathroom, not my kitchen.  Why keep honey in your bathroom you may be asking yourself, well because honey is one of the best natural beauty products around.  If you've been here before and read some of my beauty posts then you know I have a big thing for natural beauty and it shouldn't come as a surprise then that I'm obsessed with this all natural multipurpose beauty gem. Below I have for you five ways to incorporate honey into your beauty routine.

1. Hair Mask

Honey is super moisturizing and will help bring even the driest strands back to life.  Additionally the softening effect that honey has will make your hair soft as silk.  I have been using honey mixtures to moisturize my hair for years now and I swear that it helps to keep my hair thick, healthy, and shiny. You can find my favorite Honey Hair Mask recipe here.

2. Facial Cleanser

I've talked about my love of using honey to wash my face on here a few times before, and you can check it out here and here.  As mentioned above honey is moisturizing so it won't dry out your skin and its antibacterial properties will help with any acne or blemishes.  To wash your face with honey take a generous dollop in your hand, add a few drops of warm water and massage all over your face in circular motions, rinse off with lukewarm water, and pat skin dry.

3. Face Mask

For the same reasons that honey makes a good cleanser (hydrating and antibacterial) it makes a good face mask.  Additionally honey's anti-inflammatory properties help to soothe skin and the antioxidants it contains helps to reduce free radicals and prevent aging.  I find using honey as a face mask to be one of my favorite and most relaxing beauty rituals, not to mention it's also super simple and always makes my skin glow.  For the mask take a very generous dollop in your hand, add a few drops of warm water and apply to your face, leave on for a minimum of fifteen minutes and up to an hour (the longer it's on the better the results), rinse with lukewarm water, and pat skin dry.

4. Spot Treatment

You can use honey to spot treat any pimples that pop up and it will help to heal them quickly. Honey will clear out the bacteria in the pimple without over drying like some harsh store bought spot treatments would.  Before bed, after cleansing your face, apply a small amount of honey to any blemishes, wash off in the morning.

5. Body Scrub

Honey is an important ingredient in homemade body scrubs as it will help to cleanse your skin during the scrub.  If you want silky smooth skin I definitely recommend adding this to your next batch of scrub.  To make a scrub mix 1 cup honey, 2 tbsp. olive oil, 2 tbsp. coconut oil, and 2 tbsp. honey, scrub skin before showering, and rinse off the mixture.

Do you use honey in your beauty routine?  If so how do you use it?

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowIFall, Hello Monday, Mingle Monday, Weekending, and MIMM.