5 Natural Beauty Tips Straight from Your Kitchen Cabinet

Cleaning out your kitchen, mama? Before you throw away those lemons or coffee grounds, check out these amazingly simple beauty tips from our clever beauty expert!

Got a skin or hair issue to solve? Before you make a beeline for the beauty aisle of your department store, you should actually open your kitchen cabinet. There’s a whole world of ingredients that can actually solve almost any beauty problem imaginable. Most take no time to whip up and won’t burn a hole in your pocket, either. Here are 5 totally natural beauty recipes that you just have to try, mama!

1. Skin toner: Green Tea

If you suffer from blemished, oily or acne-prone skin, it’s best to stay away from harsh chemical toners that do more harm than good by stripping your skin. Instead try good old green tea to soothe, calm and clear your skin. Just use it regularly for a few weeks to see the difference.

Ingredients: Green tea leaves (or bag) + fresh water

Method: Brew a fresh cup of green tea. Let it cool. Pour it into a bottle and refrigerate. Don’t store for more than 3 days, so keep making small batches.

Application: Soak cotton pads with the green tea and swipe all over your face. Use in the morning and evening after cleansing your skin.

Why it works: Green tea is brimming with anti-oxidants that soothe and heal angry, red, irritated skin.

2. Sunburn soother: Sugared Greek Yogurt

Lounging by the pool on the weekend is something we all really enjoy. But the sun is really harsh in Singapore and if you drift off to sleep, you could wake up to a really bad sunburn. Greek yogurt and sugar to the rescue!

Ingredients: Greek yogurt + sugar

Method: Mix a tablespoon of sugar in a cup of Greek yogurt.

Application: Apply a thick layer all over the sunburn. Leave on for 15-20 mins and rinse off.

Why it works: The lactic acid in the Greek yogurt calms skin and reduces redness and swelling, while the glycolic acid in the sugar gently exfoliates the dead skin and reduces inflammation.

3. Anti-dandruff and hair fall reducer: Rosemary Rinse

Forget anti-dandruff shampoos that contain truckloads of detergent. Forget shine serums chock-full with silicones. Forget shady hair tonics that promise hair growth. And say hello to Rosemary Rinse!

Ingredients: 10 sprigs of Rosemary + 3 cups of water

Method: Boil the water and then add rosemary. Let it steep for 15-30mins and then sift away the leaves. That’s it!

Application: After shampooing, pour it over your scalp and hair. Do not rinse out!

Why it works: Rosemary contains ursolic acid, which improves circulation in your scalp and promotes hair growth. It also contains powerful anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory properties that help fight dandruff. And if that wasn’t enough, it’s packed with anti-oxidants that give your hair an unmatched shine.

4. Cellulite fighter: Coffee Scrub

Most cellulite creams contain caffeine, as it’s the classic cellulite fighter. So why not make use of that extra coffee lying around your kitchen to reap its amazing smoothening and toning benefits? Need another reason? This scrub smells way better than any store-bought cream!

Ingredients: ½ cup ground coffee + ½ cup coconut oil + ¼ cup raw sugar

Method: Mix in a bowl until everything is combined. Store it at room temperature in an airtight mason jar.

Application: Start massaging the scrub in a circular motion from your feet and work your way up to your neck. Let it ‘sit’ for 15-20 minutes and rinse. Repeat 2-3 times a week to see a visible difference.

Why it works: The ground coffee releases small amounts of caffeine, which is absorbed into your skin and spikes circulation and temporarily shrinks fat cells, improving your skin tone almost immediately. The coconut oil is packed with Vitamin E that moisturizes your skin. The raw sugar gently buffs your skin, making it instantly smooth and shiny.

5. Dry and dark elbow lightener: Lemon halves

Got dry, dark elbows and no amount of moisturiser seems to work? Try this trick and you will see a difference almost immediately.

Ingredients: 1 lemon + 1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tbsp table salt

Method: Cut a large lemon into two equal halves. Dip the pulpy part first into olive oil and then into the  salt.

Application: Scrub each lemon half coated with oil and salt onto your elbows for 10 to 15 minutes.

Why it works: The lemon juice acts as a mild natural bleaching agent, the grainy salt gently exfoliates dead skin cells, while the olive oil works as a moisturiser.

Not only are these beauty solutions cost-effective, mama, but most of them smell amazing. Happy pampering!