Beauty Basics – Edible Beauty Treatments March 14, 2008

Money doesn’t grow on trees but some of the most effective beauty treatments sure do.  Many of the items we put in and especially on our bodies strip us of much needed vitamins and nutrients.  An ideal beauty treatment will make you look and feel better, but we usually find ourselves compromising beauty for toxins and unwanted additives.  No more!  With a blender and a little trip down to your local farmer’s market, you can whip up your own beauty treatments in no time.  And, if you end up mixing more than you need, just eat what’s left over… it’s good for your insides too!

Hair  

 

Apricot & Honey Intense Hair Conditioner

 

This treatment works well on coarse, thick hair, it will smooth out the frizzies and strengthen the brittle.  Use once a week especially during the colder months.Ingredients 

•  1 small apricot
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1 Tbsp apricot oil or nectar

Directions

 

• Remove pit from apricot
• Blend ingredients until smooth
• Apply mixture to freshly washed hair
• Cover hair with plastic cap
• Leave on for 30 minutes
• Rinse with cool water and style as usual

 Coconut Protein Hair Treatment

 

Think of this one as a smoothie for your hair.  This treatment will revive the most damaged hair and resuscitate your locks with a vengeance. 

 

Ingredients

 

• 2 eggs
• 2 Tbsp coconut milk
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Directions

 

• Mix all ingredients in a bowl until well blended
• Apply to wet hair prior to shampooing
• Allow to set for 30 minutes
• Rinse well with warm water
• Shampoo as usual
• Towel drying is preferable with damaged hair

 Lemon Hydrating Shampoo

 

This treatment is great for the hair and scalp.  Use twice a week for shinier, healthier hair.

 

Ingredients

 

• 3 eggs
• 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise 

Directions

 

• Blend all ingredients until smooth
• Add 2 Tbsp of shampoo to mixture
• Blend well
• Wet hair and use mixture to shampoo
• Rinse with warm water
• This mixture can be refrigerated in airtight storage for up to a week

Skin

 

I wouldn’t recommend ingesting some of the treatments below, but they have proven to be quite effective externally.

 

Oily Skin

 

Buttermilk & Fennel Cleansing Milk 

 

Ingredients

 

• 1/2 cup of buttermilk
• 2 Tbsp crushed fennel seeds

Directions

 

• Heat milk & fennel seeds until boiling (30 minutes)
• Turn off heat & let steep for 2 hours
• Strain, cool & pour into bottle
• Refrigerate for up to 2 weeks

Cornmeal Cleanser

 

Ingredients

 

• Castile soap
• 1 Tbsp cornmeal

Directions

 

• Wet face
• Pour a 1/2 tsp of Castile soap in the palm of your hand
• Add cornmeal
• Mix meal & soap into a lather
• Wash face being careful around delicate areas (eyes)

Dry Skin

 

Chamomile Cleansing Milk

 

Ingredients

 

• 1/4 cup cream
• 1/4 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp chamomile flowers, dried or fresh

Directions

 

• Simmer ingredients in pot for 30 minutes (make sure milk doesn’t boil)
•  Turn off heat and let sit for 2 hours
• Refrigerate
• Apply with cotton balls

Honey Cleanser

 

Ingredients

 

• Castile soap
• Tsp honey 

Directions

 

• Wet face
• Pour a 1/2 tsp of Castile soap in the palm of your hand
• Add honey
• Mix honey & soap into a lather
• Wash face

If you have the time, you should try to make a spa day of it.  These treatments are not only good for your beauty regimen, they’re fun to concoct.  Invite a friend, or two, or seven and bask in all that nature has provided us.  And the best part is, it’ll cost you a fraction of the price of anything else you’ve ever tried.