DIY: Natural beauty tips from EcoStiletto

Posted on Aug 18, 2011

Posted by Natasha Garber, Editor, EcoStiletto

What’s a natural beauty? That depends. At EcoStiletto, our readers range from hard-core treehuggers to newbie ecoistas just learning about red flags on labels. But all of us recognize the fine feeling of accomplishment that you get from DIY beauty products. There’s something to be said for awesome labels and beautiful packaging, but grabbing something from your pantry and making miracles on your face? That’s priceless.

Here are a few of our favorites:

After a plane flight or a dry spell, take a few minutes to slather some raw, organic honey on your face (after cleansing, of course). A natural emollient—that’s something that makes your skin softer—honey has antiseptic qualities as well.Ten minutes in this “mask” and you’ll notice the difference—just don’t give into the temptation to lick it all off.

We love a good exfoliating scrub. At EcoStiletto, we’ve written about virtually every incarnation of exfoliators–from those made with fast-acting fruit acids to just-add-water dry mixtures. But we’ve never found anything that’s quite so convenient as sugar. Grab a small, clean jar, fill it with organic sugar—granulated, if you’ve got thick skin; brown, if you’re delicate—seal it shut, and set it in the shower. In the morning, grab a palm full and massage into your skin with gentle, circular motions. When the sugar dissolves, you know you’re done; pat it dry and feel the difference.

A session in the sauna can be awesome to relax tired muscles and open pores. But why not make your local sauna trip a beauty treatment as well? Slice open a lemon before you step inside, then rub it all over your face (be careful to avoid your eyes), pressing gently to release the juices. As you relax in the sauna, the fruit acids will go to work, dissolving the old skin cells and making room for the new. With regular use, we’ve seen this type of treatment reduce brown spots and wrinkles—not that we’d admit to them, of course.

Want to find out more? Check out our oh-so-unofficial definition on our What is Green Beauty? page here. Then sign up for EcoStiletto’s free weekly newsletter here, where you get first dibs on eco-swag giveaways worth $750+ per month, plus exclusive invites to EcoStiletto Presents Green Girls Night Out at Kimpton Hotels parties nationwide, which Tom’s of Maine is sponsoring! See you there!