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South Australians now have at least seven days stuck at home. Between the stress of working from home with your kids, wearing masks, and likely lots of snacking to pass the time, this week can be hard on your skin, and it can be easy to let your skincare routine fall through the cracks. Additionally, because SA residents are instructed to stay at home, heading to buy products from your favourite skincare line isn’t really an option.
Luckily, Megan Potter have put together ideas for how to pamper yourself with basic household items right from the fridge. Potter is the creator of a South Australian mineral cosmetics and certified organic skincare brand, so she knows what natural ingredients are the most effective when it comes to DIY beauty products.
From hair treatments to face masks, here are some pampering products you can make for yourself right from your own pantry.
- Coffee Body Scrub + Lip Scrub
- What you’ll need: Coffee grounds and hemp seed oil
- This morning I made a scrub using coffee grounds and hemp seed oil. Not everyone will have hemp seed oil in their cupboard but I like it because its high in essential fatty acids and it moisturises without clogging your pores (also known as non-comedogenic), making it safe for face and body. I also love it as a lip scrub! Just mix together equal parts to make a paste. It can be messy so I recommend using this in the shower or over the sink.
- Banana Cinnamon Oats Mask
- What you’ll need: Natural oats, banana and cinnamon
- Oats are great for soothing irritated/inflamed skin. Mix half a cup of cooked oats with half a mashed banana. Sprinkle in some cinnamon too! Both banana and cinnamon are high in antioxidants and bananas are loaded with Vitamin A to assist with skin cell turnover. Plus, it smells delicious!
- Cooling Cucumber Mask
- What you’ll need: Cucumber, avocado and lemon
- We’ve known for a long time that slices of cucumber are nice and cooling for our eyes to assist with puffiness. Take it one step further and try pureeing cucumber with avocado and a squeeze of lemon for a cooling vitamin enriched mask. Cucumber is high in vitamin E, while avocado boasts essential fatty acids to moisturise the skin and lemon contains vitamin C (the lemon also stops the mask going brown too quick).
- Coconut Oil Hair Mask
- What you’ll need: Coconut oil – That’s it!
- Coconut oil is such a versatile pantry staple, but it is also great for scalp health and prevents hair breakage. Massage it in from the root to tip, gently comb it through, then rinse thoroughly. I recommend shampooing your hair afterwards if you’re prone to oily hair. If you’re after a more intense, nourishing treatment you can apply to your scalp and hair, tie up into a bun and sleep in it. Perhaps just pop a towel over your pillowcase to protect any special bed linen from getting oil on it.
- Apple Cider Vinegar Toner + Hair Rinse Treatment
- What you’ll need: Apple cider vinegar and water
- Dilute one part apple cider vinegar with two parts water to make a toner, which you can pour into a spray bottle to keep on hand at home. Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid, which is both antifungal and antibacterial. For an at-home hair treatment, you can also mix half a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water to make a hair rinse. It will restore the scalps natural pH and seal the hair cuticle shut to promote shiny soft strands.
- Leave for 5 minutes, then rinse and follow with conditioner if required.