If you’re cheap, or like some of us have been ‘burned’ (and have a quest for beauty tale you’d rather not share), or maybe you’re simply a lover of natural products this article is for you. I’m about to give you a list of products tested and tried by yours truly(and friends)… for the love of beauty!
- Honey: Put a drop in your bath water, plaster on your face and leave for an hour, or all over your body – if you want. It’s also great as a hair steam product. Honey is my no1 beauty ingredient of the year, make that the century. Now here’s a honey tip I haven’t tried yet (but I intend to): add some drops of orange juice to your bowl of honey just before you place it on your face. This will help tighten your pores and help your skin glow (so they said). What’s the worst that could happen? Your face couldn’t get burnt anyway!
- Mayonnaise: Tested and tried by many of my dear friends- but not by me; it worked wonders on stubborn pimples. Why didn’t I try it? I thought it was an ‘expensive’ beauty treatment (the idea is to use things that were cheap anyway) and a waste of tasty ‘sandwich’ paste! I’d rather have ‘mayo’ in my body than on it, but I can testify to its wondrous works for a smoother face!
- Egg: This acts as a skin-deep moisturizer that makes the skin supple. It has been recommended by countless beauty editors as a fantastic face mask and hair steam ingredient (which I have used- often!).
- Olive Oil: For those who live in areas with cold climates, it’s not just good for cooking alone- or ‘bathing’ in when there’s a ‘spiritual’ attack (I mean no offense to Christians!). It’s a great steam agent for hair and a fantastic moisturizer for dry skin. Its name in Christian parlance “Balm of Gilead” is real in every sense because the effects are almost magical!
- Palm Oil: A dear friend of mine has the most amazing skin to touch; it’s the real deal when it comes to silky soft. When most would have given the praise to L’Oréal or Nivea, she testifies proudly that she owes it to palm oil that her mother used to bathe her in the village while growing up!
- Aloe vera: This is the king of all natural beauty products. It does wonders to the hair as a conditioner, steam agent and moisturizer. It can be used any and everywhere; both in and outside the body. From soaps and creams to shampoos and mousse, aloe vera has the same effect as waving a beauty magic wand from head to toe!
- Banana: If you don’t mind mashing it up and washing up when you’re done, banana and sugar, make an excellent exfoliator and face scrub. I didn’t see any changes when I tried it on my hair though, but maybe that was because I spent more effort, washing it out with shampoo afterwards!
- Orange peel: A friend of mine first showed me this trick in high school; peel an orange and use the ‘stinging’ juice that comes from the back of the skin to clean your face. The results are like “Clearasil” but did I mention it may sting a little? But that doesn’t matter because pain is beauty- right?
What natural products have you tried and tested? Whether it was a good or bad experience, please send in your comments and testify!