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 Under-eye
bags and dry, blotchy skin hindering your inner radiance from
shining forth? You could head over to Saks and eradicate the
problems with pricey lotions and potions. Or, you could skedaddle
right into your kitchen and pamper yourself with ingredients
gleaned from your pantry. As an editor, I have spent years
test driving the latest and greatest skin care products. What
I’ve discovered is that my favorite products are derived
from the natural foods in my kitchen. That’s right. A
trip to the supermarket yields nutrients for your body and
your face. With the right mélange of all natural ingredients—yogurt,
oatmeal, lemon, green tea, bananas—you can exfoliate,
brighten, tighten and hydrate your skin.
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Yogurt: Slather plain yogurt on your face
and the natural lactic acid will cleanse pores, dissolve
dead skin cells and soften skin. You can combine it with
honey for dry skin or lemon juice for oily skin. |
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Sugar: Exfoliate dry, flaky lips
with sugar granules mixed with olive oil. |
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Egg Whites: Whisk them and use
to temporarily tighten and brighten the face. |
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Bananas, Honey and Sour Cream: Mix together
for a fantastic exfoliating mask. Banana pulp soothes,
honey moistens and sour cream is a thick, natural lactic
acid. |
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Honey: A natural humectant that moistens
the face (and lips) as well as a rich night cream. |
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Cucumber: grind a quarter of a cool cucumber,
compress into a paper towel to soothe and de-puff under
eye area. Cucumber is high in magnesium and ascorbic acids,
which prevent water retention and relieve swelling. |
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Green Tea: Steep tea bags, let them cool
and press on the eyes. The polyphenols, tannins and caffeine
de-puff the eye |
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Olive Oil: Put a capful in tub to moisturize
the body, put on dry cuticles, put in hair for an hour
before shampooing. The linoleic acid in this oil prevents
water from evaporating so it helps retain moisture. |
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Oatmeal: The perfect exfoliant, oatmeal’s
grainy texture and wealth of proteins and lubricating
fats naturally remove dirt and oil from pores. Polysaccharides
leave a protective film on skin which prevents flakiness.
You can make a mask with raw oats and water or yogurt
to exfoliate and moisturize. |
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Ice: Dabbing around the eye decreases under-eye
bags and swelling by narrowing blood vessels. |
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Lemons: Rub over the face to clarify pores
and lighten and brighten the skin. |
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