SELF CARE QUARANTINE BEAUTY HACKS

Natural Home Solutions to Stay Glowing While You Isolate

Life in self-isolation can take a toll on our beauty routines. At some point, we need our Botox, our gray is growing out, our split ends need trimming, a pimple or two pops up, and cuticles need care. On top of it all, we may be running low on favorite products. The good news is, some of the most rejuvenating and age-defying beauty treatments are sitting right in our kitchens or local grocery store. I’ve used these simple solutions in a pinch for years, and we can turn to them again while the coronavirus keeps us quarantined. Let’s hear it for the humble onion… 

FOR YOUR FACE

Natural Mini-Botox
For a natural stopgap Botox treatment, all you need is a handful of grapes, 1 tbs. of plain yogurt, ½ oz. carrot juice and 2 tbs. of arrowroot powder. Crush the grapes, and then add the rest of the ingredients. Mix and apply to your face for 10 minutes before washing off. Your skin will look firmer and tighter, and feel soft and rejuvenated. Bonus: It also lessens puffiness under your eyes and lightens dark circles. For extra moisture, add a few drops of a light, quick-absorbing oil like Rosehip oil. (Silktáge’s Pure Chilean Rosehip Oil).

 Fight Acne and Blemishes

If you’re without your usual products to fight acne flare-ups, the humble onion might just be your best friend. Mix 1 tbs. of onion juice or extract with 1 tbs. of honey and apply it to your face.

Enlarged pores and oily skin can be treated with a mix of 1 tsp. each of baking soda and turmeric and 1 tbs. of orange juice. Blend well and apply to face for 20 minutes.

 For an exfoliating face scrub, mix 1 tbs. of raw almond butter with honey or maple syrup and apply to your face. Gently rub in a circular motion, avoiding the under-eye area. Leave on for 5 minutes and rinse. Enjoy the silky, supple results – and enjoy the leftovers spread on a piece of whole wheat bread. 
Bonus tip: Extend the life of your moisturizer by adding a few drops of oil. Body lotions can take heavier oils (coconut, olive); use lighter oils (argan, grapeseed, rosehip) with facial moisturizers.

FOR YOUR HAIR

For color touch-ups, brunettes can apply molasses to their roots for up to two hours to darken roots and nourish the hair and scalp. Redheads or strawberry blondes can rinse hair after washing with a 50/50 solution of water and cranberry juice. This technique works especially well if you spend some time in the sun after applying the rinse. Hibiscus tea can be used as a cranberry juice alternative.

To slow split ends until you can get back to the salon, a blend of egg yolk and maple syrup can do the trick. Egg yolk is packed with protein and amino acids that prevent split ends from worsening, and the syrup has natural humectant properties that help hydrate hair. Add a tablespoon of olive oil, and you have the perfect solution to seal and nourish the hair cuticles.

 Out of your favorite hair conditioner? You can clean and condition at once by pouring a can of beer from the roots to the ends of your hair. Massage well and rinse. To help dry, fragile hair, blend a tablespoon of mayonnaise into the beer.

 For a natural, effective dandruff shampoo substitute, massage a few drops of castor oil into the scalp. Castor oil is a natural hair and skin conditioner due to its anti-inflammatory properties, which help reduce flaking and irritation. (Silktáge Pure Indian Castor Oil). Lemongrass essential oil is also an effective dandruff treatment – add a few drops to your regular shampoo for further relief.

FOR YOUR TEETH

Overdue for a cleaning at your dentist? Crush one strawberry to a pulp; add a pinch of baking soda and mix into a brushing paste. Strawberries contain malic acid (used in some toothpastes), which increases saliva and breaks up the particles that make stains on your teeth, while the baking soda contributes to a whiter smile. Apples also have a high concentration of malic acid – rub a slice over your teeth before enjoying as a snack!

 Oil pulling is an ancient practice that involves swishing oil in your mouth to remove bacteria and promote oral hygiene. This draws out toxins in the mouth for improved oral and overall health. Put 1 tbs. of coconut, sesame, or olive oil in your mouth and push and pull the oil through your teeth. Swish it around in your mouth for 15-20 minutes, being careful not to swallow any of the oil. Rinse and then brush teeth.

 FOR YOUR NAILS

Missing your standing mani appointment is actually a good way to give your nails a much-needed breather. Treat them to a little TLC with a few easy steps:

 Remove nail polish and wash hands with soap and water. Mix 2 tsp. of baking soda and 1 tbsp. of apple cider vinegar into 1 cup of water and soak hands for 10 minutes to clean and lighten nails and cuticles.

 The final step is hydration – the best way to keep nails and cuticles strong, soft and healthy. Mix 2 tbs. each of olive oil and coconut oil in a bowl and soak for 10 minutes before wiping off. Argan oil is another amazing hydrator. Massaging a few drops directly into nails and cuticles also increases circulation and blood flow to the nails.

Bonus nail boost: The outside of an orange has more nutritional value than the inside. Grate an orange peel and rub it on the nails to strengthen and protect them from breakage and discoloration.

 FOR YOUR HANDS

Excessive hand washing and sanitizing can cause extreme dryness, redness and, for those with eczema, flare ups. Using harsh soaps with anti-bacterial ingredients will cause irritation to the skin. We don’t need to use anti-bacterial soap – any soap will do. The best way to combat dryness from frequent hand washing is to use a moisturizing soap, rinse with cool water (not hot!) and moisturize your hands after every wash. Damaged hands need serious moisturizing. Apply a super-moisturizing oil like coconut oil or Silktage Coco Argan Renewal Oil to your hands and cover them with cotton gloves (or even a pair of wool socks) before going to bed.

 FOR YOUR FEET

Happy feet make for a happy body, but they’re often the most ignored part of our beauty routine. Here’s how to give them the love they deserve:

Remove polish and soak feet in a bucket with ½ gallon of warm water, 6 tbs of baking soda and 1 oz. of apple cider vinegar to help clean your feet and remove toxins and fungus. (Add a few drops of lavender, rosemary or peppermint essential oils for more soothing and relaxing effects.) Soak for 20 minutes.

 At night, soak your feet in a footbath made with a cup full of Epsom salts and a few drops of lavender oil. Rinse, then rub your feet with coconut or sesame oil and put on socks. This will help you sleep like a baby and wake up to smooth, nourished feet.

Give your feet a mask treatment to detoxify, hydrate and exfoliate the skin. Mix grated lemon peel with lemon juice and baking soda. Put the mixture into two plastic bags, and place your feet in the bags. Massage, and leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Harness the moisturizing benefits of bananas to treat dry feet and cracked heels. First, rub the inner peel of a ripe banana onto your cracked heels. Then mash the banana itself and repeat the plastic bag massage process above. The enzymes in bananas are a natural, gentle exfoliator, and its hydrating properties also help leave skin silky soft and smooth.