Wednesday, 16 2010

beauty buzz: summer DIY

The lovely girls over at College Fashion put together a list of great do-it-yourself tips and tricks to keep us Dujour girls looking glamorous all summer long. These are so easy, that most of the ingredients can be found in your own refrigerator or in your bathroom cabinet! Read their full recipe post here.

Face

• It’s important to stick with a strict skin routine- even during the summer. I recommend using a mask once a week to revitalize the skin. There are tons of recipes out there for DIY facials, but my favorite involves combining one egg yolk, 1 tablespoon of honey, 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt and 1/2 teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. Just leave the mixture on your face for 10 minutes and rinse it off. It’s a great mask for most skin types.

• For oily or acne-prone skin, try a mask that will help soothe the skin. Take one ripe banana and blend it with 1 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Leave on for 15 minutes.

• If you have dry skin, mix half of a mashed avocado with 1/4 cup of honey for a mask that will add tons of moisture to your face. Leave on for 10 minutes.

• Sliced strawberries, grapes and cucumbers act as natural toners to tighten skin and shrink pores. Just rub the slices over your skin after cleansing. Oily skin? Try sliced lemons to reduce shine.

Body

• Have some milk in your fridge that’s about to expire? Add it to a bath along with a few drops of extra virgin olive oil. Milk is a natural moisturizer that can do wonders for your skin and the olive oil will make skin super soft. You can also add the milk/olive oil combo in a bowl with warm water to soak your hands or feet before giving yourself a DIY manicure or pedicure.

Hair

• For an easy and natural deep conditioner, blend 1/4 cup of plain yogurt, 1/4 cup of mayonnaise and the whites from one egg. Cover your hair with the mixture (run a wide tooth comb through your hair to make sure it’s evenly dispersed) and leave in for 30 minutes before rinsing it out. This will reverse dry and damaged hair.

• Get rid of product build-up by mixing a small amount of baking soda in with your shampoo. This will clarify your hair and can make it more manageable over time.

• Want to lighten up your hair but don’t have the money for highlights? Dilute 1/2 cup of fresh lemon juice with 1/4 cup of water. Put the mixture in your hair and let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. If you can, sit outside in the sun to help lighten the hair- but don’t forget the SPF! Are red tones more your style? Do the same thing, but use apple cider vinegar instead of lemon juice.