You care about the environment, but you also care about your skin. Unfortunately, the beauty industry is heavily reliant on single-use plastics, making it a significant contributor to the world’s increasing plastic waste problem.
Fortunately, there are many ways to make your beauty routine more sustainable, and that is to make the most out of your kitchen leftovers. Scraps may be the last thing you want to put on your skin, but wait until you find out their benefits.
While you can still get those beauty supplies in Ottawa or get that botox brow lift in Toronto you’ve always wanted, it is still worth checking out the alternatives. That said, below are the different ways you can repurpose kitchen scraps for your DIY beauty regimen.
Use These 5 Kitchen Leftovers for Your DIY Beauty Treatment
1. Eggshells
You can use eggshells to hydrate and exfoliate your skin, which helps your skin glow as a result. To do so, crush some eggshells into a fine powder and mix it with a whisked egg white. Then, apply it on your face like a face mask.
Another benefit of eggshells is that you can use them to soothe your skin, especially if you have sensitive skin or are experiencing irritations or inflammation. To do so, crush some eggshells and soak them in apple cider vinegar for 5 days. After 5 days, apply it to the affected area of the skin with a cotton ball, and you should notice its effect in the next few days.
2. Tea Bags
Do you know that you can use a tea bag after a second cup? Not as a drink, but as a part of your beauty routine?
You have probably heard of putting cold spoons on your eyes as a way to depuff them. You can do the same thing by refrigerating the used teabags. This method is effective thanks to the caffeine content in tea. It will help shrink the blood vessels surrounding your eyes.
Another benefit is that the antioxidants and nutrients in each tea bag can make your skin feel soft and hydrated. Just soak these into your bathwater, and that should do the trick. And to make the experience a relaxing one, use chamomile or jasmine tea bags; the scent coming from these two types of tea has a calming effect.
3. Coffee Grounds
For coffee drinkers out there who love to brew coffee at home, do you know that there are more uses to your coffee grounds other than giving you that warm cup of joe?
You can use them as an all-around body scrub. It works well on your face, body, soles of your feet, and even your scalp. Like tea bags, coffee grounds make a great exfoliating agent because of their antioxidant properties which can help free your skin of dirt and dead cells.
To use coffee grounds as an exfoliator, remove the excess moisture, add a small amount of coconut oil, and apply this mixture to your face and body. You can also use it as a lip scrub by replacing coconut oil with honey.
4. Parsley Stems
Parsley can contribute to your health due to the vitamin C and antioxidants it has. It could also contribute to skin health if you apply it topically to your skin.
Its stems can be used to brighten dark spots and reduce pigmentation scars. To use parsley stems for your beauty treatment, blend the stems to create a puree. Mix the puree with 1/4 cup of yogurt and apply the mixture to areas with dark spots and pigmentation scars. Leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing it off.
And if you have extra parsley leaves that you no longer intend to use, you can use them to treat your zits. Simply crush the leaves, add honey or lemon, and apply the mixture to your pimples.
5. Fruit Peels
With banana, orange, and avocado peels, you can create an entire beauty routine.
If you want to feel refreshed after a long day at work, you can rub orange peels on your face. Orange peels can help unclog your pores and lighten your skin.
Do not throw those avocado peels after making your avocado toast because you can use them as a natural moisturizer. Rub the inside of an avocado peel gently on your face. It creates this trail of residue that you should leave for the next 15 minutes before rinsing it with warm water.
Lastly, banana peels can help reduce wrinkles and prevent any breakouts. Massage a peel on your face for 10 minutes and once its colour turns brown, get a fresh peel and start the process again. Make sure to wash your face after with cold water.
Forget about getting that latest skincare product line from your favourite brand and consider the above ideas. Who knows? You will not only learn the best way to take care of your skin and the environment at the same time, but you will also become passionate about becoming a beauty professional and start taking aesthetics courses.
The possibilities are endless, just like what you can do with kitchen leftovers.
