Nature is the newest trend in skin and hair care. For years, we’ve been putting toxic chemicals into our bodies that build up and make us feel tired and sick, regardless of whether we eat them or if they seep though our pores. And people are finally catching on that natural is better.

Most stores now have a line of “natural” beauty products. Unfortunately, they often come with a big price tag attached too. Often times many of these products are not actually “natural” so it does pay to do your homework to ensure you are getting what you pay for.

Fortunately actually making beauty products yourself isn’t too difficult. So if you want beauty products that you know are natural and are also inexpensive, just make them yourself. Here are 5 quick and easy recipes you can make at yourself.

Face Mask
Eating good food helps give you the right nutrients you need to look good.  You can get more of these vitamins and minerals by putting the good stuff right on the skin.

Combining a mashed carrot, mashed avocado, and a beaten egg with a half cup a few tablespoons of honey creates a great face mask that provides vitamins, and improves the tone and texture of your skin. Just stir well, apply, let sit for about 15 minutes, and then wash off with cool water.

After you’re washed and nourished your skin, you can use grated cucumber or diluted lemon juice as a toner to help tighten your skin and close up your pores to close your pores and keep your skin looking great.

Hair Conditioner
Many people pay a lot of money for a conditioner that actually makes your hair look and feel good. Here’s a great natural recipe to save you money and help your hair.

Just mix an egg yolk with a tablespoon of castor oil and apply to hair. Let sit for about ten minutes and rinse out. You can use this every so often as a conditioning treatment for healthy shiny hair. If you like being experimental, you can try mixing other kitchen items, herbs, and natural items with eggs for healthy, shiny hair.

Hand and Foot Cream
A quick face mask will help make you look great in not a lot of time, but hands and feet require extra care.

Use ½ cup of olive oil mixed with natural sea salt and massage into your hands and feet. Leave a few minutes to soak and then rinse off with warm water.

When it comes to natural beauty products, these recipes are just the start.  You can find hundreds of different combinations in natural beauty books, magazines, and on the internet. Or you can go to your kitchen cabinet and make your own special creations.

Original post can be found here: Natural homemade beauty recipes

It isn’t uncommon for people to feel down about themselves or that they aren’t as important as others. The truth is, however, that no one is perfect and there’s no reason why you can’t feel good about yourself. Use some of the following easy ways to feel good in your own skin and see the difference it can make.

You don’t have to be perfect or compare yourself with others to feel good about yourself. You can learn to see your own beauty by concentrating on the positive and playing down the negative. Before you can do that you’ll want to take a serious, objective look at yourself. Think about the things you do well, the friends you have and physical features you’re happy with about yourself. If there are things that you’re comfortable with, you have a starting point.

* Accept that you’re never going to be perfect. Even women who spend thousands of dollars trying to have the perfect body or perfect nose are never satisfied. You can save yourself quite a bit of money by accentuating the positive. Suppose you have beautiful, expressive eyes. Why not learn a new way to use make-up to draw focus to your eyes? You can also use make-up to make a too large nose look smaller or a crooked smile appear straight.

* There is more to beauty and feeling good in your own skin than merely looking good. You might be surprised that beauty begins between the ears. What? If you have a good attitude and believe you are the best you that you can be, you’ll begin feeling better about yourself – perhaps even better than if you’d just come back from a week at a spa.

* Splurge and get a flattering new hairstyle. Ask friends what type of hairstyle they think you’d look good in and then go to a beauty parlor to get a new look. Don’t forget to get advice from the hair stylist. They’re trained to know what type of style is appropriate for each face shape.

* Spend some time taking care of yourself. Go on a walk with a friend or a loved one. Not only will the exercise help you physically, it will help you mentally and spiritually as well. There’s nothing quite like being out in nature breathing in fresh air and being active. Make exercise an important part of your day and you’ll begin feeling better about yourself.

* Decide to change your eating habits. Choose fresh fruits and vegetables as well as limiting simple carbohydrates and sweets. Reduce your portion sizes and if you must have dessert, share it with someone else. When you start making better food choices, you’ll find it can change the way you feel dramatically.

* Try not to compare yourself with others. Sure, there may be someone at work who appears to have it all – looks, brains, ability or money. However, if you really knew this person, you’d probably find they have their own doubts about themselves and their life isn’t as perfect as you think it is.

If you’re not entirely comfortable about the way you look you may be struggling to like yourself. Using some of these easy ways to feel good in your own skin, you can begin to make small changes which will greatly transform your life. All it takes is a little courage and determination to get you started toward feeling good in your own skin and enjoying your life.

Original post can be found here: 6 Easy Ways to Feel Good in Your Own Skin

Taking care of your skin is important throughout your life. For moms, it can fall to the bottom of the to-do list when kids are demanding all of your time and attention. Besides, many skincare products are expensive. Here are some homemade skin care ideas to meet your need for ease and frugality.

Shelf life of products is increased through the use of preservatives. That goes for food as well as toiletries. For skin care, some of those preservatives can be harmful especially to sensitive skin. When you next go shopping for food, pick up a few foods that double as skin care products.

1. Lemons – Lemons are not just for making that sweet summer drink. The citric acid in lemons acts as a natural astringent to pull dirt and grime from your pores. Rub lemon juice on your hands to cut grime after working in the garden. It also cuts the smell of fish after you’ve prepared dinner. For your face, use lemon juice in water (distilled water is great for the face) to apply after cleansing as an astringent.

2. Tea bags – If you drink herbal tea, save the tea bags. Chamomile and green tea bags can be cooled in the refrigerator and applied to puffy morning eyes to reduce the swelling. Cucumber slices can also be used for the same purpose if you don’t drink tea.

3. Honey – If the bees swear by it that’s good enough for us. Honey contains many healthy properties that can benefit your skin. It is an antibacterial to help heal wounds. It also can be used as a facial mask alone or with egg whites. Honey will pull dirt from the pores for a clear complexion. Honey can be applied to your bath water to soften skin.

4. Mayonnaise – You may have heard of this one. Applying mayonnaise to your hair provides a great conditioning mask. It contains protein from egg whites and cleaning properties of vinegar to leave you hair strong and your pores clean. You can use commercial mayonnaise or create your own. Keep in a sealed jar in the fridge to avoid spoilage.

5. Oatmeal – Oatmeal soothes the skin by reducing itching caused by skin conditions. Add cooked oatmeal to your bath water to combat dry itchy skin. Combining oatmeal with baking soda and water can be used as an exfoliating treatment for your skin. After exfoliating, rinse your face with cool water to close your pores.

Always use clean hands to handle any homemade skincare products to avoid contamination. These ideas provide ways to protect your skin without spending a lot of money. Homemade products work just as well without all of the preservatives found in store brands.

Original post can be found here: 5 Homemade Skincare Ideas for Moms