Summer beauty is truly its own beast. With high temperatures and humidity come the threats of makeup meltdown and frizzy hair. Before you reach for a pricey setting spray or an arsenal of chemical products and heat-styling tools, know that a solution might be right in your kitchen. These simple all-natural summer beauty hacks are perfect for every summer woe, and as an added bonus won’t break the bank.
Turns out many foods in your kitchen are good for you both inside and out, and using natural remedies takes the guesswork out of what you are putting on your skin. The cooling, depuffing, and brightening properties of cucumber, for example, leave you naturally refreshed and rejuvenated without having to pay for pricey creams or serums, and sugar is a great, natural exfoliant for both the body and the lips that does not harm the environment.
Though store-bought skincare products are convenient and can be very effective, we hope these hacks will inspire you to find cheaper, all-natural solutions.
1. Uneven Complexion
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Whether it’s a fake tan gone wrong, an unflattering real one, or simply dull, dry skin, exfoliation is key. Beauty and lifestyle expert, and “Female Beauty MacGyver” Alexis Wolfer has a Lemon Lightening Body Scrub is perfect for just that. All you need is a lemon, white sugar, and a tablespoon of extra virgin cold-pressed coconut oil.
The citric acid in the lemon breaks down dull, dry skin, the sugar works to scrub everything away, and coconut oil acts as a natural moisturizer to calm down any irritation.
2. Removing Waterproof Makeup
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Waterproof makeup is a summer must-have for many, however taking it all off at the end of the day can be tricky, especially in the delicate eye area. Enter: oils. Think castor oil, olive oil, or coconut oil. For those with oily complexions that are skipping right to the next tip, think again: Oil naturally dissolves the dirty “oils” on your skin (makeup) without stripping of the skin of its natural oils, which is what causes the skin to produce excess oil in the first place.
3. Acne
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Though acne can be a year-round issue, I find that the sweaty, sticky summer days all but encourage those pesky, unwelcome spots to come up. Though there are many acne-targeted cleansers and spot treatments on the market (which can get quite expensive), there’s no denying the antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and balancing properties of tea tree oil.
If you are using pure tea tree oil, dilute it with water in a 1:1 ratio. Use as you would a toner after cleansing or apply directly to breakouts. As an added bonus, tea tree oil can be used as a natural mosquito repellant and can be applied to bites for immediate relief.
4. Dry, Flaky Lips
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Wearing bright, bold lip colors for summer can be fun, but you don’t want dry lips to draw attention from the rest of your look. This is where lip scrubs can come in handy. Instead of buying one at the store, make one at home using inexpensive ingredients.
YouTube vlogger Tati Westbrook’s DIY technique couldn’t be any easier. Simply take a balm of your choice onto your finger and dip it into sugar. Gently massage the balm and sugar mixture onto your lips, then wipe lips clean with a washcloth. Follow the treatment with a layer of balm for extra moisture.
5. Need for a Refresh
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To put it simply, in the summer it’s hot, we sweat, and it can feel pretty gross. Facial mists, while great year-round, can be especially refreshing in the summer heat, especially if you store them in the fridge. They can be refreshing, soothing, deliver skincare benefits, and give an overall dewy glow. There are a vast number of DIY face mists using different essential oils, witch hazel, rose water, and so on. Refinery29 gives some useful tips to get you started.
Simply spritz your DIY mist onto your face when desired, and feel refreshed and rejuvenated.
6. Cellulite
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