Delving into the world of DIY beauty products can be daunting. Over break, getting my wisdom teeth extracted didn’t leave me with much else than a lot of free time and a lot of gross, soft foods I couldn’t eat.
I had ingredients like eggs, avocados, and mayonnaise (as to why I had these, I couldn’t tell you) sitting unused in my kitchen, so I decided to explore the vast reaches of Pinterest and test out a ton of at-home, food-based beauty products that you were/are too afraid to try out on your own.
Tired of spending money on beauty products that usually don’t work? Here’s a list of some of ones that failed miserably and some that are actually worth a second try.
5. Egg White Hair Mask
Photo by Julia Boog
I am a huge egg supporter. Huge. I will defend eggs until my death — there are countless benefits of using eggs in your diet — but I was skeptical when I did some research about using egg whites in your hair (raw eggs — I’ll pass). However, I was pretty happy when I realized I only had to whip up a couple of egg whites and comb them through my hair.
In reality, everything was running smoothly until my hair turned into SCRAMBLED EGGS when I was washing it out. Hot shower water and eggs do not mix — the half hour I spent picking cooked eggs out of my hair was evidence enough. If you ignore the pieces of eggs, my hair was somewhat shiny after, if that counts?
#SpoonTip: COLD WATER ONLY.
Rating: 2/5
4. Cinnamon Bronzer
Photo by Julia Boog
My skin is pasty and pale, so bronzer in the winter is a necessity. After running out of bronzer and putting off buying more for two weeks (all of you broke college students can understand), I decided to try out making my own.
I mixed cinnamon and cocoa powder and actually came up with a good result. The bronzer (surprisingly) worked, and research even shows that cinnamon has unique health benefits — double win. I was even able to use my leftover ingredients to make cinnamon hot cocoa.
Some negatives: aside from my face smelling like Christmas, I didn’t take into consideration how putting a strong spice on my face would react with my skin. One allergic reaction later, I came out the clear loser in the cinnamon bronzer experiment. If your skin isn’t as sensitive as mine, it could be a healthier alternative to store-bought, processed bronzers.
Rating: 3/5
3. Cinnamon Face Scrub
Photo by Julia Boog
You’d think after my last experience, I would’ve learned my lesson. However, a mix of cinnamon, sugar (for exfoliation), olive oil (for moisture), and honey actually worked well to exfoliate my face. I’ve always had sensitive skin, and I sometimes used this scrub in high school when my face would get really dry in the winter.
This mix does wonders for exfoliating your skin, and olive oil is amazing at moisturizing your face. My only complaint is the residue of the olive oil on your face after you use it. Overall, it works well enough if you want a more natural face scrub — and let’s not forget about all of the health benefits of olive oil (especially extra virgin olive oil — don’t believe me? See here.)
#SpoonTip: Don’t use makeup right after this scrub — it gets really greasy. Use right before bed or in the shower for best results.
Rating: 3.5/5
2. Avocado and Oatmeal Face Mask
Photo by Julia Boog
What girl doesn’t love avocados? When I first found this recipe, I was excited about a face mask that would make me feel like I was in a spa in my own dorm room. If you ignore the slimy texture, it instantly feels really cool and refreshing on the face.
I made sure to really mash the avocados so big clumps didn’t fall of when it was on my face (no one wants avocado stains on their clothes). My skin felt so smooth afterwards, as the oatmeal slightly exfoliated my skin and the avocado was hydrating. Even use the other half of the avocado to try this yummy ~avo toast~ recipe.
#SpoonTip: Make sure you use rolled oats, not steel-ground oats. I only had steel-ground oats in my kitchen and they were way too harsh on my face. Ouch.
Rating: Solid 4/5
1. Mayonnaise Hair Mask
Photo by Julia Boog
Yup, I went there. NO ONE wants to put mayo in their hair (I didn’t either, at first). I do not consider myself picky, but when I first heard about this I was disgusted. But for the sake of everyone who doesn’t want to, I tried it.
Yes, applying it was the grossest thing I’ve done in a while. However, that was all forgotten when I washed it out (with cold water this time!) and was met with the shiniest hair I’ve had in a long time. Pleasant? No. Worthwhile? Hell yes. Just don’t tell anyone the real secret behind your glossy locks.
#SpoonTip: This website suggests mixing vanilla extract with the mayo to mask the strong smell — and it works.
Rating: 5/5
Graphic by Spoon University