Skin: you can love it or hate it, but no matter what, it will age. 

Don’t go broke trying to preserve it! 

Janet Maccaro, Ph.D C.N.C., shows us some simple, natural, and affordable remedies for your skin.

Janet says milk of magnesia can help the face by using it as a mask. She says keep it in the refrigerator and apply before bed after cleansing your face and then let dry. She says to apply another layer of milk of magnesia to help remove the mask. Maccaro says the mask tightens smoothes and minimizes pores. The mask works great on oily skin and it can also be used as a primer during summer.

Second, she explained some easy uses of aloe vera and mint leaves. Keep both refrigerated and you can use them any time. Whether it’s for simply cooling your skin or even a burn, the aloe and mint leaves will work wonders! An extra tip would be making aloe and mint ice cubes. “Apply to sunburns, bug bites, scrapes, and to take down inflammation from pimples. Aloe is an excellent natural anti-inflammatory!”

If you want to make your own face or body scrub, Dr. Janet says to combine 1/4 cup rolled oats, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 2 teaspoons honey, 1 teaspoon stevia, 1 tablespoon plain yogurt. “Yogurt supplies lactic acid which contains naturally occurring alpha hydroxy acid,” Maccaro said. “And oats are saponins that help dissolve oil while cleaning dirt out of clogged pores.

Finally, if you have sagging elbow skin, apply sugar scrub and rinse then dab miracle whip on the elbow and let sit for 15 minutes. She says in no time your elbows should be smooth, plumper and soft.

Thanks AZ Republic for this article!

Oh Honey!!

I have been doing some research on natural sugars, and I use honey for sweetener when I cook. I did not really realize all of the benefits of honey.  Did you know that honey is an antioxidant?  Did you know that honey helps on sunburns, burns, and minor abrasions.
There are many kinds of honey, 300 kinds to be exact. Honey is about 80% sugar, (glucose, fructose, and sucrose) the rest is water that contains trace minerals. A colony of 50,000 bees will make 40-50lbs of honey during the summer months.
Honey has been around for longer than the little squeezable plastic bear containers in our cupboards.
Did you also know that one quart of honey is equal to three pounds. Other facts I learned about honey are that bees fly 55,000 miles for one pound of honey  Honey bees must tap two million flowers to make one pound of honey. Bees have been producing honey from flowering plants for ten to twenty million years.

Why You Need At Least Three Jars Of Honey  Having honey on hand in the kitchen is a fantastic idea. Honey is an ideal sweetener that offers numerous nutritional benefits over the white sugar alternative.However, that one jar of honey really isn’t enough. You might need two containers. You could even use three.

Let’s take a look at the advantages of honey Jar One: The Kitchen This is the obvious honey jar. If you are being smart about your health and the flavor of your food, you will want to make sure you have a big jar of honey on hand in the kitchen. Honey is a tasty treat on its own and can be put to simple use in many different ways. Consider topping some ice cream with a ribbon of honey instead of hot fudge, or adding a squirt of the golden liquid to your breakfast yogurt, for instance. However, honey is also valuable in more complicated recipes and should be used in place of sugar whenever possible. Your cookie and baked good recipes may require some slight adjustments, but the finished products will be exceptional. Honey is a prefect ingredient in a host of other dishes, too.. You definitely want to have a jar of honey in the kitchen, but you will want to make sure you use it whenever possible. The taste and nutritional value make it a “can’t-miss” proposition.

Jar Two: The Medicine Cabinet Honey isn’t just a great food product. It is also an awesome home remedy. Honey can be used to reduce coughs, cure bladder infections and more. Let’s take a quick look at some of the many maladies subject to treatment with honey. Some claim that arthritis pain can be eliminated with frequent honey intake. Honey contains an antibacterial agent that makes it a nice addition to remedies targeted at infections, too. A glass of warm water featuring honey and some cinnamon can be used to fight bladder infection, for instance. Honey has been linked to reduced cholesterol levels, which can decrease the risk of heart attacks and strokes. Honey is also a source of antioxidants that strengthen the immunes system and fend off dangerous free radicals. Honey is an ideal topical treatment for sunburn, burns and minor abrasions. It seals off the area from foreign substances, fights infections and more.

Jar Three: The Vanity Honey is tasty. Honey is medicinal. Honey is also a great way to improve one’s good looks and hygiene. It is a frequently used ingredient in a variety of health and beauty aids. Whether consumed as a mouthwash or applied to the hair in order to increase shine, honey can contribute to one’s beauty regimen. Honey is well-suited for use in a great variety of skin products. It cleanses and moisturizes, leaving skin clean, soft and supple. Honey is used in facial masks, skin lotions and face cleansers with other natural ingredients. These homemade beauty aids generally cost much less than the store-bought variety are. All natural and tend to actually work better than what you might find on the shelves of your local department store. Honey also does wonder for the hair. Some people use a hair shiner based on honey that is applied after washing. Others are believers in pre-wash hair conditioners that use honey. Some maintain that a special honey-based paste can keep hair loss at bay. If you want to get the most out of honey, you might need to increase your supply. Three jars will probably make far more sense than one! If you are interested in learning more about honey and its numerous uses, seek out a solid reference guide that covers honey’s many uses

A few more uses of Honey are:

Bathtime: Add a few squeezes of honey to your bath for moisturized, soft skin when you step out and dry off.

Shine Serum: Mix a tablespoon of honey into one cup of very warm water, then put the mixture into a spray bottle. Spritz onto damp hair and comb through. Then, style as normal and prepare for hair so shiny, you’ll stop traffic with one toss of your locks.

Lip Balm: Add a few drops of honey to a small amount of petroleum jelly and you’ve got a tasty moisturizing lip treatment. From there, depending on how creative you want to get, you can add various essential oils and food coloring and experiment with different colors, scents and flavors. Vaseline sells these teensy baby jars of petroleum jelly, which work perfectly.

Shave Balm: Mix together one part honey to two parts cream and slather on your legs instead of shaving cream. It’s way more hydrating than soap or shaving cream and cuts way down on razor burn and irritation.

Mani/Pedis: Before soaking your tooties for a pedi or your fingers for a mani, rub a little honey on your cuticles or rough spots (like heels and the balls of your feet) to soften them.

Honey is a wonderful ingredients for all kinds of things. Look for products with Manuka honey in them. They contain health-giving properties for skin.
I found another source on honey you might like as well.

 

Home Remedies - Look in Your Pantry!

Sunburn, Razor Burn

Remedy: Milk

Dip a clean washcloth into a bowl of cool milk and dab it on the burned areas. (The coolness can help reduce swelling, and milk's lactic acid has anti-inflammatory properties.) Then rinse it off. Or try: Olive oil, which has natural compounds that protect against inflammation.

Minor Wound

Remedy: Honey

Honey deprives bacteria of the water it needs to multiply. Thwart infection with a swipe of the sweet stuff, and cover the cut with a bandage.

Flaky Hand Skin

Remedy: Sugar

Coat your wet hands with sugar—the coarser the better. The rough grains scrub away flakes and dead skin cells. If possible, use demerara, a dark sugar with large granules; it's sold in specialty-food stores.

Dry Skin and Lips

Remedy: Olive Oil

Olive oil closely resembles your own natural oils, which can be stripped away by harsh soaps and dry heat. Smooth a few drops onto your palm and rub it into your skin to soften rough spots and form a protective moisture barrier.

Insect Bites

Remedy: Apple-Cider Vinegar

Dab the vinegar onto each bite with a paper towel. The acidity can help reduce swelling and curb your urge to scratch.

Athlete's Foot

Remedy: Apple-Cider Vinegar

A mixture of one part vinegar and three parts water can kill the fungi that cause foot infections. For athlete's foot relief, just soak your feet in it for a while.

Stinky Sneakers

Remedy: Baking Soda

A sprinkle between wearings can help neutralize funky odors. Just don't forget to dump out the excess before you slide your shoes back on. Or try: Orange peels. Leave peels in your shoes overnight to replace bacterial odors with a fresh scent.

Reeking Armpits

Remedy: Apple-Cider Vinegar

It's not sweat that makes your pits reek—it's the bacteria that break down your sweat. (Gross, right?) So dip a cotton ball or a washcloth into cider vinegar and rub it under your arms. Vinegar's astringent properties won't allow microbes to thrive. And don't worry about the sharp smell—it dissipates quickly. Or try: Baking soda, which absorbs stench.

Beauty from Within

Apricot Lip Balm

• 1 t Beeswax (5 ml)
• 1 t Apricot kernel oil
  
  (5 ml)
• 1 t Calendula oil (5 ml)
• Few drops essential oil of lemon or orange

1. Melt the beeswax in a double boiler. Add the apricot and calendula oils, stirring constantly.

2. Remove the wax from the heat and continue stirring until it is partly cooled. Add the essential oils.

3. Store in a small glass jar.

Learn how to take care of your skin! Europeans have been taking advantage of the hydrating properties of honey for centuries.

• For a relaxing, sleep-inducing bath that will leave your skin soft and sweet-smelling, combine two ounces of honey with five drops of lavender oil. Add this mixture to your bathwater, light some candles and prepare to drift away into dreamland.
• Soothe irritated skin with yogurt. Rub in this cold, creamy food on problem areas to help with rashes and sunburn. If you have any left over, pick up a spoon and dig in!

Lemon Honey Sugar Scrub

This scrub will simultaneously exfoliate and moisturize your hands, and the lemon oil will give off an invigorating and refreshing scent.

Ingredients:

1 egg yolk

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon sugar

2 drops lemon essential oil

Beat the egg yolk in a bowl, then add the honey and oil. Stir well. Add the sugar and stir well. Lastly, mix in the lemon oil. Massage onto clean damp hands. Don’t forget to massage your nail beds and in between your fingers. Relax, and rinse off after about five minutes.

Let Your Hair Down

If you use a lot hair products like hair-spray or waxes, your hair can fall flat from the product build-up. To reclaim your voluminous locks, try a clarifying shampoo and use once a week. But to save money, simply mix a tablespoon of baking soda with a dollop of your regular shampoo and cleanse as usual. Gunk be gone!

For soft, shiny hair that catches the light, beat two eggs with a tablespoon of milk. Apply the mixture to your hair and rinse after 5-7 minutes.

For dry hair, try this hydrating mask from Fat-Free Kitchen.

Ingredients:

1 mashed banana

1 beaten egg

¼ cup honey

3 tablespoons milk

5 tablespoons olive oil

Mix all of the ingredients together and massage into your hair. Leave it on for 15 minutes, then rinse off. To really pamper yourself, relax in a warm bath while you wait for the mixture to soak in.

Olive oil will moisturize your hair, but to really nourish your hair from the inside out, check out these everyday foods that will help your strands grow out shiny and strong.

Put Your Best Face Forward

Many commercial face products use harsh chemical ingredients that can damage your skin. If you want natural beauty from natural ingredients, forgo the store-bought creams and make your own home beauty recipes.

Under-eye puffiness

If you skimped on sleep the night before, don’t let your skin show it. To de-puff under-eye bags, try these remedies:

• Cut up a cucumber and place the slices over your eyes. Cover with a cool, damp washcloth and relax for 10 minutes.
• Apply damp, ice-cold tea bags to your eyes for a few minutes. For this to work, the tea bags need to be caffeinated. If all you have is decaf, put some frozen peas or blueberries in a plastic sandwich bag.
• Wrap grated potato in two small squares of cheesecloth. Place the sacks under your eyes and rest for 10 minutes to reduce swelling.

Chocolate Moisturizing Mask

From body washes to rich lotions, chocolate beauty products are everywhere. This hydrating mask from Spa Index works well for normal skin. It will satisfy your chocolate craving, without the calories.

Ingredients:

1/3 cup cocoa

3 tablespoons heavy cream

2 teaspoons cottage cheese

¼ cup honey

3 teaspoons oatmeal

Mix all the ingredients together and rub onto your face. Lie back for ten minutes, then rinse with warm water. This mask will leave your skin feeling soft and smooth.

Kiwi Face Cleanser

Packed with nourishing and moisturizing ingredients, Spa Index’s citrusy-fresh cleanser works well on normal to dry skin. Buy two kiwis, one for your face and one for your dessert!

Ingredients:

1 kiwi fruit

2 tablespoons plain yogurt

1 tablespoon orange water

1 tablespoon apricot or almond oil

1 tablespoon honey

1 teaspoon finely ground almonds

2 drops of citrus essential oil, such as orange

Use a food processor to purée the kiwi until liquid. During processing, add yogurt, orange water, almond or apricot oil, and ground almonds. Process until thick and cream like. Add essential oil and stir to mix. To apply, massage gently over neck, face and the top of your breasts to cleanse. Rinse well. Makes one application.

By using the ingredients that you already have at home, you can create everything from masks to shampoos to lotions for natural beauty. Light candles, put on your favorite music and create a home spa where you can truly relax and get beautiful at the same time. Take time to indulge and pamper yourself with luxurious ingredients and you’ll feel like a goddess. And go ahead, eat the leftovers!

Really???? Really!


Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish

Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 minutes

Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair

For shiny hair rinse with brewed Lipton Tea

Paint Elmer's Glue on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads disappear

Carefully rub a small amount of Preparation H into the skin under your eyes to eliminate puffiness (be sure to avoid the eye!). It will act as a vasoconstrictor and relieves the swelling instantly.

Heavy dandruff - pour on the vinegar!

Cover blemishes with a dab of honey and place a Band-Aid over them. The honey kills the bacteria, keeps the skin sterile and speeds healing. Works overnight.


Loose Powder -
Store your powder in a salt shaker to make it last longer. Everytime you brush powder on your face you loose at least one day's worth because it falls away and is easy to spill. With the salt shaker you canshake it on to the palm of your hand and apply with a large brush.


Blemishes -
You can fight blemishes with baking soda instead of acne creams. Add enough water to the baking soda to make a paste and apply to blemishes at bedtime to dry up pimples fast.


Dark Under Eye Circles -
Freeze parsley in ice cubes. Use the parsley cubes instead of eye creams to diminish dark circles and puffiness. Parsley is packed with chlorophyll which helps fade darkness, while the ice reduces the swelling.


Exfoliate -
Try using lemon juice. It contains citric acid, which removes old skin. Squeeze 2 drops lemon juice into a dab of your regular face cream. After applying to your face let it set for 5 minutes and rinse with a warm damp cloth.


Mixing Your Own Bath Salts -
You can save money by mixing your own scented bath salts. Add about 5 drops of your favorite essential oil to 1/2 cup kosher salt. Store in an airtight container until you are ready to use in your bath.


Body Brush -
Instead of spending money on an expensive and fancy body brush from a store. To buff away dry skin pick up a vegetable brush at the grocery store and use on dry skin before showering.


Shimmery Foundation -
Mix your regular foundation with shimmering eye shadow such as gold, beige, cream, white, ecru or banana, instead of spending money for the must have shimmery foundations.
Eyes -
Apply pink blush to eye lids for the season hot look. Dampen a shadow brush and apply blush from lash line to crease.


Hair -
Use salt instead of dandruff shampoo. It exfoliates dry, dead skin, so it's less likely to flake. Before you shampoo, massage damp scalp with 1 Tbsp. salt.


Color Enhancing Shampoo -
To make your highlights last longer mix 4 tbsp. vinegar to 1 use of shampoo and apply; let set 5 minutes before rinsing. White vinegar for light blonde hair Apple Cider vinegar for coppery red to dark red and auburn hair Balsamic vinegar for dark blonde to medium brunette hair