By Tarifah Bin Sulayem
DUBAI — There are lots of things in our kitchen that don’t belong on our skin, but there are a few exceptions that can work wonders if we use them correctly.
Esthetician Veronica Gorgeois has over ten years of experience in skin care and currently shares her tips and tricks on YouTube. Here are some effective, esthetician-recommended DIY ingredients.
Clay
An essential for any fan of DIY skin care, clays absorb any excess oils and help eliminate toxins from our skin. Mineral-rich clays come in three main colors, one to fit each skin type.
Green clay, also known as bentonite clay, is best suited for oily skin types because it is much more absorbent.
Yellow clay works best on combination or “T zone” skin types as it is less harsh than green clays, but you could also use green clay on just the oily patches if those are your only problem areas.
Pink or red clays are the mildest clays and work miracles on dry and sensitive skin types; it removes toxins from your skin without drying it out.
Honey
Honey is great for our skin because of its amazing properties. It is a humectant — which basically means it helps to moisturize our skin (perfect for dry skin types) and an effective antiseptic that works to prevent breakouts and treat acne.
Raw honey usually works better than processed but any kind would make a great addition to your DIY skin care routine.
Sugar
This ingredient is only recommended for one type of skin care product — lip scrubs.
Finer sugars have proven to smooth out chapped lips and when you combine them with moisturizing jojoba oil, you’ve got the essential elements of a perfect lip scrub.
You can also use other ingredients to make flavored lip scrubs like mint, bubblegum, cinnamon, and honey.
Jojoba wax beads
This is the environmentally friendly alternative to those harsher face scrubs that usually use plastic beads that can leave small lacerations on your face. Jojoba wax beads are affordable and biodegradable, so it does not pollute our oceans unlike plastic beads. They’re also spherical, making them an effective exfoliant without leaving harmful lacerations and irritating your skin.
Fruits
Fruits are generally great to add to any DIY face mask, so take your pick — bananas, berries, avocados. With the exception of fruits with a lower pH, like citrus fruits and pineapples, you can add pretty much any fruit to your homemade face mask.
Glycerin
This ingredient is extremely versatile — you can add it to a face mask for its humectant properties or even use it as an essential ingredient in a DIY hairspray. A glycerin hairspray works well with sea salt and water to create a stronger hold. It’s also pretty affordable.
Eggs
Eggs, at least the egg whites, can be used in any kind of mask. It has a toning and tightening effect on the skin and works best on oily skin types. Just be aware of any allergies before applying it on your skin.
Try some of these out and let us know what you think.
This story was originally published on Feb. 2, 2016. It was re-uploaded on Dec. 28, 2020.
