Beauty is power; a smile is its sword.
John Ray

Ever questioned if you were pretty enough the way you are? Well, I'm here to say that YES you are pretty enough! Beauty is more than just outward appearance. It's way more than skin deep and I wanted to make sure I emphasized that before telling you all my favorite beauty hacks for skin care. It doesn't matter what you look like on the outside if you're inner being is ugly. So lets make sure to be beautiful on the inside so it shows on the outside. You can read more on finding your true self-worth here. Now lets get this show on the road! Here's  of my favorite beauty hacks for skin care!

1. Blackhead Removal

Blackheads are some of the nastiest culprits when it comes to skin flaws. Blackhead removal strips you buy at the store never seem to work for me, or anyone I know for that matter! So it seems almost impossible to get them cleared up, until now. I've discovered an at home beauty hack to remove almost all of them in one fell swoop! The best part is it only takes 2 ingredients, gelatin & milk. Make sure to use unflavored gelatin as the coloring in other gelatin products will discolor your skin! I use regular unflavored gelatin, like this one found here, and milk but I'm sure if you have an aversion to using animal products you could use vegan products. I've heard vegan jel and almond milk work just as well.

To make the homemade substance you take about 1 teaspoon of gelatin and 1 teaspoon of milk and mix it together. You then heat it for around 10 seconds in the microwave. Afterwards, stir it and apply immediately to your problem areas. Once it is dry, takes approximately 15 minutes, peel it off and admire your clean pores!

2. Minimize Your Pores

Now that your pores are cleaned out why not try to minimize them! While you can't actually shrink them, thank your bio parents for that, you can minimize the way they look. One beauty hack i love for minimizing pores is a homemade scrub that uses only 3 ingredients, raw honey, brown sugar and lemon juice(such a great natural tool for your skin).

Mix 1 tbsp of honey with 1 tbsp of brown sugar and add 3 drops of lemon juice. This mixture creates the perfect scrub to get those pores looking smaller and your face feeling refreshed. Scrub your face for a good 3 minutes or so and then wash it off. I'd suggest doing this every other day max, because using a scrub too often, even a natural one, can be too harsh on your skin.

3. D.I.Y. Toner

Now that you've cleaned out and minimized your pores, it's time for a toner. I have a weird obsession with tea tree oil. I LOVE the way it smells. So I made a toner that uses it and i'm happy to share it works great! It is made up of 4 ingredients lemon juice ( here it is again!), witch hazel, tea tree oil, and water.

Combine together 1 oz of lemon juice, 1 oz of witch hazel, .5 oz of tea tree oil, and .5 oz of purified water in a 3 oz bottle and shake well! Then put some on a cotton round and clean your face! It feels good, cleans well, and smells great! You can get your witch hazel here and your tea tree oil here!

4. Banana Face Mask for Wrinkles

Want to fight off wrinkles? Then this is the face mask for you! I don't have wrinkles yet, but my momma taught me that it's never too early to start preventing the signs of aging. She is right, like usual, and so i found a face mask that works and is cheap to make. You probably have everything laying around already. All it takes is a ripe banana, yogurt, and lemon juice (What did i tell ya?!)

Mash up 2 tbsp of ripe banana and combine it with 1 tbsp of plain yogurt and 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice. Stir together well and then apply to your cleansed face. Leave on for about 20 minutes and then wash off. Your face will be left feeling firmer, smoother, and smelling great! You can repeat up to 3 times a week.

5. Coffee Face Mask for Smoother, Clearer skin

Coffee makes a great face mask ingredient. It has so many great properties for your skin, like caffeine and antioxidants. It also has anti-inflammatory properties to make your problem skin better! This is one of the easiest D.I.Y.'s on the list too, as it only has 2 ingredients that already pair so well together. Coffee grounds & milk.

Take 1 tbsp of coffee grounds or instant coffee, I like Folgers Instant Coffee Crystals, and mix it with 1/2 to 1 tbsp of milk. Start with 1/2 tbsp and increase until its a smooth consistency but not too liquid. Rub into your face, until your entire face is covered, then let it sit for 20 minutes. Then massage and rinse your face to get the product off. Repeat 2 to 3 times a week, for best results.  This beauty hack will leave your skin feeling smoother, clearer and will leave you with less redness.

6. Coconut Oil

What beauty hack list would be complete without coconut oil! This stuff works wonders! You can use it for so many different things. Making itself one of the best beauty tools you can have in your arsenal! I use it for everything from a hair mask, shaving balm, moisturizer, to make up remover. If you don't have coconut oil in your cabinet already, get it there! Amazon has a great deal on coconut oil here

7. Homemade Eyelash Growth Serum

People drop a good amount of money on eyelash extensions and growth serums every month. I want longer, fuller lashes but I'm also not fortunate enough to have the money to drop on a eyelash extensions or growth serums. That's why I went in search of an alternative, and I found one! All you need is a small container, a clean spoolie brush (aka a mascara/brow wand) or a q-tip, and the ingredients to make the serum. The ingredients are castor oil, almond oil, liquid coconut oil, and a vitamin e capsule.

Gather up 1 tsp of castor oil, 1 tbsp of almond oil, 1/2 tsp of liquid coconut oil, and the oil from a vitamin e capsule. Mix all of your ingredients together in a small container. Your serum is ready! Now it's time to apply it. Every night before bed, with a clean/makeup free face, apply the lash serum to the roots of your lashes. One coat is plenty, if you use too much it could get in your eyes and burn. In the morning wash your face and let the beauty of your nicely moisturized lashes shine. Amazon has a great deal on Castor Oil, Almond Oil, Liquid Coconut Oil, and Vitamin E Softgels.

8. Baby Wipes

Do you use make up wipes? Most women love the convenience of them and the fact that they clean your face well. While all brands of them aren't expensive, the cost can add up! Want a cheaper alternative? Baby Wipes. Yes the ones you clean your baby's bottom with. Think about it, they're made for cleaning up some of the nastiest messes in the most sensitive areas on a sensitive baby. You can't get a much safer product than that. So why not try it out and clean your face with them. I'm sure you will end up loving them just as much as the fancy makeup remover wipes and your wallet will be screaming hallelujah! I prefer to use Pampers Sensitive Baby Wipes.

9. All Natural Make Up Remover

If your the type of gal that doesn't like ingredients in her world that she can't pronounce, I totally get it! This beauty hack is for you. The makeup remover contains all natural ingredients and is safe and nourishing for your skin. It contains witch hazel, lemon juice, sweet almond oil, and aloe vera. Simple as that and you can pronounce all of them easily with out wondering what it is!

Get a small container that closes, like a travel size shampoo bottle, and a funnel and pour in 2 tbsp of witch hazel, 2 tbsp of sweet almond oil, 1 tbsp of Aloe Vera Gel, and 3 drops of lemon juice. (Don't scratch the lemon juice from the mixture, its used in this for it's grease cutting capabilities!) Close the lid on the container and shake it up! Once it's mixed well pour a little bit on a cotton round and get to town on that makeup!

 

I hope you enjoyed these beauty hacks! Let me know in the comments if you tried any of them out. I would love to hear your feedback and results.

What's your favorite d.i.y. recipe for skin care? Let me know in the comments below!

 

With Love,

Desiree♥