9 Ways to Get More Bang for Your Beauty Without Spending a Buck

Somehow, we have all been duped into believing we need a product for every separate beauty endeavor. We have to have several types of moisturizer, face washes, and scrubs for different parts of our body. One of the first things I did when I started going raw is simplify. Not only is this good for your health but it eases some strain on your wallet to boot. I tossed out products full of chemicals and parabens, and started to search for all-natural options to my once full medicine cabinet.  When I started to get concerned about what I was putting on my body being as pure as the food I was consuming, I realized that a lot of products could be used for both. Below is a list of some versatile items that can offer double duty and add a little extra wiggle room to your budget.

1. Extra Virgin Organic Coconut Oil – Awesome total body moisturizer which can also be used in the kitchen. If used as a moisturizer it protects the skin against the aging effects of free radicals, minimizes wrinkles, and can clear up dark spots on the skin. It can also be used as an excellent conditioner.  Most oils when heated turn rancid, coconut oil happens to be the most heat-resistant oil and therefore the best for cooking. The chained fatty acids in coconut oil have the ability to internally kill parasites, bacteria, and viruses in the body.

2. 100 % Natural Shea Butter – I heart shea butter. It’s like ten products in one.  Shea butter is made from the nuts of karite trees in West and Central Africa. I use it as a moisturizer  and also on my hair. A lot of people with locks use beeswax or other products that can leave residue in the hair, but I am extremely particular about avoiding chemicals or anything that may damage my hair (which might be why it grows like wildfire). Shea butter has been used to heal burns, scars, sores, dandruff, dermatitis,  stretch marks, and also protects the skin from environmental and free radical damage. In addition it contains cinnamic acid which protects the skin from UV rays.  Also works as a conditioner and makeup remover. If I was stranded on a deserted island, I could live easily with shea butter as my only beauty product. Isn’t it a lot more glamorous to be rescued skin glowing and protected from uv rays, hair conditioned and shimmering in the sunlight, and body moisturized and scar-free? I think so.

3. Extra Virgin Cold Pressed Olive Oil – Another fabulous oil that you can take out of the kitchen into the bathroom. Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer or night cream, best when applied to damp skin so you don’t feel “greasy.” If you need to exfoliate, mix olive oil with sea salt and use as a scrub. Awesome to use to remove eye makeup, and can also prevent wrinkles in the process! Also can be used as a deep conditioner, and dandruff controller that can be massage into the scalp after shampooing. And don’t forget after all that if you need to make a quick, easy, and tasty salad dressing you can put a capful or two of olive oil with a squeeze of lime or lemon and some sea salt. What more can a girl ask for?

4. Essential Oils – These oils are powerful! In particular, Young Living Essential Oils, which are the highest grade, and can be taken externally and internally are magnificent. If you are feeling tired or lethargic during the day you can rub a couple drops of peppermint behind your ears and on your temples and inhale. You will feel alive in seconds. You can also add peppermint to your tea. A lot of the oils are nice to add to baths as well. The most miraculous thing is that you can relieve headaches, cramps, fatigue and a myriad of other symptoms with these oils in addition to using them for  aromatherapy to promote psychological and emotional wellness. Ladies: the Young Living essential oil blend called Dragontime, is incredible and when rubbed over your tummy can relieve menstrual cramps. It has helped me get through a day effortlessly that would have quickly turned sour without relief. Forget midol this works well and it’s also better for you.

5.  Oats, Citrus, Honey – Of course you can eat these things, but you can also make a banging facial mask out of them too. Check the archives I included the recipe for the mask recommended to me by makeup artist Ryan B. Anthony. It is awesome for exfoliation and leaves your skin glowing. You can tell everyone that is truly a 100% natural glow–because they will ask!

6. Avocados – I may just have to write a veggie R&B love song in the style of Barry White in honor of avocados. They truly are my first, my last, my everything. I love love love avocados! They make great additions to smoothies. Guacamole is my favorite, and it’s good to know that after I get down with my guac and finish scraping my bowl, I can also mash up a side plate and moisturize my skin with an avocado mask.

7. Watercress – For skin spots, watercress juice can be applied externally. Watercress juiced along with other veggies helps control inflammation of acne because of its high Vitamin A content. Try cantaloupe or honey melon juice which helps flush out toxins mixed with watercress.

8. Bentonite Clay – Internally this clay can be used as a natural detoxifier, to clean the colon, and to regulate elimination. Externally bentonite clay masks draw toxins out of the skin and will leave you glowing.

9. Cucumbers – Juicing cucumbers is refreshing and always makes a good base that can be mixed with other veggies. Cucumber juice has high water content and helps to flush out the body and also cools body temperature. On your face, we all know the age-old tip that cucumber slices over the eyes can reduce puffiness. In addition to that cucumber when blended or juiced makes an awesome toner. It can be mixed with celery juice, honey and or lemon, or even a bit of apple cider vinegar.

Hope you’ll give some of these tips a try, it’ll give you some extra dough for those stilettos you’ve been eyeing without sacrificing your diva glow. I’m going to get my veggie mask on!

– XoXo Raw Girl