Frugal, At-Home Beauty Treatments

Gorgeous! Here I am testing out one of the Frugal Beauty Treatments I want to share with you. Because just because you don’t want to spend spa-level money doesn’t mean you can’t have a spa-level experience. I’m also showing off the evidence of my recent shoulder surgery — bandages and rashes across my collarbone. Sexy!

You can have beautiful skin and hair using ingredients you already have, without buying expensive products. The bonus is that this stuff is natural and organic, so in the long run it may be better for you, and it’s definitely better for the environment. No packaging!

These are some great ones I’ve collected from magazines and around the Internet:

FIG FACIAL SCRUB/MASK: Mix together 1 cup brown sugar, 1/8 cup olive oil, 1/8 cup oatmeal, 1/4 cup mashed figs, 1 oz. vanilla and rub into face and neck. Rinse thoroughly or leave on until it dries into a mask and rinse. This is the mask I’m wearing in the photo. It left my skin very soft and smooth looking, and there was plenty left for a body scrub. Figs are loaded with antioxidants, but I would use this one without the figs when they’re out of season. It smells good enough to eat!

LAVENDER BATH: Grind the following ingredients into a smooth, fine powder in a food processor or blender: 1 cup dried lavender, 2 cups oatmeal, 1/2 cup baking soda. Store in a clean, airtight container. To use, pour 1/2 cup as you run a warm bath. Baths are one of the cheapest, easiest ways to wind down at the end of a hard day. On top of being relaxing, this one will leave your skin silky soft.

BODY SCRUB: Combine 1/2 cup Epsom salts, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup sunflower oil and store in a clean glass jar. Sloughs off dead skin and gives you a rosy glow all over. Sunset magazine recommends this as part of a DIY gift basket that also includes slippers, an eye mask, and a homemade lavender sachet.

HAIR CONDITIONER: In a small glass bowl, mash 1/2 avocado, 2 Tbsp. honey, 2 Tbsp. vodka, and 1 egg yolk with a fork to make a creamy mixture. Apply to freshly-shampooed, towel-dried hair. Leave on for 30 minutes. Rinse well in warm water and shampoo and style as usual. This recipe is recommended for healthy, shiny hair by celebrity hairstylist Robert Hallowell.

HAND AND FOOT SCRUB: Mix 2 Tbsp. light olive oil or grapeseed oil and 2 Tbsp. sugar and rub onto hands and feet, focusing on calloused areas. Rinse under warm water and pat dry for silky-smooth skin.

FOOT SOAK: Fill a bowl with warm water and add a few teaspoons of almond oil and a couple of drops of essential oil. Soak for 15 minutes to relax and soothe tired feet. For a healing as well as relaxing experience, after drying feet, apply lotion or oil and wear socks to allow the treatment to penetrate dry skin.

My own DIY hair moisturizer that I’ve been using since I was a teenager is to rub olive oil into dry hair, leave on up to 30 minutes, and then shampoo. It might take a couple of shampoos to rinse out, but it takes out the frizz and leaves your hair shiny and manageable.

Whether it’s relaxing or beautifying you’re looking for, or both, these recipes fit everyone’s budget.

What are your favorite frugal, at-home beauty treatments? Please share them in the Comments section.

Comments

  1. Kate Sommers says

    Love it! I just did a similar at home spa treatment with my papaya skins. I've been eating about two papayas a day and thought I could
    put the skins to good use so I rubbed them over my entire body then washed it off. It left my skin feeling as soft as a babies and a week later I'm still silky smooth!
    Glad to see you're recovering well from your surgery! ~Aloha

  2. Angela says

    Kate- Papayas sound awesome as a moisturizer, and I know they’re loaded with vitamins. I only eat them when I’m in Hawaii, because they’re absolutely delicious there.

  3. says

    I love the new look of your blog! I think it is wonderful that you used the picture your husband painted of you in your header!

    Since I have blonde hair it can easily turn green if I swim in chlorinated pools. Instead of buying expensive shampoos I wash it with red wine after swimming and then wash it normally. I think it is the tannic acid that neutrilizes the chlorine, but I have never looked into. I ‘m just glad it works.

    Off to check out buttons…

    • Angela says

      Alea- thanks so much, it is one of my favorite aspects that the painting was able to be incorporated so well, since it obviously wasn’t designed specifically for the site.

      How did you ever think of using red wine? That’s a great idea- I saw my German friend’s light blonde hair turn bright green after we swam in a too-chlorinated pool some years back. We got some great photos.

  4. rosa rugosa says

    I dunno, I think if I brought red wine into the shower with me, it could get dangerous, and my hair might not get any!

  5. Edita says

    Love your “frugal” beauty recipes. I have a facial mask recipe that you probably know of but I think its a very good moisturizing facial mask, as avocados are known for their high monounsaturated fat content. They are also loaded with vital nutrients and phytochemicals. They are currently being used for cancer treatment, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. You simply cut an Avocado in half, scoop out the flesh and mash to a fine pulp as you can with a fork. Cover face, neck and chest thickly and leave on til dry. Rinse of with warm water and pat dry. Your skin is so soft and moisturized. After a few of these masks your skin looks much softer in regards to dryness and fine wrinkles. Store mashed Avocado in an airtight container. This mash will probably turn brown quickly due to its extreme sensitivity to air but don’t let the colour fool you from its valuable properties. You can simply add some lemon juice to restore to its natural colour. Have fun!

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