We’ve all been at a point where we’ve run out of skincare products yet crave some skin healing action urgently. This often leads us to the kitchen to pinch out some turmeric and use it as a face mask because that’s what our daadis and naanis highly recommend. They aren’t wrong though. Kitchen ingredients can always come to your rescue when you have nothing else to use on your skin. Besides, making use of kitchen ingredients in your skincare can sometimes even help with using up leftover scraps that would otherwise just go to waste. We’re talking about that half slice of lemon that is just lying in the side tray of your fridge or the skin peels from your fruits that would be discarded with the trash. These kitchen ingredients are perfectly good for your skin should you choose to use them. Whether you want to begin reducing your waste or simply need a quick fix for your skin, these DIY beauty recipes using leftover scraps from your kitchen is just the ticket. Check them out!
Scrappy DIY Skincare Hacks Using Leftover Kitchen Ingredients
Orange Peel 2 in 1 Face Scrub
Orange peels contain more vitamin C than the fruit itself. That’s why creating a face scrub with these peels instead of throwing them out is a great idea. You can recycle all the peels you have by converting them into a powder and then using them to create a DIY scrub anytime you need to exfoliate. Since many OTC physical scrubs are too harsh on the skin, this natural face scrub is a great alternative as it is super gentle on the skin.
What You Need
- Orange peels
- Parchment paper
- Turmeric powder
- Coconut oil
How To Use It
- Lay out the peels on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Place the tray in the oven and bake it at 180-degree celsius for about 15 minutes until you see the peels starting to dry and curl up.
- Remove the tray from the oven and allow the peels to cool down.
- Add the peels to a blender and grind them to form a powder.
- Store this powder in an airtight container.
- Create a scrub by mixing a tablespoon of the orange peel powder with a pinch of turmeric and as much coconut oil as required to form a paste.
- Massage this grainy paste on damp skin.
- Let it sit for 10 minutes like a face pack and then rinse it off with water.
Lemon Honey Exfoliating Gel Mask
This gel mask made with leftover half lemon and a dash of honey and aloe vera gel works as a natural chemical exfoliating mask that also hydrates your skin. Lemon is acidic in nature which helps exfoliate your skin and clear up acne and blackheads while aloe and honey hydrate and nourish your skin.
What You Need
- Half a lemon
- 1 tbsp aloe vera gel
- 1 tsp honey
How To Use It
- Squeeze out the juice of half a lemon into a bowl.
- Stir in the aloe vera gel and honey to form a runny paste.
- Apply an even layer of this gel on your skin.
- Let it sit for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Rinse it off with warm water.
- Follow up with toner and moisturiser.
Green Tea Skin Serum
Brewed up a little bit of extra green tea? Don’t throw it away. Make a DIY green tea face serum out of it. Green tea is rich in antioxidants and it also helps keep the skin’s pH in check. This kitchen ingredient also works fabulously for oily acne-prone skin types as it kills acne-causing bacteria and helps minimise the size of pores. This face serum is super hydrating and lightweight on the skin.
What You Need
- Leftover green tea with leaves
- Olive oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Rosemary essential oil
- Tea tree essential oil
- Lavender essential oil
How To Use It
- Transfer the leftover green tea with leaves to a jar. The liquid can be less and the leaves more in quantity.
- Add olive oil to the jar to completely soak up the green tea leaves.
- Let this sit for a month to infuse the oil with the green tea. Shake the jar occasionally.
- Strain out the oil after a month and discard the leaves.
- Add a tablespoon of green tea-infused oil with a teaspoon of grapeseed oil to a recycled essential oil bottle with a dropper tool cap.
- Now, add 5 drops each of the rosemary, tea tree, and lavender essential oils.
- Close the bottle and shake well to combine all ingredients together.
- Massage this serum on your face on clean skin before going to bed to detoxify and hydrate your skin.
If you can’t find the time to create DIY skincare products from scratch, opt for nature-infused OTC products to pamper your skin. We recommend:
Bookmark these scrappy DIY skincare hacks with leftover kitchen ingredients for an inexpensive and waste-free way of caring for your skin.
Featured Image: Pexels
