Organic Beauty

DIY Winter Beauty Tips that $$$ave!

Nobody knows DIY beauty better than Kayla Fioravanti, Co-founder and Chief Cosmetic Formulator for Essential Wholesale. So if the Visa bill was bigger than you expected or you've just been keeping a keener eye on your pennies, then these tips are just up your alley!

Winter Beauty Tips:
Potatoes have so many uses! Slice raw potatoes and put them on your eye lids to reduce puffiness. Or cure swollen feet with a mashed potato foot soak! Just purchase a box of dehydrated mashed potatoes and followed the recipe. Once you have your mashed potatoes add lukewarm or cool water to get the temperature to the right level to soak your feet. The potatoes will retain heat longer than a traditional foot bath and they help reduce swelling and soften skin. To make it special add essential oils before you put your feet in. Then indulge feet into one of the best soaks you’ll ever experience! (It’s perfect for making use of those leftovers…) This same concept can be used with Oatmeal. Oatmeal will be soothing and deeply restorative to dry cracked and painful feet.

Exfoliate: In the winter, the most important thing to do to keep skin remaining healthy is to exfoliate twice per week to remove dead skin cells. Central heating plays havoc on the sebum our skin normally produces, which makes our skin lose water which should be retained in the lower dermis of the skin. During the winter months there are thousands of dry skin cells ready to be sloughed off the surface and they become clumped together with oil which forms what appear to be flakes. Don’t be flaky, exfoliate! Exfoliate your facial skin with crème based exfoliates with jojoba beads. You can exfoliate your body with a butter, oil, or crème scrub that uses salts or sugars.

Hydrotherapy: For a simple in home hydrotherapy, start out your day with a hot steamy shower and just as you are finishing switch the water to cold for about fifteen seconds. Repeat the process for two minutes. This hydrotherapy technique will revitalize your skin by stimulating the flow of blood through the skin.

For an at-home spa experience, take advantage of the cranberry season by making your own homemade facial masque. Below is a simple recipe and this same recipe could be varied by using pumpkin pie mix, mashed potatoes and other seasonal fresh foods.
Cranberry Concoction
¼ teaspoon Green Clay
1 teaspoon Plain Yogurt
1 tablespoon Honey
¼ cup of cranberries
¼ cup cranberry juice

Directions: Blend the cranberries to a pulp. Mix in all other ingredients thoroughly. Apply to face and leave on for 10-15 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with a dark colored wash cloth (so you won’t stain a light one). Tone and moisturize as usual. If you would like your masque to be thicker you can add more green clay. What you are left with is a radiant, exfoliated, hydrated, fresh face without spending the $$$ on a professional facial.