12 Beauty Remedies You Can Find in Your Kitchen

When it's been months between spa days. When you've just run out of our favorite cleanser and know your skin is going to freak the hell out. When you've spent all your emergency savings on a summer bikini and can't afford to buy moisturizer. There are a million reasons to play DIY beauty scientist in your kitchen. Here are 12 treatments you can do quickly and easily.

Easy Eye Mask

Los Angeles-based esthetician Gina Mari says that at-home treatments are a great way to keep skin healthy in between spa visits. She recommends making an eye mask using one teaspoon of olive oil and a sprinkling of fresh coffee grounds. “Olive is amazing for hydration, and caffeine creates stimulation to boost cirulation which will help with any dark circles,” she says. Apply with fingertips, being careful to avoid getting any in your eyes.

Lip Savior

When dry, cracked lips hit, try this mix: “Apply a little honey and then a little olive oil over,” says esthetician Andrea DeSimone. “There are gentle enzymes in the honey that’ll smooth out your lip texture, and the olive oil will ensure a hydrated pout.”

Quick Exfoliation

“Take one teaspoon of liquidized coconut oil and one tablespoon of finely crushed organic dry beans. Blend the ingredients together and apply to your face,” says facialist Ildi Pekar. She also recommends this mix as a great scrub for your lips.

Cellulite Buster

Makeup artist and founder of Advanced Mineral Makeup Annie Mayo suggests using old coffee grounds to help the appearance of cellulite. “Apply the grounds directly to the affected area and then wrap with kitchen plastic wrap,” she says. “Let the grounds sit for about 30 minutes, and then remove the wrap and wash away the grounds. Repeat the treatment regularly to continue fading the marks.”

Skin Tightening

“Take a handful of chopped parsley, two spoonfuls of apple cider vinegar, and three spoonfuls of plain yogurt,” Pekar says. “After mixing, apply to your face and leave for 20 minutes for tightened, glowing skin.”

Puffy Fix

Chase Polan, founder of Kypris Beauty, loves the old faithful cucumber treatment for tired, puffy eyes. “This method has transcended generations of beauty advice because it works and feels amazing.” Just slice up cucumbers and place on your eyes to alleviate puffy, irritated, and tired eyes.

DIY Beet Blush

Take an organic fresh beet and slice it right down the middle. Then use a crème makeup brush and apply it to the center of the sliced beet where the pigment and liquid is located. “Stroke your cheeks with the mix and let it dry before leaving the house,” says Pekar. “Beets improve your complexion and make your skin younger looking!”

Cleanser Substitute

If you’ve run out of cleanser, this natural fridge staple could be an alternative: regular (not non-fat) yogurt. “It’ll cleanse dry skin really thoroughly and leave it pliable and hydrated due to the saturated fat content,” says DeSimone.

Natural Tan

“Back when I was a teenager in Hungary, we used to rub earl grey tea on our faces to give a glowing tan,” says Pekar. She says to soak the tea in water for 30 minutes and let it sit until cool. Then soak a cotton ball in the mixture and wipe across your face. “It’s a natural trick to get a glow without the harmful effects of tanning, and should last the whole day.”

Skin Brightener

You could go into a salon for a fruit enzyme brightening treatment, or you could DIY it in five minutes. “Slice off the bottom of a clean, ripe strawberry and massage it all over your face,” says Polan. Then rinse. Ta-da! You've just done "a mini fruit acid peel that’s great for instant brightening.”

Pore Cleanser

Make a facial steam treatment with tea bags to unclog your pores. First, cleanse your skin. Then place a tea bag into a saucepan with a few inches of water and bring to the boil. “Once bubbling, pull the pan off the heat and drape a cloth over your head and breath in the steam,” says Polan. “Use chamomile to soothe irritations, green tea for antioxidant benefit, and rose tea for skin tone. Follow with a mask of raw honey and then rise.” Happy, baby-soft skin will follow, she says.

Quick Makeup Remover

“Mix a dab of coconut oil and a couple of drops of olive oil,” says Mari. “Not only will this completely remove your makeup, but both oils will replenish hydration under the eye. This is a gentle and effective alternative to harsh products.”

Image: Liv Friis-larsen / Fotolia.com