Makeup & nails
DIY Beauty Recipes From ELLE Editors Around the World
There’s a reason so many natural ingredients are used in beauty products: They all have topical benefits for skin and hair.
by : ELLE Canada- Mar 20th, 2020
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A NOURISHING MASK FOR DRY SKIN
“Oatmeal is rich in zinc and lightly exfoliating, honey hydrates and milk soothes tension and redness. This mask, containing all three, refines and hydrates the skin. You’ll need three tablespoons of oat flour, three tablespoons of milk, one teaspoon of honey and a little water. Mix everything together except the water and then wait a few minutes until the oatmeal is soaked through. At this point, you can add some water if the mixture is too thick. Apply the mask to your face; leave it on for 10 to 20 minutes and then remove it with a damp cloth.” – Barbara Huber, beauty director, ELLE Germany
FOR A SOFT AND FRESH COMPLEXION
“A colleague recently converted me to beauty influencer Lauren Conrad’s Greek-yogourt mask. All you need is four tablespoons of cold plain Greek yogourt and the contents of a probiotic capsule. Apply the mixture to your skin with a cotton ball, leave it on for 10 minutes and then rinse with warm water. The yogourt contains lactose enzymes, which dissolve dirt and com- fort skin, and the probiotics invigorate the skin and make it glow – making this just as sophisticated as most sheet masks.” – Brooke Le Poer Trench, beauty and wellness director, ELLE Australia
FOR BREAKOUTS DURING PREGNANCY
“During my pregnancy, I had to deal with bouts of acne while having to pay particular attention to what I was actually putting on my skin. This led me to try manuka honey. It’s incredible: It has antibacterial superpowers and even speeds up your skin’s healing time. Twice a week, I would apply a mask consisting of one tablespoon of manuka honey, two teaspoons of plain organic yogourt, one teaspoon of mineral water and one teaspoon of organic lemon juice and leave it on for 30 minutes before washing it off with warm water. I noticed that I had fewer spots and less redness and my skin was healing faster and faster. It’s a real miracle cure!”– Marie-Noëlle Vekemans, digital editor-in-chief and head of beauty, ELLE Belgium (French)
AN ANTI-AGING MASK
“Add a half a cup of olive oil, two tablespoons of aloe-vera juice and two table- spoons of rosewater to a clean ceramic bowl. Stir with a wooden spoon until everything is blended together and then apply generously to your face and neck. Rinse it off after 15 minutes, and you’ll be amazed by how soft your skin is!” – Mihaela Batinic, beauty editor, ELLE Croatia
FOR A BRIGHTER, HEALTHIER SMILE
“I swear by the Ayurvedic dental technique. This includes oil pulling for better breath as well as maintaining a healthy mouth and whiter teeth. I take a spoonful of virgin coconut oil, swirl it around in my mouth for about 10 minutes and then spit it into the trash. (Don’t spit it out in the sink – the oil will harden and may clog your drain.) After that, I usually put some turmeric, which is whitening, on my toothbrush to clean my teeth.” – Anna Machová, beauty editor, ELLE Czech Republic
FOR HEALTHY, VOLUMINOUS HAIR
“I’ve started exfoliating my scalp once a fortnight, and it has made a world of difference. My homemade remedy removes product buildup and dead skin cells, leaving my hair healthy and voluminous. Mix one part Himalayan salt with one part olive oil and one part lemon juice. Rub it all over your scalp before rinsing with warm water and then continue with your everyday shampoo and conditioner routine.” – Marthe Jakobsen, beauty editor, ELLE Norway
FOR SOFTER LIPS
“A touch of olive oil mixed with a touch of brown sugar (I go freestyle when it comes to ratios) is all I use to gently exfoliate my lips. This also helps your lips better absorb your lip balm.” – Théo Dupuis-Carbonneau, beauty editor, ELLE Québec
FOR NURTURING YOUR HAIR
“My grandmother always said that hair is precious: You must water and nurture it so that it may grow into a healthy, strong tree. So whenever my hair looks a bit dull and tired from styling, I use extra-virgin olive oil, a Greek treasure that acts as a natural conditioner. When I’m in the shower, I add a few drops of olive oil to my conditioner and then rinse it out. Afterwards, my hair is at its best: smoother, brighter and stronger.” – Rozina Kouri, senior beauty editor, ELLE Greece
A HYDRATING SCRUB
“The caffeine from coffee can work wonders on your skin. Sometimes I’ll use coffee grounds mixed with coconut oil as a body scrub. The coffee helps to remove any built-up dirt, and the coconut oil makes skin super soft and hydrated.” – Mallika Boonyuen, beauty editor, ELLE Thailand
This article originally appeared in the April 2020 issue of ELLE Canada. Subscribe here.
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