For a lot of us, summer means spending our days off soaking up the sun to work on an envy-enducing tan and taking recurrent refreshing dips in the pool to cool off. It’s also the time the sporty and adventurous relish in making the most of what the sea has to offer or perhaps go hiking, biking and play beach volleyball on the shore while on that well-deserved break. However, dehydrated skin, breakouts, rashes, burns and other skin problems can seriously put a damper on the season. The sun, salt water and chlorine can really dry out hair too, making it brittle and frizzy.
The great news is that we can ward off these ruiners, and guess what, we don’t need to spend a fortune doing so. “One misconception about beauty and skin care is that we need to spend thousands of dollars just to look after ourselves,” Lady Baltazar, a Dubai-based beauty influencer, says. “We don’t. And sometimes, the best beauty solutions are right in front of us – literally.”
Here she shares six natural remedies that will keep your skin and hair looking flawless and feeling silky and fresh.
Banana + Honey + Lemon Face Mask
Procedure: Peel off a banana and mash it. Combine it with honey and lemon juice then apply to face for about 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
Benefit: Extraordinary summer glow.
Bananas are filled with vitamins and minerals, which help nourish, smoothen and brighten the skin. By mixing some with honey, you help absorb and retain moisture, making your skin hydrated. The added lemon juice gives an extra brightening and lightening property.
Tomato + Cucumber Toner
Procedure: Mix cucumber juice and tomato pulp. Apply as a toner using cotton balls. Leave for 10 minutes then wash with warm water.
Benefit: Small and tightened pores.
Aside from treating large and open pores, tomatoes help prevent signs of ageing and act as a natural sunscreen that prevents sunburn. With this formula, you can enjoy your time under the sun without worrying about your skin.
Coconut + Lime Body Scrub
Procedure: Mix coconut oil, shredded coconut, plain white sugar and lime juice. Use as a body scrub before rinsing and showering.
Benefit: Smooth and moisturised skin.
Being a natural and gentle exfoliator, coconut helps remove dead cells and prevents flakiness. And as well as helping to moisturise and hydrate skin, it leaves it smelling great.
Cornstarch + Alcohol Dry Shampoo
Procedure: Mix cornstarch, rubbing alcohol and water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle and spray into roots.
Benefit: Instant hair revival.
Cornstarch is a natural degreaser and when used as a dry shampoo mixed with alcohol it can refresh the roots and combat odour, while leaving hair looking and smelling fresh. It’s very convenient, especially for those days at the beach.
Olive Oil Hair Treatment
Procedure: Massage olive oil into hair. Wrap hair with a shower cap or towel and leave it for about an hour. Rinse then shampoo.
Benefit: Soft and shiny hair.
Olive oil can help repair the damage caused by those summer activities, leaving us with healthy hair that’s soft and shiny.
Oatmeal + Salt + Lemon Foot Scrub
Procedure: Mix oatmeal, salt, lemon, baking soda and water into a paste. Gently scrub into rough or dry areas then rinse with cool water.
Benefit: Smoother and softer feet.
Oatmeal is a great exfoliator and has anti-oxidant properties that can help treat dry skin while soothing and softening the skin on your feet. This concoction will make you feel relaxed and ready for another day of summer adventure.
