Hello hello.
I hope you all had an amazing holiday season. We’re currently in Gstaad drinking spiked hot chocolate & Zaza is FREAKING because the town looks like Arrendelle. Yup, from Frozen. LOL.
Anyway, today’s post is all about natural beauty hacks. You know I love a hack, you know I love to figure shit out on a budget, & you know I favor all natural things. And I know you guys do too. Think exfoliating with coffee grounds, facial steaming, oil pulling for whiter teeth, shaving your face & more.
Having great skin & hair & feeling hot doesn’t have to break the bank. You don’t need expensive, flashy products with an ingredients list full of chemicals that you can’t pronounce.
Look, I love a bougie beauty product as much as the next girl. But sometimes you gotta go back to basics, minimal, EFFICIENT, if you know what I mean. So I’m here to tell you that you absolutely do not have to sacrifice flawless skin & gorgeous hair just because you want to live a natural & healthy lifestyle. There are tons of natural beauty solutions out there that can take your skin & hair game up a notch. And nobody loves an affordable beauty hack more than me!
So let’s get right to it.
Almost all of my favorite hacks involve products you probably already have right in your kitchen or pantry. Tons of common items can double up as beauty & skincare products.
17 Natural Beauty Hacks
♡ Milk Ice Cubes
Yes, you read that right. MILK ICE CUBES. Anything cold is amazing for inflammation. But adding milk takes the beauty benefits to a whole new level. Milk ice cubes for your face can help fight acne, shrink pores, give you hydration, brighten your skin & overall tone, plus so much more. In this post I talk more in depth on using milk ice cubes for your face.
♡ Washing Your Hair With Cold Water
This hack simply takes an ordinary shower to a whole new level. It’s so simple. Just use cold water to wash your hair instead of hot. Rinsing your hair in cold water closes the hair cuticle which gives you the extra shine we all love. It also preserves your natural oils, locks in moisture, makes your hair softer, more manageable & resistant to breakage, AND preserves hair color. More on washing your hair with cold water HERE.
♡ Coffee For Exfoliation
Since coffee grounds don’t dissolve in water, they are great for exfoliating. The antioxidants found in coffee have a little anti-aging magic & can help boost those collagen levels. And it’s safe on the lips, face & body. Grab a couple tablespoons of coffee grounds & exfoliate all over. Or try Ingrid’s Gangster Chic Body Love Scrub. It’s made with coffee beans, young coconuts & prebiotics. You’ll love it.
♡ Lymphatic Drainage
By now you’ve heard me talk about the benefits of lymphatic drainage a million times so I’ll just say this: puff is definitely not it. Bloat impacts the way we feel & look on so many levels. There are many methods for lymphatic drainage massage both for your body & face. For the body, I recommend learning how to do lymphatic drainage on yourself ( dry brushing is great for the lymphatic system ), & for your face I recommend a tool like TSC HOT MESS ICE ROLLER. Nothing I have every used as de-puffed & de-bloated like THE HOT MESS. It’s like an instant facelift that soothes, calms & reduced the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles. A necessity if you had too much wine or stuffed your face with sourdough.
♡ Baking Soda For Teeth Whitening
If you love wine & coffee, this hack is for you. They can really make your teeth dull. One hack I will forever stand behind to brighten up your smile is to brush with baking soda. For the best results, do this a couple times a week. Just a tiny bit will cover all your teeth & the effects are almost instant.
♡ Lemon Juice For Skin Health
We’re a little lemon obsessed over here. You know this if you’ve been reading the blog for a while. Not only does it taste good on literally EVERYTHING, citrus fruits have tons of antioxidants, vitamins, & antibacterial properties that can work wonders on your skin. Apply lemon juice to your skin to soothe those dry, rough patches & to clean & purify any acne spots.
♡ Facial Steaming For Dewy Skin & Fresh Pores
Facial steaming is a game changer, let me tell ya. I am DEAD serious here ladies. If you don’t have a facial steamer, the time is now. Facial steaming should be a regular part of your beauty routine. It helps prep, hydrate, & purify the skin in one simple step. A facial steaming routine will help reveal a dewy & smooth complexion in just few minutes. Yes please.
And BTW, you can literally facial steam in your shower, over a hot pot, or you can get a steamer if you want. You can find more on facial steaming plus how to use them in this post.
♡ Coconut Oil For Skin & Mouth Health
Coconut oil is one of the best moisturizers because it leaves the skin looking smooth & GLOWY, which we always want. It’s also super soothing if you have chapped lips & dry patches. You can use it all over your body right after showering for the best results. You can also use coconut oil for mouth health & teeth whitening via oil pulling! It does wonders for your teeth & breath.
♡ Grapeseed Oil For Makeup Remover
I said it once ( or a million times ) & I’ll say it again, NOT A FAN of makeup wipes. Grapeseed oil is your new best friend and one of THE best natural make-up removers I’ve ever used. Especially if you’re on a budget, this is a great oil to have in your makeup back. It removes makeup with one swipe & is so moisturizing.
♡ Shave Your Face
I CANNOT. STRESS. THIS. TIP. ENOUGH! Shaving your face as a woman is no longer taboo. Like, let’s normalize it, right? The Skinny Confidential community is here to do just that. The benefits are insane. Yes, there is exfoliation. But honestly I do it for smooth makeup application & so Michael ( & anyone I come into contact with really ) doesn’t need to see peach fuzz or the dreaded black hair that grows from my chin. LOL. Face shaving gets rid of all those pesky unwanted hairs, exfoliates, & ensures that your makeup goes on silky smooth. THE SKINNY CONFIDENTIAL HOT SHAVE RAZOR was created specifically for women’s faces. The handle is comfy, it’s lightweight, it’s pink, it’s cute & we just launched our replacement blades that come in a 3-pack. It’s so sustainable, it’s the only face razor you’ll ever need.
♡ Avocado Face Masks
Say buh-bye to acne, dark spots, & wrinkles. Avocados are packed with oils that will keep your skin looking & feeling amazing. Spread avocado on your skin & let it sit there for at least 15 minutes ( I do like 40, LOL ). Then rinse off & check out your glow.
♡ Collagen, Collagen, Collagen!
You can throw all the products & natural remedies at your skin topically, but if you don’t work from the inside out you’re fighting an uphill battle. Collagen is one of the most effective ways to improve skin health. We lose it as we age so I’m all about constantly stimulating collagen. It improves skin elasticity & therefore reduces signs of aging. I personally like to drink collagen tea, or throw collagen in my smoothies.
♡ Eat Skin Beautifying Superfoods
Again, a natural beauty hack that comes from the inside out is really the foundation of it all. There are specific superfoods that help boost skin health & give you an overall glow. Think hydration, antioxidants, & healthy fats! Here’s a quick list of superfoods you should be eating to make your skin glow.
♡ Manuka Honey To Fight Acne
If there is one thing that can really put a damper on the day, it’s an ugly, red, bulging, annoying pimple. My quick fix for red spots & acne is manuka honey. Dab a little on each spot & leave it on to dry. You can also whip up a little facemask by combining manuka honey & lemon juice.
♡ Baby Washcloths To Prevent Skin Trauma
Okay, I know that sounds a bit dramatic. But this tip is for real. I first learned about it from Jule The Bee ( she literally has the best life hacks ). Enough drying your face with a nasty-ass dirty towel your significant other used on their butt hole. No thanks. Not only is that so gross, but harsh towels can scratch the skin ( & not in the fun, collagen-producing good way). Using baby washcloths, especially on your face, allows you to dry your skin but not damage it. Plus, baby washcloths are free of chemicals & harmful toxins. You can also get a cute basket & have the cloths rolled up all cute on display in your bathroom.
♡ Yogurt For Moisturization & Healing
If you know me you know that I don’t get sunburnt because I avoid the sun like the plague. LOL. However, if you’re someone how loves to lay out & who gets the occasional burn, say hello to Greek yogurt. It’s a great go-to for sunburns & the oils will help heal & soothe the skin.
♡ Sleep on a Silk Pillowcase
Sleeping on a silk pillowcase is one of the best things you can do for your hair & skin. It prevents hair damage & breakage, reduces appearance of wrinkles & doesn’t absorb moisture so your skin stays hydrated. Fun story: when I moved to LA a few years ago I lost my silk pillowcase. It took me a while to get a new one & my hair stylist AND makeup artist both noticed. Crazy right? The benefits are insane so do yourself a favor & pick up a silk pillowcase. We get way more into it in this post.
What are your super efficient, natural beauty tips & secrets? I love a hack & you guys always have the best ones.
There’s nothing better than a little DIY self-care to make you feel & look your best. These are my absolute favorite natural beauty hacks, & we’ve really just scratched the surface of all the different ways you can keep your skin & hair on point right from your home.
x, lauryn
+ checkout these natural beauty standouts I love.
++ scope the fun way to use your baby’s diaper cream. LOL.
Loved this post, thank you Lauryn <3. Happy New Year
LOVED THIS LAURYN! Added the grapseed oil to my cart
i love your products and tips tysm