posted by mommies2cents on 2011

9 comments

My kids are getting older. By that I mean that I no longer have to carry them, rock them to sleep , change their diaper or feed them. The days of spit-up down my bra are long gone and my excuse for looking like a homeless crazy person is quickly slipping away. I have been looking for some beauty tricks that I can do at home without having to pay a fortune and find someone to watch the kids.

I think using Sunday as my own personal spa day sounds like a great idea. It might actually make me feel human for the week ahead!

The first tip comes from the Island of Jamaica. Even though I am long past puberty, I still get a pesky pimple every once in a while. Mostly caused by stress…with a husband, 2 kids, a dog, a cat, a business start-up and a blog, I’m not sure why I’m not covered in pimples!

Mix baking soda with water to make a paste. Dab the paste onto any pimple you have. If your skin is on the dry side, you can add a bit of Vitamin E. The baking soda paste draws dirt and oil to the surface as it hardens and the vitamin E hydrates the skin and infuses it with antioxidants to prevent aging.

The next tip comes from Greece! Since chopping my hair off a couple of years ago and then regretting it when it took over two years to grow back, I am VERY protective of my hair. Having heard a lot about how shampoo isn’t that great for your locks, I was excited to hear about this tip.

Boil sprigs of fresh rosemary in water. Let it cool and strain out the rosemary, then pour over your hair. The rosemary deep cleans and removes build-up from your hair, leaving it shiny and bouncy. This is a great once a week treatment to let your hair rest and rejuvenate.

Turkish women have been a lifesaver for me. Living in south Florida, I wear flip flops…A LOT! It is near impossible for me to keep my heels smooth…until now…

Add course sea salt to your regular lotion and use it on dry feet. The salt and the lotion work as an amazing scrub to remove dry, dead skin.

Women in Singapore have a few beauty tricks worth trying. First they make a fresh skin mask out of either avocado or papaya. The avocado is packed with nourishing oils and the papaya has wonderful Papain, which is an exfoliating enzyme. They also have a nightly hair ritual for combating frizz. They coat the ends of their with coconut oil and leave it on while they sleep. In the morning, no frizz!

Now that summer is over and the holidays are on their way, it’s time to break out the red polish! The only problem with red polish is that it tends to stick around longer than pumpkin pie on my hips. A beauty secret from France (where red polish is most popular) is soaking your fingertips in warm water with lemon juice. This makes the yellow tinge from the red polish disappear!

Who has more luxurious hair than Italian women? The final beauty tip will help you protect your hair from harsh weather as well as boost shine. Whip two egg whites until they make a frothy mousse. Wet your hair and apply the egg whites all over. Leave it on for 10 minutes, shampoo, rinse and DONE!

I am ready to add these simple DIY beauty tricks to my routine. There is nothing like a spa day to get you looking and feeling your best!

Do you have any secret beauty tricks?