Kitchen cupboard beauty: how to make beauty products using the products you already have at home

Let’s get our natural beauty on as we WFH
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Naomi May27 March 2020

A half-empty pack of oats, its plastic casing struggling to contain the beige spheres it plays home to.

A bottle of boutique olive oil, its lid balanced on, its rim thick with its molten form.

A jar of honey, its golden contents lazily oozing down the sides of its glass host.

I dare you to peek into the deep, dark depths of your unkempt kitchen cupboards and witness the sight which beholds you.

The sinews of our kitchen cupboards are a treacherous place really. On a day to day basis, they tend not to receive the love and attention they deserve and instead assume the role of home to a multitude of seemingly aged bags, jars and boxes.

But with the government exhorting the British population to WFH, more and more of us are being forced to cower in the nooks and crannies of our homes in order to curb the spread of the cantankerous Covid-19.

If this scenario resonates with you, fear not, as there’s a silver lining of the WFH life in the form of skincare. And I’m not talking of costly creams or pricey peels here. For the ingredients which lurk in those dark and unkempt kitchen corners and cabinets are the key to some seriously efficacious beauty.

After all, what better way to fight cabin fever than with a cupboard clear-out and a DIY pamper? Just because you’re house-bound doesn’t mean your skin, hair and body should suffer.

Read on for our favourite recipes of the skin-loving products you can whip up using the ingredients you've already got at home.

Honey and yoghurt face mask

Honey has antibacterial properties which can help to clarify oily or spot-prone skin, and it can also give your skin a complexion boost, owing to its naturally moisturising and nourishing properties.

  • One tablespoon honey
  • Two tablespoons plain yoghurt

METHOD

Mix the two together and leave on your face for 15-20 minutes. Use a warm face cloth to rinse off.

Coffee body scrub

A 2013 study suggested that substances in coffee also help to promote healthy skin. Coffee contains caffeic acid, which is an antioxidant, and the report found that this substance in particular may boost collagen levels and reduce premature aging of cells.

Caffeic acid also has antimicrobial properties, which means that it may help protect the skin against germs.

  • 60 g ground coffee
  •  20 g raw cane sugar
  • 20 g coconut oil

METHOD

Melt the coconut oil in a bain-marie (a bowl sat in a pan of warm water). Once liquid, add both the coffee and sugar and stir well. Store it in an airtight jar and use on face and body for ultimate glowy results.

Exfoliating oat hand mask

Oatmeal contains avenanthramides, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that soothe itchy, dry and irritated skin. Avenanthramides are antioxidants that are primarily found in oats, and are known to have anti-inflammatory and anti-itch properties.

  • 3 tablespoons of oatmeal
  • 1 tablespoon of olive oil 
  • 1 tablespoon of milk
  • 1 teaspoon of honey

METHOD

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and apply to hands. Wear a pair of gloves to let the mask really work its magic and leave for 30- 60 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Honey, egg, and apple cider vinegar hair mask

This mask is the perfect hydrating mask for all hair types, but particularly parched locks. Eggs in particular are bursting with hair-friendly nutrients. They contain vitamins A, E, biotin and folate, while the yolk is loaded with healthy fats which help to restore shine to hair.

  • 1 teaspoon of honey
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar

METHOD

Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl and leave the mask on for 30 - 40 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

Vanilla lip scrub

For removing the old and dead skin on your lips, there’s nothing better than a good lip scrub. Ensure to hydrate adequately after scrubbing with a rich moisturiser (I’d recommend A.D.C High Performance Moisturiser (£55, shop it here) or Weleda Skin Food (£7.95, shop it here), but any moisturiser does the job in this instance.

  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil

METHOD

Combine all ingredients well and store in an airtight jar.

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