Kitchen Cupboard Creations

Even Out a Streaky Tan with Lemon Juice

Wake up this morning looking like streaky bacon after a rushed fake tan job before bed? Yip, haven't we all...Lucky there's a natural solution to evening out a botched up tan, but it does require some patience! Lemon juice is your best (and most natural) friend when it comes to blending your streaks back into your skin. Grab the biggest, juiciest lemons you can find and squeeze out all the juice into a bowl. Use an exfoliating mitt and dip it into the lemon juice before rubbing over the affected area in a circular motion. Rubbing in circles will help to blend the colour together as lemon juice simply lightens the fake tan and helps blend it in to your natural skin colour. Rubbing up and down might just make it look even more streaky. Once you can't stand scrubbing your skin any more, mix some olive oil and sea salt together to create a paste, then jump in the shower and give yourself one last rub-down. I can't promise you'll be completely streak-free but I can tell you from experience it's a vast improvement!

Wash the Day Away with Coconut Oil

Coconut oil seems to be a bit of an 'it' oil right now. It's great for cooking, for adding to smoothies or even eaten by the spoonful as a snack, but have you ever thought to use it to wash your face? If not, listen up because coconut oil is the business for cleansing and nourishing your delicate facial skin. It works for all skin types (remember oil attracts oil, so it's perfect for those with all-over oiliness or combination skin) and moisturizes your skin while you cleanse. It's important to make sure you've got the right type of coconut oil first. It must be cold-pressed, virgin (raw) and unrefined, to ensure you're getting all the fatty acids as well as anti-bacterial and anti-fungal benefits from the oil. To cleanse, scrape out about a 10c piece glob of the solid oil, rub it into your hands until it becomes clear and liquidy, then massage onto dry skin. It will remove all your makeup including waterproof mascara and eye makeup (win!). Rinse off with plenty of warm water and a wash-cloth. If there's a bit of reside left on the skin, you can use a toner, otherwise simply rub the excess in for extra moisturisation.

Give Your Hair Some TLC with Eggs

It's a well-known fact that eggs are one of nature's true super foods. They're packed with protein and essential nutrients, making them an integral part of a healthy diet. But did you know that eggs are just as beneficial when applied topically to your hair? Seems like a crazy thought, but the yolk works wonders for conditioning hair, while the white helps remove unwanted oils thanks to its bacteria-eating enzymes. If you're after a quick and easy treatment, simply beat an egg with a fork (two eggs if you have long or thick hair), apply through clean damp hair from scalp to tips and leave for 15 minutes before rinsing out. Don’t rinse with hot water or you may risk cooking the egg (eek!). Cool or lukewarm water is definitely best.

So what are you waiting for, open up the pantry and get pampering, scrubbing and cleansing. You never know what other natural remedies you may discover along the way...

Keep it green,
Lucy x