2 DIY Avocado Summer Spa Recipes

Aguacate / Avocado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hey there Y&L readers 🙂 Happy Friday! Today we wanted to share some summer beauty recipes featuring a warm weather ingredient—avocados! Avocadoes are great for moisturizing and soothing skin and hair that’s been dried out from a day at the beach or pool! So this weekend treat yourself to one of these at-home spa remedies.

Avocado Face Mask

Ingredients:

• 1/2 a very ripe avocado
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut oil

Directions:

1. Peel the avocado and mash it well.
2. Add the honey and coconut oil and stir to combine.
3. Apply to a clean dry face, avoiding your eyes, and leave on for about 10-15 minutes.
4. After your mask had time to work it’s magic, take a warm wet wash cloth and wipe your face clean.

Avocado Hair Mask Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• 1/2 an avocado

Directions:

1. Whisk together the egg yolk, extra-virgin olive oil, and honey together in a small bowl.
2. Mash in 1/2 of an avocado with a fork.
3. While you’re in the shower, apply the paste first to the ends of your hair and then all over your hair.
4. Let it soak into your strands for 15 to 20 minutes, rinse it out, shampoo, and then rinse

How do you keep your strands and skin happy during summer activities?

3 Natural Nail Care Recipes

Manicure (Photo credit: trec_lit)

Happy Friday Ladies (and Gentlemen)! We hope your week was beautiful, and if it wasn’t then perhaps trying out these recipes this weekend will send it back in the right direction! Many of the products that nail salons use are effective but full of nasty chemicals. What’s a girl to do? Abandon all nail care? We think that isn’t really an option. Instead try out these simple, natural DIY recipes to give yourself a manicure at home.

Follow it up with some eco-friendly ZOYA polish and your hands will be good to go! So here are the recipes 🙂

Natural Cuticle Softener

• Apple Cider Vinegar – yup that’s all you need. Soak your nails in undiluted apple cider vinegar for a few minutes and then clean up the cuticle bed with a nail pusher. Don’t like the smell of apple cider vinegar? Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil… or just follow this up with a delicious smelling hand scrub!

Natural Nail Strengthening Soak

• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 tbs honey

Just mix the ingredients in a small bowl and soak your nails in it for 10-15 minutes. Follow up with cuticle oil. We love using apricot or almond oil as cuticle oil!

Natural Apricot Hand Scrub

• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 2 tbs lemon juice

   

• 2 tbs apricot oil

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and then massage into your hands! Rinse with warm water and dry with a clean towel! Try not to eat this delicious scrub!

Have you ever given yourself a complete manicure at home? Or do you usually just head to the salon?

Show Your Locks Some Love With This DIY Deep Conditioner!

Image from Hybrid Rasta Mama.

Today we’ve got a simple recipe that will recharge your hair’s moisture all year long: from the cold winter months all the way to the hot and sunny summer days. This treatment is also crucial if you regularly dry, straighten, or color your hair. All three things strip hair of it’s natural oils leading to split ends and straw like strands (yuck). To replenish moisture and shine try this DIY deep conditioner 1-2 times a week, and we are sure you’ll see results.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tbsp. raw, cold-pressed coconut oil
• Small glass bowl
• Spoon for mixing

Directions:

1. In a microwave safe glass bowl, heat and melt the coconut oil in 30 second increments.
2. Add the olive oil to the bowl and stir to combine. Make sure it’s not too hot to touch by feeling the bowl.
3. Then use your hands to apply the oil mixture to your hair, focusing on the ends and leaving your scalp alone. Comb through the oil to make sure it’s evenly distributed.
4. Put your hair into a braid, or a top knot, or cover with a shower cap and let it sit for at least 3-4 hours. If you really want to condition your hair apply this right before bed and rinse out in the morning.
5. After 3-4 hours you can shampoo and condition as normal. Repeat 1-2 times a week for optimal results.

How do you get your hair into tip-top shape?

 

3 Hair Tutorials We Love & Some Changes!

Hello and happy Friday to all of our beautiful readers! You may have noticed this week we didn’t post on our usual Tuesday/Thursday schedule. We are switching things up a little and will be posting 1 day a week on Friday’s now. So plan on checking in then for the latest and greatest style tips, beauty advice, and all natural beauty recipes!

This week we’ve got 3 great hair tutorials from around the web that deliver amazing results with pretty minimal effort or experience. So this weekend get some bobby pins and give your do a little makeover.

Half-Up Braided Crown from A Cup of Jo – this is such a pretty and simple hair style, it should take only a few minutes to create. It would be perfect for a date or wearing to work/school. The tutorial is great with pictures and step-by-step directions to guide you along the way. And Joanna’s blog is pretty fantastic too!

Half-Up Braided Crown from Cup of Jo

A Modern Bun from Jetting to the Wedding – this is such a great updo, and as the name of the blog suggests, would be perfect for a DIY Wedding updo. But if you don’t have any nuptials planned in the near future this bun would be the perfect look for work!

A Modern Bun from Jetting to the Wedding.

Fishtail Braid by Chanel Dror for Camille Styles – who doesn’t love a fishtail braid? And even though it looks complicated it is so easy to learn and takes minutes to do. If this tutorial doesn’t help as much you can check out this video to guide you as well!

Fishtail Braid Tutorial from CamilleStyles.com.

If you give these styles a try let us know what you think (feel free to share pictures or links)! Have a great weekend 🙂

Banish Blemishes: DIY Recipe for Treating Breakouts!

Whew… it’s Thursday already? This week went by so quickly… which isn’t a bad thing!  Today we’ve got a recipe to share from the amazing book, Organic Body Care Recipes by Stepahnie Tourles. If you’ve struggled with acne, or even if you just get the occasional breakout this recipe may be just the cure you’ve been searching for. A word of caution though, acne is a tricky beast. We tend to OVER-treat our skin. In general less is more, and the same holds true for skin care. So try to use fewer creams, fewer washes, fewer scrubs, containing fewer ingredients. It’s important to be gentle to your skin. The hardest part of treating acne is finding the patience to wait. It just takes time, months even, for your skin to rid itself of all the built up bacteria and regenerate.

Okay, enough lecture 😉 onto the spot treatment. This recipe is great for “active” breakouts because it helps to fight subsurface acneic bacteria, reducing redness and eliminating toxins in your skin. It’s also fantastic to use on ingrown hairs around your bikini line! You can apply up to 2 times/day and the recipe is good to store for up to 6 months.

Ingredients:

• 4 drops tea tree oil
• 2 drops clove essential oil
• 2 drops German chamomile essential oil
• 2 drops green myrtle essential oil
• 2 tsp. hazelnut or apricot kernel base oil (try to choose organic when possible)
• 1 tsp almond base oil (again, go for organic if you can)
• 1 dark glass storage bottle with a dropper (you can find these at many health food stores like Whole Foods)

Directions:

1. Make sure the glass bottle is cleaned and dry.
2. Add the essential oils drop by drop into the glass bottle.
3. Add the base oils (use a funnel if that helps)
4. Put the lid back on the bottle then shake the formula in your hand vigorously for 2 minutes. This thoroughly mixes the ingredients and warms the mixture to body temperature.
5. This step requires some patience… set the bottle in a dark spot (like a medicine cabinet or drawer) and let it sit for 24 hours to let the oils really blend.
6. To use: clean your skin, and apply any astringent or toner that is part of your routine. Then drop 1-2 drops of the blemish banner into your palm, dip a cotton swab into the oil and dab onto each breakout. You could also drop 1 drop on the cotton swab itself and then apply.

Again this recipe works well for treating acne, ingrown hairs, and even bug bites! So give it a try and let us know what you think! Have a beautiful weekend 🙂

Hair Health: DIY Leave-In Conditioning Spray

Leave-in conditioners are great for many reasons. They detangle hair, add shine, and most importantly add moisture. If you live in a dry climate, or if the winter weather is wreaking havoc on your hair we’ve got some simple alternative sto expensive leave-in conditioners! You can whip up these conditioning sprays with things you likely have at home. Store your conditioning spray in an old spray bottle (thoroughly washed) or any spray bottle of your choice.

Super Simple Leave-In Conditioning Spray

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. distilled water (this will prevent bacteria from growing)
• 1 oz. olive oil or almond oil
• 1 oz. of your favorite conditioner (we love Yest To Carrots!)
• 1 spray bottle

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a clean spray bottle. Shake well before each use. Mist over damp hair like you would any other conditioning spray!

All Natural Leave-In Conditioning Spray

Ingredients:

• 2 fluid oz aloe vera gel (be sure it is 100% aloe vera gel, otherwise you’ll get yucky additives)
• 10 drops rosemary essential oil
• 10 drops lemongrass essential oil
• 5 drops jojoba oil
• Optional: small amount of vegetable glycerin, only if you let your hair air-dry
• Distilled water
• 4 oz spray bottle

Directions:

1. Combine the aloe vera gel through the vegetable glycerin in the 4 oz. spray bottle.
2. Add distilled water to fill the bottle.
3. Shake to mix before each use.

This spray works amazingly well as a detangler, a leave-in conditioner, and a curl refresher!

Do you use a leave-in conditioner?

 

DIY Skin Care: Oatmeal Skin Smoother

Image from Women Z Mag.

Sometimes your skin needs a little refreshing, but abrasive scrubs can just be too much. Today we’ve got a recipe for a mask or smoother that provides very gentle exfoliation and leaves your skin so soft and smooth! The best part is you can mix up the dry ingredients and store them in a jar for an easy mask/smoother anytime!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup ground oatmeal (you can grind oats in a food processor or coffee grinder)
• 1/2 cup powdered milk
• Purified water

Directions:

• Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl. Put the ingredients in a glass jar or storage container of your choice. It should keep for at least 6 months stored this way.
• To create a scrub or mask add 2 tsp. of scrub mixture with 1 to 2 tsp water until a paste is formed.
• Let the mixture stand and thicken for 1 minute.
• Apply with your fingers and massage into your face and throat. If you are using it as a scrub rinse with water, if you are using it as a mask let it sit and dry for 20 to 30 minutes.

A fun variation would be adding ground dried lavender or chamomile tea leaves for an extra soothing experience! Have you used an oatmeal mask before?

3 Foods To Add To Your Diet for Beautiful Skin

Image from Demand Studios

We’ve all heard it before: what you eat plays a big role in the way you look AND how you feel. Most people’s New Years resolutions involve eating healthier and exercising. And if this is part of your goal for 2013, you’ll be happy to know your skin and hair will also see great results! We suggest adding some of these foods to your diet to achieve a slimmer waist line and beautiful skin. And better yet, we’ve paired each up with a recipe for some green DIY skin care!

1. Almonds – these seeds (no they are not nuts) are full of Vitamin E, which are helpful in blocking harsh UV rays from the sun! The key is to not overdo it on the seeds/nuts, about 20 almonds a day is the perfect snack.
   • Try out this Almond & Honey Facial Scrub from the blog Beauty Tips!
2. Leafy Greens – Kale, spinach, or collard greens are a great way to pack in some extra nutrients without packing on the calories. These green veggies are high in water (great for smoothing wrinkles) and nutrients (for restoring and protecting your body’s cells), and have been shown to reduce cancer risks in some people.
   • Check out this Spinach & Mint Hydrating Facial Mask from the blog Perfect Skin Care For You.
3. Flax Seeds – High in Omega-3 fatty-acids, flax seeds are well equipped to erase spots and fine lines on your face. They are great for irritated skin! We suggest sprinkling some ground flax seeds (you must grind them to get their nutritional benefit) on your oatmeal, cereal, or in a smoothie.
   • If you have oily skin or old acne scars give this Flax Seed Facial Scrub from Skin Care For Your Soul a try!

What are your favorite health foods for beautiful skin?

DIY Moisturizing Hand Mask: Great For At-Home Manicures!

Today we’ve got the perfect DIY spa recipe (adapted from Green Beauty Recipes) that delivers the TLC your hands deserve. This would be great if you work a lot with you hands or if winter weather has them dry. If you are doing an at home spa day or manicure why not try this mask after shaping your nails and trimming cuticles? All you need are 4 simple ingredients for softer, happier hands 🙂

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp fine sugar or salt
• 1 tbsp honey or agave
• 1 raw egg yolk OR 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp full-fat cream (you could use soy if you are only using vegan products)

Directions:

1. Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir.
2. Apply a generous layer of the mask to your hands and massage it into your fingertips. Or if you are lucky get someone to do it for you.
3. Put on some gloves or plastic bags and let the mask sit for 15 minutes.
4. After 15 minutes you can rinse off the mask with warm water.

*** You can only store this mixture in your fridge for a week if you use olive oil instead of an egg.

If you are looking for some fun ways to change up this mask consider adding your favorite essential oils. Lavender works great for relaxing, but citrus essential oils would be perfect in a salt mask.

How do you keep your hands looking healthy during the winter?

DIY Skincare: Firming Eye Oil

Perhaps one of your resolutions for 2013 was to better about moisturizing? Or perhaps this winter weather has your skin dry and irritated? This recipe for Firming Eye Oil was adapted from Julie Gabriel’s book Green Beauty Recipes. The ingredients are pretty easy to pick up at a Whole Foods, Natural Grocery Store, or order online. Whenever you are applying an eye cream or oil be sure to pat the moisturizer into your delicate skin around your eye. RESIST THE URGE TO RUB AND PULL! That damages the sensitive skin around your eyes and works to undo what this beautiful oil is made for. We like applying this oil after we are all washed up and ready for bed. The oil may be a little too much for under makeup in the AM.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp. sweet almond oil
• 2 tbsp. evening primrose oil
• 1 tsp. rosehip oil
• 20 drops black currant oil (you can find this in the supplement section in capsules. Just break open the capsules and add to your mixture.)
• 1 ml vitamin E
• 1 2 or 3 oz very clean glass bottle with dropper applicator (we love the blue bottles that Whole Foods carries sometimes!)
• 1 small funnel

Directions:

• Make sure the bottle is very clean to prevent anything weird from growing in your oil.
• Pour all the ingredients into your glass bottle (here is where the funnel might come in handy). Put the lid on it and shake it to mix thoroughly.
• We recommend shaking it before each use.
• To apply simply shake, then use the dropper to get some oil. Drop a few drops on your finger and pat onto clean skin. Remember pat the moisturizer in, don’t rub!

This firming eye oil will keep for about a year if stored in a cool, clean place. What do you usually do to take care of your delicate eye area?