DIY Beauty

Award-winning beauty and lifestyle blogger Dee Doherty knows a thing or two about beauty products. Here blog, La Belle Mama recently won Most Aussome Newcomer at the Aussie Blog Awards, so we reckoned she was the right person to hit up for some beauty tips. Here are her top tips to using up the dregs of your kitchen cupboards to make amazing products that will make you look GORGE!

Tip #1 Use Baking Soda to Zap Spots and Breakouts:

This is by far my most used DIY beauty tip, and it’s the simplest!  Baking soda helps to dry the skin – removing the grease that can cause spots.  It also has mild anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, so it can reduce that redness and swelling that comes with Acne!

If you want to treat a spot, or a small area of breakout, mix a little bit of baking soda with water in your hand, so it forms a paste and dab it on to the area.  Let it dry and rinse thoroughly!

Tip #2 Weekly Skin Clearing Treatment using Apples:

Apples actually have powerful antibacterial properties, and they’re packed full of enzymes that help shed dead skin cells.  The fruit acids in the apples also help to prevent future breakouts, by balancing the skin’s PH level!

This treatment is also really simple, but you might want to do this when you’re about to wash your hair, as it can be pretty messy! Simply juice the apple in a blender until it’s a pulpy mixture, then lie down with a towel under your head and spread it on your face.  Lie there for 15-20 minutes and then rinse off.  Moisturise if needed, but try to avoid the T-Zone!  If you do this at least once a week you should start to notice your skin clearing up!

Tip #3 Clarifying Hair Treatment

This is another great one using Baking Soda – the miracle beauty product!  This is a great clarifying hair treatment which you can use once a week to remove product build up, and give you really fresh clean hair!

Mix some baking soda with your usual shampoo in equal parts.  Focus on the scalp and then bring the lather down to the ends.  Make sure to rinse really well!  I find really clean hair so manageable and much easier to style!

Tip #4 Coffee Body Scrub – Also Helps Reduce Cellulite and Varicose Veins!

If you use a coffee machine or French Press, you can use the used coffee granules for this amazing scrub.

Mix the granules with honey, the honey acts as a bonding agent but it also has anti-inflammatory effects!

I stand in the bath when I’m using it, because it makes a massive mess!  Working from your feet up, massage the mixture in, using circular motions.  This is also safe to use on your face.  Once you’re covered in the mixture, rinse off and continue with your normal shower/bath routine.  Remember to moisturise afterwards, and enjoy amazingly soft skin!

Tip #5 DIY Bathtime Bliss

This is something I love to do, and again it’s really simple.  While running your bath, throw in some table salt.  I use about 1/2 cup!  Then add in some Vanilla Essence, to create a gorgeous Spa-like effect!

The salt makes the water feels so soft and relaxing against your skin, and the Vanilla is such a warm relaxing scent – I just love it for baths!  No expensive products or candles needed, just lay back and relax!