BellaSugar

Olive You, Honey!

Bella Community — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 10:00:34 -0800

This post comes to us from the Natural Beauties group, where member Baigneuse published an awesome DIY recipe.

While olive oil and honey have been used in natural beauty concoctions throughout history, it seems as though they've just recently received the spotlight that they deserve. Honey, a natural antioxidant known for reducing inflammation, is antibacterial and antifungal, making it great for acne-prone skin, and due to its ability to stimulate cytokine production it is also capable of speeding up the healing process. It's great for lightening scarring and, as a natural humectant, attracting water to the skin, leaving it hydrated and soft. Olive oil is rich in polyphenols and hydroxytrosol, one of nature's most powerful antioxidants, which strengthens the skin's immune system and protects it from oxidation. Hydroxytrosol also slows aging by stabilizing the cell plasma membrane. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid and is a natural emollient and excellent moisturizer.

While you may already know the amazing benefits that these ingredients have in masks, cleansers, and moisturizers, you should also be aware that they can make one banging body scrub. Get silky smooth skin this Valentine's Day by using the following recipe one day prior to the big event (and as always, perform a patch test first). To find out more, keep reading.

This DIY Mask Really Works

BellaSugar — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 14:00:15 -0800

Since I've gone natural, lots of people have written in with great tips and ideas about fixes for my skin and hair. Recently, reader Tlsgirl tipped me off to this great recipe of hers from the Do-It-Yourself Beauty group. I tried it last night and it's l-o-v-e. She's totally right about the dripping, though. Here's what she has to say:

I just started using this mask a few weeks ago and I'm a believer already. I have crazy sensitive skin, acne, and some vicious scarring, and already the scars are fading and my breakouts are diminishing. It's like a minor miracle, or a major one if you're obsessed with your skin like me. I was the biggest skeptic ever, but it hasn't irritated my cranky skin a bit.

Recipe:

1 tbsp honey-I used regular honey, nothing fancy

1 tsp ground nutmeg-I used whole nutmeg and then grated it myself

1 tsp ground cinnamon

Mix the above together until they form a chocolatey-colored paste, adjusting as you go until you get the consistency you like. Let sit for about 30 minutes, then rinse off, using the nutmeg crumblies as a natural exfoliant. Just don't wear a cute shirt while you're doing this, since it'll drip.

Got a recipe or look you're loving that we can try? Post it in one of our Bella Community groups and it could wind up here!

Got Leftover Sweet Potatoes and Beer? You've Got a Face Mask

BellaSugar — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 13:00:00 -0800

If you've been entertaining lately and are now the proud owner of a fridge full of extraneous yams, sweet potato casserole, and beer, I've got the perfect recipe for you. This one's a moisturizing and clarifying mask from Return to Beauty, a book of traditional skincare recipes. Just take a cup of your sweet potato (if it's already mashed or casseroled, great; if it's whole, boil it and smash it up) and add two tablespoons of beer. Apply the mask all over your face and neck, and keep it on for 15 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water and apply your toner or moisturizer. Easy, festive, and helps you clean out your fridge.

DIY Spa Treatment: Delicious, Softening Yogurt Cocoa Mask

BellaSugar — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:00:25 -0800

Want something that smells good enough to eat and is incredibly moisturizing for dry, cold-chapped skin? Try a simple yogurt cocoa face mask. You just need a tablespoon of cheap cocoa butter ($1) and a half tablespoon of yogurt. Melt the cocoa butter in a saucepan over low heat, then mix in the yogurt until smooth. Pour your concoction into a bowl and let it cool to a comfortable temperature, then apply for 15 minutes and wash off with warm water.

DIY Spa Treatment: Good Smellin' Fall Cranberry Apple Mask

BellaSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:00:00 -0700

I love the cool weather smells of the season, and what can be more warm and enticing than cranberries and apples? The combo is also, incidentally, an excellent exfoliant for dry Fall skin, and I've got a DIY recipe featuring these two ingredients, to give you the best of both worlds. For a divinely scented kitchen and naturally glowing skin, check out this easy, three-ingredient mask from Narine Nikogosian's new beauty home remedy book Return to Beauty ($25), due out next month. To get the directions, just read more.

DIY Spa Treatment: Honey and Yogurt Acne Mask

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:00:53 -0700

When it's warm outside, my face tends to be more apt to breakout. Do you hear me on that one? I've shared with you dermatologist Dr. Hema Sundaram's recipe for her Sweet Tea Antioxidant Facial Exfoliator, and now she's got something else for us to help beat the early Autumn heat - and the pimples. Better yet? Most ingredients are probably already in your pantry or refrigerator. Her latest recipe both hydrates and exfoliates the skin, while providing antibacterial properties.

"Neem oil has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, which can help heal breakout-prone Summer skin," said Dr. Sundaram. But that's not all. "The fatty acids in neem oil build collagen and maintain skin’s elasticity while plain yogurt works to soothe, nourish, and tighten skin," she added. Get the easy-to-make recipe after the jump.

Beer: Three Ways It Does a Beauty Good

BellaSugar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:00:55 -0700

You may not love the Taste of the Rockies now, but you might after you find out just how useful a couple cheap cans can be. Whatever ale's rolling around in your fridge can make for several great beauty treatments-and there really is no better guy pickup line than "Hey there, I just bathed in beer." So keep reading, because this Bud's for you.

Give Yourself a Hand . . . Massage, That Is

BellaSugar — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 08:00:02 -0700

I'd get a nice, long massage at a spa every day if I could, but fortunately for the massage therapists of the world (and my wallet), I have work, family, friends, Mr. Bella, and pets to keep me from going completely shiatsu, Swedish, and Thai stone crazy. That doesn't mean that I've given up on pampering myself, though. Instead, I've picked up some simple techniques from the pros that relax and recharge my muscles. Self hand massages are especially easy to learn, and if you spend all day typing like I do, they feel amazing. So give yourself a minute, break out a little of your favorite lotion or oil, and check these strokes out.

View Slideshow ›

DIY Spa Treatment: Sweet Tea Antioxidant Facial Exfoliator

BellaSugar — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 13:05:41 -0700

No matter the season, exfoliators help rejuvenate dull-looking skin. Plus, they help lay the foundation for creating a nice, even surface - perfect for smoother makeup applications. Are these warmer-weathered days wreaking havoc on your appearance? "The green tea in the Sweet Tea Antioxidant Exfoliator is full of antioxidants, which boost health and resilience and can even soothe Summer sunburns," says dermatologist Dr. Hema Sundaram. "Brown sugar is a natural exfoliant that scrubs away dirt and impurities without being too harsh on skin."

Get Dr. Sundaram's recipe, along with application tips, when you read more.

DIY Spa Treatment: A Relaxing Herbal Steam

BellaSugar — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 10:00:36 -0700

Taking a few minutes out of your day a few times a week for a relaxing herbal steam is great for your mind, your body and your skin. It helps remove toxins, dirt and oil from your pores - plus it gives you some time to meditate and ponder what's happened in your day. This simple herbal facial steam recipe takes ten minutes to complete, it's safe, satisfying and will hopefully result in a clearer complexion. Here's what you'll need:

A quart of hot water

Half of a lemon

A handful of fresh cilantro

A handful of fresh basil leaves

Three drops of rosemary essential oil

For easy, step-by-step instructions on how to make your relaxing herbal steam at home, read more.

STEP 1: Heat a quart of water in a pot. Once it comes to a boil, pour it into a heat-safe bowl and squeeze the lemon into the water.
STEP 2: Immediately add in the fresh cilantro, basil and rosemary oil and lean over so that your face is over the bowl. You should be close enough to feel the steam, but not too close so that you will burn yourself (about eight to twelve inches). Tip: Place a towel over your head and over the bowl to create a tent-like effect. This will help trap the heat for the duration of your steam.
STEP 3: Steam your face for ten minutes. Once you've finished, pat your face dry with a clean towel and then splash lukewarm water over your face.

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