Whether you are a new mom, or you are just reading this post anyway, stop reading if you are the type of person who always wears perfect makeup, never has a bad hair day and has no pimples, cellulitis or stained teeth!
Congratulations!
For the rest of us, here are some cool, homemade beauty hacks that save both time and money. Here we go!
Cucumber to fight bad breath
If brushing your teeth and using toothpicks won’t help your bad breath, a cucumber can be your rescue! Cut a slice and hold at the roof of your mouth with the help of your tongue for about a minute. (Not so for far down that you choke, though.) The photochemical kills the bacteria that causes bad breath.
Fresh and natural blackhead removal
Whenever you are bothered by blackheads, acne or even acne scars, head for the fridge and reach for a lemon. Cut a quarter of the lemon and use to rub the affected area for a few minutes every day. The lemon’s acid will help mitigate the blackheads or acne.
The plant that stops your breakouts
The next time you see a pimple somewhere on your skin; cut a piece of a leaf of an Aloe Vera Barbadensis and massage the jelly-like content over the breakout twice per day. Your skin will heal much faster! (Make sure you use the right Aloe Vera plant! No other type than Aloe Vera Barbadensis should be utilized.
Out of eyeliner but want that cat-eye look?
Do you feel like having sexy cat eyes, but you have no good eyeliner? Use a thin makeup brush and stroke it towards a mascara brush to catch a bit of the mascara. Smear off any excess mascara on a piece of paper or the back of your hand and then use the brush to form your cat eyes.
And when you need a new mascara, try the Kanebo – MASCARA 38ºC (here at Amazon). It is hands down the best mascara I’ve ever used – and actually the only one I use! It washes off with warm water and never smudges. It comes both as a regular mascara and lengthening and separating versions. The latter one is very expensive, but oh so good. I usually by that one when traveling abroad.
Instantly whiter teeth
One cup of coffee too much and your teeth will start taking on that yellowing shade. Teeth bleaching is time-consuming, expensive, and might even harm your teeth. Why not try a natural whitening instead?
Mix 1.5 teaspoons of baking soda with 1 teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide to a smooth paste. Add one or two drops of peppermint oil for taste if you want. Make sure there are no remaining lumps of baking soda in the paste. Use the toothbrush, but let the paste sit for 1-2 minutes before rinsing. Do not swallow! Brush your teeth one more time with regular toothpaste to remove any residue.
Make your own favorite nail polish
I bet you already know that red and yellow mixed together become orange. And red and blue become purple. If you need a new nail polish color, mix two of your existing ones instead of buying yet another shade! Nail polishes tend to dry up before they are empty anyway. Use a clean bottle and pour the nail polishes you’d like to mix into it. Shake and check the color! If you want your new polish to glitter, add some glittery eye shadow as well. This can be great fun together with your preschooler too!
Homemade Coffee Scrub for cellulite fighting
If you check the ingredients of many cellulite creams, you will find caffeine. This is because caffeine reduces water retention and hence may improve the looks of cellulite-prone skin. Cellulite creams are expensive, so why not make your own! After making your morning coffee, use the coffee ground, and mix it with coconut oil, which also has great cellulite fighting capacity. For extra effect, you can also add in brown sugar. Massage or brush it into your problem areas after a hot shower. Rinse afterward.
If you want to buy a coffee scrub instead, this one is both awesome and affordable!
Make your own moisturizer spray
Screen time, office time, indoors time, or even just breastfeeding can make your skin feel very dry. How about making your own moisturizer spray?
Make a cup of green tea, let it cool, and add a dab of Aloe vera gel – either from your plant or one you bought. Also, add a bit of your favorite day cream. Pour into a clean spray bottle and shake. Spray on your face whenever your skin feels dry.
Make you own eye shadow primer
If you never tried using an eyeshadow primer before putting on your makeup, it is now time! It can make a huge difference to how long the makeup stays on the lids instead of gathering in the wrinkles. You can make your own primer by mixing two parts of eye cream, 1 part concealer, and a dash of facial powder. Mix together and store in a small jar. Apply on your eyelids before the eye shadow.
Lube for shiny hair
If your hair looks more like frizzy fur post-pregnancy, look no further! Lubricants are a breastfeeding mom’s best friend for many reasons… A reason you maybe didn’t know about is that it works really well to add shine to dull hair – and dull hair can be a real problem after pregnancy! Add a dab of water-based, silicone-free lubrication to your moist, newly washed hair for a great anti-frizz, shiny hair.
Frizz-free on a budget
Lots of frizz but out of hair styling products? Use hand lotion! Warm-up a bit of hand lotion between your palms and squeeze sparingly into your hair tops and hair. Frizz be gone!
Make your own super shampoo
If you use a lot of styling products or simply feel that your hair would benefit from extra thorough cleaning, you can give your regular shampoo superpowers by adding one very cheap ingredient – baking soda! Add a teaspoon of baking soda to a standard dab of shampoo, mix and use as usual.
More Beauty Hacks
- Homemade Facial Mask Recipes
- Homemade Hair Treatments
- 5-Minute Makeup To Look Great (Even If You Are Dead Tired)!
- And finally my favorite book for natural DIY skin and hair care: Natural Beauty Skin Care: 110 Organic Formulas for a Radiant You! (Link to Amazon)
Over to you moms! Share your own best beauty hacks by commenting below! We’ll all like to hear them!! :-)
Paula Dennholt founded Easy Baby Life in 2006 and has been a passionate parenting and pregnancy writer since then. Her parenting approach and writing are based on studies in cognitive-behavioral models and therapy for children and her experience as a mother and stepmother. Life as a parent has convinced her of how crucial it is to put relationships before rules. She strongly believes in positive parenting and a science-based approach.
Paula cooperates with a team of pediatricians who assist in reviewing and writing articles.
What can I do for my 9 month old baby girl hair to grow?
These are great tips and tricks. I had never heard the cucumber one before. Thanks!
Thanks a lot, Shannon! :-)