DIY
PALEO LEAP CHEAT SHEET
SKINCARE WITH NATURAL FATS
FAT ISN ’ T JUST FOR YOUR KITCHEN! It also look s great on your skin (and your hair, and your lips…). And yes, that ’s true even if you have oily skin or acne; ironically, a lot of harsh cleansers ac tually make the problem worse, and using more gentle oils can help your skin set tle down and s top producing so much oil of it s own.
Using healthy fats on your skin is a great way to avoid HAR SH or ABR A SIVE cleansers and other beaut y products while saving a HUGE AMOUNT OF MONEY and getting exactly the scents you want in ever y thing. So here’s a guide to keeping your face and hair beautiful with healthy fats you already have in the kitchen.
YOU DON ’ T NEED ANY SPECIAL EQUIPMENT. All the techniques here use ingredient s and equipment you already have or can get at an ordinar y s tore. No lye, no special molds or tools.
MEET THE FATS If you want to get really into natural beauty, you can go crazy with all kinds of oils nobody else has ever heard of – but here we’ll be focusing on four common and easily available fats that you can take right out of your kitchen:
Coconut oil (virgin/refined) Extra virgin olive oil Lard (pork fat) Tallow (beef fat) No, your face will not end up smelling like bacon or beef ! Really!
Other oils (like avocado oil or castor oil) can come in very handy for specific uses or if you have very sensitive skin, and a lot of them are also available easily online or even in grocery stores.
USES AND DIY RECIPES SKIN WHAT DO YOU WANT TO MAKE ?
MOIS TURIZER
CLE ANSER
E XFOLIATOR
HOW TO DO IT:
E X TR A INGREDIENT S YOU MIGHT WANT:
“ RECIPES ” AND TECHNIQUES:
Fat is naturally moisturizing; using it for beauty is really just a matter of making it smell good and combining the right fats and oils so it doesn’t feel greasy and gross. For coconut oil, you can also whip it into a perfect body butter for easier application.
Vitamin E (for scars or stretch marks)
Oil cleansing is simple and surprisingly effective. To make a proper cleanser, you’ll need some kind of astringent oil as well as the base oil – you can read all about your options and how to use your newlymade cleanser here.
Cleansing oil (usually castor) and possibly a special type of carrier oil, depending on your skin. Some people do just fine with olive or coconut oil; if that’s not you, then avocado oil is another great choice that’s usually available in normal grocery stores
Combine with water to use as a makeup remover.
Use healthy oils as the base for exfoliating salt or sugar scrubs (finally, a use for any sugar you might still have lying around!).
Sugar or salt
Coconut lime sugar scrub (The Idea Room), Coconut oil Epsom salt scrub (Veggie Converter)
Making a hair mask with oils is one of the easiest ways to get your hair sleek and beautiful. Just warm the oil, add any extras (see the next column) and work it through your hair with your fingers; let it set for a few minutes to an hour, then wash out.
Honey (moisturizing)
Yes, you can exfoliate your lips! And then smooth them over with a homemade moisturizer so they don’t get chapped. You’ll probably need beeswax to make the lip balm hold its shape, but if you pour it into an old breath mint tin or other small metal or glass container, you can avoid the need for special balm tubes and pipettes.
Beeswax (for lip balm – you can order it online)
Essential oils (for scent)
Lemon and coconut oil mois turizer (Delicious and DIY) Tallow Balm (Kitchen Stewardship) Just rub it on your skin (really!) DIY All Natural Face Cream (Little Yellow Barn)
Essential oils or extracts (for scent) Citrus juice or other ingredients that smell nice to you (for scent)
Blend with castor or hazelnut oil to make an oil cleansing mix (Wellness Mama – includes directions for dry, normal, and oily skin)
Vanilla sugar body scrub (Primitive Bettys)
HAIR CONDITIONER
Egg yolk (strengthening) Avocado (moisturizing)
DIY All-Natural hot oil hair treatment (Meg O. On the Go)
Honey, eg g , and olive oil hair mask (Beauty by Brittanie)
Avocado deep conditioner (Health Extremist)
MOUTH LIP BALM AND LIP SCRUBS
Essential oils (for scent)
DIY lip balm (Everyday Roots) Sugar lip scrubs (Brit + Co)
Copyright © 2015 by Paleo Leap, LLC. All material in this cheat sheet is provided for your information only and may not be construed as medical advice or instruction. No action or inaction should be taken based solely on the contents oæf this information; instead, readers should consult appropriate health professionals on any matter relating to their health and well-being.