15 Natural Beauty Recipes Using Everyday Foods

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Every girl wants to be pretty, but it can be hard having to use tons of masks, lotions and just a load of products. It can break your bank and expose you to unnecessary amounts of chemicals. I believe in keeping it simple and cheap. No need to go shopping at Macy's, Bare Minerals or any of these stores, just head to the grocery store with a $20 bill to get the same effect. I've compiled a few beauty recipes below, but there are a plethora more that are just a search engine click away.

Brown Sugar and Honey Facial Scrub

This is probably my favorite one. Brown sugar exfoliates the skin ridding the pores of all dirt, oil and dead skin cells causing blemishes. Honey is naturally antibacterial, so as the brown sugar cleans out the pores, the honey cleans out the sources for this build up to prevent future break outs.

Coffee Grounds in Conditioner

This one is really simple. Instead of throwing old coffee grounds away, toss them into your conditioner to make your hair extra shiny. That's all it takes!

Replace Conditioner with Vinegar

To get rid of the usual problems with hair: build up, dullness and just lack luster, replace your conditioner with vinegar 1-4 times a month, depending on your own hair. Just use it as you need it. And don't worry about buying the best stuff for the best results, common white vinegar will do the trick as well as any other vinegar.

Olive Oil as Hair Moisturizer

It's easy to see how oil can moisturize your hair. It's simple to use it as well. Simply cover your hair in olive oil and leave it in for 30-45 minutes. You can also wrap it in plastic wrap to keep it from dripping and some believe it enhances the effect.

Lemon and Egg Facial

Have red splotchiness on your face? Soothe both symptoms away easily by mixing together one egg yolk and the juice of one lemon into a paste. Cover your face with it and leave it on overnight. If this seems like too much work, leave it on your face for an hour. You might not get the optimal results with this, but you will see a difference.

Replace Conditioner with Baking Soda

Want to be more like a guy and only use one thing to clean your hair? Then just add baking soda to your shampoo. It will remove build up and make hair shinier, and you can use it everyday.

Degrease Oily Hair With Lemons and Aloe

Mix together 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon aloe vera. Mix it together with a normal serving of shampoo. It will get rid of your oiliness in one shower.

Smooth Fizzy Hair With Honey

Add a tablespoon of honey to a litre of water. After shampooing, rinse your hair with this concoction to tame your frizz.

Replace Face Wash With Skim Milk Powder

Switching face wash out with skim milk powder can make your face much softer and give you a smoother complexion. It's also very gentle, so even the most sensitive can use it.

Moisturize Skin With Honey and Olive Oil

Honey holds moisture extremely well and olive oil hydrates well, too. Mix equal parts of olive oil and honey and add a dash of lemon juice if you'd like to create a pasty lotion. Rub it onto the dry skin and let it sit for 10-20 minutes. Your skin will be hydrated for plenty of time to come afterwards.

Soften Skin With Oatmeal

There are many concoctions and mask recipes that involve oatmeal, but you can use oatmeal by itself to help your skin. Ground up about 1 cup of oatmeal using a blender or coffee grinder, and add it to bath water to soften skin to baby-like quality.

Treat Choline-Damaged Hair

Mix together 1 egg, 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1/4 of a peeled cucumber. Cover you hair with the mixture and leave on for 10-20 minutes. You'll see your hair return to normal almost immediately.

Tone and Rebuild Skin With Avocados and Carrots

This recipe can work wonders. Combine 1 avocado, 1 cooked carrot, 1/2 cup heavy cream, 1 egg and 3 tablespoons of honey. Leave on for 10-20 minutes and then rinse. These ingredients add a multitude of vitamins, antioxidants and calcium to rebuild natural collagen, tone skin and remove age spots. There is plenty to read about the benefits of each of these ingredients, but all you need to know is that each natural element does more than any store-bought item can.

Lemons or Oranges for Fine Hair Hairspray

Use Lemons for dry hair and oranges for a stronger hold. Chop up the entire piece of fruit in a bowl as to not lose any juice. Boil the fruit with 2 cups of water until soupy or when the liquid has been significantly reduced. Strain through a cloth and put into a spray bottle. The citrus will hold the hair and not damage it due to the fact that there is no alcohol.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Cleanser and Toner

This eliminates dead skin cells easily, so you can use in lieu of expensive toner. That's all

there is to it!

Being beautiful can get expensive and damaging if you're using products often. Try using these

natural tips before spending money and see if you even want to try products after.

Wedding Trends: Drinks

Continuing with the edible side of the wedding, we're moving onto drinks. Although there are some new twists on old favorite drinks, the major change taking place is the drink presentation. Also, as alcoholic drink choices don't differ much besides signature drinks of the bride and groom, I'll be dealing with non-alcoholic beverages. As the rest of the wedding turns away from modernism, so do the drinks. The trend is a return to old-fashioned, elegant simplicity. There are numerous ways to do it, but there are a few definitive ways.

The chief differing element which influences trends of drinks is the idea of self-service. Rather than having waiters bustle around guests, couples are opting for the simplicity of making beverages available for guests to serve themselves. With this, pitchers and drink dispensers are becoming more popular. They add a sweet, rustic touch to any wedding.

To add a rustic feel, jars are opted for over glasses. This can also be very sentimental if you are able to get jars with a brand you like or save various jars over time. It's also the most unpretentious way for your guests to drink. Include jars with your dispensers and you have a sweet, simple yet elegant drink display.

Adding a touch to a drink isn't new, but these design elements are changing. Instead of a plain straw, a whimsical, colorful detail is added by using striped straws. A flag can add a touch of decor as well as the ever-popular umbrella. A truly natural addition, and my personal favorite, is the use of flowers. Many flowers are edible and can truly enhance a drink's look and flavor. If a whole flower is too much to you though, use petals. It's simple, elegant and sweet all in one.

For drinks that aren't mixed and don't require a dispenser, such as soda pop, the fad is to make them look as old-fashioned as possible. This is done by using glass bottles and with the most vintage labels possible. To make it even more classic, keep them in a crate or to throw them in a metal tub of ice for an easy grab. A cute vintage feel can be done by adding an old-fashioned bottle opener and straws.

Lastly, the choice of drinks are trending as well. Here the aim is to be as original as possible, while still offering drinks that your guests won't be timid to try. This is usually done by putting a twist on common drinks such as water, ice tea and lemonade. One of the greatest flavors I've seen is Ginger Mint Lemonade. You can incorporate any fruit you like, so be original, so make your lemonade as tasty as you can. Teas are also one of the most varied refreshment there is, so choose your favorite flavors. To add more pizazz, the main trend is to add fruits and other natural elements such as leaves for more zest. To flavor water in an uncommon way, simply toss in lemons, limes and mint leaves, making it different and simple.

Drinks are more important than you may think for the decor and deliciousness of the wedding. Choose the best for flavor and flair to enhance your affair.

PS: Inspiring Pretty is now beginning to showcase a wedding each Saturday. If you'd like to see yours showcased, we'd love to see it! Please submit your wedding here and we will be in touch!

50 Clever Uses For Common Household Items

Money is tight for most right now while a shift to more natural products around the house is also abounding. How can you find the best of both of these worlds? It's actually very simple. It's all a matter of learning a few tricks and doing it yourself. Here are 50 helpful tips to make products around home more natural, yourself a little more self-reliable and of course all while saving you some cash.

1.) Toothpaste: Buff a CD/DVD

Apply toothpaste to a cotton ball and wipe the disc. Wash with water afterwards and you've got an lost brand new disc!

2.) Cornstarch: Untangle Knots

Sprinkling cornstarch into tough knots, such as shoe laces can helps loosen them.

3.) Walnut: Buff Dings Out of Wooden Furniture

Get rid of unsightly scratches and dings on wooden furniture by rubbing a walnut on the areas. The blemishes will vanish quickly and your furniture and money will be saved.

4.) Club Soda: Make Your Breads Fluffier

When baking, where recipes call for water, add club soda instead of water to make pancakes, waffles and any other breads fluffier.

5.) Salt: Keep Windows Frost Free

Pour a cup of salt into a liter of water. The, sponge the liquid onto the inside of window to prevent frost from forming during the winter months.

6.) Rubbing Alcohol: Remove Permanent Marker

Dab the surface with permanent marker on it with a cloth or cotton ball covered in rubbing alcohol to make it disappear quickly.

7.) Chapstick: Stops Bleeding When Nicked Shaving

Cut yourself shaving? Just swipe chapstick over the cut to stop that constant bleeding. No more tissue squares!

8.) Apple Juice: Removes Dandruff

Don't ask me how it works, but it does! Instead of buying a special shampoo, just wash your hair in apple juice to rid your scalp of pesky dandruff.

9.) Aspirin: Get Rid of Armpit Stains on T-Shirts

Mash up an aspirin tablet or two, then make a paste out of it using water, lemon or vinegar. Spread the paste on the stained area an let sit for an hour before washing.

10.) Olive Oil: Make Pets' Coat Shinier

Add a bad of olive oil to your pet's food to give them a healthier, shinier coat of fur.

11.) Newspapers: Clean Windows and Mirrors

Instead of using a spray and a streaky cloth, use only newspaper clean off your mirrors and windows for a streak-free finish. No wonder homeless guys use it ;-)

12.) Baking Soda: Remove Bugs From Windshield

Mix baking soda with warm water to make a paste. Spread the paste over your windshield for fifteen minutes. Then wipe off or spray off with a hose.

13.) Bleach: Extend Life of Flowers in Vase

Add a few drops of bleach to vase water to prevent the build up of the slime caused by bacteria. It works just like chlorine in a swimming pool.

14.) Kitchen Dish Soap: Flea-Killing Dog Shampoo

Kitchen dish soap (not dish detergent) can double as dog shampoo for its flea killing abilities.

15.) Coke: Remove Blood Stains From Clothing

Soak the stain in coke until the stain is dissolved, then wash the clothing as usual. Wash before the coke dries, though.

16.) Honey: Remove Blemish Overnight

Have a blemish you need to get rid of by tomorrow? Put a dab of honey on the blemish and cover it up (it's best to use a bandaid) and the honey's natural antibacterial properties will clean out the bacteria by the morning.

17.) Wax Paper: Clean Can Opener Gears

Run a few small strips of of wax paper through the can opener to clean out of the bits and pieces that have built up in the gears through out the year. The wax will also rub off on the gears to protect for future use as well.

18.) WD-40: Remove Crayons From Walls

Use the lubricant and a cloth to remove stubborn crayon marks from the walls just by spraying the wall and wiping with a cloth.

19.) Chalk: Keep Ants and Slugs Out of the House

Ants and Slugs Won't Touch Chalk. So, simply draw a line in front of your doorway where you are having problems with these pesky critters and they won't cross it, meaning they won't be able to get into your house.

20.) Vinegar: Kills Weeds and Helps Flowers Grow

Vinegar is a magic wonder when it comes to gardening. It not only kills weeds but they help flowers grow as well. Douse vinegar all around your garden to prevent weeds from popping up and to help your flowers to grow healthy and strong.

21.) Mayonnaise: Remove Bumper Sticker

Spread mayonnaise on the bumper sticker and let sit for at least thirty minutes. Then, rub the sticker off with a towel, leaving a clean bumper!

22.) Tin Foil Ball: Replace Dryer Sheets Permanently

Instead of using a dryer sheet, ball up one or a few sheets of tin foil and toss it in the dryer. It removes the static electricity from your clothes and one can last up to a year.

23.) Banana Peel: Polish Leather Shoes

Use the inside of a banana peel to give shoes a professional and natural shine that will last for quite some time.

24.) Mouthwash: Cure Athlete's Foot

Pour mouthwash on cotton balls and then swab your feet. The alcohol will disinfect the bacteria completely if you continue this for a week or so.

25.) Baking Soda: Clean BBQ Grill

Mix a cup of baking soda with half a cup water to make a paste. Dip your brush into the paste and scrub the grill. The caked on pieces and black residue will come off much quicker, and using baking soda is much safer and cheaper than using cleaning chemicals.

26.) Coffee Grounds: Fertilizer

Coffee is full of nutrients and vitamins that are very beneficial to soil. That's why some people include it in compost piles. If you want to get the most out of your coffee, pour the grounds on areas where you want more grass or flowers.

27.) Olive Oil: Shaving Cream

The smoothness of the oil can replace the need for shaving cream, and it also provides great moisture.

28. ) Dryer Sheets: Gets Rid of Static Electricity

Use dryer sheets to remove static electricity from things such as clothing, TV screens or your own hair. Tame fly away strands by running a dryer sheet over them.

29.) Freezer: Freeze Candles to Make Them Last Longer

For at least 2 hours before using, put candles in the freezer. Once you burn them, the wax will melt at a much slower pace, making them last much longer!

30.) Two glasses of water: Cure Headache

Water is the cure to most common headaches. To make the headache go away quickly, drink two cups of water very quickly.

31.) Lemons: Deodorize Garbage Disposal

Toss whole slices of lemon into the garbage disposal, then run it. The acidity of the lemon will rid your sink of all odors and leave a fresh scent that usually lasts for a few months.

32.) Alka Seltzer: Remove Burnt-On Grease and Food Stains

When letting your pots and pans soak, throw in one or two Alka Seltzer tablets and the caked on residue from cooking will come off easily when you scrub/wash.

33.) Apple Cider Vinegar: Relieve Diarrhea

Mix two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar into eight ounces of water to soothe your stomach. The taste may not be the greatest, but the antibacterial properties of the vinegar will end the unpleasantness of the bowel problems.

34.) Toothpaste: Remove Scratches From Glass

Apply toothpaste to scratch, then rub with a cloth until the scratch is gone. Make sure the glass is clean beforehand.

35.) Cheerios: Relieve Pain From Poison Ivy, Chickenpox and Sunburns

Pound one to four cups of Cheerios into a powder and add to your bath to soothe your skin while you soak. You may not feel relief while in the tub, but you will soon after.

36.) Buttons: Sort Earrings

Organize your earrings and prevent them from becoming entangled by using spare buttons as holders for each pair.

37.) Corn Oil: Prevent Hairballs for Pets

Add a few drops of corn oil to your pets' food to prevent hairballs from forming. The thick oil helps the fur pass through the animal's system much quicker and easily.

38.) Whipped Cream: Remove Gum From Hair

There are many remedies for removing gum from hair, but this is a lesser known one. Give it a try rather than peanut butter the next time you're in need.

39.) Coke: Remove Oil Stains From the Driveway

Oil stains are very difficult to remove pavement, but one method guaranteed to work is Coke. The highly acidic drink will eat away at the oil until clean.

40.) Brown Sugar: Facial Scrub

I use this one all time. A scrub is good to do about once a month to remove dead skin and bacteria built up in pores and remove excess oil from the skin. Brown sugar does just as well as expensive products and will definitely result in a clearer and smoother complexion.

41.) Dryer Sheet: Lint Brush

You know dryer sheets remove lint in the dryer. Well, it can do the same thing out of the dryer, too. When you're in a fix, use a dryer sheet. It works just as well as a lint brush, and if you like the scent, it's an added bonus.

42.) Newspaper: Deodorize food containers and Food Drawers in the Refrigerator

For that stinky tupperware or smelly refrigerator drawer that is too much to deal with, toss in a sheet of newspaper overnight before yo deal with it. The paper will absorb the smell greatly reducing it or eliminating it completely.

43.) Olive Oil: Unstick a Zipper

The oil will help help the zipper slide more easily, fixing the problem!

44.) Salt: Cool Something Quickly

You know that feeling when you're having a BBQ and someone asks for a drink and you realize that no one has put them in the cooler? There's nothing worse than a warm drink on a hot day. Chill a drink quickly, by adding salt and water to your ice. The drinks will be cold in a matter of minutes, saving your party and making you look smart all at once.

45.) Scotch Tape: Prevent Wall From Chipping When Nailing

The wall can leave unsightly chips when hammering in a nail. Prevent this by simple placing a piece of scotch tape over the area you're going to nail. The wall will be held tighter, preventing chips from occurring.

46.) Alka Seltzer: Soothe Insect Bites

Dissolve two tablets into a glass of water. Then use a cloth or cotton ball to apply it to the effected area. The red will go down and most importantly, the itchiness will vanish usually in fifteen minutes.

47.) Lemon: Whitens Whites

Add about half a cup of lemon juice to your load of whites to makes them extra white. You can use lemon juice with bleach or detergent, so don't worry about mixing chemicals withe the acidic lemon.

48.) Banana Peel: Whiten Teeth

This may sound a little odd, but rub the inside of a banana peel on your teeth twice a day for two weeks and you will receive the same effect from a teeth-whitening kit. Plus, you'll save yourself money and the hassle of using chemicals.

49.) Hair Dryer: Free Photos Stuck on Pages

If you have a photo stuck on a page that you can't get free, try using a blow dryer on the back of the page. It will loosen the photo from the page and the adhesive holding it there.

50.) Banana Peel: Heal Most Skin Problems

Bananas are the magical fruit, because they heal many common problems on the skin. By rubbing the peel on your skin, you can heal bruises and cuts and eliminate rashes, itching and warts. Basically if you have a common skin problem, it can be cured by this fruit.

Hope you can put these to good use to save money and make your home more natural. There are many more clever uses for common household items like these. Do you have any?