4 Make-at-Home Skin and Beauty Treatments to Keep Your Summer Glow in Fall (and Beyond)
Revive your looks and restore your smile.
Lost that post-summer glow and sunny mood as soon as the fall weather rolled in? These spa-inspired remedies made from household staples will revive your looks and restore your smile — stat. Find out the best at-home skin treatments for puffy eyes, facial redness, crepe-y hands, cracked heels, hair thinning,
De-puff eyes with coffee ice cubes.
One of the best at-home skin treatments for puffy eyes: coffee — but not the kind you drink. The combination of coffee’s caffeine and the frozen cubes’ chill constricts blood vessels underneath eyes to ease inflammation, while revving blood circulation to nix dark circles. Even better? One study found that simply smelling coffee triggers a chemical response that improves attention and memory.
Try it: Pour cooled coffee into an ice cube tray; freeze. Wrap 2 cubes in a paper towel, place over closed eyes for 15 minutes, then rinse skin.
Calm facial redness with a rose water spritz.
Rosacea? Try this at-home skin treatment. Anti-inflammatory compounds in rose petals quickly relieve redness and irritation from rosacea flare-ups. And research suggests that the floral scent puts you in a happy mood.
Try it: Simmer 1 cup of water and 6 rose petals in a pot for 30 minutes. Strain into a spray bottle; chill (stays fresh in the fridge for a week). Mist as needed.
Firm crepey hands with a cinnamon scrub.
Cinnamon’s compounds promote collagen production to firm skin for more youthful-looking hands. What’s more, the spice’s aroma may improve circulation, reducing the tiredness and aches that can dampen mood.
(Note that the collagen research was done on volunteers who consumed cinnamon, and did not use it topically.)
Try it: Combine ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon, ½ cup of brown sugar (it exfoliates) and ¼ cup of coconut oil (it hydrates). Massage on damp hands for 1 minute; rinse. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to one month.
Soften cracked heels with a lemon soak.
A basin of soothing warm water softens hard, calloused skin on heels, making it easy for lemon’s alpha hydroxy acids to penetrate and remove tough, built-up layers of dead, dry skin. Plus, inhaling the fruit’s citrusy fragrance has been shown to boost energy levels by 21% within 2 minutes.
Try it: Place one sliced lemon in a large basin filled with warm water. Soak feet for 15 minutes, then rinse and pat skin dry.
Reverse thinning with a rosemary tonic.
Antioxidant-rich rosemary has been found to be effective in encouraging hair growth when used daily. An added perk: Smelling the herb has been shown to ease stress.
Try it: Simmer 1 tablespoon of rosemary and 1 cup of water for 10 minutes; let cool and strain into a spray bottle. Mist onto a clean scalp and massage in with fingers for 1 minute. Refrigerate for up to one week.
Paint on happiness with cheerful nail polish hues.
De-stress with blue. Associated with nature — like the sky or ocean — blue inspires tranquility. Try: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri x Sour Patch Kids Collection on in Maliblue Twist (Buy from CVS, $6.99).
Feel energized with red. Attention-grabbing reds promote alertness and invigorate rises and sunsets, the mind to help which research you complete tasks. Try: OPI Nail Lacquer in Chick-Flick Cherry (Buy from Amazon, $11.49).
Boost joy with orange. Orange shades are reminiscent of sun-shows and conjure up cheerful feelings and optimism. Try: essie in To DIY For (Buy from Amazon, $7.09).
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
