DIY Beauty: Natural Spring Remedies for Wrinkles and Thinning Hair
Still have leftover jelly beans from Easter? We love to indulge in them in the days following the holiday. And, as it turns out, the foods that the yummy flavors are inspired by — cinnamon, licorice, cherry, pear and coffee — can be used to reverse aging skin and hair “arghs” too! Here, discover nutrient-packed DIY beauty tricks and affordable products that will pamper you pretty in no time.
Volumize deflated lips with cinnamon.
Used topically, cinnamon triggers blood flow to the surface of lips, “swelling” them for an instantly plumper look. An added perk: Compounds in the spice promote collagen production for long-term volumizing benefits. And combining the spice with olive oil (its oleic acid deeply hydrates) helps lips appear even fuller, stat.
TRY IT! Mix 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and a 1⁄2 tablespoon of olive oil. Apply to dry lips; rinse after two minutes.
Soften rough heels with prickly pear.
When rubbed onto areas with extremely dry skin, like the heels, prickly pear’s moisture-retaining properties lock hydration deep into skin’s many layers to alleviate dryness, so feet feel baby-soft right away. Plus, the fruit’s antioxidants help mend any painful cracks.
TIP: Prickly pear oil is great for hair, too! Try Dae’s Prickly Pear Hair Oil (Buy from Dae Hair, $36).
Smooth wrinkles with cherries.
This DIY beauty trick might sound strange, but stay with us! Cherries contain vitamin A, which spurs collagen output to firm skin and diminish lines. Pairing it with moisturizing aloe vera plumps skin to “fill in” creases, so wrinkles are even less apparent.
TRY IT! In a blender, mix 1 tablespoon of thawed, frozen cherries and 1 tablespoon of aloe vera gel. Rub onto your skin, let sit 10 minutes, then rinse.
Reverse hair thinning with coffee.
Both the caffeine in coffee and the motions of rubbing the brew onto the scalp increase circulation and blood flow to hair follicles, encouraging new hair growth and prolonging the growth phase. Even better? Caffeine has also been shown to block the effects of the hair loss hormone dihydrotestosterone (DHT) from the scalp, helping reduce future fallout.
TRY IT! Pour 1 cup of cooled, brewed coffee all over damp hair, then massage onto the scalp for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing.
Calm rashy skin with licorice.
Licorice root’s anti-inflammatory agents soothe redness and irritation within seconds of making contact with skin. What’s more, the plant is chock-full of antioxidants that strengthen skin’s outermost layer to keep future inflammation and flare-ups at bay.
FIND IT IN: PROcure Rosacare Hydrogel + Licorice Extract (Buy from iHerb, $11.99)
Note: Do not try any of these DIY beauty tricks if you are allergic to any of the above ingredients. Perform a patch test on your arm (dab a little bit of the ingredient on your inner wrist and observe for 15 minutes) to find out whether you will have a negative reaction.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
