6 DIY Treatments That Will Brighten Dull Skin and Hair
Fend off the season’s chill while repairing cold weather-worn skin and hair with these pampering, heat-infused winter treatments to aah!
Brighten dull skin with a warm milky-tea compress.
Milk’s lactic acid helps remove the buildup of dead skin cells that saps skin’s radiance, says dermatologist Michele Green, MD. And applying it warm together with chamomile (its compounds speed skin renewal) gives skin a bright, healthy glow, stat!
Try it! Steep 1 chamomile tea bag in 1 cup of warm milk; soak a washcloth in the liquid. Apply to skin for 10 minutes; rinse.
Soothe an itchy scalp with a coconut oil rub.
Coconut oil’s lauric acid restores moisture to a dry, flaky scalp, while lavender oil’s mild analgesic effect lessens irritation. Plus, warming the mixture opens pores on the scalp when applied to skin, helping nutrients penetrate deeper to speed results.
Try it! Melt 1 Tbs. of coconut oil in a heat-safe bowl in the microwave, then mix with 3 drops of lavender essential oil. Massage onto a dry scalp for 1 minute. Let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing.
Nix belly bloat with a heated castor oil wrap.
When absorbed into skin, compounds in castor oil boost circulation to help flush out stomach-swelling fluids and toxins. And using with a heat source promotes sweating to amp up the body’s release of water and toxins.
Try it! Saturate a washcloth with castor oil like Heritage Store Castor Oil (Buy at Ulta, $7.19), wring out excess; place on the belly. Cover with plastic wrap, place a hot-water bottle on top; relax on an old towel for 30 minutes; remove and
Hydrate brittle hair with a hot oil treatment.
Heating up argan oil before applying to hair opens hair’s cuticle, allowing the oil’s nourishing fatty acids to deeply penetrate strands to reverse any damage, while also locking in moisture. What’s more, the oil’s natural shine-enhancing compounds boost lock luster in a flash.
Try it! Warm 11⁄2 Tbs. of argan oil like SheaMoisture 100% Argan Oil (Buy at Ulta, $9.99) in the microwave. Apply all over dry hair, then cover with a shower cap. Let sit for 15 minutes; rinse.
Mend raw hands with a thermal mask.
Olive oil’s antioxidants repair skin’s barrier while humectant honey hydrates dry hands, says Dr. Green. And topping with warm washcloths softens skin.
Try it! Mix 1 Tbs. of olive oil and 2 tsp. of honey, then rub onto hands. Wrap each hand with a warm, damp washcloth. Let sit for 5 minutes before rinsing.
Turn your bathroom into a spa…
…with a nourishing salty steam!
Sitting in a hot, moist air–filled room is proven to ease skin irritations, nix muscle aches, and improve cardiovascular health. These benefits are enhanced when the steam is infused with pink Himalayan salt, which contains healing vitamins and minerals that absorb into skin.
To reap the spa-like benefits at home: Close your bathroom door, plug your tub’s drain and fill it with very hot water and 2 cups of Himalayan sea salt like Dr Teal’s Restore & Replenish Pink Himalayan Mineral Soak (Buy at Ulta, $5.99). Sit on the bathroom floor and let the steam envelope you for 15 minutes.
A version of this article originally appeared in our print magazine, Woman’s World.
