Category: Body

5 Matcha Beauty DIYs—Homemade Green Beauty Recipes + 6 Matcha Infused Products to Shop Now

Fun fact for the kids: In the 1920s and 30s, radium was a popular additive in cosmetics and household products. Yep. That radium. Soap, night cream, face powder, blush, mud masks, and even toothpaste contained radium with the ‘scientifically-based’ promise that these products would give the consumer a youthful glow. I suppose these products actually did deliver on their promise, until of course, you had to have parts of your mouth and lower jaw surgically removed because of radiation poisoning, living out your final, extremely painful days blemish free. Thankfully, today we are experiencing a trend toward clean, green beauty products, and you seriously can’t get much greener than Matcha. The health benefits of Matcha are amazing both internally and externally, and we can all rest assured that no jaws have been removed as a result of its use. So have no fear! Mix these masks up!

5 simple Matcha beauty recipes

1. Matcha + Rose Water + Coconut Oil Mask

Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons Matcha
  • ½ teaspoon coconut oil
  • rose water

Directions

Combine melted coconut oil with Matcha in a small bowl. Add drops of rose water until you have a medium-thick paste that’s easy to spread onto your skin. Let it set for 20 minutes and then wipe off with a warm, wet towel.

2. Avocado + Matcha Mask

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon Matcha
  • ¼ of an avocado, mashed
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Apply a thin layer to either your face or body, and gently scrub in a circular motion with your fingertips, making sure to avoid your eyes. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse with a warm cloth.

3. Matcha + Banana + Turmeric Mask

Ingredients

  • ½ of a banana,mashed
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon Matcha
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Mash your banana in a small bowl, then add your turmeric, matcha, and olive oil. Mix well and then spread onto your face to set for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water and pat dry.

4. Aloe + Matcha Mask

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon Matcha
  • 2 teaspoons Aloe Vera

Directions

Combine your Matcha with Aloe Vera in a small bowl. You can add more or less Aloe Vera depending on what consistency you prefer. Apply to your face, let it set for 15 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

5. Exfoliating Matcha Scrub

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup coconut oil
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon Matcha
  • 1 teaspoon honey

Directions

Combine sugar with Matcha, then add honey and melted coconut oil and stir until everything is mixed well. Store in a sealed mason jar and place in your shower for up to two weeks. After cleansing your skin, gently exfoliate with the scrub and then rinse. Use every other day.

6 Matcha Infused Beauty Products to Shop Now

1. Biodara Coconut Matcha Brightening Mask

2. Fig + Yarrow Matcha Milkbath

3. Urb Apothecary Lavender Matcha Mask

4. Plant Apothecary Matcha Antioxidant  Face Mask

5. Erborian Perfect Morning BB 3-IN-1 Matcha Mask

6. Cocokind Organic Matcha Face Moisturizer

Recipe Source: WendyGould

Homemade Scrub Bars: 2 Super Easy DIY Recipes

Fun fact for the kids: after we die, our bodies begin a natural mummification process. This process of decomposition basically turns body fat into a substance that resembles wax and has the properties of a kind of castile soap, encasing and preserving our remains. Now I don’t now about you, but I feel like since our lives culminate with one big soap-making DIY, I really think we should at least practice.

These exfoliating scrub bars are a good place to start. They’re super easy to make and even easier to customize. The basic recipe is oil+ sugar (or salt)+ soap base. You can take that basic recipe and completely customize it by the addition of essential oils and other ingredients. Oatmeal Eucalyptus, anyone? If you haven’t already, you really should invest in one of these silicon molds. They make all your homemade scrub bars look so legit. Of course you can always use ice cube trays, but remember we’re all practicing for the grand finale so just go ahead and put your best foot forward. I like to store my homemade soaps in glass jars like the Vardagen Jar from Ikea, but as long as they’re stored properly, these scrub bars will last a long time. So without further ado, here’s 2 of my favorite recipes!

Lemon Peppercorn Scrub Bar

This combination from Burkatron is super refreshing! Peppercorn gently exfoliates, while lemon brightens the skin for a much needed escape from Winter skin woes.

Green Tea Ginger Scrub Bars

This super moisturizing combo from Hello Glow does wonders for dry skin. I absolutely love using ground coffee as an exfoliant. Trust me, your skin has never felt so smooth!

Other combinations:

Once you get the hang of making these scrub bars, they’ll be no stopping you! I’ve tried several combinations already, and I haven’t been disappointed yet. Here’s a few of my flavor combos, but if you know of anymore that I should make, definitely let me know in the comments!

  • Orange + Flax Seed
  • Honey + Oatmeal
  • Chocolate + Chia Seeds
  • Lavender + Honey
  • Grapefruit + Mint + Poppyseed
  • Jasmine + Himalayan Salt

9 Must Have Clean Beauty Products + 9 Homemade Substitutes

Here’s the thing, I never wanted to smell like an old school hippie. Body odor masked in patchouli and weed has never really been my fragrance of choice. Still those old school hippies were onto something long before the cosmetics industry got a clue. All these fragrance laden beauty products wreak havoc on our skin and our overall health, so going au naturel is really the only way to go. Hippie beauty, green beauty, clean beauty, natural beauty, or whatever you want to call it is has come a long way from the patchouli heavy balms of yesteryear. Flower [grand] Child, rejoice! These beauty products will have you ditching your overly perfume-y commercial products, for the kinder, gentler, and fresher natural versions.

Osmia Organics Black Clay Facial Soap

Black Australian Clay and Dead Sea Mud join forces to create the most clarifying bar soap ever! This soap balances and tones your skin. And the addition of organic almond oil, avocado oil, castor bean oil, and coconut milk leaves your skin feeling amazingly soft.

Heritage Store Rose Water Spray

This versatile little bottle of rose water spray can be used to replace your toner, for your hair, for your body, and even as a linen spray or a natural air freshener. For an equally amazing organic version try this brand.

Josh Rosebrook Hydrating Accelerator

This marshmallow-scented face mist works wonders on vitamin and nutrient hungry skin. Use it as a first step in your routine to seal in moisture and help set your makeup.

Odacité Black Cumin + Cajeput Serum

This is the ultimate zit-zapping serum. Black cumin controls the spread of pimple causing bacteria, while Cajeput’s antiseptic powers help to prevent breakouts. The combination of these two miracle ingredients helps to heal and restore your skin, revealing a smoother complexion.

Everyday Oil Mainstay Blend

Coconut oil, organic olive oil, organic argan oil, organic jojoba oil, and organic castor oil. What more could you want in a whole body moistruizer? How about an amazing scent?! Woodsy and citrusy, this scent is truly incredible. This will definitely become one of your beauty supply staples.

Meow Meow Tweet Underarm Primer

A light, rich lotion made with nourishing plant oils and anti-inflammatory plant distillates. The unique formula acts to balance pH, moisturize, prep and maintain pits. Formulated specifically for sensitive skin and can be used on its own or in tandem with any other natural deodorant.

Vapour Organic Beauty Aer Deodorant

I use this along side Meow Meow Tweet’s Underarm Primer and the results are amazing. The fresh smell lasts all day and is seriously divine. You have to smell it to believe it.

Nucifera The Balm

Born out of the desire for a healthier and more simple beauty routine – THE BALM is a multi-tasking skin nutrition product formulated for all skin types. Use it a head to toe moisturizer, as a face wash and makeup remover, as a lip balm, as an under eye cream, and so much more. This is definitely the one product any clean, green beauty minimalist needs!

Rare Elements Daily Essential Masque

The Essential Conditioner repairs and rebuilds weakened, moisture deprived locks instantly with the “healing properties” of nature. This sophisticated natural system can be used daily to repair and nurture each strand of hair with exotic rain-forest butters, pure botanicals, nourishing nut oils and the energy-giving aroma of essential oils. This highly effective combination quickly penetrates beyond the surface of the hair, reversing the signs of damage by restoring vitality to dry, undernourished and over-worked hair.

Of course there’s always a DIY for that…

DIY Botanical Winter Salt Scrub

“The best things in life are free. The second best things are very, very expensive” —Coco Chanel

Sometimes there’s a happy place where luxury is just affordable. This homemade botanical winter salt scrub is in that happy place. This scrub contains coconut oil, thyme essential oil, lavender essential oil, fine sea salt, and Epsom salt. Salts are packed with minerals which enhance the skin. The magnesium in Epsom salts reduce inflammation while the sulphates flush out toxins. Thyme essential oil stimulates blood flow. It helps heal bruises, sprains, and other injuries. The oil is antiseptic, antispasmodic, diuretic, and a good decongestant. Lavender essential oil is another natural antiseptic. It helps to regulate over-excretion of sebum, and over time can help visibly reduce scarring. Lavender also tones and firms skin by boosting circulation, supplying adequate oxygen and nutrition to skin cells. This helps in keeping skin cells healthy.

You guys, this scrub is a game changer. Add this into your weekly beauty routine to keep your skin smooth and hydrated all Winter long!

DIY Botanical Winter Salt Scrub

Ingredients

  • ½ cup Coconut Oil (you can also substitute this with olive oil)*
  • ¼ cup Fine Sea Salt*
  • 1 cup Epsom Salt*
  • 10-15 drops Lavender Essential Oil*
  • 5-10 drops Thyme Essential Oil*

Directions

  • In a small glass bowl, mix the salt and oil together (I use a fork to mix it)
  • stir in essential oil until well blended
  • store in an air tight glass container
  • to use, simply spoon a small amount into your hands, gently rub it on your skin, and rinse it off with warm water

*The ingredient proportions here are just an approximation. I usually make these homemade products by eyeball the ingredients, so just play around with the proportions. The idea is that you don’t want the mixture to be too oily, or too crumbly!

Source: Cleanse by Hepzabeth

3 DIY Cranberry Beauty Packs

In honor of Dolores O’Riordan, who wrote some pretty cool tunes that us 90s kids were rocking out to, here are some beauty recipes with… Cranberries.

Cranberry Yogurt Mask

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup pureed cranberries
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon honey (optional)

Directions

  • In a blender, mix all the ingredients together
  • apply the mixture all over your face (avoiding your eyes)
  • leave on for 10 minutes
  • Rinse with warm water

Cranberry Body Scrub

ingredients

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • I cup cranberries
  • ½ cup coconut oil

directions

  • in a blender, puree the cranberries
  • add the sugar and coconut oil and continue to blend until well mixed
  • store in an airtight container

Cranberry Exfoliating Face Mask

ingredients

  • ½ cup boiled sweet potato
  • 2 tablespoons pureed cranberries
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions

  • Mash the sweet potato in a bowl, then add in the rest of the ingredients and mix until fully blended
  • Apply generously over your face and leave on for 10 minutes
  • Rinse with warm water
  • As you rinse, rub in circles with your fingertips to help exfoliate

Recipes via Byrdie