Easy to Be Green Part Two - Earth Friendly Beauty Tips

Alpha-hydroxy. Sodium Laurel Sulfate. Benzo-phenyl-what?! You can't pronounce it or spell it, so why would you slather it on your face? Most of us are swayed by slick marketing that promises fewer lines, less blemishes, tighter, clearer pores and skin, but at what cost? So many of the chemicals in beauty products on the shelves right now have been identified as carcinogenic, or they act as endocrine disrupters. Many of them are petroleum based, which deepens our dependency on oil.

And if those weren't good enough reasons, nine times out of ten, they don't stinking work! You still have bags under your eyes, zits on your chin, and pores the size of a small country on your nose. What is a girl to do? Your best skin products are less than 2 minutes away. Your kitchen. Olive oil makes a super fantastic moisturizer (extra virgin only, though). Honey can be used as a clarifying mask, lemon juice as a toner. So, grab a pen, and let's take a tour of your pantry as beauty supply shop.

If you're battling large pores and blackheads, try an oatmeal and honey scrub. Take 1/4 of a cup of steel cut oats, and roughly 1/2 a cup of honey. Whip them together in a blender, for about 30 seconds. Remove the blender lid, add 2 tablespoons of HOT water, and blend for another 15 seconds, then pour the mixture out into a bowl or cup. You can apply it to your face, and leave it on for a bit, 5 minutes or so, and then splash your face with warm water, scrub, and rinse, or you can just use it as a facial scrub.

You can follow up that treatment with a simple lemon juice toner, or you can use witch hazel-if you can stand the scent. Of course, the hub of any good face care routine is moisturizer. You can blend coconut oil and Shea butter together, for an anti-wrinkle lotion that has low SPF protection as well, or you can just rub a little extra virgin olive oil on your face, then blot the excess with a warm cloth.

If you've got hair that needs a deep conditioning, warm some jojoba oil in a pan, and apply generously to your hair. Wrap your hair in a plastic bag, and sit for 15 minutes or so. Rinse completely, and style as usual.

If you've got dry, dead skin dulling your complexion, mix up a full body scrub. Combine 1 tbs. salt, 1 tbs sugar, 1 tbs either coconut or olive oil, and blend well. Use a mesh bath pouf and apply the scrub all over your legs, arms, and torso. Rinse completely, and apply moisturizer if desired. Try adding a peppermint essential oil to the scrub, for a refreshing wake up shower, or lavender oil for a calming evening soak.

You can have beautiful, blemish free skin, without all the harsh abrasive chemicals, or expensive spa treatments. It just requires a few kitchen ingredients, a blender, and an open mind.