Beauty Without Cruelty

Veg Beauty Recipes

Cosmetics and Toiletries – made at home!
Making one’s own products is worthwhile. One need not use animal ingredients and they do not need to be tested on animals. They are environment-friendly and work out much cheaper and better than commercially produced ones.
Aftershave: After shaving, rub a piece of wet alum/potassium alum on the skin. Age Spots: Use fresh lemon juice to lighten age spots. Astringent and Toner: 1. Use witch hazel. It also cleans make-up from skin without drying it. 2. Use rose water. It is a great skin freshener. 3. Mix together 1 teaspoon each of cucumber, tomato, lime and watermelon juice and dab it on the face with cotton wool. 4. Mix fresh aloe vera juice with rose water and apply on face. Beauty Mask for Dry Skin: Mash together ripe avocado and very ripe strawberries in the ratio of 2:1. Rub on clean face. Let dry for 30 minutes. Rinse off well with lukewarm water. Beauty Mask for Natural Skin: Mash ripe papaya. Add nothing. Apply to face. Let it dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off well with lukewarm water. Beauty Mask for Oily Skin: Mash 1 banana with ½ teaspoon lime juice to a creamy paste. Rub on clean face. Let dry for 20 minutes. Rinse off well with lukewarm water. Blackheads Remedy: Tomato pulp tightens skins and is a great remedy for blackheads. Cuticle and Elbow Oil: Almond oil is good and olive oil absorbs nicely into skin. (Rubbing it on joints can also relieve pain.) Dandruff Cure: 1. Boil 4 heaped tablespoons dried thyme/ajwain in 2 cups water for 10 minutes. Strain and cool. Pour into damp shampooed hair and massage into scalp gently. Do not rinse with water. 2. Boil 2-3 pods of shikakai in 2 cups of water. Apply to wet hair after shampooing. Leave on for 2-3 minutes. Rinse off. 3. Make 3-4 teaspoons smooth paste of powdered almonds (without skins) and olive oil. Massage into scalp and let it remain for some time before washing off. 4. Soak fenugreek/methi in water overnight. Grind and massage this paste into scalp. Leave for 15-20 minutes. Wash hair using a mild shampoo. 5. Add a few drops of pure neem oil to the quantity of coconut oil to be applied and heat it till lukewarm. Apply the mixture to scalp and along the length of hair. Keep on overnight or at least for two hours before washing off with a mild shampoo. Deodorants: 1. Mix half teaspoon powdered alum in 300 ml of warm water and use as a deodorant. 2. Baking powder utilised should be aluminium-free. A pinch can be made into a paste and applied to underarms. Or, dust underarms with a little baking soda. For smoothness corn flour or tapioca flour could be added to the baking soda. For persistent body-odour apply pure tomato juice underarms or soak for 15 minutes in a tub of warm water in which a couple of cups of tomato juice have been added. 3. Mix 30 drops calendula extract with 10 drops lavender essential oil. Add 30 drops cypress or sage essential oil for excessive sweating. 4. Mix extra virgin coconut oil with a little baking soda and an essential oil like lavender, to a gel consistency. 5. Mix 2 teaspoons zinc oxide (mineral) powder with two-third cup of witch hazel extract, add 2 tablespoon aloe vera juice, 40 drops lavender essential oil, and 30 drops calendula extract. Dry and Cracked Skin: Use oils such as that of olives, apricots and almonds. Almond oil is great for skin throughout the year, more so during winter. Dry Hair Conditioner: Mash an over-ripe banana together with a mushy avocado and apply on hair for 15 minutes. Wash off. Dry Scalp: Both tea tree and jojoba oils used separately are good for a dry scalp. Dry Shampoo: Sprinkle ½ cup corn flour in hair. Let it absorb for a few minutes and brush out. It is great for oily hair and a good substitute for wet shampooing. Exfoliate Scrub: A paste made from 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water can be used to exfoliate face and body. Face Cleanser and Toner: 1. Grape juice makes an excellent cleanser. 2. Crushed fennel seeds/moti saunf clean oily skin well. 3. Apricot kernel oil or almond oil is a good cleanser for dry skin. 4. Add 1 cup of boiling water to crushed pipali (long pepper), cloves, tulsi leaves, and rock salt. Cool and strain. It not only cleanses but tones the face. 5. Use borage seed oil or hemp seed oil for sensitive skin. 6. Pure coconut water or rosewater keeps the skin supple and glowing. Face Lightener and Toner: 1. Grated raw potato left on face for 5 minutes. 2. Tomato pulp left on face for 15 minutes and washed off with cold water. 3. Mashed papaya with a few drops of rosewater left on face for 20 minutes. Face Oils: For oily skin: Argan (anti inflammatory), Passion Fruit (antioxidant), Rosehip and Tea Tree oils. For dry skin: Coconut oil. For mature skin: Mix of Almond, Rosehip ad Evening Primrose oils. For teenagers: Mix of Jojoba and Grape Seed oils. Note: Oils should be dabbed or patted on the face not rubbed in as it can result in irritation. Heavier oils such as Almond should be applied at night. Face Pack: 1. Mix 1 teaspoon gram flour/channa atta with water and apply to face. Leave for 10-15 minutes and then wash off. 2. For oily skin use a face pack of fuller’s earth/multani matti twice a week. A paste made from it also helps cure prickly heat. 3. Grind oatmeal down to a fine dust before making a paste with water and use as a face mask. 4. Mash two or three pieces of ripe papaya with half the quantity of fresh aloe vera. Add a little rose water and make it a smooth paste. Apply to face and keep on for 10 minutes before washing off. 5. Make a smooth paste of ripe papaya and turmeric powder. Apply to face and after it dries completely rinse it off. Facial Scrub: 1. Use olive oil and dark brown sugar as an exfoliating face scrub. 2. Rice bran powder gently exfoliates and leaves the skin soft and smooth. Prevents wrinkles, heals blemishes and absorbs dirt and oil from pores. Face Wash (one time): Mix 1 tablespoon castor oil, 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 drop essential oil. Apply in circular motion for 2 minutes. Rinse and wipe off with warm face cloth. Leaves skin super soft. Fair Skin: 1. Apply 1 grated tomato with 2-3 drops lime juice on face and leave on for 20 minutes before washing off. Do it twice a day for 15-20 days for a good result. 2. Mix equal amounts of lime and cucumber juice and apply on face. Wash off after 15 minutes. 3. Apply juice of white radish on face and wash off after some time. 4. Grind mint or basil/tulsi leaves in water and apply on face. Wash off after 20 minutes. Falling Hair: 1. Change shampoo. Apply pure, unscented coconut oil (see hair oil recipe below) onto the scalp for ten days regularly. Keep on overnight or longer before shampooing. Continue applying at least once a week till hair stops falling. 2. It is said that Lavender essential oil relaxes the mind and speeds up hair growth. 3. Oil from the bhringraj leaf is considered good for hair according to Ayurveda. Greying Hair: Wash regularly with a mixture of tea water and kitchen salt to delay greying of hair. Hair Conditioner: 1. Heat 1 peeled and mashed avocado along with 1 cup coconut milk. Massage while warm into hair. Wrap hair in a hot towel for 15 minutes before shampooing and rinsing out. 2. Jojoba oil is good for a dry scalp. Hair Frizz Tamer: Spray or damp hair with coconut milk and let dry. Do not rinse. Hair Oil and Conditioner: Boil 1 kilogram of finely ground dried and spoilt coconut in about 2-3 litres of water till the oil separates and floats on top. Strain, cool and bottle. This pure unscented, coconut oil is the best hair conditioner, especially for damaged or permed hair. Hair Spray: Cut two-three limes and oranges and cook in some water till tender. Blend, strain and cool. Fill in spray bottle and use. Hand Lotion: Olive oil is excellent for dry, chapped hands and rough cuticles. Lavender Floral Water: Mix together 10 drops lavender oil, 1 tablespoon rose water and 3 tablespoons vodka or alcohol. Make-up Remover: 1. Olive oil. Leaves skin soft and smooth. 2. Witch hazel cleans make-up from skin without drying it. It also acts as an astringent. Massage Oils: Pure mustard/sarson, olive and apricot kernel oils are good. Moisturising Lotions: 1. Boil leaves of one lettuce in 2 cups distilled water for 10 minutes. Leave to cool, then strain and bottle. 2. Finely ground oatmeal mixed with almond oil is a good moisturiser. 3. Coconut oil is not only a very good moisturiser but it prevents skin infections like acne, cellulites, folliculitis and athlete’s foot. Mouthwash: 1. 1 teaspoon each of baking soda (mineral) and salt, dissolved in a glass of warm water. 2. Boil together 1 cup vinegar, 10 cloves/laung and ½ cup aniseed/choti saunf/suwa. Cool and use as a mouthwash. Nail Whitener: Apply lemon juice and leave on overnight. Oily Hair: 1. Mix 1 teaspoon of vinegar in 4 cups water and pour over hair after shampooing. 2. Mix juice of 2 limes in 4 cups of distilled water and use as final rinse on hair after shampooing. Perfume: Oil extracts from jasmine, lavender, mogra, rose, sandalwood, etc. can be used in small quantities in place of perfume. Pimples/Acne: 1. Apply a paste of basil/tulsi leaves crushed in lime juice on pimples and let dry. 2. Powder nagkesar, neem leaves, lodhra and Multani mitti after drying in sun. Mix with cold water and apply to area. Powder: 100% pure corn flour, especially good as baby powder. If perfumed powder is required add ¼ teaspoon lavender essential oil to 500 grams corn flour. Scrubs for Hands and Feet: 1. Mix ¼ cup oatmeal with 3 tablespoon olive oil. Massage for 5 minutes. Rinse well. 2. Combine ½ cup brown sugar, 2 tablespoons lime juice and 2 tablespoons apricot oil. Massage well into nail beds as lime juice helps remove nail stains. Rinse well. 3. Sugar, corn meal, and salt make great skin exfoliates. 4. Vigorously rub feet with warm mustard/sarson oil for 5 minutes. (Helps build immunity also.) Shampoo/Hair Cleansers: 1. Soak overnight in 1 litre of water, 1 cup dry reetha, shikakai and amla. Simmer till it reduces to half the quantity. Cool, strain and refrigerate. (Sufficient for 3 to 4 shampoos.) 2. Steep for 1 hour, 1 cup marigold flowers in 3 cups hot water. Strain, cool and use to rinse hair. 3. Make 5 or 6 cups of black tea. Strain and cool. Add the juice of 1 lemon. Use the entire liquid to rinse hair. Split-ends of Hair: Cutting off is the best solution. Otherwise, apply a mashed over-ripe avocado or papaya. Let sit in hair for 10 minutes and rinse out. Plus, regular use of coconut or olive oils stop split ends from re-occurring. Sunburn: A thin paste of sandalwood applied to the sunburn area is beneficial. Tan Removal: Apply turmeric powder along with lime juice. Toothpaste: Only to be used by adults. Baking soda does not contain fluoride which is important for children’s teeth. 1. Mix to a thick smooth paste 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon finely ground sea salt and a drop of peppermint, spearmint, sweet orange, clove, or cinnamon bark essential oil, along with very little water. 2. Mix together three parts baking soda and one part water. To remove tartar and plaque dip wet toothbrush in mixture of 1 tablespoon baking soda and a pinch of salt. Tooth Powder: Bentonite Clay/Multani Mitti is a fine powder that gently polishes teeth and gives them a boost of calcium that may help to re-mineralise teeth, absorb toxins, impurities and heavy metals, and thus heal decay. Under-eye Circle Reducer: 1. Blend 1 cucumber with 4 tablespoons carrot juice. Apply to area beneath eyes. Rinse with cool water after 20 minutes. 2. Potato or cucumber slices placed on eyelids help. Wrinkles Prevention and Removal: 1. Rice bran powder prevents wrinkles, heals blemishes and absorbs dirt and oil from pores. 2. Cucumber juice patted on face and left to dry diminishes the appearance of wrinkles. It can also be mixed with puréed tomato, applied on face and after 10 minutes rinsed off with cold water. 3. Mash a ¼ banana and apply on face. Rinse after 20 minutes with warm water followed by cold water and pat dry.
Page last updated on 13/07/23