Cosette's Beauty Pantry

Anti-cellulite coffee scrub Topical caffeine has been shown to reduce the appearance of cellulite. If you suffer from cellulite or simply want to prevent it, make your own scrub, instead of spending money on creams and treatments (that don’t always work).  The coffee scrub is very easy to make, it’s effective and quite inexpensive! Ingredients: Coffee Sugar or sea salt Rosemary essential oil Olive oil You will need coffee grounds, freshly ground coffee beans or instant coffee. Coffee reduces the appearance of cellulite,   rosemary is well known for its cell regenerating properties , both sugar and sea salt are great exfoliants , and olive oil is an excellent  moisturiser .   Method: Mix 12 drops of rosemary essential oil with 3 tablespoons of olive oil. Mix 1 part sugar or sea salt with 3 parts coffee. Blend the oil with the coffee and sugar/salt mixture to make a paste. Store in the refrigerator until use.   How to use: Vigorously ru

Hello everyone! It is renowned that honey has strong antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, and it has been used as a treatment for wounds and other skin problems for thousands of years. In fact, honey is one of the most common home remedies for acne and acne scars .  It's cheap and 100% natural.  It's also incredibly easy to use.   Honey is very moisturising .  This makes the honey mask ideal for people with dry skin .  If you have oily or combination skin, you can add a few drops of lemon juice to your honey mask.  Lemon juice is also good for treating acne scars, (read Lemons for clear skin for more information) but unlike honey, it may dry your skin.   A teaspoon of honey is enough to cover your entire face.  Apply a thin layer and keep the honey mask on for at least 30 minutes.  If you are patient enough, leave it on for one hour, for optimum results.  The mask will not harden or dry.  Wash the mask off with lukewarm water.  Pad your face dry with

Hello everyone! In my last post, I wrote about the many benefits of using bath salts .  It is also very easy to make your own bath salts .  Here’s how… Ingredients: 3 cups Dead Sea salt, regular sea salt, Epsom salt or a blend of these salts. 15-24 drops of your selected essential oil or essential oil blend. Optional: 1 tablespoon coconut oil, olive oil or another carrier oil ( moisturising ) Food colouring   2 tablespoons baking soda   2 tablespoons dry milk 1 or 2 tablespoons finely ground oatmeal   Rose petals Method: Place all ingredients in a bowl and mix very well with a spoon or fork. To keep your salts from hardening, lay them out in a thin layer to completely dry before placing them in a container .   Store in an air-tight jar.  Salts that are kept in a container that is not air-tight will lose their aroma more quickly. To use: Add ½ cup of the salts to running bath water.  Mix well to ensure that the salt has dissolved well

Hello everyone! A long soak in a hot bath can be very relaxing, right? Of course, but adding  bath salts  can dramatically improve the experience. Bath salts come in different colours, scents, and textures; from fine to coarse. But relaxation is not the only benefit of bath salts.   Bath salts also offer many other benefits including certain healing properties . For instance, few people know that adding a little salt to your bath water can actually help improve your circulation. Bath salts are great for easing sore muscles and aching feet and legs. Consequently, those that suffer from muscle spasms, arthritis and back pain can all benefit from the use of bath salts. Bath salts open the pores to purify the skin, cleansing away dirt, sweat, and toxins . They aid in the healing of dry skin, making skin softer and smoother . Salts, such as bath salt, sea salt or Epsom salt, are also good for  exfoliation . Salts can help improve common irritations such as insect bites, mino

Hello everyone! Greek yoghurt is a nourishing food that provides minerals such as Calcium and Zinc for strong bones, teeth and the immune system.  Besides, as you probably already know, yoghurt is also  beneficial  when applied topically to the skin.  Yoghurt has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, making it ideal for acne-prone skin.  It is also rich in Zinc which, as I told you in previous posts, aids in the healing of acne.   Yoghurt contains lactic acid, an alpha hydroxy acid (AHA), which helps exfoliate the skin, remove dead skin cells and smoothing out fine lines.  It also helps to smooth rough, dry skin and even skin tone.  This makes it an excellent treatment for age spots and hyperpigmentation.  Yoghurt also helps unclog pores.   Here’s an easy recipe for a hydrating and exfoliating DIY Greek yoghurt, oatmeal and honey facial mask : Ingredients:  1 tablespoon of plain full-fat Greek yoghurt 1 tablespoon ground oatmeal   ( exfoliating)

Hello everyone! The   health benefits of lemons are countless , but did you know that they can be particularly beneficial to oily and/or acne-prone skin? What makes the lemon one of the best natural skincare ingredients? The lemon… Is rich in  vitamin C  ( one of the best skin vitamins)  Is a natural astringent Is a natural skin whitener Stimulates blood circulation Lemon juice can be used both topically and internally to achieve soft, smooth and clear skin.  Topical use: Lemons can help heal acne and acne scars.  Citric acid contained in lemon juice exfoliates the skin, which is essential to accelerate the healing of acne. It also acts as an astringent and dries the pimples.  Also, being a natural whitener, lemon juice reduces the redness of pimples naturally. You can dilute the lemon juice with water and use it as a skin toner .  I suggest adding pure lemon juice to a wet cotton ball.  If you have sensitive skin and think that diluted lemon