Cosette's Beauty Pantry

Hello everyone! What do t he Duchess of Cambridge, Gwyneth Paltrow, Victoria Beckham and Miranda Kerr all have in common?  Well, supposedly they use rosehip oil to keep their skin smooth. Rosehip oil (or rosehip seed oil) has been recently dubbed a "miracle skincare oil".  Rosehip oil, derived from the rosehip (the fruit left on the stem after the petals have fallen off), is a natural source of essential fatty acids, including omega 3, 6 and 9, as well as a rich source of vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin A and  B-carotene .  This superfine oil is absorbed easily into the skin and won’t leave behind any oily residue. So what are the benefits of using rosehip oil?   It quickly absorbs into the skin, proving  moisture . It can heal scarring  caused by acne. It can help reverse sun   damage . It can provide a protective barrier on the skin,  preventing further moisture loss. It can help fade  pigmentation  and even out skin tone. It can help h

Hello everyone! Today I want to tell you a little bit about one of my favourite essential oils ; lavender oil .  Not only does this essential oil smell great and helps you relax , but it also has significant benefits for the skin.  This oil hydrates and heals the skin without clogging the pores.  Plus, it helps deal with many skin conditions from acne, excess oil, dryness to ageing.  It also promotes hair growth and a healthy scalp.  This particular post is about treating acne with lavender oil .   What is Lavender Oil?     Lavender oil is extracted from the lavender plant.  It grows worldwide in Asia, Europe,  Africa, the Canary Islands, and the Mediterranean.   The uses of lavender oil  are numerous.  It's an all-natural oil that works for various skin and hair problems. How to use: Mix 1-4 drops of lavender oil into 1/2-1 tablespoon of base oil (coconut oil, almond oil, jojoba oil, olive oil).  Diluting helps the oil spread more easily when applied to the

Hello everyone! So much happens in a week, so here’s a quick recap… in case you missed any of this!  Sunday, March 18, 2018 An introduction to aromatherapy Monday, March 19, 2018 Fact or Fiction? - Beauty myths, debunked! #3 Tuesday, March 20, 2018 Ways to bring spring into your home Wednesday, March 21, 2018 Blending essential oils for beginners Friday, March 23, 2018 DIY: Acne fighting gel Saturday, March 24, 2018 DIY: Acne fighting mask Sunday, March 25, 2018 Tag post: The Easter tag Thanks for reading!

Hello everyone! Today marks the beginning of Holy Week .   Holy Week is the week before Easter and it is also the last week of  Lent.  And since Easter is almost here, in this post I'm going to answer the Easter tag questions. 1. Do you celebrate Easter? I'm Catholic so of course, I celebrate Easter. 2. What was your favourite thing about Easter growing up? Probably eating a lot of chocolate. 3. What are your plans for Easter this year? Here in Malta, Easter Sunday is a day we spend with family. 4. Do you colour eggs? I used to as a child. 5. Do you have Easter traditions? Easter time in Malta is a time engulfed in tradition and ritual.  It is a time of processions, pilgrimages, pageants, exhibitions and much more. 6. Favourite Easter treat? Vegan chocolate eggs. 7. Least favourite Easter treat? Figolli !   Figolli are traditional Maltese Easter sweet almond cakes, covered in icing or chocolate and decorated with half a chocolat

Hello everyone! Yesterday I posted a recipe for a DIY acne-fighting gel and today I want to share another acne-fighting beauty recipe with you.   For this DIY you will need two key ingredients; a lemon and a tomato .   Ingredients: 1 ripe tomato 1 tsp lemon juice 1 tsp oatmeal (optional) Lemons are full of AHA’s and BHA’s which remove dead skin cells, fight acne, minimize pores and brighten skin.   Back in November of 2011, I posted an article titled:  Lemons for clear skin ; in which I wrote about the countless benefits of lemons.  Make sure you read it for more information.   Tomatoes have cooling and astringent properties.  They’re also rich in antioxidants like vitamin C and vitamin A .  Their acidity helps tame excessive oil production too. Oatmeal helps reduce itching and inflammation and can be used to calm acne, eczema and heal psoriasis . Method: Mash the peeled tomato in a bowl.  Add the lemon juice (and oatmeal) and mix everything

Hello everyone! I am back again with an amazing DIY recipe for your skin.  You only need two simple ingredients to make your own acne-fighting gel;  aloe vera gel and  essential oil with antibacterial properties .   I've been using this concoction on my face for many, many years.  So much so that I had to search this blog because I was sure that I had already told you about it.  As it turns out, I haven't so let's get started... Ingredients: 1 tbsp of  aloe vera gel 6-12 drops of  tea tree oil  or lavender essential oil If you don't like the smell of tea tree oil, a lavender essential oil is a good alternative.   The combination of tea tree oil (or lavender) and  Aloe vera gel kills the bacteria that causes acne and has anti-inflammatory properties which soothe the skin. Method: In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of Aloe vera gel with 6-12 drops of tea tree oil (or lavender). Store in an amber glass bottle.  U se  as a  spot treatment  if

Hello everyone! Last Sunday I posted An introduction to aromatherapy and I told you that I was planning to post more on this subject.  In this post, I will give you a basic guide to blending essential oils .  Have you ever wanted to make your own essential oil blend but felt totally lost on where to begin?  Perhaps you want to make a  solid perfume or a diffuser blend with an appealing smell.  Essential oils are often grouped together based on their aromas, and these groups are called categories.  Some oils fit into more than one category.  Here are some examples of specific essential oils and the categories they fall into... Essential oil categories Floral: Chamomile, Geranium, Jasmine, Lavender, Neroli, Rose, Violet Exotic: Palmarosa, Patchouli, Sandalwood, Vetiver, Ylang Ylang Resinous: Benzoin, Camphor, Fir Needle, Frankincense, Galbanum, Myrrh, Vanilla Absolute Spicy: Aniseed, Bay, Black Pepper, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Clove, Coriander, Ginger, Nutmeg

Hello everyone! Spring is finally here, and that means it's time for spring cleaning.  But this year, more than previous years, I didn't just stop at spring cleaning, I'm also obsessed with spring decorating .  During this charming season, I'm embracing floral patterns, pastels, bright colours, indoor plants, fresh scents, and everything "spring". Today I came across an infographic about simple ways to add a pop of spring to your home and k iss those winter blues goodbye.  Seeing as this is precisely what I'm doing at the moment I want to share this info with all of you. Did you know that your skincare routine needs some spring cleaning too ?  Read more about it here .  And if you are looking for  spring beauty tips, check out more related posts here . Are you ready for spring? 

Hello everyone! As you can see from the title, this post is all about beauty myths.   I haven't posted a Fact or Fiction? post in such a long time, but this is actually my third "beauty myths" post.   Let's get started! 1. Dry skin will give you wrinkles. Fact or Fiction? Fiction. Wrinkles are caused by a lot of things but dry skin is not one of them. 2. Toothpaste can heal pimples. Fact or Fiction? Fact. Ingredients found in toothpaste have been shown to dry pimples.   However, use cautiously because the harsh chemicals found in toothpaste can also irritate and over-dry your skin. 3. Tight ponytails and buns can make your hair fall out. Fact or Fiction? Fact. Tight hairstyles can add stress to hair follicles and cause breakage.   Try to keep tight styles to a minimum. I wrote a blog post about this subject titled Give your hair a break , check it out! 4. Rubbing your eyes causes wrinkles Fact or Fiction? Fa

Hello everyone! I've been using essential oils for a very long time, ever since I fell in love with aromatherapy about 20 years ago.  I always have oil burners, scented candles and reed diffusers around the house and I also use essential oils regularly in my skincare routine.  For those of you who might not know; aromatherapy  is the practice of using essential plant oils for healing body, mind and spirit. Aromatherapy can be performed in several ways, namely: Diffusing a combination of essential oils into the air (or just one single oil) Inhaling oils through the nostrils directly off of a cloth or from the bottle Receiving massage therapy utilizing oils Soaking in an oil-infused bath Rubbing oils directly onto the skin ( diluted with a carrier oil, such as almond, jojoba or coconut oil ) Each essential oil delivers different benefits , some of which include: calming, awakening, energizing, easing pain and more. Aromatherapy can be used to treat a sp