Cosette's Beauty Pantry

Hello everyone! This blog is turning 10 in a few months and that means that I have been sharing  DIY acne recipes  with you, my readers, for almost a decade.  I have been vegan for the last five years and yes, you can still find non-vegan DIY beauty recipes on this blog.  These are namely recipes that include ingredients like yoghurt and honey.  Since June is  Acne Awareness Month ,   today's post is a roundup of my  best ten DIY  vegan  acne treatments .  This way you can find them all in one handy post.  If you want me to make a roundup post on non-vegan recipes, leave a comment and let me know. Amongst my top 10, I included; a cleansing method, a toner, two face masks, a scrub, two facial serums, and a spot treatment.  All DIYs are very easy to make, they require very few, simple ingredients and the method is easy to follow. Below are the links for the 10 blog posts.  I also included  the key ingredients (not the full list of ingredients) of each recipe or tr

Hi everyone! Whether you call them pimples, zits, or blemishes, there are  different types of acne  that affect teens as well as adults.   Knowing which type you have is essential to help you determine the right treatment.  When it comes to acne lesions, there are two main types.  There are non-inflammatory and inflammatory lesions.  Blackheads and whiteheads are great examples of non-inflammatory lesions.  Below are the subtypes of acne under these two categories: Blackheads:  Open comedones; top of the pore stays open. Whiteheads : Closed comedones protruding from the skin; top of the pore closes up. Papules : Bright red or pink bumps that are tender to the touch. Pustules : Often filled with pus and have yellow or whiteheads on top of a red bump. Nodules:  Hard pimples that are deep underneath the skin. Cysts:  The largest form of acne that looks like red or white bumps, where the clog is further below the skin than nodules; painful to the touch. Note: It is

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! 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! Remember my " beauty secret " post?  In this post I'm about to share another "secret"; aka the type of thing that people do not understand when you tell them or think you are crazy, but somehow I feel compelled to tell you, my readers, anyway! That's a mouthful! So, my secret is... Here goes nothing... I use neat (undiluted)  organic apple cider vinegar   on my face as a sort of   all-natural chemical peel ! Here's exactly   how I use it : I cleanse, rinse and towel dry my face and then I apply the undiluted ACV with a cotton ball.   This step is crucial : I only leave the  organic apple cider vinegar   on for about   2 minutes , then I rinse it off with plenty of cool water.   Do NOT   leave it on for more than a couple of minutes or it will burn your skin!  However, it is completely safe to use for one or two minutes two to three times a week .  Why I use it : ACV works better than any oth

Hello everyone! Let's talk about acne ! Here are some facts. It may not be a serious threat to health, but it is the most common skin disease experienced by men and women.  It can be seen in different parts of the body - mostly in the face, neck, chest, and back.  Common types of acne are whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, papules, nodules and cysts.  Studies show that acne affects over 50 million Americans.  40% of adolescents and approximately 85% of people between ages 12 and 24 experience at least a minor acne. There are many factors that cause the formation of acne, which varies from one person to another.  One thing is genetics, wherein if many people in the family are prone to having acne that leads to pimples, a person will also have a greater chance of acquiring it.  Another cause can be hormonal changes including pregnancy and menopause.  Menstruation is also one common factor that triggers acne.  Other causes of acne are emotional stress, medication, food int

Hello everyone! If you suffer from   acne , you've probably tried hundreds of  treatments  (both internal and external).  If you have tried everything, and your  acne  still persists, it can be frustrating.  However, just because you have tried all the  conventional treatments  does not mean you have tried every possible remedy. Find out the   weirdest treatments  in this infographic: I would never, ever try the first three "treatments" mentioned in the infographic. Which treatments would you not be willing to try? What's the weirdest acne treatment you have ever tried?  Leave a comment and let me know!  

Hello everyone! This is my third " Acne Awareness Month " post.  If you want to read the  previous  two, here are the links: Acne awareness month | Managing your acne Acne awareness month | Get over acne Today's post is about the different types of acne and how they can be treated .  If you are battling acne, you probably already know that there are different types of acne.   Whiteheads  or  blackheads .   Papules , pustules and nodules .  So why do you need to learn all these names?  Because  knowledge is the best weapon .   The infographic below details treatments plans for each type of acne , whether it's mild , moderate or severe . Via: Effortless Skin Let me know your thoughts.  If you have any advice or tips to share, please comment below, I’d love to hear from you.

Hello everyone! In yesterday's post, I talked about  Acne Awareness Month   and I also gave   12 tips   that can help you   manage your acne .  You can read the post   here . Today I want to give you some acne facts that can help you deal with your acne. Who Gets Acne ? Acne is the most common skin disease.  People of all races and ages get acne.  But it is most common in teenagers and young adults.  An estimated 80 percent of all people between the ages of 11 and 30 have acne outbreaks at some point.  Some people in their forties and fifties still get acne. What Causes Acne? Acne is a clogged pore .  Therefore, acne is caused by: a pore’s opening being blocked, excess production of sebum (the substance in the pores), or a combination of both factors. Doctors think certain factors might cause it : The hormone increase in teenage years  Hormone changes during pregnancy Heredity (if your parents had acne, you might get it, too) Some typ