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! 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! As many of you may already know, I struggled with acne for years.  I have spent a lot of time looking for ways to clear up my acne.   What eventually helped me clear my skin was a clean, vegan diet and using natural, homemade skincare products .   However, I'm still dealing with  acne scars on my face.   Before I became vegan, I used honey and yogurt (like my  DIY: Greek yoghurt, oatmeal and honey facial mask   and my   DIY: Micro-dermabrasion paste )  to help fade acne scars and both ingredients work really well, but now I'm only using   plant-based ingredients .   Today I want to share the  all-natural , vegan facial serum I'm currently using.  If you have any form of hyperpigmentation   on your skin,   you are going to love this DIY ! Ingredients: 1 tbs sweet almond oil  2 drops of lemon essential oil 4 drops of sandalwood essential oil  Sweet almond oil  is a wonderful carrier oil and it’s been used for ages to lighten and brighten

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! I've been using baking soda to exfoliate my skin for years, in fact,  Scrub your face with sodium bicarbonate!   was one of my first blog posts back in May 2011!  Today I want to give you a simple DIY recipe for homemade microdermabrasion using baking soda.  Let's get started! Ingredients: 1 tsp baking soda - R ead more:  Baking soda beauty tips! ½ tsp of raw honey - Read more:  The amazing beauty benefits of honey rosewater -  Read more:   Beauty uses of rose water 1 drop tea tree essential oil - (anti-bacterial, prevents breakouts, and soothes irritation) Method: Mix baking soda and raw honey in a small container (or you can use coconut oil instead).  Combine to form a paste-like consistency and add one drop of tea tree oil . How to use: Wash your face with warm (not hot) water to open up the pores. Apply the mixture to your face and neck.   Use  your  fingertips to  massage  gently but firmly in a  circular motion.   Do this for 3 to

Hello everyone! It's been a while since my last   DIY beauty recipe , so  today I want to share with you the recipe for my favourite   all-natural facial serum .   For those who don't know what facial serums are;  facial serums are lightweight moisturisers that contain a concentrated amount of nourishing ingredients.  So let's get started!  This is a very simple DIY, all you need are four ingredients.  Here's my recipe: Ingredients: 4 tbsp Aloe vera gel   - Soothes skin from irritation and inflammation. 2 tbsp castor oil   - Great skin moisturiser, delays the signs of ageing and reduces acne. 2 tbsp vegetable glycerin   - Keeps skin young and hydrated. 2/4 drops of tea tree oil   - Treats and prevents acne. Method: In a small glass pump bottle, combine all the ingredients.  Mix well until the ingredients are well amalgamated.  How to use: Cleanse your face as usual, then apply two or three pumps of serum in place of your

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! Let's make one thing clear, pore size is determined mainly by our genes.  Pores may also become larger with age or excessive sun exposure.  However, pores can definitely appear larger and more noticeable when they become clogged with dirt, oil and dead skin cells.  An effective cleansing and exfoliation regimen is   essential to keep pores clean and minimizing their appearance. The most effective approach in minimizing pores is by keeping them clean and clear at all times.   Check out these blog posts to learn more/view additional   DIY beauty recipes to help you cleans and minimize your pores.  The beauty benefits of ice The holy grail of toners! DIY: Deep cleansing pore strips DIY: Enzyme peel mask Scrub your face with sodium bicarbonate! Baking soda beauty tips! Lemons for clear skin The amazing beauty benefits of honey Banana peel skincare?! Also , check out the i nfographic below:   The ultimate steps to cleansing and shrinking your pores .