Late February to early March is the worst time for all collegiettes. The weather is terrible and as the work starts to pile up, we start going a little crazy. Between midterms, assignments and snowstorms, it’s just hard to catch a break. Personally, my favorite cures for the mid-semester blues include watching Disney® movies while reminiscing of easier days, and pampering myself to feel like a princess. Since spas are costly, I find that the most affordable and effective way for a university girl to get the royal treatment is by using all-natural home remedies. Escape the evils of winter midterms and try out these Disney® inspired beauty potions to look and feel like your favorite princess!
“Snow White” Skin Facial Mask
Midterms suck. They not only leave our minds exhausted, they also spoil our appearance since breakouts are a common side-effect of stress. If you’re starting to notice seven little dwarf-like pimples forming on your face, take a time out and try this facial mask to achieve Snow White Skin (Poison apple free, guaranteed!)
Ingredients
-1 tbsp. Honey
-½ a tsp. Cinnamon powder
Preparation
-In a small bowl, mix the honey and cinnamon powder until it creates a pasty substance.
-Pull hair back into a ponytail, secure fly away hairs with a headband.
Directions:
-After cleansing with your usual products, apply the mixture to your entire face while using circular motions. Avoid the hairline, eyebrows and eyes.
-Let the potion work its magic for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, relax! Set aside your biochemistry notes for a few minutes while you unwind and indulge in the sweet and soothing smell of honey and cinnamon.
-gently wash away the honey-cinnamon concoction with warm water. Afterwards, splash yourself with cool, refreshing water to minimize the appearance of pores. Pat your skin dry.
-Admire your glowing skin! P.S. if you feel the overwhelming urge to ask yourself “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” don’t fight it!
(For best results, use the mask 1-3 times a week.)
Why It Works
It’s an ideal skin treatment because both the cinnamon and honey have antibiotic and anti-inflammatory properties, and they soothe your skin as well. Also, this home remedy is suitable for all skin types.
Source (PLEASE NOTE: I used different measurements than the site’s recommendations and it works great!)
Rapunzel’s Hair Treatment
Don’t let the cold air dry out your hair and cause split ends! For shiny hair that is strong enough to pick up Prince Charming, try this miraculous hair treatment.
Ingredients
-½ cup flat beer
-1 tsp. canola oil
-1 egg
-1 shower cap (or saran wrap)
Preparation
Pour beer into a container and let it sit. The beer must be flat or else the acid will damage hair rather than help it.
Directions:
-mix flat beer with canola oil and full egg (raw).
– Use a pastry paint brush (or just a comb) to generously apply mixture to clean, damp hair. Begin at roots and continue down towards your ends. Assure that all your hair is covered!
– Protect hair with shower cap (or saran wrap). Leave it in for 15 minutes. While you wait, feel free to relax with a cold beer in hand!
-Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
(for best results, use hair treatment every second week.)
Why it works
Although this hair treatment may smell awful, it works wonders! The results are great for oily, dry or normal hair, because the yeast in the beer will make your hair voluminous and shiny, while the egg will provide your hair with necessary protein and natural oils to help it grow. And it’s a not-so-known fact that guys love a girl who looks like a princess but knows how to handle her beer!
Source
It may not be flip flop season yet, but that is no excuse to let your feet get nasty in your winter boots! Do you think Prince Charming would have allowed Cinderella to try on the glass slipper if she had a serious case of athlete’s foot? I doubt it.
Ingredients
1/4 of bowl lemon juice
A pinch of cinnamon
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/4 cup of milk
1/4 of the bowl warm water
Preparation
No preparation required.
Directions
-In a large bowl that will accommodate the size of your feet, combine all the ingredients.
– Sit back and listen to some relaxing tunes, and chill out with book (no, not the book you’re writing that English Lit. essay on!) and imagine you’re dipping your feet in the ocean somewhere.
-Remove feet when they begin to feel like raisins.
Why it works
While the lemon juice and cinnamon exfoliate your feet, the milk will soothe your skin and the olive oil will serve as a moisturizer. Your feet will be so silky that you will have the biggest urge to show them off, but on behalf of all the foot-phobic girls out there, please try to keep your shoes on! Yes, even if you’re running for a cab at midnight, in heels.
Source
There are so many great, affordable home remedies out there that will do wonders for you, but these three are my personal favorites. They are versatile recipes that will benefit any collegiette who wants to access her inner princess. So call up your girls and host a spa night, so that you may escape the craziness of mid-winter together! Let us know which beauty home remedy was your favorite and tell us about others you have tried!