Home Spa Fresh From Your Kitchen
by Kayla Fioravanti

After a long hard day all you want to do is sit back and rub egg all over your face to relax. Right? If that doesn’t sound like an amazing spa retreat then read on and learn about some of the best-kept beauty secrets hidden right inside your kitchen. Once you realize that the nutrients that makes an apple good for you on the inside makes it just as good for you on the outside, it will change the way you look at everyday foods. Next time your kids don’t eat all their applesauce don’t fret, simply rub it all over your face and enjoy an antioxidant mask. Okay, okay, I’m just kidding. Don’t use” their” applesauce; your face really deserves a fresh helping.
Have you ever noticed how all of the cosmetic companies advertise that their products contain fresh items like avocado, honey, oatmeal, papaya and a long list of other food- sourced ingredients? It is not just a marketing scheme; your kitchen really is packed full of nutritious and healthy skin care. Summer is the perfect time to experiment with fresh topical food, so while you are at it, you might as well eat the bounty of summer. The summer fruits and vegetables are loaded with antioxidants which act as anti-inflammatories for your body from inside and out.
I have listed some of my favorite topical foods and their uses. There are hundreds more that I hope you will discover on your own. A good rule of thumb is that if you are allergic to a particular food, do not apply it to your skin, and never put on your face what you would not put in your mouth. Keep in mind that acidic fruits, like lemons and oranges need to be mixed with a buffer such as oatmeal, milk or egg. Keep it fresh, making just what you need for your facial each day.

Fresh Face Cleansers:
Dairy Products contain natural lactic acid, which is an effective and mild alpha hydroxy acid. Lactic acid leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth. For normal to dry skin, yogurt and sour crème with a touch of olive oil makes a rich and effective cleanser. For normal to oily skin a mixture of yogurt or sour cream with a splash of grapefruit juice creates an astringent cleanser that will leave your skin looking fresh and clean. Yogurt, because it contains live active cultures, makes an especially good cleanser leaving your complexion smooth, healthy, balanced and fresh.

Fresh Face Toner
Vinegar’s tonic action promotes blood circulation. It is an antiseptic, which prevents the proliferation of bacteria, viruses and yeast, which can all trigger problematic skin. Most importantly, vinegar regulates the pH of your skin. The unpleasant odor of vinegar can be hidden with lavender essential oil. For extremely oily or acne prone skin adding a drop of lime, lemon or tomato juice to water and applying liberally to your skin with a cotton ball will help with blemishes and uneven skin.

Fresh Face Scrub
Oatmeal appears in many skin care products. It has soothing and anti-inflammatory properties for the skin that cannot be beat. To use it as a mild exfoliant, make a cup of it as fine as possible in your food processor and keep it sealed airtight, using only a tablespoon at a time as needed. For a deeper exfoliation add either cornmeal or brown sugar to your mixture. To use, put a tablespoon of finely ground oatmeal in your hand and add hot water. Exfoliate your face in gentle upward circular motions. Your skin will reap the benefits of oatmeal alone, but it will rejoice if you use warm milk, buttermilk or honey in your mixture.

Kayla Fioravanti, R.A., von Natur
Kayla is a Cosmetic Formulator, a Certified & Registered Aromatherapist and owner of von Natur, the ultimate in natural and organic skin and body care.