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The greenest, healthiest way to get your skin glowing for summer is from the inside out—eating a nutrient-rich diet, drinking plenty of water and getting your beauty rest. Second best to that is indulging your skin in soothing, do-it-yourself treatments using only natural and organic ingredients.
Even greener? Making the most of the season’s bounty (in this case, summer’s) using farm- and orchard-fresh fruits and veggies that are as good on your skin as they are for your health. Candy-sweet berries, juicy garden-grown cucumbers and tomatoes, leafy lettuces, and cooling cucumbers all work wonders on your skin.
To make your skin the greenest and most gorgeous, we’ve rounded up our best warm-weather beauty recipes that are so delicious in scent—you might just be tempted to lick a little bit off.
Consider yourself warned.
- Veggie Toner
Don’t eat your veggies? You should! They’re delicious. But if you count french fries as part of your day’s food pyramid, you can now at least digest your salad topically. A quick splash of this cucumber, lettuce, tomato and lemon-based Vegetable Toner will brighten and refresh your sweaty, pimple-prone skin on the hottest of days.
Image courtesy of Ranplett/iStock - Organic Blueberry Facial Mask
If you can hold yourself back from eating it with a spoon, a Blueberry Facial Mask is a summer essential. The little blue gems are at their peak, loaded with antioxidants—perfect for fighting summer skin stressors like car exhaust and city smog. The mask itself is hydrating on its own but could be exfoliating with an added dash of granulated sugar.
Image courtesy of Tom Allen/iStock - Aloe and Cucumber Face Mask
Cooling cucumber is any skin lover’s treat, with its most popular form coming in the trusty, round-sliced eye mask. But puree the mild, green veggie with amazing Aloe Vera for an Aloe and Cucumber Mask—and you’ve got a heavy-duty skin clearing combo that’s both moisturizing and cleansing. Eco-bonus points if you grow your own Aloe Vera at home!
Image courtesy of Inta Eihmane/iStock - Peach Lotion
Just because it’s summer doesn’t mean some of us can do without a good moisturizer—especially after long periods in the sun. A succulent peach will do the trick in this Peach Lotion made for normal to dry skin. Simply mash and strain the juice from one peach through a cheesecloth. Add to it 4 drops of benzoin tincture, 2 oz. coconut or sweet almond oil, 1 1/2 oz. orange flower water and 1 to 2 drops orange oil. Whip together until the consistency is fluffy and pour into a clean 4 oz container. Then store it in the refrigerator for a refreshing, sweet skin treat. (Recipe courtesy of Jeanne Rose from book Herbs & Things.)
Image courtesy of Larry Ye/iStock - Fresh Tomato Skin Cleanser
If the steamy dog days of summer leave your skin feeling oily, try this Fresh Tomato Skin Cleanser bursting with anti-aging Lycopene and Vitamins A and C. The tomato’s natural acidic (and therefore astringent) properties will help in shrinking pores and toning skin.
Image courtesy of Liza McCorkle/iStock - Strawberry Teeth Whitener
How could you waste super delicious strawberries for the purpose of teeth whitening when you could be sucking them back instead? Valid question. But, when the sweet little ruby gems are in season, and possibly local—their abundance and proximity make it a whole lot sweeter and greener to indulge in this Strawberry Teeth Whitenening beauty treatment. Plus a set of pearly whites set against a golden tan will make you feel like the green beach god or goddess that you are.
Image courtesy of MariyaL/iStock
More DIY Beauty Treatments:
DIY Organic Hair Remedies: Deep Conditioning Mask
Get Your Skin Ready for Spring with these Easy Recipes
Are You A Green Beauty? (Quiz)
How to Go Green: Natural Skin Care
Got a tip or a post idea for us to write about on Planet Green? Email pgtips (at) treehugger (dot) com.
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