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Do you have too many pins on Pinterest and not enough time to try them all? Don't worry — the Page Two editors of ksl.com will try them out and give you the low-down. This week we’re sampling do- it-yourself beauty treatments. They can save you big bucks, but are they worth the trouble?
Two-ingredient shampoo
Jean Nick the Nickel Pincher gives us a wonderful array of DIY hair product recipes in her article “Clean, Green, Affordable Hair Care” for Rodale.com. While I’d love to try all of them (and maybe eventually I will), I started off with the easiest, cheapest method: Instead of using any kind of shampoo, just mix a bit of Borax with water and work into your hair. Easy enough, and definitely cheap. So I gave it a whirl. At first I was a little alarmed — instead of the frothy-lather shampoo I’m used to washing my hair with, it felt like I was rubbing salt into my scalp. I could feel my hair turning in to dreads right there in the shower. I thought to myself, “There’s no way I’m doing this right.” But I stuck to the plan, rinsed it out and applied a little conditioner to the ends of my hair as usual. I let my hair air dry (also as usual) and I’m so glad I stuck it out — it worked like magic. Gritty and unexpected, yes, but honestly, I haven’t seen my hair so clean and shiny in a while. All it took was just one use, and I am sold. This is how I’m washing my hair from now on. Final grade: A
Homemade deodorantI’m not really an all-natural girl, but I am a tightwad (and yeah, I sweat), so I thought I’d try some homemade deodorant. I found a few different recipes but the one I decided to try came from a comment left on a post at Thetalkingkitchen.com. Commenter Kelly said, “I’ve been spritzing with apple cider vinegar and then powdering with a mixture of cornstarch, baby powder and baking soda for over a year now and it WORKS!! I love the change and the savings. AND my clothes no longer have any leftover odor like they used to.” I had all the ingredients, so I tried it out. It’s important to note that this is not an anti-persperant, only a deodorant. For this reason, this method may not appeal to many people. That’s ultimately why I am giving this method a thumbs-down. While it was pretty effective in its own right, I still had soggy underarms after just a brisk 30-minute walk. What’s the point of eliminating odor if you’re still left with sweat stains? Final grade: C
DIY makeup removerMakeup remover is really expensive, even the cheap-o stuff from the grocery store. This recipe for DIY makeup remover from Kristanlynn.com was so simple and cheap, I had to give it a shot. In essence, it’s just diluted baby shampoo with an optional bit of oil. I chose to omit the oil, but it's still a great method. Upon first use, I thought it was a little weak, however, and not as effective as the Maybelline variety I’m fond of, so I added a little more baby shampoo and voila! Perfection! It removed all my eye makeup (including black, waterproof mascara) without leaving my skin oily or dry, and it didn't bother my eyes. Before I grade, may I offer another suggestion: Even by cutting this recipe in half it still made a lot, so I’d advise cutting the portions down. Final grade: B+
At-home microdermabrasion
This pin with a dewey-faced model promised an “at-home treatment for fabulous, glowing skin.” The DIY microdermabrasion method from Wihousewifeconfessions.wordpress.com is to create a paste from baking soda and water. Apply to your face, let it sit for five minutes and rinse off. All I can say is, wow! The Housewife says it a bit more eloquently: “Not even joking, I did this and my skin had instant glow results.” On top of that, my skin was extra soft and smooth for days. There is some debate in the comments as to how often you can use this method, with most saying that because baking soda alters the pH of your skin, once a week is sufficient — and it's extremely effective. As with the previous recipe, I recommend cutting this recipe in half as well. Even that was too much for me to use. Final grade: A
