4 DIY hair, skin treatments you need this summer

The best thing about these pampering products is that the ingredients are available around the house!

My Fridays are usually booked for do-it-yourself (DIY) beauty experiments. From trying activated charcoal for teeth whitening to fenugreek seed paste for shiny hair to applying ghee on chapped lips, I've really tried it all. So, this season, make all your summer beauty woes - sunburn, frizzy hair - disappear with these quick, homemade recipes.
Repair those cracked heels
I always thought soaking your feet in hot water with salt, followed by use of a pumice stone to exfoliate the skin, was the best treatment for cracked heels. But over the last two months, I've been using this miracle pulp instead - simply mash a ripe banana and apply this to cracked heels for about 15 - 20 minutes. Wash it off with lukewarm water. Try this once a week and your feet will soon be as soft as a baby's.
Anti-frizz your hair
Whether you have oily or dry hair, you can always resort to this simple hair serum that can be made using just three ingredients - coconut or almond oil, jojoba oil and lavender essential oil. Mix 10 tablespoons of coconut or almond oil with 15 tablespoons of jojoba oil and add a few drops of lavender essential oil for aroma. Shake it well before each use and apply this to damp hair (use a wide toothed comb after you're done). The concoction will not just tame the frizz and keep flyways at bay but will impart an irresistibly smooth texture to your hair without weighing it down. Another tip I found on the Internet is to replace your towel with a cloth to dry your hair. I have tried this and seen a huge difference.
Try a soothing after-skin lotion
I've always said that SPF is an absolute must with the scorching summer heat we get here in the Middle East. After you are home or indoors, try to soothe your skin with a quick spritz of a cooling mist. If you're looking for something to soothe the skin, and relieve the burn, try this all-natural after-sun lotion, packed with rich, skin-healing ingredients. Mix three tablespoons of aloe vera gel, one tablespoon of olive oil, one tablespoon of cocoa butter, two tablespoons of coconut oil and 15 drops of lavender essential oil. Store it in the refrigerator and apply generously.
Pamper your cuticles
Have you ever had a fresh manicure only to find ragged hangnails and cuticles just an hour after your appointment? Try mixing jojoba oil, almond oil, rice bran oil, Vitamin E oil and 1 drop of lavender essential oil and 1 drop of chamomile essential oil in a dropper bottle. The jojoba oil helps the Vitamin E oil penetrate the skin so it can really nourish, moisturise and heal your cuticles. Apply this twice a day and you will see a huge difference in just a week.
wknd@khaleejtimes.com