Lifestyle
Natural Glamour Tips From My BFF!
As one of the directors of Best Gay Life I thought it was about time to slowly share a bit of what makes me tick, and I have found over the years that one of the best ways to know a person is to meet their friends.
So what better way to start than to introduce you to one of my besties. I call her the green goddess because she lives, eats and breaths all things eco. She is also a warm hearted, creative genius with a wild streak. We come as a three with our other long-suffering teammate.
Katherine has given me some pretty amazing homemade beauty treats in the past, so I have asked her to share them with you all. May I introduce the gorgeous Ms. Jackson. Over to you Katherine…
We have been a trio of besties for nearly 20 years and in this case, 3 is never a crowd. Separately we all lead pretty different lifestyles but together, we just click. We are sensitive to each other’s ups and downs, we know when to listen and when to party hard to forget!
Having a Gay Best Friend is not a gimmick to me, it just happens to be the way things are. He is not an accessory and I would never parade his sexuality, it’s just part of who he is and we love him.
For the last 5 years we’ve had a besties tradition of a Christmas night out in Cambridge… a fun, festive frolic followed by a stuffed crust pizza and a sweaty Travelodge family room. So, that’s a bit of the background and it’s when preparing for these nights out (the getting ready is of course all part of the ritual) I began to share some of my own skin care tips and recipes, my GBF loved them and thought that you might too!
Of course we all want to look good but if you don’t want your eco-inclined, green queen pal on your back then here are some tips for natural skin care which can not only help the planet but also have health benefits for you. Not only that but they can be kind on your bank balance leaving more money to treat yourself to quality indulgences for your bedroom wardrobe from BGL!
Some of the ingredients for skin treats below are things you will no doubt already have in your kitchen cupboard and easily transform into the base for moisturisers, exfoliators and other treatments.
Exfoliate
Shop bought exfoliators can include ingredients such as micro plastics which will wash down our sinks and into the ocean. These can be easily substituted with salt or brown sugar which are grainy in texture but will dissolve once they’ve done the job we wanted them to do.
For more sensitive areas (such as the face and well, other sensitive areas) I prefer sugar or you can find yourself in a stingy situation. Salt is good for tougher skin such as the soles of the feet. Simply combine with a base oil (anything from almond to coconut) and a few drops of your favourite essential oils.
Balms
For lip balms or balms to use to soften or style facial hair, it’s a similar recipe to the bath melts but you’ll need to also add a spoonful of beeswax pellets to get a more solid consistency. Do this in a bowl over hot water rather than directly in the saucepan or you’ll find it hard to clean the wax out of the pan.
Moisturise
If you have the time for some quality you-time then I seriously recommend making some bath melts. So quick and easy they would also make nice a nice gift and in fact I’m planning on sending some to my GBF as a little new year gift for him to try. They will be a gift his partner too as after using them his skin will be soft and silky and he will smell delicious.
Tips
Gently melt down some coconut oil and shea butter (you can use just coconut oil but they get a bit melty at room temperature). Once both have turned to liquid, allow to cool slightly before adding your essential oil. 5-10 drops of lavender for relaxing or try peppermint, ylang ylang or cassia for something a little more sexy. Pour into flexible ice cube molds and chill in the fridge until solid. Add one cube to your bath for soft, sensuous skin.
Natural tooth whitener and lip plumper
Some tooth whitening treatments can damage your enamel so for a natural alternative combine bicarbonate of soda with my favourite kitchen cupboard beauty ingredient (as if you hadn’t guessed by now) coconut oil. Combine these together and brush directly onto the teeth before buffing them up with a clean towel.
For the lip plumper, also apply with your toothbrush as this will also exfoliate the lips. Combine these together, cinnamon, honey, sugar, cayenne pepper and a little coconut oil in a cup or glass, dip your brush and get ready to feel the tingle (or slight burn actually!)
Then add a couple of drops of peppermint oil to your lip gloss to top up the tingle into the night.
I hope you enjoy experimenting with these natural beauty ideas, me and my BGF certainly have!