Home Remedies

GRANDMA’S BEAUTY REMEDIES

Timeless beauty secrets for naturally glowing skin and hair all year long, straight from my family’s vault.

Have you ever wondered what the trick is to achieving that year-long radiance, even without a trip to the Mediterranean Sea? Here’s a hint: the secret can’t be bought at Sephora or Ulta. The secret, believe it or not, is found at your local grocery store or already within the cabinets in your home. Home remedies for healthy, luminous hair and skin are as simple as a bottle of olive oil or a few dazzling lemons. Growing up living with my Italian grandmother, she taught me all the amazing tricks of the trade for how she uses these beautiful, robust ingredients, not only in her mouthwatering cooking, but all aspects of her beauty routine as well!

Olive Oil

This miracle oil is undoubtedly the center of Italian cuisine but olive oil is also extremely versatile: ask any Italian woman, not just my grandma who buys it by the bucketload, and you’ll know that it’s also the center of home beauty remedies. Olive oil contains three incredible antioxidants: vitamin E, polyphenols, and phytosterols, as well as a potent anti-aging compound, squalene. The powerful combination of these ingredients not only fights premature aging, but promotes smooth, moisturized skin. Put a few drops onto your face for the ultimate moisturizing serum, or mix some olive oil with mashed strawberries for a hydrating, brightening face mask full of Vitamin C and rich antioxidants.

Not in the mood for skincare? The uses for olive oil extend far beyond that. Lather it into the ends of your hair, like my grandmother, as well as the stunning Italian actress Sophia Loren. After rinsing it out, you’re left with strong, shiny, movie star hair. One of my favorite memories as a child is sitting in my grandma’s house in our robes, with our hair lathered in olive oil, and sipping on some tea, while her lemon cake is baking in the oven. Whatever you choose to do with olive oil, just always remember to keep a bottle for your kitchen counter and a bottle for your vanity!

Lemons, Egg Whites, Baking Soda

The world’s love for lemons, in all areas of health and beauty, are well justified—I don’t just mean in limoncello, or my grandma’s famous lemon cake! The high concentration of vitamin C is a supreme antioxidant for boosting collagen production for tighter, bouncier skin, neutralizing dark sun or age spots, as well as ridding the skin of acne. Add lemons into your skincare routine with a simple, homemade face mask: mix 2 tbsp of lemon juice, an egg white, and 2 tbsp of baking soda into a paste. Evenly apply the mixture to your face, let it sit until it hardens, then rinse it off with warm water. The baking soda helps to unclog pores and reduce the production of oil, while the egg whites help to tighten the pores, lift, and brighten the skin. Also, when applied throughout damp hair, egg whites help to fight dandruff and cleanse the scalp of excess oil, while simultaneously promoting hair growth.

Pro Tip: My grandmother’s number one tried-and-true use for baking soda is mixing it with hydrogen peroxide (under 3% peroxide for safety) for a powerful teeth whitening toothpaste!

Chickpeas

While healthy and delicious in nature, what many may not know is that chickpeas are equally as effective in facemasks! As a child the only way I would go near chickpeas was in my grandma’s face mask. She would mash some cooked chickpeas and blend it together with the ever-trusty olive oil, some lemon juice, and an egg white to create a nourishing and rejuvenating concoction. I pushed my little stepping stool against the counter to put me level with her, and always volunteered to help with my favorite part- mashing the chickpeas! The eggs and chickpeas contain vitamin A and retinol, which are common ingredients found in many popular, expensive skin care products. These ingredients help to unclog pores and boost cellular turnover. Next time you’re making some homemade hummus or dropping some chickpeas into your salad, save some on the side for your skincare!

Try It For Yourself!

To achieve that natural radiance everyone so desires, look no further than your own kitchen. explore your cabinets and refrigerator, get creative, and play around with natural ingredients to up your skincare game. Take it from my grandmother and try it out, and you’ll find the results to be molto bellissimo!