Spice up your beauty routine
HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Most of us spice up our food, but have you ever considered spicing up your skin and hair routines?
Salon Owner Rachel Gower says, "Most spices are antioxidants. That makes them anti-inflammatory. Many of them are anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, so they're great for your skin and your hair."
Here are some of her favorite spice recipes:
TURMERIC MASK
Turmeric is an orange Indian spice with the active ingredient, curcumin. It is an anti-fungal, antiseptic, and anti-bacterial. On our skin, it helps with hyperpigmentation and acne, and can help make our skin glow.
- 1 tablespoon grounded oatmeal (put in blender or food processor)
- 1 tablespoon turmeric
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Coconut milk as needed of mask-like texture
- Mix ingredients and apply to face (wear gloves)
- Leave on for 15 minutes
- Remove with cool to tepid water. Hot water will activate spice.
- It can leave an orange residue on face, so massage coconut oil into face to help remove and treat skin.
GINGER SMOOTHIE
Ginger smells invigorating and has anti-inflammatory properties to increase blood flow and give the skin a glow. It's especially good and reducing appearance of cellulite.
- cup ground rice (ground in food processor or blender)
- cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons shredded and chopped ginger
- Add a splash of coconut milk to give a scrub consistency
- Apply to body, scrub, and rinse.
CAYENNE SCALP TREATMENT
This hot spice increases circulation, which can help promote healthy, shiny hair.
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon cayenne (If you add more, continue with the two to one ratio of olive oil to cayenne)
- Mix and massage on scalp
- Leave on scalp for 15 minutes
- Rinse and then shampoo hair as normal
CINNAMON LIP PLUMPER
Cinnamon is anti-fungal and anti-bacterial, it's a natural exfoliater, and it will also boost circulation, which makes it the perfect ingredient to plump our lips. Cinnamon also leaves a nice tint to the lips. Wet a cinnamon stick and rub on lips, or try this easy recipe.
- Take a cinnamon capsule from the health food store, puncture it with a pin, and squeeze out liquid
- Apply liquid from capsule to lips
- Use a tissue to rub off any residue
- Apply Vitamin E to make lips soft and smooth
