How to Look Your Best This Summer, Naturally

Warm, sunny weather offers so many pleasures that it’s easy to forget the minor nuisances. And it’s even easier with these affordable, healthful, and eco-friendly solutions to looking your best while enjoying more time outdoors.

1. Sugaring for Hair Removal. The higher the temperature, the less clothing people wear. So eliminating unwanted hair becomes a top priority in warm weather. Lots of folks choose sugaring because it’s inexpensive, long-lasting, and chemical-free. Here’s how sugaring can be used to get rid of unsightly hair.

In a medium pot, put 1/4 cup of water and 1/4 cup of lemon juice. Mix in 2 cups of sugar. Heat at a low temperature, stirring continually, until the sugar carmelizes. Let the sugar mixture cool to a thick but spreadable consistency. The mixture should feel warm but not hot.

Put the sugar paste on a 4- to 6-inch patch of the body with unwanted hair. Ideally, the hair should be between 1/2 and 3/4 inch in length. Now cover the sugar mixture with a strip of cotton fabric recycled from old clothing. Smooth the fabric down in the same direction as the hair grows. Quickly pull off the cloth in the direction opposite of the hair growth. Doing this will remove your excess hair by the root. Use a new piece of fabric for each zone of hair being removed. With practice, you’ll become skillful in the technique.

2. Using a Soothing Spray After Hair Removal. Getting rid of unwanted body hair can irritate the skin. Complications of tweezing, shaving, bleaching, waxing, and liquefying hair with depilatories can create a situation worse than the original excess hair. These problems include redness, burns, bumps, ingrown hairs, and inflammation. You can prevent or reduce the occurrence of these issues by using this soothing spray after you remove unwanted hair:

Prepare 1 cup of strong chamomile tea and 1/4 cup of strong green tea in separate cups. Allow them to cool off. Put the teas into a spray bottle. Then, mix in:

• 2 tablespoons of aloe vera juice
• 1 teaspoon of calendula extract
• 1/2 teaspoon of willow bark extract

Refrigerate this treatment to keep it fresh and to enhance its anti-inflammatory effects. Spray it onto the skin after removing hair.

The anti-inflammatory properties of the teas, combined with the soothing action of the aloe and calendula, will keep your hair-free skin looking its best. And, the naturally occurring salicylic acid in willow bark discourages ingrown hairs.

3. Using a Chemical-free Sunscreen. Now that you have smooth and lovely skin, it’s important to keep it that way by blocking out the sun’s harmful rays. The following recipe helps to protect your skin not only from ultraviolet light but also from the chemicals and toxins found in many store brands:

Blend together the following ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of shea butter
• 2 teaspoons of nonmicronized zinc oxide
• 1/2 teaspoon of aloe vera gel
• 1/2 teaspoon of jojoba oil

Rub this mixture into your skin before going out in the sun. If perspiring or swimming, reapply as necessary.

No doubt, these treatments will make you look more attractive, but their real benefit is boosting your confidence and allowing your true inner beauty to shine. Enjoy the outdoors!

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