Suprising uses for vinegar: No-iron ironing, facial toner & more

Source: http://www.today.com/style/uses-vinegar-beauty-hair-skin-clothes-clothing-I523895

There are so many uses for white vinegar and apple cider vinegar, which, it turns out are bona fide fashion fixers and beauty elixirs. If you thought the only way vinegar could help was by making the idea of eating salads more appealing, think again.

FABRIC WRINKLE RELEASER: If you don’t want to get out the iron, try spraying your wrinkled clothes with a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water, then hang and let dry.

DEEP CONDITIONER: Combine 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 egg whites. Rub the hair-silkening mixture roots to ends, cover with a shower cap for 30 minutes and rinse.

FACIAL TONER: Bottle your own mix of 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar and 2 cups water. Apply the concoction daily using a cotton ball to deep-clean and tighten your skin.

NAIL POLISH CHIP PREVENTOR: White vinegar is the best starting point for an at-home manicure—soak your fingertips in a bowl of it for five minutes and then let dry before painting. It will remove the surface oils from nails that can make polish chip.

MOUTHWASH: Banish garlic breath with a rinse made by dissolving 1 teaspoon salt in a glass of warm water and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

CHLORINE REMOVER: If chlorine turns your locks green, try saturating your hair with apple cider vinegar and letting it sit for 15 minutes before diving in.

COLD SORE TREATMENT: Dry up a cold sore faster by dabbing it with white vinegar three times a day—it will soothe the swelling and pain.

SKIN SOOTHER: Alleviate a mosquito bite or sunburn by gently dabbing the area with white or apple cider vinegar.

BRUISE REDUCER: Prevent black-and-blues by soaking a piece of cotton gauze in white or apple cider vinegar and leaving it on the injured area for an hour.

HYPERPIGMENTATION CORRECTOR: If you have discoloration caused by sun exposure or pregnancy, apply apple cider vinegar to the brown spots for 10 minutes at a time several times a day to reduce the appearance.

SALT STAIN REMOVER: Remove rock salt stains from your winter boots by daubing on a solution that’s two parts water and one part vinegar. Wipe the mixture off with a clean towel, and repeat as necessary. Finish with shoe polish.

DANDRUFF TREATMENT: If you have dandruff or dryness (or just want to deep-clean your scalp) rub on a solution of 50% apple cider vinegar and 50% water and then rinse out.

BATH SOAK: A cup of apple cider vinegar in your bathwater will smooth and soften skin.

HAIR COLOR SAVER: Prevent dyed hair from fading by rinsing with a solution of 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts cold water to seal the color.

SILVER POLISH: Soak jewelry in a mixture of 1/2 cup white vinegar and 2 tablespoons baking soda for two to three hours, then rinse and dry.

A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.

An all-natural facial exfoliator & other surprising uses for pumpkin

Sharing Via: http://www.today.com/style/beauty-uses-pumpkin-I550295

Packed with antioxidants and enzymes, the humble pumpkin is as effective as it is inexpensive when used as a DIY beauty ingredient. A quick note: if you’re using canned pumpkin, make sure it’s sugar-free puree and not pumpkin pie filling—as much as we like to be sweet-smelling, we don’t need to go full dessert mode.

FACE EXFOLIATOR: Scoop out the seeds from a pumpkin and drop them in the food processor until they’re a fine-grain texture—don’t worry about removing the stringy bits, they’re great for your skin too, since the enzymes in pumpkin flesh can help dissolve dead skin cells. Add three tablespoons of honey, which creates a moisture barrier, and five drops of cinnamon oil, which has antibacterial properties. Scrub your face for a minute and then leave on as a mask for 10 more to take advantage of the concoction’s full exfoliating effects.

HAIR MASK: You’ll need one cup of pureed pumpkin pulp (use your food processor), and 1 tablespoon each of coconut oil (pre-warmed to at least 75°, the point at which it turns liquid), honey and Greek yogurt. Mix together until totally smooth, then coat your hair and let the mask sit under a shower cap for 15 minutes. Rinse out before washing and conditioning your hair as usual.

BODY MASK: Blend together ½ cup pumpkin puree, ½ cup warmed coconut oil and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon. Massage into skin while you’re in the shower (try tag-teaming it with the hair mask treatment) and after 10 minutes, rinse with warm water. In addition to smelling delicious, cinnamon contains antioxidants that provide a beneficial boost.

BODY SCRUB: This one couldn’t be easier—start with ¼ cup of brown sugar and mix in ¼ cup of pureed pumpkin and … cup olive oil to create an exfoliating scrub with serious moisturizing properties. Apply to skin in a circular motion using a washcloth and rinse.

PEEL-OFF FACIAL TREATMENT: Mix ¼ pumpkin puree with 1 egg and 1 teaspoon milk, then spread on cleansed face and let dry for 10 minutes. Remove with warm water and follow with a toner & moisturizer.

FACE MASK: Your face will be giving thanks for the wrinkle-preventing enzymes that cranberries and pumpkin bring to this concoction. Mix ¼ cup cornmeal, 2 tablespoons freshly crushed raw cranberries, 1 tablespoon pumpkin puree, and 2 teaspoons honey with a fork. Gently massage into your skin for 2 minutes, then rinse.

A version of this story originally appeared on iVillage.