Jeudi: The Art of Beauty

I was browsing the catalogue of a fairly prominent New York based spa the other day and just about fell out of my seat when I began to take note of their products’ prices.  Many of the items they have are doubtless perfectly capable of doing what they claim, but they could also very easily – and very inexpensively – be made at home.  Yes, it’s a little more work than clicking a mouse or picking up the phone and the jar you keep it in won’t be made in France or Ireland but seriously, how important is that?  Especially in these dizzyingly uncertain economic times. 

One example that struck me in particular was a lip polish.  Referred to in the catalogue as a sugar lip scrub, the product claims to contain “… natural oils, butters and vitamins” as well as “granulated sugar”.  No mention of the specific ingredients (aside from sugar) is forthcoming.  This sounds suspiciously like my favorite remedy for the flaky, chapped lips that can trouble one any time of the year: honey and baker’s sugar.  Here’s what you’ll need for one treatment:

1 tsp honey (try to buy local if possible; if not, the stuff in the plastic bear works perfectly well)

¼ tsp baker’s (finely granulated) sugar

Thoroughly mix the two ingredients on a nonstick surface such as ceramic, glass or plastic; I usually use a square of plastic wrap.  Apply, concentrating on the area where your lips meet your skin, and rub gently with your finger to exfoliate.  You can wipe the mixture off immediately with a tissue or leave it on for a few minutes to increase the benefits.  The sugar gently removes dead tissue while the honey, which is antibacterial and emollient, encourages healthy, soft lips.  Added bonus: dabbing a little honey on a cold sore a few times a day helps it heal faster.

Be sure to apply your favorite lip balm after cleansing your lips.

Total cost of this treatment: about $1.00 U.S. for twenty treatments.  Cost for .5 ounces of the spa’s lip polish: $18.00.  Will they achieve the same results?  I’m not about to spend that kind of money to find out.  A votre santé ~

Header: Mary Nolan via The Flapper Girl