Getting started with home remedies for healthy skin is simple enough… in fact, you’ll probably find everything you need right here, in your kitchen. Just scout around, add a little bit of this, a dash of that, and you’re good to go! A healing spoonful of honey on a cut can prevent infection, while a mixture of brown sugar and baking soda makes for an excellent exfoliation scrub. It isn’t rocket science and it does not require a lot of money to have great skin or to treat minor skin injuries at home.

Take vitamin B to prevent insect bites

These days having a mosquito bite is more than an itchy nuisance, it could also mean the transmission of the nasty West Nile Virus. Sure you can spray chemicals on yourself. Or you can try this hunters trick from Lou Schlachter Ph.D a former dean at University of North Carolina who now teaches folk medicine in Williamsburg Virginia. She recommends taking 100 milligrams of vitamin B or brewers yeast every day to prevent bites from mosquitoes, chiggers, deer flies and ticks. She states the benefits kick in after taking the supplement for about a week.

Crisco for dry skin and eczema 

The red rash of eczema is not only unsightly, but can drive you nuts with the itchiness. Instead of steroid creams for the itch, coat the area with Crisco or similar product and cover with plastic wrap before you go to bed to keep your eczema soft.

Listerine and Athletes Foot

Soaking your feet in Listerine antiseptic mouthwash will sting and burn, but don’t get me wrong, the mouthwash will kill the bad bacteria and stop your feet from smelling. You can also apply garlic oil, which is an excellent antiseptic and bacteria killer although I find that Listerine seems to be the go to cure for odors and itch that come from athletes foot.

Soothe a sting with vinegar, baking soda or meat tenderizer

Theres no better way to ruin a day at the beach then a jellyfish sting, or a picnic and a bee sting. Since the venom in most stings is composed of either acid or alkaline substances, using the opposite immediately relieves the stinging sensation. Take a little spray bottle with you of vinegar and a box of baking soda. Spray the vinegar first then make a paste with the soda. For an alternative and effective treatment of stings. Make a paste of meat tenderizer and water immediately apply to the sting. The enzymes in the spice break down the proteins in the venom…This is all great stuff if you don’t want to pee on the sting!

Yogurt for cold sores

Yogurt not only keeps you healthy on the inside with its probiotic virus fighting properties, it works externally as well as an excellent facial. What it’s recently been praised for is its ability to alleviate cold sores. To quickly get rid of the sore, put a teaspoon of cultured yogurt on the afflicted area several times a day. The active microorganisms in the yogurt effectively “attack” the virus, reducing swelling and assisting the sore in healing faster.

Use an onion to remove a splinter and heal bruises

When you approach a child with a needle and matches to remove a splinter, it can be a big challenge especially if they are screaming like you suggested that you cut off their foot. No need for the tears and horror show that comes with it. Just take a 1/4 inch thick piece of onion, place it over the splinter site, and wrap a bandage around it keeping it close to the skin. Leave it on for several hours or overnight if it’s deep. In the morning, the splinter will have worked its way out of the skin with no pain, thanks to the chemicals in the onion, the skin will shrink effectively lifting the splinter to the surface.

Onions are also great to eliminate bruising. Take a slice of yellow onion and place it on the bruise for 15 minutes. The same compounds in onions that make your eyes water is called “allicin” and it stimulates the lymphatic flow in your body, helping to flush away the excess blood in the tissue that creates the bruise in the first place. This only works however if you apply it right after the injury occurs.

Prevent contact irritation with nail polish

This is my favorite trick because I am allergic to all earth metals but gold. My skin will turn red, hot and bumpy, if I even attempt to wear my favorite stainless steel earrings. Before I throw them in the trash or ask my doctor to write me a script for steroids. I coat my costume jewelry in clear nail polish. It provides an excellent barrier between the metal and your skin, I just apply a light coating to the jewelry about 30 minutes before wearing it and if it ever gets gummed up. Use remover to strip the polish and reapply.

Corn starch and dry milk for blisters

To prevent blisters on your feet, gently powder your feet with kitchen grade corn starch before putting on your socks and shoes. Your socks will glide on your feet… Now to soothe intact blisters, mix three ounces of dry milk and one cup of water to a pan and soak your feet to eliminate pain. If you blisters are open and weeping do not try any tricks, treat them like an open cut to prevent infection.

Treating Burns 4 ways with household items

Please be careful with any burns, see a doctor if the skin from the burn is broken in any way. For minor burns you can apply a baking powder paste and cover with clean gauze. To prevent blistering from a mild burn and speed the healing process spread a dollop of toothpaste on the skin after burning and let it dry. Leave on for several hours if possible. The toothpaste prevents the skin exposure to oxygen (lessening the burning pain almost instantly) and dries the skin preventing the liquid build up under the skin that causes the blister in the first place. Now here is a trick embraced by short order cooks to prevent blistering from a burn, immediately rub yellow mustard on the affected area, now the mustard stings momentarily, but then the burning stops completely. Let the mustard dry and cake up, and then wash it off. To soothe a very minor burn apply a wet tea bag and secure in place with gauze. The tannic acid in the tea relieves the burning pain. Every burn is different so please take care with burns and home remedies using your best judgement, never apply butter or oil to a burn.

Treating minor cuts and scrapes

To stop minor bleeding press a damp tea bag on the wound. Tannic acid will stop minor bleeding. If you don’t have an antiseptic Listerene works great as a substitute but burns like heck. To hasten the healing of minor cuts use lemon juice on the wound, now I know this sounds like crazy talk but if you can stand the initial sting, it will disinfect the wound and help it heal itself. Maxi pads and tampons are designed to absorb blood, if your short on bandages apply these, they’re sterile and will absorb more than any standard bandage…If it’s a bad cut and your having a hard time getting to a doctor, white flour can help the blood clot until you can get there. I personally would only use this as a VERY last resort.

Applying honey to a laceration or abrasion as an ointment disinfects the wound, kills bacteria and hastens healing. Honey is hygroscopic and absorbs water, effectively creating an environment in which disease-producing microorganisms, deprived of their moisture, cannot live. This has been proven and was used extensively during World War II.

Hand sanitizer for dandruff

Rub instant hand sanitizer into your scalp, wait 5 minutes and then rinse clean. The ethyl alcohol in the hand sanitizer kills the bacteria responsible for your dry scalp. This was tested with the brand Purell and not a fruity kind with artificial fragrances.

Oats and pantyhose for dry winter itch

Using a blender grind one cup of dry oats into a fine powder. Cut the foot off a clean pair of pantyhose and fill the foot with the oat mixture. Then tie a knot in the nylon. Tie the oatmeal sachet to the tub faucet letting it dangle in the flow of water as your tub fills with warm water. Now soak for 30 minutes in your very inexpensive oatmeal bath.

Acne mask with Elmers Glue, salt and iodine

Cover your face with a thin layer of Elmer’s glue, of course, avoid your eyes and mouth. Let the glue dry, and then gently peel it off. Peeling off removes a thin layer of skin along with oil build up. The next item to use is Epsom Salt.

Mix one teaspoon of Epsom Salt with three drops of iodine and add to ½ cup of boiling water, let the mixture cool, dab some cotton balls or cotton strips with the mixture, and apply it to the acne. Do this three to four times, reheating the mixture. Once you have done this, apply an alcohol-based astringent, such as Witch Hazel. This works very well to remove blackheads as well.

Shaving cream substitutes

If you have run out of shaving cream, hair conditioner works great to prevent razor burn and bumps. Cool whip is comprised of palm kernel oils and coconut oil. It will give you a fantastic close shave leaving your skin soft and smooth. Using butter instead of shaving cream, will leave your legs silky and moisturized. To avoid razor burn in your bikini area, shave with Miracle Whip. It’s literally comprised of the same chemicals in your shaving cream. (That’s gross)

Skin moisturizers and homemade facials

Pam non-stick cooking spray on your hands is a great moisturizer! Here is a list of household items you can mix and match together to make homemade facial masks and cremes.

Coconut oil, brown sugar, white toothpaste, Cool Whip, tomato paste, sea salt, dry milk, olive oil, dry oats and honey. Mix and match have fun! and if you have any additional house hold tips or hints for the skin? Please feel free to comment and I will post them here, if you like my tips? Please like me on Facebook and I will keep you updated.

~ Amy Wexler

DISCLAIMER

I offer information and opinions on Inspire Wild, not as a substitute for professional medical prevention, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult with your physician, pharmacist, or health care provider before taking any home remedies or supplements or following any treatment suggested by anyone on this site. Only your health care provider, personal physician, or pharmacist can provide you with advice on what is safe and effective for your unique needs or diagnose your particular medical history.

References: Kitchen Magic 2011, Readers Digest Insider Secrets 2007, and The Complete Holistic Herbal by David Hoffman