If the COVID-19 pandemic has left you out of pocket with very little money to spend on your looks, try these DIY Rooibos beauty hacks that will make you look and feel great without breaking the bank.
FACE MASK:
Ingredients:
1 tablespoon of mashed avocado
1 tablespoon of plain full-fat yoghurt
1 tablespoon of honey
50ml of strong Rooibos tea (cooled down)
Tip: you can add a teaspoon of lemon juice which will stop the avo from oxidising and turning brown.
Method:
Mix all the ingredients together and apply to skin. Leave on for 15 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm Rooibos water.
BODY SCRUB
Ingredients:
8-10 tea bags cut open and emptied
1/3 cup of brown sugar
¼ cup of Coconut oil slightly warmed to melt
Method:
Mix all ingredients together and use once a week for to remove dry flaky skin.
Rooibos beauty scrub
HAIR RINSE
Ingredients:
2-3 tea bags
500mls of boiling water
Method:
· Bring water to a boil, add the tea bags and let the tea steep for 30 minutes.
· Shampoo and condition your hair you usually would
· Pour or spray tea onto over freshly washed and conditioned hair and allow to sit for 20-30 minutes before rinsing.
Rooibos hair rinse
BODY WRAP:
Liquidise papaya with seeds, mix with Rooibos leaves and use as a Body wrap. Wrap with palm leaves or Glad wrap and rinse off with Rooibos water.
The enzymes in papaya remove all traces of dry and flaky skin and leave skin hydrated. You can also use it as a face mask. Papaya is rich in vitamin A, which repairs and revitalises the skin.
ROOIBOS BATH
Ingredients:
12 tea bags
A bath of warm water
Method:
Add 12 Rooibos tea bags to a warm bath, relax and enjoy!
Soaking in a bath of Rooibos tea is ideal for soothing sunburn or inflamed itchy skin, caused by eczema or other skin conditions. The auburn pigment in Rooibos also allows for a natural self-tan.
Self-tanning Rooibos bath
Adele du Toit, spokesperson for the SA Rooibos Council (SARC) says beauty products made from botanical and/or herbal extracts offer environmentally-conscious consumers a choice of natural ingredients that are considered the best form of skincare by dermatologists.
She explains how Rooibos, in its purest form, can boost your beauty routine:
1. The high concentration of polyphenolic compounds (micronutrients) in Rooibos tea is what makes it so sought-after as a health and beauty enhancer. Polyphenols act as antioxidants that protect the body against inflammation. It neutralises harmful free radicals that would otherwise damage cells and cause premature ageing. Drinking Rooibos tea should form part of your daily beauty routine to ensure healthy and hydrated skin.
2. It also contains an abundance of the enzyme, superoxide dismutase, which is an effective anti-ageing substance. As such, Rooibos reduces wrinkles and boosts the production of healthy skin cells.
3. The high flavonoid levels in Rooibos also helps to improve skin disorders like eczema. Its natural anti-inflammatory properties will help to soothe and relieve inflamed skin. Rooibos tea bags can be applied directly onto the affected skin for a few minutes. Bathing regularly or rinsing inflamed areas with the tea will provide a healing effect. Or, add cold Rooibos to a spray bottle and apply throughout the day or when discomfort is experienced.
4. Inflammation is a major cause of acne and when your skin is damaged, it’s more vulnerable to bacteria which can aggravate acne. In addition to the tea’s anti-inflammatory response it also contains antibacterial properties that will help fight acne. Drink it regularly and/or use it as a face rinse instead of water.
5. The polyphenols or antioxidants in Rooibos tea also strengthens hair follicles and promotes shiny and soft hair. Rinse your hair at least once a week with a strong brew of cooled down Rooibos tea for glowing locks. This is also good for treating a dry, itchy, or irritated scalp.
6. Tired and sensitive eyes can also be treated with lukewarm Rooibos. Place tea bags on eye lids or rinse the eyes gently with the tea.
7. Rooibos is also hypoallergenic and is therefore ideal for people with sensitive skin.
“Why should you spend a fortune on skincare products, when nature has gifted us with so many options. These are just some of the ways in which Rooibos can be incorporated affordably into your beauty regime,” says du Toit.
