‘Hello Glow’ Will Make You Love DIY Beauty
If the term “DIY beauty” makes you think of lackluster concoctions that offer less than optimal results, you are going to love “Hello Glow: 150+ Natural Beauty Recipes for a Fresh New You”. So much more than a recipe book, it gives healthy combinations of simple ingredients that act like modern products. Oh, and the gorgeous pictures don’t hurt either.
If you wish your DIY beauty concoctions looked (and performed) more like the store-bought version, you are going to love this book. “Hello Glow” offers DIY beauty recipes made with simple ingredients and big time beauty results.
“Hello Glow” blog founder, Stephanie Gerber, has managed to combine simple, healthy DIY beauty with glorious end results in her new book by the same name. “Hello Glow: 150+ Natural Beauty Recipes for a Fresh New You” details the healthy ingredients you’ll need to get started, plus tool kit basics for creating the recipes. You’ll also get to know your skin type and the natural ingredients that work best for you, like tea tree for acne-prone skin and pomegranate for anti-aging.
One look at this sweet beauty book and you won’t be able to wait to create. With recipes like Brightening Geranium Moisturizer and Seed + Bean Exfoliating Lotion Bars on the menu, you’ll be DIY-ing your beauty kit in no time.
An Interview with Hello Glow’s Stephanie Gerber
Liz Thompson: Your book takes DIY beauty to a new, more glamorous level. Where did you learn to combine simple and luxe?
Stephanie Gerber: Natural beauty recipes really don’t need to be complicated. With fresh ingredients or quality oils you can just let them do the work! And I found that keeping homemade recipes in pretty jars and containers, maybe with a handwritten label, made me much more likely to use what I had made. It felt like a treat. So adding in that element of aesthetic pleasure is an important part of the process.
LT: Your list of beauty ingredients is pretty simple. Do you have any tips on best ways to source ingredients?
SG: Whole Foods is a great place to start. Early on it was helpful to wander the aisles of the beauty section to learn about different ingredients. I had no idea that real aloe vera wasn’t bright green like you find in drugstores! My local store in Nashville has a great bulk dried herb section that was also helpful. You can buy small amounts that are easy on the budget when you’re experimenting.
LT: Is it cost effective to DIY?
SG: Most of the equipment you probably already have in your kitchen. And even a lot of the basic ingredients. You can do a lot with pantry staples like baking soda, sugar, olive oil, or yogurt. It can get more expensive when you start making things that require special oils or beeswax, like lip balm and perfume, but those ingredients last a really long time so they’re a good investment.
LT: What is the best place to begin when first starting to create your own beauty products?
SG: I think making a body scrub is a great place to start. It’s so simple, a paste with sugar and olive oil will do, and your skin feels amazing when you’re done. Or a face mask that’s as simple as one ingredient, like honey or yogurt or avocado. Wear it for ten minutes and rinse. Or my all-time favorite bath: A big glop of coconut oil with a generous pour of Epsom salt. Soak for a bit and there’s no need to moisturize afterward. Just start with something that feels doable, otherwise it can be intimidating! Then after a couple of successes you’ll be hooked.
LT: Do you use all DIY beauty products? What are a few of your favorite organic beauty brands?
SG: It’s a mix. I often get samples in the mail and those are always fun to try out. I’ve converted most of my makeup to Beautycounter. I don’t wear much every day, so it’s usually just their undereye concealer and lip gloss. I’ve been loving First Aid Beauty’s rich moisturizer. Jurlique makes an amazing rosewater face spray, and I really like the Tata Harper face oils and resurfacing overnight mask.
LT: What is one healthy beauty tip all women can use?
SG: It’s a cliche, but one that made a big difference for me recently was upping my water intake. Sure, there are health reasons to up the H2o, but the beauty benefits surprised me. The oily skin I had as a teenager now often feels unquenchably dry. But when I’m drinking 64 ounces of water a day I can completely ditch my lip balm addiction and my skin no longer feels tight. And for some reason the vanity benefits are incredibly motivating! So I think it can be helpful to think of wellness in conjunction with beauty. Suddenly a lot of the stuff that we’re supposed to do because ‘it’s good for us’ has results you can see in the mirror. You might say you’ll develop a glow!
For a taste of what’s in the book, here is a sample recipe:
(The following is an excerpt from “Hello Glow: 150+ Natural Beauty Recipes for a Fresh New You” by Stephanie Gerber and published by Weldon Owen.)
Acai Berry Honey Mask
When it comes to the acai berry, you can actually believe all the hype. This tiny purple wonder is chock-full of vitamins A, C, and E, which work together to stave off free radicals and even, brighten, and tighten your face.
1 / Measure out the acai-berry powder, Manuka honey, and olive oil, and mix them with a spoon in a small bowl. (What’s Manuka honey, you ask? Native to New Zealand, it’s a medicinal version of the usual sweet stuff
2 / Apply the pretty purple mixture to clean skin and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
3 / Rinse with warm water and a washcloth to remove. Finish o with a moisturizer.
Tip / The acai berry’s benefits go more than skin deep. Packed with antioxidants, it aids in digestive ailments, lowers cholesterol, kick-starts weight loss, improves circulation, and more. So put some in a smoothie today!
MATERIALS
1 tablespoon acai-berry powder
1 teaspoon Manuka honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
TOOLS
Measuring spoons
Spoon Small bowl Washcloth
RECOMMENDED FOR
Dry, aging, or normal skin
FREQUENCY OF USE
Weekly
STORAGE ADVICE
Use immediately
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