Where can a girl get nutrient-rich, natural and pure goodness for her skin without having to pay hundreds of dollars? News alert! You can get simple, pure and effective ingredients straight from your pantry. They do exactly the same job as your store-bought options - only better and with waaay less chemicals and nasty fillers! And they're super inexpensive. 

Did you know that the average person is exposed to around 100 chemicals in their morning beauty routine?

Store-bought cleansers, toners and moisturisers are commonly found with harmful ingredients. One of the main baddies are parabens, commonly found as preservatives and antimicrobials. . Studies have shown these suckers have been found in breast tumours. They're also endocrine disruptors, meaning they mimic estrogen and get absorbed by the body, upsetting the hormonal balance and leading to all sorts of problems. 

Sure your overly priced face cream smells amazing, but many use phthalates and fragrance. These are also endocrine disruptors and a possible carcinogen.

Triclosan is often found in soaps, cleansers and deodorants. Again, this ingredient is another endocrine disruptor. 

There are tonnes of other harmful ingredients in many skincare products - too many to list in fact. My rule of thumb is, if I can't pronounce it, I don't use it.

So to the pantry I go... the truth is you don't need to pay exorbitant amounts of money to keep your skin healthy. Here are my go to products.

Cleanser:

I am the absolute biggest fan of castor oil. It cleanses my skin so well and leaves it feeling so soft and moisturised. It even takes off makeup super easy. Admittedly it doesn't feel that nice the first time you use it. But you get used to it. Simply add a 50 cent coin sized amount to a hot, wet flannel and rub over your face. Rince the residue off the flannel and rub over face again.

There are other oils you can use. Here's a quick guide:

Oily skin: grapeseed, jojoba, rice bran

Dry skin: macadamia, sunflower, sweet almond

Sensitive: grapeseed, jojoba, sweet almond

Acne-prone: jojoba, grapeseed, sweet almond

Toner:

The best skin toner is apple cider vinegar. It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which makes it perfect for balancing the skin. It is rich in natural alpha hydroxy acids, balances the skin's PH and helps minimize the appearance of pores. You simply need to water it down (add 1 cup water to 1 tbsp vinegar to a spray bottle) and you can add lavender essential oil to make it smell nice. 

Or try a DIY witch hazel toner: 1/4 cup witch hazel and 5 drops of lavender in a spray bottle and spritz morning and night.

Moisturiser:

To moisturise effectively. Simply mix 1/2 cup coconut oil with a couple of drops of jojoba oil and your choice of essential oils. 

Facial scrub: 

The absolute best facial scrub is a simple mix of baking soda and water or coconut oil. Just mix it into a paste in the shower and apply to face, rubbing with small circles. The small granules in baking soda removes dead skin cells and leaves your skin feeling smooth and amazing!

I hope you enjoy testing out these natural fixes for your skin, and if you're feeling brave you can even try making your own more detailed concoctions.