Okay, I confess. The woman who taught me these types wasn’t really my grandmother. She was my best friend’s grandmother which as you know according to standing BFF rules and regulations, she was my grandmother too. I got to borrow her for all of my teen years and most of my adult life. Here are a few of my favorite tips, I learned from Grandma.

Homemade Hair Mousse or Is it?

Remember when hair mousse came on the scene? Grandma laughed at us for spending money on something you can make at home. Only it wasn’t “mousse” in a can, it was meringue.

• Beat one egg white with 2 teaspoons of sugar until still peaks form.
• Style hair as usual than use the meringue like you would mousse.
• Prepare to not brush your hair after it is styled…it is not going to move.
• Stay away from bees. During the summer, use the meringue without the sugar. Just a little tip there.

Hair Spray Without Ozone Damage – Sweet!

Long before there was lacquer hair spray to destroy the ozone layer, there was sugar water to keep your coif in place.

• Mix 1/4 cup sugar with 1/2 cup hot water. You can bring it to a boil just to disolve the sugar chyrstals. But let cool to room temperature.
• Transfer contents to a spray bottle.
• Spray on like hair spray.
• Again, don’t plan to brush once it is dry…hair is in place until you shower it out.
• Oh and stay away from the bees. {trust me on that one}

Fancy Facial – Honey is Your Friend

Need a facial? Try this one from your kitchen:

• Mix a 1/4 cup of honey with a teaspoon of lime juice.
• Smooth on your face…avoid the eyes because the lime will sting like crazy.
• Lick the spoon or make a cup of tea and put the leftovers in it. When you finish your tea, rinse your face. About half an hour.
• Moisturize with coconut oil. If you don’t have any on hand, use a drop or six of olive oil. Your skin will feel so soft and smooth.
• If you are staying in, let the good oils have the day on your face.
• If you are heading out the door, let the oils have there way with your skin for an hour or so. Apply make up as usual.

Dry Skin? Not Anymore.

Dry hands? Are your cuticles looking like you may be a fisherman? Try this:

• Warm coconut oil (or olive oil or lard works well too) in the microwave for just a few seconds. You don’t want it hot. Let it cool enough to touch.
• Insert hands and sit (yes, sit still!) for ten minutes.
• Push back cuticles with a cuticle stick. Never cut unless you have a hang nail. Grandma said so.
• Wash hands with warm soapy water. Marvel.

This latest one is my own accidental invention:

• Instead of grabbing the hair gel, accidental/on purpose, grab the foot moisturizer.
• Apply to hair like you would hair gel.
• Be amazed at the smooth hair…no static cling as you step out into the cold air.
• Avoid desire to stand on your head.

Our grandmothers survived the depression and the great wars while still looking beautiful. In these harsh times, we can take a page out of their books and feel good about using what we already have in the house to beautify one of our most prized treasures: ourselves.