Beauty Hacker: Natural Skin Remedies

So by now, everyone has likely already heard tradetricks.org's suggestion to use baking soda as a cheap and natural exfoliant or daily vitamins for women.

I've been using it every day for a week -- just enough water to make a paste once a week, then diluted down quite a bit for gentler daily use -- and I can affirm that I can definitely see a big difference in blackheads and overall evenness and tone. I even made a cute container out of a peanut jar and some contact paper to make it fit in with my bathroom decor.

I've always heard that anything good for your body is good for your face, but I've never gotten around to actually trying any recipes. So that got me thinking...what other natural beauty concoctions are out there that actually work? Some say Nerium reviews like this can be a good choice. Here's a few I've collected after the jump, but feel free to add more to this list in the comments!

1. Apple cider vinegar toner: Use after the baking soda treatment to balance skin's pH. This vinegar is also rich in alpha-hydroxy acids, increases capillary circulation, reduces peeling, and works as a mild antiseptic. Mix 1:1 with water (dilute more if you have sensitive skin) and apply over face and neck after cleansing.

2. Tea tree oil and sea salt spritzer: Ok, I lied...I forgot that I've done this one before. Anyone who's kept tropical fish knows that tea tree oil (sold as Melafix) and salt are the two magical fishy cure-alls. Drugstore tea tree oil tends to cost $15-20 or more for a tiny dropper bottle, but a large bottle of Melafix will cost under $10 for 10 times as much. Dissolve a teaspoon of sea salt with Melafix in an empty travel hairspray bottle and use before bed to exfoliate and speed healing of blemishes.

3. Softening honey mask: Honey is a humectant, which means it draws moisture out of the air to your skin. The thought of putting honey on my face sounded really gross and sticky, but it was actually easier to apply than other masks I've used. Apply to clean skin and pat all over for several minutes to soften skin and bring out a pretty glow. Lick fingers clean and rinse.

4. Potato eye soother: The starch helps pull out water to reduce puffiness, but unfortunately does nothing to lighten dark circles. Grate, wrap in cheesecloth, and leave on for 15-20 minutes to get the full benefits.

5. Egg white face lift: Protein and vitamin righ egg whites smooth and firm skin, absorb excess oil, and can help heal acne damage. Whip one egg white with a small amount of lemon and leave on face for 10 minutes.

As with all new skin products, test a small amount and wait 24 hours before applying on your face!