The holiday season is heavy on giving, which brings feelings of happiness and love that only generosity can stir up. As fantastic as the spirit of giving can be, it can also make a dent in the bank account therefore sacrificing your monthly facial in December in order to score your BFF the new YSL glossy stain lipstick she’s been lusting after for months. Despite a smaller cash flow for beauty treatments, my regime has definitely not diminished, thanks to many tips and tricks I’ve picked up from places as far as the beautiful islands of Greece to the sophisticated “je ne sais quoi” quality of France. All four corners of the earth have collided in my kitchen to keep me feeling pretty through the holidays. Here are three worldly beauty tips I share with you.
Greece – Olive Oil
Greek beaches took my breath away like no other coast in the world has been able to, and I happily frolicked in the Mediterranean Sea for the entirety of my time in the Greek islands. This gave me a delicious, golden tan, and upon my return to the Great White North, parched, flaky skin. Greeks slather olive oil on their bodies, faces, hair, lips and use it for everything from shaving cream to makeup remover. I took this custom into practice and to this day use olive oil in lieu of a body moisturizer. It’s best absorbed while skin is damp, right after a shower.
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South Asia – Coconut Oil
Truth be told, I picked up this tip in Miami, but I’ve been told women all over the tropics from Asia to Africa use the gorgeously scented coconut oil as a hair treatment to help restore damage, prevent breakage and strengthen weakened hair. Coconut oil can penetrate deeper into the hair shaft than other oils and masks and has the ability to rebuild protein in hair. It smells like a dream and leaves hair smooth as silk.
Brazil – Coffee Grounds
Brazilians are truly obsessed with their fabulous figures; the equally beautiful view of the beaches and envious physiques shore side are solid proof of this. As much as the beach, they also enjoy strong coffee but not only in a cup. They use coffee grounds to help maintain their figures. Who knew? Caffeine can be found as a main ingredient in many cellulite treatments, and coffee grounds are a great way to really scrub and stimulate stubborn spots; this treatment encourages drainage and wakes up skin, leaving a smooth result you can feel great about when sporting that Brazilian cut bottom.
