Crazy, Nutty Beauty Secrets

Sometimes, when we say 'Beauty Craze', we actually mean it. I read this article on the unconventional beauty practices some famous actresses do to maintain their good looks. Some are a little on the hippie side, while others sound downright absurd. While I personally wouldn't try most of the stuff these famous ladies have, I do respect their efforts in the name of vanity. I mean, girls the world over have probably—at one point or another—tried a walk on the wild side, beauty-wise. If I had to lay my cards out on the table, I'll admit that I've tried the following:

• Oatmeal Mask

It involved quick-cooking oats and some fresh milk. I was a high school freshman then, so cut me some slack. The milk was warmed, the oats were thrown in, I waited until the soft mixture cooled down a bit, then I did the deed.

Result: It dried up and hardened on my face. A damp face towel does the trick to remove it, but what a mess I made when the oat bits clogged the drain. Mom also got a bit upset at the waste of food. My face felt a bit firm afterwards, but that's probably just from the dried oats.

• DIY Foot Blush

This is something anyone can try at home, so I seriously wonder why people still buy foot blush from the stores. Get an empty spray bottle, fill it with mineral water, add a few drops of red food coloring, add a scent if you'd like, then shake well to mix. Test it out to see if you've put enough red food coloring in that it gives the desired rosiness to the soles of your feet.

Result: Honestly, I have no patience for this sort of thing. After two days, I basically stopped caring what the soles of my feet looked like. As long as my feet and toenails are free of dirt, then I'm a-okay.  The spray has been left unused for several years and I've had to dump it in the end.

• Sugar Scrub

It started with the Christmas bazaars. Back in 2007, our family regularly went to the countless Christmas bazaars that took place annually around the metro. Beauty product vendors were always a staple and they had a host of homemade-looking goods. Why spend so much on a sugar scrub that looked like it was easily cooked up in someone else's kitchen? I took matters into my own hands and raided the pantry. While I don't remember oh-so-clearly what went into that mix, I do recall that toasted coconut oil (a present from an aunt who came from the province) was the main ingredient.

Result: Oh yes, what a sweet and sticky mess this turned out to be. It smelled alright, but I stopped using after I found ants feasting on the residue that got left behind in the shower. Duh, it was the sugar.

• Chocolate Lip Balm

Again, another bazaar find. I loved the scented and flavored lip balms out in the market, so I crafted my own out of fabulously scented Ricoa chocolate syrup, a few drops of olive oil, and Vaseline.

Result: Delicious lip balm if used sparingly. The problem? Maybe too delicious. A friend heard of my experiment, asked me to make her a jar, and she ended up eating it. True story. I retired soon after that.

~~~

Whew! It seems I did a lot of crazy beauty stuff in my time. Wonder what everyone else has done in the weird vanity experiment department...