Too Dark Dye Job?
Lucy, from Dorset in England writes; "I went to the hairdressers today, and I asked her if there was anything that would strip dye from hair, or at least fade it (I have a thing for dying my hair you see) and she said that if you pour a bottle of diet coke (and diet coke only) over your hair, it helps fade dye and even remove it! I tried it and it did fade the dye considerably." Thanks loads Lucy!

Blackheads
A friend of mine gave me this great tip. To erase blackheads, try this quick cleansing mask: Mix two Tbs. of oatmeal, four Tbs. of plain yogurt, one tablespoon lemon juice and one Tbs. of olive oil into a paste and gently apply to skin. Leave it on for five minutes and rinse with cold water. Let your face air-dry. Check out my Facial Page for more great masks!

Blemishes and Acne
Look below under the title "Zit Zappers" for some great tips on how to become zit free!

Banish Blemishes On Back or Chest
Mix one half cup of honey with one half cup of orange juice and apply to the affected areas. Let sit for 5 minutes then rinse. Honey heals and banishes blemishes and the orange juice will dry up the excess oils. Also, look below under "Zit Zappers" for more blemish remedies!

Clogged Pores
This is a great deep cleansing scrub! Mix four Tbs. of plain yogurt with two Tbs. of grated orange peel. Massage into skin for three minutes. Rinse with warm water. The yogurt is an exfoliant and the orange peel will extract dirt and oils.

Cold Sores
When you feel that first little warning "tingle" dab some Bepto Bismol on the spot before the sore has a chance to appear. For more really great cold sore tips, go to my home remedy page.
Barefoot Lass's Home Remedies

Clean Your Combs And Brushes!
Judy Clark from Clayton, MO writes; "To get combs and brushes cleaner than new, soak in ammonia for a minute or two. It's magical!" Thanks Judy..... you're a real sweetie for sharing this great tip with us!!

Double Chin
To camouflage a double chin, sweep brownish-rose blush along jaw line from just below the ears to chin and blend. Highlight tip of chin with white powder for a slimming effect. Now.... if you want to really firm that double chin up, do the exercise that Mona is doing below!

Damaged, Dry Hair
Jessie from Phoenix, Az writes; "A nourishing conditioner for dry or damaged hair which can be used for all hair types: Separate the white of an egg from the yolk, whip it to a peak. Add 1 Tbls. water to the yolk and blend until the mixture is creamy. Then mix the white and yolk together. Wet your hair with warm water, remove the excess moisture, and apply the mixture to your scalp with your fingertips. Massage gently until the froth is worked into your scalp, then rinse the hair with cool water. Keep applying the mixture until it is used up and then rinsed until all of the egg is washed away." Thanks Jessie!

Elbow Fix
To remove the discoloration from your elbows, just cut a lemon in half and rest an elbow in each half for 10 minutes. The acid in the lemon juice breaks down the dark patches, so they wash away.

Dry Patches
To relieve dry patches, massage in vegetable shortening like Crisco. Sounds yucky! But it is emollient rich and full of vitamins and replenishing oils. And, it's preservative and fragrance free. Best of all, it works!!

Smoothing Facial
Karen from Maryland writes; "Don't ask me how but I have discovered that Hellman's "Just Two Good" brand of Mayonnaise works as a great facial if you apply it 20 minutes before you wash your face. It firms and smoothes and works great around the eyes too!" Thanks Karen!

Freckles
Sorry, ya can't remove these darling dots but you can lighten them. Try one of these tips:
Rub your freckles with fresh cut eggplant every day. You should see a difference in a week or so. Or try rubbing on fresh crushed cranberries daily and leave on for fifteen minutes, rinse with cool water and pat dry. Tip; The more sugar that you eat, the darker your freckles will be! This is a scientific fact. So, eliminate refined sugar and watch your freckles fade. Now this is the killer! If you are really determined to make your freckles lighter than ever, try this old time remedy: Put six ounces of urine in a jar with one tablespoon of white vinegar and a pinch of salt. Cover the jar let it sit for twenty four hours. Take a cotton ball and pat on the solution. Do this until the freckles have faded enough for you. Yuck!

Terrific Eye Cream

Before bed apply unscented castor oil around your eyes. Plastic surgeons use this on their patients after surgery!

Tighten Skin & Remove Eye Wrinkles
Esther F. from NYC writes; "This tip tightens the skin and removes wrinkles under the eyes. You will need a can of sardines, and a comfortable place to lay down. Take two sardines, and place one under each of the eyes and leave on for about 10-15 minutes or longer. You can also place them on the eye lid to reduce wrinkles and tighten skin. Easy but a smelly trick to do, however it works great! Susan Lucci (All my children, Erica Kane) has been known to use this little home remedy. You'll see results the same day! If you do this daily or weekly, results will be more dramatic." Thanks for the super tip Esther!

Puffy Eyes
Put cool slices of cucumbers on your eyes. Or soak two tea bags & place in freezer for a few minutes, place on eyes & lay back & relax! Or, grate a raw potato, mold it into a mushy pack, and put it on your eyes and lids for 10-20 minutes. The potato starch will help smooth eye-area skin and ease away puffyness.

Baggy Eyes
Got baggy eyes? Try this trick! Dab some Preparation H hemorrhoid cream on those bags!! It will shrink them up in no time!

Under Eye Dark Circles
Here is a beauty tip from way back.... For under eye circles and wrinkles, mix a drop or two of honey with 2-3 drops of fresh lemon juice. Apply to the area under the eye. I honestly can not remember how long to leave this solution on, but I leave it on for about 15 min. to 1/2 hour and it seems to work. Or try this great tip that Jessie from Phoenix, Az was kind enough to share with us; "Take 1 tsp. tomato juice, 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, a pinch of turmeric powder and a tsp. of flour. Make a paste and apply. Leave for 10 minutes and wash off." Thanks Jessie!

Highlight Your Hair!
Try this great tip that Jessie from Phoenix, Az sent in; "To lighten hair, use 1/4 cup chopped fresh rhubarb to 2 cups boiling water. Cool, strain, and apply as a rinse." Thanks Jessie!

Homemade Hair Remover!
Miranda from Silver Spring, MD writes; "Why spend hundreds of dollars at the salon getting your body hairs waxed when you can MAKE the wax in your own home using just a few simple ingredients? Use 1 cup of honey, 3/4 cup of molasses, 1/2 cup sugar, and a little juice from a lemon. Be sure to heat it up enough to where its not too hot. Stir, apply to area you want to wax and remove it with linen strips. It costs only pennies on the dollar to make and it really works!" Thanks for sharing Miranda!

Curly Lashes
Kay from Kansas City sent in this eye beautifying tip; "To get long curly lashes, buy an eyelash curler at the drug store. They're only a couple of bucks. Before curling, use your blow dryer to "heat up" the curler. The results are great!" Thanks Kay, that's a winner!

Shine Stopper!
Using a clean makeup brush, brush your face with pure lemon juice. Let it stand for 5 minutes then rinse. Do this in the evening before bed since the citric acid may cause temporary redness. Lemon juice contains astringent and antiseptic properties that will get rid of the excess perspiration and unwanted shine from high humidity (that also causes oil glands to work over time!). Another shine stopper tip: In a cup, combine 10 drops of lemon juice with one half cup of water. Saturate a cotton ball with mixture and dab over clean skin. Do not rinse.

Slenderize A Round Face
To make your face appear thinner: Sweep bronzer over temples, cheekbones and under chin using a fluffy brush. Highlight forehead, bridge of nose, cheekbones and tip of chin with light powder.

Slimmer Legs!
This seaweed wrap releases water retention and leaves legs looking their sleekest! Soak legs in bath of warm water and Epsom salts for 5 minutes. Pat dry. Apply a seaweed mask (there are many to choose from on the market today!). Then wrap legs with plastic wrap and a warm towel. Relax for 15 minutes. Remove towel and plastic wrap and rinse.

Kissable Lips!
Karen from Donora, Pa. sent this great beauty tip in to share; "I have a tip that I use to keep my lips soft and free of dead skin. This tip was given to me years ago and I still use it because it really works! Buy a clean unused toothbrush and apply a dab or two of petroleum jelly to it. Brush lips until dead skin is scrubbed off and rinse with warm water. Works every time!" Thanks a bunch Karen! Here is another tip to plump up your lips sent in by Kathy from Atlanta, GA; "Take cinnamon oil and dab on lips before you put on your lipstick. You have to test this first! It can irritate some peoples skin. You can also mix cinnamon with your lipstick if it is too strong alone." Thanks Kathy, it was a bit tingly on my lips, but I sure did see a difference! Dottie from Fort Worth, TX writes; "I keep a bottle of peppermint oil with my makeup. I put a dab on my lips before bed. It tingles, it smells good AND it plumps the lips. When I put my lipstick on the next day, I dab a little on top to plump again. (added bonus: my husband says I have warm kisses)" Thanks for the sexy plump lip tip Dottie! My favorite is Lip Venom! A spicy, tingly gloss that enhances the natural color and shape of the lips by increasing circulation with a blend of essential oils including cinnamon and ginger. The result: shiny, bee-stung lips. Quite affordable at $16. Ya gotta try this stuff!

Hair Conditioner
Heat up one half cup of mayonnaise and apply to dry unwashed hair. Cover with plastic bag and wait for 15 minutes. Rinse and shampoo thoroughly. Gotta try this one!



No More Oily Hair!
Meghan from Dallas, TX writes "I have a tip for oily hair. One of my friends gave this to me a few months ago and it really works! Instead of using regular shampoo use lemon Joy (the dish soap). It absorbs all the oil and the lemon also lightens hair. My hair stylist says my hair has never looked better." Thanks Meghan! Don't forget to condition after washing though!

Bye Bye Shampoo Buildup!
Sharron Sibley from West Virgina was kind enough to share this great beauty tip with everyone: Here is my tip to get rid of shampoo and conditioner build-up on your hair. Take a tablespoon of baking soda and massage into wet hair, rinse and shampoo as usual. Do this weekly. For a super-duper cleansing, rinse off the baking soda with a few tablespoons of cider vinegar mixed with warm water. It fizzes like crazy and really strips out all of the junk (except the grey!). Thanks Sharron!

Stop Green Hair on Blondes!!
Raven from Los Angeles, California sent in this great tip to keep your hair from turning green! "This is a great remedy for keeping your blond hair from turning green after swimming in a chloride pool! Just wash your hair with shampoo, then take a tomato and squeeze the juice out and apply to your hair. Then rinse well. You can also use V8 the tomato drink. The red tones and natural acids in the juice neutralize any greenness as well as leaving your hair soft and glossy." Blondes will love you for sharing this tip Raven. Thanks! Rhonda from Pickerington, Ohio writes; "As a hairdresser for over 20 years I found that to remove the green discoloration of blond hair from the clorine in swimming pools, just wash your hair and then apply a paste of baking soda and water to your hair. Leave on your hair for about ten minutes. Rinse, shampoo and condition as usual. The green should be gone. This works every time for me and nothing else in the professional market works better than this.The baking soda is a neutralizer agent." Thanks so much Rhonda!

FYI: Shirley Temple always had 56 curls in her hair.

Keep Makeup Fresh
After applying makeup, spray mineral water on your face and let dry. Do not wipe. Makeup will stay looking fresh longer.

Makeup Remover
Almond or sesame oil on a cotton ball will do a great job of taking off makeup, including water-proof mascara! Megan from PA wanted to share this tip with us that her mom Tami shared with her: "If you use contact lens solution to remove your eye makeup it works just as good if not better than eye make up remover! Just put it on a cotton swab and well...... you get the point." Thank you both for sharing!

The Best Moisturizer!
Expensive health spas use this treatment! Wash face thoroughly. While your face is still wet, rub in a small amount of petroleum jelly. Continue wetting face until the jelly is spread evenly and doesn't appear greasy. Your gonna love how smooth and soft your face feels! Just remember, it will not stay greasy if you keep adding water alittle at a time!

Salt Glow Rub
This exfoliating scrub will leave your skin soft and glowing. Only the best spas use this special recipe! Mix the juice from 1 lemon with 2 parts coarse salt and 1 part olive oil to make a paste. Step into the shower and massage into body. Turn on the shower and rinse. Pat dry and apply a rich moisturizer.

Soft Glowing Skin
Dottie from Fort Worth, TX writes; I am 55 years young and I get many compliments on my nice smooth skin. Once a week I exfoliate using sugar and olive oil to exfoliate. I first put a warm wet face cloth on my face for a minute and then I massage on some olive oil. I then use a little sugar on my fingertips and gently massage over my face. I give extra attention to my lips too. Don't scrub hard, you don't want to do damage to the skin. I then rinse well and then apply a little powdered milk (soothes the skin) and massage it over my face. I leave it on for a minute and then rinse off with cool water. My face has a healthy glow and is very smooth. Olive oil is a staple in my bathroom as well as in my kitchen." Thanks for the wondrous beauty tip Dottie!

Silky Soft Hands
This is my favorite tip for silky soft hands; Pour a spoonful of honey into the palm of your hand, add 3/4 spoon of sugar. (do this over the sink!) Now massage well into your hands for a few minutes. Sounds yucky, but feels great! Rinse and apply hand lotion. Soft! Also try; Before bed, wash and dry hands in lukewarm water. Slather with petroleum jelly, cover with cotton gloves and go to sleep. In the morning you will have smooth, supple, silky soft hands!

Silky Soft Legs
Mix two Tbs. of petroleum jelly with the contents of one 400 IU vitamin E capsule and massage all over your legs. Slip on cotton sweats and go to bed. In the morning, wash legs with a moisturizing body wash and apply a body lotion. Soft as silk!

Smudge-proof Eyes
To seal eyeliner in place, trace over the line with a powder shadow in a matching shade. Another good tip is to use a fine brush, dip in water then your powdered shadow and then trace over your liner.

Tooth Whitener
Dip a toothbrush in a mashed strawberry and brush vigorously to remove yellowing and stains. Or, try this tooth whitening tip that Julianne from San Antonio, Texas sent in; "After brushing with your regular toothpaste, make a paste of 1 tbsp of baking soda and a few drops of lemon juice and brush again. It tastes horrible but just think white teeth! You should start to see a change in a week." Thanks Julianne!

Wrinkle Remover
Green Thompson seedless grapes! No kidding! It's one of the ingredients in those big time expensive wrinkle creams. All ya do is cut a grape in half and gently crush it on your face and neck. Make sure that you get the "crows-feet" and the lines around your mouth. Leave it on for twenty minutes or so and rinse with tepid water and pat dry. Repeat every day and before you know it... those nasty old lines will be hard to find!! While you are at it, drink at least 8 glasses of water daily. And... eat veggies rich in Vitamin A, such as carrots, celery and spinach. Also, get 8 hours of sleep every night. Here is a wrinkle tip that Stacey from BelleVernon, Pa. wanted to share; Soak cotton pads in orange juice and put them over the eyes for one half hour to get rid of wrinkles." Thanks Stacey! Lesley from NY writes; "My mother, 72 years young, has few wrinkles in spite of a 55 year cigarette addiction. She has never used anything but A& D ointment. She slathers it on her face and hands after washing. Then she uses a very warm damp facecloth to "melt" it. Her skin is soft, barely wrinkled and her hands look younger than mine. I didn't listen to her and spent a small fortune on "miracle" moisturizers. Remember, Mother knows best! " Thanks for the wonderful wrinkle tip Lesley!

Zit Zappers!
Monica from Texas writes; "To help reduce redness and swelling in blemishes place a potato slice on the area overnight. I have used band-aids or medical tape to keep the potato in place. It worked great through my teenage years." Thanks a bunch Monica! Jess from Ohio writes; "Here's a cheap and safe alternative to popping pimples (inevitably leading to scarring)! Soak a cotton ball in warm salt water and hold it on the blemish for 3-4 minutes, the nasty white part will dissolve!" Thanks Jess! Rosie from Fairfax, VA writes; "I know this is gross but when I going through my adolescent time (of course I had a few acne) an elderly told me, when I go to bed at night, I should take a wash cloth, soak with urine and apply it to my face. I never followed her instructions however, a younger friend of mine, had a lot of blemishes while she was growing up and she had tried everything. Nothing worked. Then I remembered what that old lady had told me. I mentioned to her. She did it... of course she didn't mention it to me until her face cleared up!" Thanks Rosie! Sounds really yucky, but I'm sure that it works! Okay, I know that this isn't a natural remedy, but Proactiv really works, and... it won't break your budget. Just click below on the banner to get rid of those unsightly zits!