I have always been a very girly girl. Don’t get me wrong, I love to sweat, get my hands dirty, and hang out with guys more often than girls, but I am always up for playing with makeup and learning new beauty tips.

However, I am very concerned with my health and am always willing to try natural alternatives to products over the expensive store-bought ones. Although I usually do turn towards Sephora and have vowed to never wear Tom’s deodorant – because it just does not work, no matter how badly I wish it would – I have a few beauty secrets up my sleeve that involve only house-hold (and natural) items that do work wonders.

Coconut Oil – Okay, so we’ve all heard way too much about coconut oil, but this is a true staple and can be used in so many different ways. I keep an entire jar of coconut oil in my shower (like this one)to use as moisturizer after I wash up. It smells great, works better than bottled lotions, and is all natural! What more can I ask for?

I also use it for cooking. Yes, it is still an oil with the same basic nutritional profile as olive oil or even canola oil, but coconut oil doesn’t require bile to break down, so you can give your gall bladder a break (especially for my mama, who doesn’t have a gall bladder!) So you don’t have to skip out on some of your favorite foods.

It is also said that coconut oil doesn’t denature the same way olive oil, canola oil, or vegetable oils do when they are cooked, so opting to cook with coconut oil instead can possibly be a step towards preventing cancer and other diseases.

Lastly, it has also been under debate whether coconut oil can aid weight loss as well. Some scientists have claimed that coconut oil doesn’t store in your body like other fats, but is either burned up or eliminated in waste, the same way protein is believed to be treated.

You can also try using coconut oil in these ways:

• Moisturizer – natural, smooth, AND good smelling
• Cooking oil – for a tasty, possibly healthier alternative to other oils
• Eaten in smoothies – for a smoother smoothie with potential for weight loss
• Oil pulling – to clean mouth, whiten teeth, and improve the bacteria quality in your intestines
• Eye mask – rub a little coconut oil on your eyes after moisturizing before bed to prevent wrinkles, experience smoother makeup application in the morning, and improve eyelash growth.
• Hair mask – give yourself a deep hair conditioning treatment by putting coconut oil on the ends of your hair, then putting it up in a bun, and going to bed! This can help prevent split ends and improve hair growth and quality.

Baking Soda & Peroxide – I have used this Arm & Hammer toothpaste for my whole life and I will never switch. It is made with baking soda and peroxide, is extremely natural, and has given me an unbeatable clean feeling, fresh breath, very white teeth, and a cavity-free mouth! If I use any other toothpaste, I never feel clean enough.

I don’t recommend using household baking soda and peroxide every day, as it can be too harsh for daily use, so I suggest you buy Arm and Hammer (which IS safe for daily use), but you can hit your spice cabinet for a little baking soda and peroxide mixture every so often for a quick freshen up in between the dentist office and for a fast, natural whitening session.

I’ve also recently begun using straight peroxide as a mouthwash every morning and I have never had such white teeth. It tastes a little gross because it’s so foamy, but it works wonders! My teeth definitely are whiter than they were a week ago.

Try using baking soda and/or peroxide in these ways:

• Occasional brush
• Peroxide daily whitening mouth wash

Coffee – Make your own scrub – and a big mess of your shower – using coffee grounds (extra points if you mix it with coconut oil for extra moisture and smell) to full exfoliate before or after the shower.

Green Tea – Put a tea bag in hot water, then in the fridge, and then on your eyes for a relaxing eye mask. The caffeine from the green tea will help to bring down puffiness and redness or dark circles. Green tea can also be used as an astringent to help clear skin and brighten your complexion.

Corn Starch – One of my favorite new tricks is to use corn starch as a dry shampoo. No matter how much dry shampoo I use, it always seems to make my hair look even more greasy! So I keep a small amount of corn starch in a tiny Tupperware near my makeup and use it on days I don’t wash my hair.

Unlike dry shampoo, corn starch will never irritate your scalp, but more importantly, it keeps your hair looking fresh for days! I’m not kidding, if I were to go 4 days without washing my hair and only applied the corn starch once, you would never know. If you have dark hair, you might need to mix the corn starch with another darker ingredient (like coco powder) so the white powder doesn’t show through.

Apple Cider Vinegar – This is another one you’ve probably heard way too much about, but it is too essential not to mention. My aunt had cysts on her ovaries, and after 1 year of drinking apple cider vinegar in her water every day, they began to shrink and then disappear. I’m not saying that this was the absolute cause, but you better bet she has been drinking apple cider vinegar every day since.

Drinking apple cider vinegar is good for your gut and can help with a myriad of health problems. You can also use it to zap zits or as a simple toner by mixing it with water and applying to your face with a cotton ball. If you do decide to use apple cider vinegar, though, it is crucial that you use Braggs brand, which is the unfiltered stuff that's got "the mother" - which is the raw, strand-like enzymes of connected protein molecules.

Egg Whites – Not only do egg whites have a ton of protein, they can also be used to help with your looks! Beat a few egg whites in a bowl with a fork and apply to your face and neck to brighten and tighten your skin.

In these winter months when you need a bit more TLC to make yourself feel better about being cooped up, try some of these tips with ingredients that are already right in your kitchen!

I’m always interested in learning more tips, so comment below with other ideas and let me know what you think when you try these!