I'm not a huge fan of DIY beauty. I live in a tiny New York City apartment, so I don't have space to store all the vinegars, oils, and herbs they often require. The DIY secrets seem to involve a lot of work for results I don't really trust. I enjoy getting pampered by others, thank you very much.
But this week, I'm visiting my in-laws in Los Angeles. I have access to a beautiful kitchen, a backyard pool, large grocery stores, and plenty of time to see if I can make myself over as well as professionals can.
I knew aspirin could be used to prevent heart attacks and strokes from those old Bayer commercials, but I assumed it was their only use. Turns out I was wrong!
The main ingredient in aspirin is salicylic acid, something used in everything from face washes to shampoo. You might recognize it as an acne treatment from your teenage days! The acid can soothe redness, decrease inflammation, and cure itchiness of the skin. Fighting inflammation in the body is the new "buzz word" in skin care, as we learn more about what causes (and cures) common ailments.
On top of all the things aspirin can do, it also can control dandruff, repair chlorine-damaged hair, and remove calluses, according to home remedy sites. It can also be used to spot-treat acne, remove a hickey (!), and clean sweat stains from clothing. The good news is, unlike some other beauty hacks, just straight aspirin mixed with water cures all of these. No need to pick up any extra ingredients!
After acquiring all this info, I hunted down some of those supposedly magical little pills at a nearby drugstore and got to work on all my DIY aspirin beauty hacks.
My Feet: Pre-Aspirin
My feet don't look great. My usual foot care routine is a biweekly pedicure in the summer and basically nothing in the winter. My toes are still surprised they aren't encased in wool socks and boots! I'm pretty good about putting lotion on my feet, especially on my heels where I get calluses, but I walk a lot, so I can always use a little extra TLC.
The Supplies
I picked up a lemon and some generic, store-brand Aspirin at my local CVS. (I wasn't about to spend extra money on brand-name anything unless it guaranteed I would look more beautiful.)
Step 1: Crush Asprin
First, I crushed six aspirin (surprisingly hard to do to with a fork, I would recommend a pill crusher or something a little heftier) and mixed with the juice from a quarter of a lemon. I don't usually have lemons on hand, but the neighbors have a beautiful lemon tree, and I figured they wouldn't notice one missing!
I applied the paste to my heel and let it sit for 10 minutes, which involved some delicate positioning. Then I rinsed it off.
My feet look good! They definitely feel smoother, and cracks seem to have disappeared. I would try this again as a winter practice to keep my feet smooth. The aspirin acts like a scrub, and if you apply your preferred lotion after rinsing, you'll be in that post-pedicure bliss. For extra moisturizing, add warm olive oil or honey and wrap your heel in plastic wrap. Luxury on a budget!
A Week Later…
My feet still feel great. I repeated the aspirin mask, and it worked even better after I left it on a few minutes longer. Ready for summer!
Aspirin for Hair Remedies
Aspirin surprisingly has a lot of benefits for hair! It can moisturize, remove dandruff, and act like a clarifying shampoo to remove extra buildup caused by overuse of hair products.
Removing Chlorine Damage
Most summers, I go swimming only a handful of times. My summertime activity is limited to showing off my bikini on rooftop pools while day-drinking. But my brother-in-law has a beautiful pool, so I've been swimming every day. I'm lucky my hair is dark, so it doesn't turn green with chlorine damage in that sense, but my hair feels brittle and dry after a few days of chlorine exposure. I usually don't wash my hair every day since too much shampooing can strip hair of its natural oils, but I'm ready for my hair to feel healthy again, so I pull out the aspirin.
(Don't mind me, just showing off my Olympic poses.)
Hair Pre-Mask
It might be hard to tell, but my hair is definitely dried out.
I crushed up more aspirin and applied it to my wet hair. Then I wrapped a damp towel around my head for 10 minutes so the aspirin could do its thang. Hair masks are great because you don't have to interrupt your daily routine while you wait!
I love the way my hair looks! It also feels smooth and strong, and it didn't fall out overnight the way my hair usually does after swimming.
I Am Officially an Aspirin Convert!
I'm excited to add something this easy and cheap to my beauty and wellness routine! I'd highly recommend picking some up the next time you're at CVS (or any drugstore).
