Lemon is surprisingly good for the skin, helping to clean, nourish, and freshen. Here are five DIY beauty tricks to try with just one lemon.

1. Make a lemon body scrub

With only four ingredients, you can make a Sweet Lemon Sugar Body Scrub for your skin. One lemon plus raw cane sugar, brown sugar, and coconut oil makes for a delicious scrub. The soothing, skin softening coconut oil is perfect for dry skin during the winter. Apply the scrub mixture to any rough patches on your skin. In the dead of winter, it will help transport you to a relaxing, summer-sun feeling.

2. Tone skin

Lemon juice works like a natural astringent that acts as an exfoliant to help remove dead skin cells quickly and prevent clogged pores. To make a lemon toner, mix 1/2 cup of lemon juice, 3/4 cup of water, and 1 cup of witch hazel in a seal-able bottle and shake. Store the mixture in the refrigerator. Use twice daily by pouring a bit of the toner to a cotton ball and applying it to your face twice daily.

3. Clear acne

Acne is an irritating, itchy, and painful problem that occurs from excess oil buildup, clogged pores, inflammation, and bacteria. Over-the-counter face washes, lotions, and medications with salicylic acid promise to clear acne. They can work wonders, but if you’re tired of putting so many hard ingredients on your face, try a simpler, homemade acne wash. Help clear acne-prone areas on your face by dipping a cotton swab into lemon juice and applying directly on your face to affected areas.

4. Soften feet

Lemon juice is great for feet, as it will help soften rough skin on the bottom and also kill bacteria that builds up under your toenails. To make the foot soak, get a large bowl and combine 3 cups of lemon juice, 6 cups of water, 3 tbsp of cinnamon powder, and 1 cup of coconut milk. Soak your feet in the bowl for 15 minutes and then rinse with warm water.

5. Lighten hair

If you bleach your hair for a beautiful (but not-so-natural) blonde color, then consider using lemon juice instead. The juice will highlight brown or blonde hair without the use of chemicals and hair dyes. Put the lemon juice on your hair, then go out into the sun for a few hours. Rinse you hair to remove the juice, then allow to air dry. Once it’s dry, you’ll see gorgeous natural highlights.

Give your body a break and try substituting something in your beauty routine with one or more of these homemade remedies. All you need is a lemon, and you’re on your way to a DIY beauty goldmine!

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