5 Different Ways Chocolate Will Make You Hot
Let’s talk about chocolate, shall we? You’ve probably heard or been told that chocolate is bad for your skin. We’ve got great news, chocolate is great for your skin! What is bad for you is actually the sugar in our favorite bars, which means chocolate’s getting a bad rep because of it. Pure chocolate (80% and above) is packed full of antioxidants and contains tons of essential nutrients, along with incredible health benefits like keeping your blood cholesterol levels and blood pressure in check. Apart from all the health benefits, chocolate actually contains serotonin and dopamine, which are major mood-enhancing chemicals – that explains why it makes us feel SO good! So as well as eating it, make sure it’s dark chocolate if you’re eating it in large doses (no judgment here), then here’re five ways you can include this major beauty booster into your beauty regimen.
Chocolate Body Mask
We’re not even going to pretend that we haven’t fantasized about being covered head-to-toe in chocolate. But, the fact that it’s actually good for us, has seriously pushed us over the edge. A full homemade chocolate body mask is the ultimate way to give yourself that at-home spa feeling, leaving you looking (and smelling) like a total snack.
DIY Body Mask: To make your own, combine 12 tablespoons of cocoa powder with 4 tablespoons of raw honey and mix it all up to form a thick consistency. Lather your body in the mask, let it sit for 20 minutes until it hardens, light some candles, stick on some rainforest sounds, run a warm bath and soak! Full disclosure, this can be quite messy so make sure you’ve got your space covered with an old towel – or stay off the carpets!
Mint-Chocolate Scrub
Exfoliating is a must for glowing skin. Using scrubs sloughs off dead skin cells and helps stimulate blood flow, which is crucial for dry, tired skin. This mint chocolate sugar scrub smells absolutely divine, and your skin will think so too. Peppermint essential oil contains magnesium, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin C, minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and that’s just the beginning. It also contains antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties – add that to all the benefits of chocolate, and you’re onto a winner.
DIY Body Scrub: To make your scrub, add half a cup of brown sugar, half a cup of white sugar, a third of a cup of almond oil, two tablespoons of cocoa powder, and five drops of peppermint essential oil. Stir, stir, stir! You can use the scrub on your body, but avoid sensitive areas – menthol doesn’t agree with them!
Chocolate Foot Soak
Make your feet look gorgeous, honey. Our feet are really important, and we just don’t show them enough love. Take care of tired feet with an at-home chocolate pedicure full of hydrating, soothing, and replenishing properties.
DIY Foot Soak: Start by filling a bowl with warm water and placing it on top of a towel. Add two cups of cocoa powder and one cup of coconut oil to the water and give it a stir. Sit back, relax, and let your feet soak up all the bounty-bar smelling goodness! The soak is perfection before the scrub we mentioned above!
Chocolate wax
Yes, you best believe it. You can actually wax your hair with chocolate! We’ve all experienced ingrown hairs, irritation, rashes, and even allergic reactions after having a wax, and when your skin goes through trauma, you want to make sure that the products you’re using are kind. Cocoa powder repairs your skin so when it undergoes waxing, the cocoa powder helps soothe any damage.
DIY Chocolate Wax: To make your own wax, combine 1 cup of sugar, a quarter cup of lemon, a quarter cup of water, 1 spoon of glycerine in a pan and bring it to a boil. When bubbles begin to form, after 5 minutes, turn off the heat and stir in 1 spoon of cocoa powder. Check out how to use the wax in this super helpful DIY video here, and remember to be super careful when using heat on your skin, especially if your skin is sensitive. If you’re concerned, consult your doctor first.
Brunette Hair Color-Booster
Strolling in slow motion down a beach with gorgeous, glossy, chocolate-colored locks just got a whole lot easier. Okay, so we can’t actually make you walk in slow motion, and we’d advise that you don’t unless you want to really annoy the person behind you, but we can make your hair shine. A DIY chocolate hair mask is perfect for rebooting brown hair, giving it vibrancy, restoring color and shine. Cocoa powder works amazingly on your hair because it contains magnesium which prevents hair loss, strengthens, nourishes and adds serious va-va-volume. Including honey add moisture as it’s a humectant, which attracts moisture and keeps your tresses hydrated and strong.
DIY Hair Color-Booster: Use half a cup of cocoa powder, half a cup of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of honey. Apply the mask from the roots to the ends of your hair and let it sit for 30 minutes – use a shower cap or cellophane wrap to lock in the heat and avoid any drips, then rinse! Follow with shampoo and conditioner.
Did this post make any of you really crave chocolate?! Let us know if you’ve ever tried chocolate in a DIY before in the comments below.
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