10 Easy DIY College Remedies For When Your Mom Can't Help
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Health and Wellness

10 Easy DIY College Remedies For When Your Mom Can't Help

Easy natural remedies and recipes for students balling on a budget.

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10 Easy DIY College Remedies For When Your Mom Can't Help
Star Speed Portal

Being Brazilian I know many many DIY recipes and remedies for many different things. Sometimes my bathroom even looks like the potions classroom from Harry Potter with all my little bottles of mixtures. However, being away at school always working and studying can make it really hard to order boxes of bentonite clay, vegetable glycerin, and bottles for all the potions. Of all the remedies and recipes I know, these are my top 10 easiest remedies for college students on a budget:

1. Sodium Bicarbonate and Water.

This is mix is great for upset stomach and nausea. It will taste SUPER weird and salty but it solves any upset and nausea fairly quickly and you can buy this at Publix or Walmart pretty cheap. The sodium bicarbonate comes in powder form and you'll need one TEASPOON of sodium bicarbonate and eight ounces of water. You'll want to mix it until the sodium bicarb has dissolved in the water and then drink up! Obviously, it is not magic so do not expect results immediately, but it works pretty fast. Obviously, it is not magic so do not expect results immediately, but it works pretty fast. Walmart pretty cheap. The sodium bicarbonate comes in powder form and you'll need one TEASPOON of sodium bicarbonate and eight ounces of water. You'll want to mix it until the sodium bicarb has dissolved in the water and then drink up! Obviously, it is not magic so do not expect results immediately, but it works pretty fast.

DISCLAIMER: If this mix makes you feel worse, STOP DRINKING IT. Also always keep the sodium bicarb in a cool dry place (I keep mine with my spices in my kitchen).

2. Aloe.

Aloe is actually very magical. It can be used for many many things, and you can also eat it. Although it's not very tasty. I use aloe for moisturizing my hair and skin.its not very tasty. I use aloe for moisturizing my hair and skin.

For your hair, aloe is amazing and will add tons of moisture and shine. It promotes hair growth and also reduces dandruff. When I use aloe in my hair I always use an aloe leaf which you can find at Publix. I blend the aloe leaf (sometimes I throw in some deep conditioner, but not always) super well so that there are no chunks of aloe and then I just apply it to my hair. I always massage it into my scalp and then brush it through my hair using my fingers. I like to leave the aloe in my hair overnight, so I'll put either a Publlix bag or shower cap over my hair so that I can go to sleep. The next day I just wash it out in the shower and do my usual hair routine.

For your skin, aloe helps to hydrate the skin, helps fight acne, and keeps the skin firm. I usually just save a piece of the aloe leaf I use for my hair and then rub it on my clean face. I let it dry and leave it on overnight. In the morning I wash my face as usual and then go about my normal skin care routine.

Of course with both you do not have to leave it on over night, but I have always felt that it has worked better for me when I leave the aloe in my hair and on my face overnight.course with both you do not have to leave it on over night, but I have always felt that it has worked better for me when I leave the aloe in my hair and on my face overnight.

3. Cinnamon tea with cinnamon sticks.

Cinnamon is great and we all probably did the cinnamon challenge when we were younger but, not everyone knows that cinnamon is actually really great for cramps. I like to use the actual cinnamon sticks because it is definitely more natural and also it's very easy to prepare. Cinnamon tea has helped me a lot and I've noticed results, however, you must keep in mind it's not magic! I feel better and less crampy after I have the tea and over time I've noticed drinking it consistently during my period also helps too.

To make cinnamon tea all you need is cinnamon sticks (grocery store usually has them), a pot, water, and sugar or honey (whichever you prefer). I use two cinnamon sticks for about eight ounces of water. I let it the water boil till it's golden and then I pour it into a mug. You can save the cinnamon sticks you used in a Ziploc bag stored in the fridge, I usually make two mugs of tea using the same two cinnamon sticks. One for the morning and one for the night. You guys can sweeten it using sugar or honey, personally, I like to use sugar.

4. Crushed aspirin and water.

I know aspirin is usually used as a blood thinner or anti-inflammatory drug, but it's actually really great for helping with acne. Some of the components in the aspirin help treat acne. I like to either make a spot treatment paste or a face mask mix. I ALWAYS moisturize afterwards though because I've noticed the aspirin paste tends to dry my skin.

For spot treatment, I crush one aspirin and mix it with a TABLESPOON of water until it's a paste. I apply it to any break out spots and leave it on overnight.

For a face mask mix, I crush 5 aspirins in a quarter cup of warm water and then mix it till it's a paste. I apply it to my face usually using my fingers and the spoon I used to mix and then I let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes. I wash it off with warm water and moisturizer.

DISCLAIMER: I always use UN-COATED aspirin and before I started doing this regularly I tested out a patch of skin first to make sure it would not irritate my skin. If you do feel like it irritates your skin, STOP USING THIS SPOT TREATMENT/FACE MASK!

5. Toothpaste.

No, I'm not using toothpaste JUST to clean my teeth. This remedy may not be very new to anyone, but toothpaste can help dry pimples. It makes a great overnight spot treatment. I put a little dab of toothpaste on a q-tip and then apply it to any break out pimples or areas. I let the toothpaste dry and then I go to sleep. The next day I just wash it off and continue my normal skin care routine. The toothpaste helps to dry out the pimples. Like the aspirin, toothpaste does dry out my skin so I always moisturize afterward.

DISCLAIMER: If the toothpaste irritates your skin, stop using it!

6. Apple Cider Vinegar and Water.

ACV is actually pretty magical as many people may know. It definitely does not smell that great but it is great for so many other things. I mainly use ACV in my hair. Of course, I do wash it out of my hair because it really does stink, but it leave my hair super shiny and full of life. ACV helps clean your scalp, reduce dandruff, and keep your hair shiny. I like to use ACV weekly or bi-weekly because after all, it is an acid, using it too often can break down and damage your hair instead of making it healthier. ACV helps to balance out the pH of the hair as well.

For cleanser/shiny healthy hair: I use one TABLESPOON of ACV in 1 cup of water and I put it in a spray bottle. It's easier to apply using a spray bottle, but you don't necessarily need a spray bottle to do this. After mixing the water and ACV together, I massage it into my scalp AFTER shampooing and let it run through my hair. I then rinse out the ACV and condition like I normally would.

To reduce dandruff: I use 1/4 cup ACV and a 1/4 cup water and I put both in a spray bottle because it's easier to apply. I spray the mix all over my hair but mainly my scalp BEFORE washing my hair. I stopped using towels to wrap my wet hair, I use a t-shirt instead to reduce frizz but you guys can use whatever you want. I wrap my wet ACV soaked hair in my t-shirt and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. Then I wash it like I normally would and style with my usual hair products.

DISCLAIMER: As I stated before, ACV is an acid so using it more than weekly or bi-weekly can break down and damage your hair. You may or may not feel a tingle on your scalp from the ACV but if it burns definitely wash it out and stop using it!

7. Apple Cider Vinegar + Warm Water + Salt.

This may seem like the most terrible mixture ever, and you're totally right. It tastes AWFUL, but the good part is you don't swallow this one. This remedy is perfect for sore throats. Ideally, it would be great to be done two to three times a day, but I only do it twice a day. Once in the morning and once at night. The mix helps soothe and heal sore throats by gargling it in the back of your throat. I never knew how long to gargle for so my mom always told me to sing Happy Birthday TWICE and then spit out. This recipe requires one TABLESPOON of ACV, one TEASPOON of salt, and 4 ounces of water. Mix it all together and then gargle. It will without a doubt taste awful, but it really does help to soothe a sore throat and has you feeling better fast.

8. Baking Soda and Toothpaste.

The toothpaste I normally buy is the one that already has baking soda and peroxide in it, but on top of that, I like to sprinkle on some baking soda powder over my toothpaste. This helps to keep teeth super clean and very very white. I don't really have any measurements for this one, I usually just keep baking soda in my bathroom. I also don't have any special way to brush my teeth, I just brush them normally. I only do it once a day because personally, I feel like twice a day is too much for me.

9. Coconut oil hair soak before dyeing your hair.

Personally, I like my hair lighter, and I know I'm not the only one who dyes their hair. I hate the super dry brittle feeling of my hair after I have it dyed though. I great remedy for that is a coconut oil hair soak. I have never measured how much coconut oil I use, but my hair is pretty thick so I end up using a lot. This is the easiest of the remedies, you just spread it evenly or as even as you can get it and comb through your hair gently with your fingers.

I put my hair in a bun and then put a shower cap or Publix bag over it. Sometimes I'll let it sit all day or all night, but I do leave it on for a long time so that my hair can absorb as much moisture as possible. I do this BEFORE dyeing my hair so that the oil doesn't remove the dye too much. I wash it out like I normally would and put in a leave conditioner, I usually do this like 3 or 4 days before dying. Of course, my hair still feels a little dry after dyeing it, but it does not feel like a frizzy broom thanks to the coconut oil.

10. Toothpaste for your headlights.

This remedy is not for your body like the rest have been, it's actually for your car. Many of you have probably already seen this somewhere on the internet, but it really works. I don't know what is in the toothpaste that cleans my headlights, but it does a GREAT job! I like to buy two travel size toothpastes (one for each headlight) and spread it all over my headlights. I leave it on for like 5 to 10 minutes and then I wash it off. Super easy and super clean head lights!

Of all the remedies and recipes I know. Throughout college, these have been my top 10 go to recipes. They are all easy and affordable for students and they all really work. Just remember to stop doing any of these if you feel any irritation or just don't feel like they work. I just prefer more natural remedies because I don't like to take medicine and I definitely love feeling like a cool medicine woman. Hope you all like these remedies/recipes!

Also here is a picture of spoons so that no one is confused between tablespoons and teaspoons, cause sometimes it still confuses me.


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This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
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