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DIY: Skin care products straight from the kitchen cabinet

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- Skin care life hacks are all-the-rage right now. People are finding cheaper alternatives to expensive, name-brand products and some of them could already be in your kitchen cabinet.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WVEC) -- Skin care life hacks are all-the-rage right now. People are finding cheaper alternatives to expensive, name-brand products and some of them could already be in your kitchen cabinet.

Sharon Hoggard found that some of those alternatives could be helpful to her daily route, as she is no stranger to skin issues.

"I had acne, real bad acne as a teenager. And as I got to be an adult, it didn't really clear up," Sharon said.

She buys several skin care products online in bulk, usually a 6-month supply at a time. The bill can be hefty, but Martha Pandajis with Virginia Surgical Arts says Sharon can slice her skin care bill by going from the online store to the grocery store.

"It's pretty neat, the things that you can find in your everyday kitchen," said Martha, who is also the wife of 13News Now Meteorologist Tim Pandajis.

Martha suggests, for instance, giving your cleanser a boost with a little bit of baking soda.

"A lot of the microdermabrasion machines use sodium bicarbonate -- baking soda -- and you can just do a manual exfoliation of the face," she said.

She also advises swapping toner for much cheaper witch hazel.

"It does help regulate the pH of the skin, and it also preps your skin for future... product application."

Finally, she advocates using honey for more than just sweetening your tea.

"It is anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and it helps promote skin healing and skin health," Martha said.

It's important to note that if you have a serious skin condition such as Acne or Rosacea, "do it yourself" skin care ideas do not take the place of seeing a specialist.

But for regular maintenance between visits, or just keeping your skin at its best, they could save you time and money.

To get more of Martha's tips for better skin health, visit her Facebook page "Diary of an Aesthetician" or the Virginia Surgical Arts Facebook page.

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