Take a breather from store-bought products and pamper yourself with these homemade, natural skin care treatments – you needn't reach further than your refrigerator for the ingredients. Both your inner goddess and your outer diva will thank you.
Natural Toning Cleanser for Oily Skin
Want to calm and cleanse oily skin? Mix up two teaspoons of natural honey, one teaspoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice, and one tablespoon of natural yoghurt, and voila! Apply and work the creamy sweet mixture into your skin gently with upward circular strokes. And don't fret if you taste a dollop or two of this fusion, as it also makes a delicious snack! Rinse and remove with cool water and a soft washcloth.
Natural Hydrating Mask for Dry Skin
Need a moisture surge? Reveal softer skin by treating your skin to a naturally hydrating mask made from one tablespoon of fresh honey, one teaspoon of fresh wheat germ, and one teaspoon of sunflower seed meal. Let the mixture sit for one minute, then spread the sticky goodness lavishly on your face and neck. Leave on for a half-hour, sit back and pop in your favorite episode of Sex and the City. Rinse with warm water.
Get a Healthy Glow
Get a heavenly glow by mashing half a peach with one tablespoon of heavy cream (it's not fattening on your face, don't worry). Spread on your face and let nature go to work for one half hour. Beauteous!
Homemade Tightening Skin Mask
Masks don't have to be complicated; you can achieve the desired result with only one ingredient! Use an egg white to tighten pores and firm skin, or even skin tone with a helping of raw natural yogurt.
Reduce Under-Eye Puffiness Naturally
Aside from a nightly prescription of 8 hours sleep, one of the best things you can do to reduce puffy, stressed eyes (naturally) is to indulge them with a few simple treats from the pantry.
Combat puffy eyes by placing two cold, wet tea bags on your eyelids for ten minutes of uninterrupted relaxation. Why the tea, you ask? The tannin in the tea reduces redness; when externally applied they promote rapid healing of wounds and inflammation. Besides the obvious fact that hot tea bags on your eyes could be torturous, the coolness of chilled bags acts to reduce the swelling of puffy eyes.
Dark Circles
And then of course they're the stand by: cucumber. Slices of cucumber also do wonders to reduce under-eye puffiness and dark circles. If you don't have any cucumbers handy to place on your eyes to relieve puffiness, then just cut off a couple slices of a potato and then place them on your eyes. They do the same thing!
Apply thick slices and press gently or just add milk to vanquish dark circles: Mix grated cucumber with milk and refrigerate 30 minutes, then apply to under-eye skin and allow to stay on for 20 minutes. Rinse with cool water.
Exfoliate for Velvety Soft Skin
Got dreadfully rough elbows and knees? Exfoliate and rejuvenate these often neglected areas by soaking them in freshly-squeezed lemon juice; cut a lemon in half, squeeze into to bowls and plop elbows in (soak cotton pads in lemon juice and apply to knees). Follow with a slathering of honey for a moisture shot. Dab some pure almond or apricot oil on scaly bits before bed for supple skin in the morning.
Soothe Skin in a Milky Bath
Do like Cleopatra and immerse yourself in a milky bath: mix one half cup of powdered whole milk with one tablespoon grape-seed oil and add to running bathwater. Speckle the water with a few drops of essential chamomile oil and slide in.
