Brown bread: DIY cleanser
“Remove the crusts from a fresh slice and roll them each into a ball, roll the ball over your cheeks, nose, forehead and chin (avoid the eyes), using a new ball for each area. The bread will pick up dirt, grime and excess oil from your skin.”
Banana: DIY face mask
“If the weather is cold and you spend most of the day in air-conditioned or centrally heated rooms, skin can become dehydrated,” says skin therapist Nataliya Robinson of the Michaeljohn Salon, London. “A mask once a week will help nourish the skin. Make your own by combining one ripe mashed banana, a tsp of honey or maple syrup and 10 drops of lemon juice. Mix and apply to clean skin for 10 minutes. Rinse.”
Soured cream: DIY moisturising mask
“Soured cream makes a great DIY mask, especially for dry skin. Smooth on, leave for 15 minutes, and wash off with a warm flannel. It is beautifully moisturising.”
Raw oats: DIY exfoliating mask scrub
“Take two or three teaspoons of raw oats and crush by hand,” says Nataliya. “Mix with pure honey and a quarter tsp of apple cider vinegar until it forms a smooth paste. Use more honey if it seems too dry. Next, add one drop of tea tree oil to aid healing. Apply in circular movements, leave for 15 minutes and rinse with tepid water.”
Beetroot: DIY lip gloss
“Peel a small beetroot and chop into small cubes, add two tsps of sugar and place in a microwave for a 30-second blast,” says Sally. “Leave to rest for a minute before another 30 second blast or until the sugar has dissolved and the beetroot has softened slightly. Add a tsp of olive oil, stir well and apply using a lip brush. Keep in the fridge, but discard after three days.”
Apple cider vinegar: DIY hair detangler
“Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar after shampooing and conditioning,” says Sally. “Vinegar closes the hair cuticles and removes unwanted oily residue. Since residue coats the hair causing it to look dull, removing residue gives your hair more shine. By closing the cuticles, the hair will be smoother and have fewer tangles. Any vinegar will do, but using apple cider vinegar will see the best results.”
Cucumber: DIY breath freshener
“Stick a slice of cucumber to the roof of your mouth for about 30 seconds or so and it will eradicate bad breath,” says Dr Mervyn Druian from the London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry.
Brown sugar: DIY exfoliator
“Mix a tbsp of brown sugar with one tbsp of olive oil,” says Nataliya. “Next, gently massage the scrub into your skin in a circular movement, but without pressing too hard. Make sure to rinse thoroughly after use.”
Eggs: DIY face pack
“In addition to eating eggs for breakfast, try applying the whites to your face,” says dermatologist Dr Murad, Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at UCLA, US. “The albumen tightens the appearance of the skin and improves the look of a tired complexion, as well as helping to hydrate.”
Avocado: DIY intense hair treatment
“Mix half a ripe avocado with two whisked eggs, two half eggshells of olive oil or other light vegetable oil and 50ml purified water,” says trichologist Philip Kingsley. “Work the mixture in with your fingertips, leave for 10 minutes and then wash off.”
Camomile tea: DIY cleanser
“Daily cleansing is vital even if you do not wear make-up,” says Nataliya. “During winter and early spring, your cleansing procedure must be gentle. The right cleanser will leave your skin feeling fresh and clean, not tight and dry. If you feel that your skin is irritated, wash it with cool camomile tea, which can provide a real tonic for your skin.”
Coconut milk: DIY body moisturiser
“With so many body moisturisers containing coconut milk, why not use the real thing?” asks Janey Lee. “Mix some high quality coconut milk with the same amount of purified water and add a few drops of sweet almond oil. Warm the liquid gently and top up roughly one quarter of the total amount with coconut oil. Allow to cool and hey presto!”
Milk powder: DIY bath soak
“Sprinkle a handful of milk powder (full-fat, semi-skimmed or skimmed) into a warm bath before a long soak,” says Sally. “Lactic acid found in milk is a skin softener and helps to make skin baby soft!”
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