Homemade Beauty Help

Having a bad hair day and run out of your favourite rescue remedy? Or just run out of money to buy them? Cosmetics are so expensive nowadays and with all the health warnings about parabens and other chemicals it’s hard to know what to put on your skin. So here are a few tried and tested ingredients that you can take from kitchen to bathroom, without torturing yourself or your purse!Face masksThere are so many different types of face mask you can make from a few basic ingredients found in most kitchens.Soothing egg white face maskTake 2 egg whites and 2 tablespoons of plain yoghurt in a small bowl and mix well. Apply to face. Leave on for 10 minutes then rinse well with warm water, using a damp facecloth to finish off. Particularly good during a flare-up, this mask is very plain and will moisturise without aggravating stressed skin.Yoghurt and oats maskAdd 1 tablespoon of fine-milled oatmeal to 1 tablespoon of natural yoghurt and add half a teaspoon of clear honey. Mix together and apply to face for 10 minutes. Rinse with warm water.A calming face mask for all skin types.Milk of MagnesiaSimply take a bottle of unflavoured Milk of Magnesia and apply to face like a lotion. Leave for 10-15 minutes then rinse well with cool water. An excellent treatment for oily skin and drawing out impurities.Fruit mask for greasy skinYou will need 2 egg whites, 3 teaspoons of clear honey, a cup of strawberries and a teaspoon of lemon juice. Mix all ingredients well and smooth the resulting paste over the face, leaving for 10 minutes. Rinse well. The lemon and strawberries are naturally astringent, making this a great choice for oily skin.Classic milk mask for dry skin.Add a teaspoon of powdered milk, a tablespoon of clear honey, a teaspoon of aloe vera gel and blend well in a small bowl. Add to face and allow to sit for 15 minutes. Milk is so wonderfully moisturising and the aloe will soothe any inflammation.Brown sugar facial scrubSimply take a small handful of brown sugar (about a heaped tablespoon) in the palm of your hand and add about a teaspoon of olive oil. Mash into a paste and massage in small circular motions into the face. Rinse well with warm water. Finish off by gently patting dry and moisturising with your usual lotion. Brown sugar is an excellent natural exfoliant which doesn’t tear at the skin.Body scrubNow your face is sorted, we mustn’t neglect the rest of your skin. Millions of pounds are made worldwide with various different types of body scrub and it’s crazy, especially when you can make it at home for pence!You’ll need some oil (I prefer almond, but coconut or even plain vegetable oil will work fine) an equal amount of salt (though I would advise sugar if you have sensitive skin, not so abrasive) and a few drops of your favourite essential oil (Rose or lavender for relaxing, lemon to perk you up). Blend the mixture in a bowl, step into the bath or shower and apply it all over the body to dry skin. Massage in big circles up the body, starting at the feet and working up. Once the full body is scrubbed, rinse well with warm water and pat dry gently.Hair treatmentsAre you sick of buying costly hair products that don’t deliver what they promise? Try this luscious mask for glossy manageable locks, and clean out the fridge while you’re at it!Hydrating avocado/banana maskTake a ripe banana and a ripe avocado, a tablespoon of olive oil and a few drops of essential oil for fragrance. Mix well with a blender. Apply the paste liberally to clean, towel-dried hair, right to the ends. Put on a shower cap or wrap head in a warm towel and allow to sit for at least 15 minutes. Rinse well and admire your smooth shiny hair. Done on a monthly basis, this mask is especially beneficial for curly, coarse hair.Anti-dandruff rinseDandruff can be the bane of our existence, hard to get rid of and the preventative products are expensive. Take an hour and a half to whip up some of this and banish it forever.You will need 2 tablespoons of flaxseed oil (though you can use olive oil at a pinch), a teaspoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and 2 tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide.Take the oil and sugar and mix in a bowel, apply and massage into the scalp well. Put a hot, damp towel around the head, the heat will help the oil to penetrate. Leave on for approx. 20 minutes.While you are waiting, mix in a spray bottle the apple cider vinegar, the peroxide and 2 cups of warm water. Rinse out the oil and sugar mix using a little shampoo and rinse thoroughly. Divide the wet hair into 4 sections, and spray the scalp liberally with the vinegar mix, avoiding the eye area. Rub the liquid into the scalp. Take a hot damp towel and rewrap the head, leaving the mix to soak in from 20 minutes to an hour and rinse thoroughly with warm water.