Natural Homemade Beauty Treatments

It’s remarkably easy to do-it-yourself when it comes to natural home-made beauty treatments: our great-grannies knew a thing or two about looking after their skin and they didn’t have a fortune to waste on expensively-marketed products.
One of the major benefits is that you know exactly what’s going onto your skin or hair – no nasty chemicals, just pure and natural goodness. You can also experiment and develop the perfect formula for your skin whether it’s dry or oily, young or wrinkled.
We’ve tried to bring you some starter recipes that use natural ingredients you’re likely to have about the house or that are easily available. From these basics, you can build your own range of homemade beauty treatments.
Shampoo for All Hair Types
- 1 fl oz olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon cider vinegar
Hair Conditioner
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon olive oil
- 6 fl oz lukewarm water
For an extra-rich and nourishing conditioner you need 1 egg white and about 5 tablespoons natural yogurt. Whisk the egg white until fluffy and then gently fold in the yogurt. Massage into hair after shampooing. Leave it on for about 10 minutes before rinsing with warm clean water.
Face Mask
These are moisturising and soothing masks for facial skin. Used on a regular basis they can help improve the texture and tone of your skin.Wash and dry your face before applying, and avoid your eyes.
Banana Mask
Mash a very ripe small banana to a smooth paste. Apply to your face and leave on for 15 – 20 minutes. Rinse off with warm water, splash with cold, and gently pat dry.Honey and Yogurt Mask
- 1 tablespoon yogurt
- 1 tablespoon runny honey
Avocado Mask
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1 leftover cooked carrot
- 8 fl oz single cream
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons honey
Rich Moisturising Mask
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon lemon juice
Cleanser
Fennel helps to cleanse and tone your skin and thyme is a good astringent. Use daily, dabbing it on with a piece of cotton wool before rinsing.- the leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- ½ cup boiling water
- juice ½ lemon
Toner
- 1 cucumber
- 2 teaspoons runny honey
When you’re satisfied no more juice is going to come out of the cucumber discard the pulp and mix the juice with the honey. Store in an airtight bottle in the fridge for up to a week.
Shake before using. Tip some of the toner onto a cotton wool ball and wipe it over your face and neck. Leave it to dry naturally.
For the Bath
Rose Bathwater
- 1 cup freshly gathered rose petals (preferably from an old-fashioned rose with a strong perfume)
- ½ cup coconut milk
Rose Bath Salts
- Epsom salts (available from chemists)
- a handful of dried rose petals
- a few drops of rose essential oil
- a few spoonfuls of dried milk powder
- Try different essential oils and petals. Experiment until you find your perfect mix.