Easy homemade face mask and body scrub recipes

A pampering face mask or body scrub is not only a great way to de-stress, but also a skincare saviour when it comes to banishing blemishes, hydrating the skin and minimising pores.

But, did you know that the secret to glowing skin might be a little closer to home than you might think?

Humble ingredients like yogurt have long been known for their exfoliating properties, while honey with its antibacterial properties can help blitz bacteria which can cause spots and blemishes. That’s right – step away from the bathroom cabinet, and head for the kitchen… (although these recipes might sound tasty, they are designed for the skin so please resist any temptation to eat them!)

We asked out team of expert beauty therapists to whip up their favourite homemade face and beauty recipes, and here’s the shortlist:

Oatmeal and baking soda have exfoliating properties, which can remove dead skin cells and unclog pores.

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. oatmeal
• 1 tsp. baking soda

Instructions:

• Combine the oatmeal and baking soda in a bowl. Slowly add a few drops of water to create a paste.
• Gently massage the paste over your face and let it dry, leaving it on the skin for 20-minutes
• Wash off with warm water and apply a moisturiser.

Coffee scrub for your face and body

Coffee grounds make a great exfoliant to remove dead skin cells, which can help to rejuvenate and boost circulation.

Ingredients:

• 60g brown sugar
• 4 tbsp of melted coconut oil (or olive oil if you don’t have coconut oil)
• 60g ground coffee

Instructions:

• Mix together and your scrub is ready to go – gently massage onto wet skin and wash off with warm water
• After exfoliating, we’d always recommend moisturising from top-to-toe to keep your skin feeling hydrated and silky soft.

Honey and yogurt face mask

This face mask is perfect for evening out the texture and tone in your skin. Yoghurt is packed full of lactic acid which can help to lift away any rough and lacklustre skin cells, while the honey adds in moisture, leaving your skin soft and rejuvenated.

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp natural, plain yoghurt
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp turmeric

Instructions:

• Mix the above ingredients well and apply using a foundation brush for easy application
• Let it dry, and gently wash off with warm water after 20-minutes

Hello Vera face hydration mask

For when we meet again, this aloe vera and cucumber face mask is hydration in a bowl and will give dull skin a brightening boost

Ingredients:

• half a cucumber
• 2 tbsp. aloe vera gel

Instructions:

• Blend the cucumber and combine with the aloe vera gel.
• Gently massage the paste over your face.
• Leave on the skin for 20-minutes and then wash off with warm water.

Before you get creative in the kitchen, here’s just a few things to remember:

• the above recipes are suggestions only, and you should check the ingredients on anything you apply to the skin beforehand to ensure you have no known allergies or reactions
• don’t use a mask if you experience skin irritation or an allergic reaction (redness, itching, or rash)
• only apply a face mask once or twice a week.
• don’t leave the mask on for too long, or else you could irritate your skin.
• don’t scrub your skin when washing off the mask. This can cause irritation and redness.
• check the sell by dates on any products you use and ensure they are in date before you use them
• make your mask or scrub with fresh ingredients and use within 30-minutes of mixing the ingredients
• Always do a patch test on a small area of skin before applying to avoid any reactions
• Some ingredients, such as lemons and apple cider vinegar, can make the skin sensitive to light if used directly on the skin without being pre-mixed so always do your research before applying any ingredient to your skin.