There are a lot (and I mean A LOT) of complicated recipes for do-it-yourself-at-home skin masks and treatments. I’ve never heard of half of the different herbs and spices that they use! And most of the ingredients you probably don’t readily have at home. Here are some recipes and tips that I have tried that really do work!

Olive Oil & Sugar Exfoliant

Mix 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil with 3-4 tea spoons of brown sugar. It should have a paste-like consistency. Apply to the mixture to your face or body in small circular motions. The sugar granules will gently exfoliate the skin while the olive oil makes the skin super smooth. Don’t rub too hard – especially if you have sensitive or irritated skin, as the granules can be quite prickly! Rinse the mixture off with warm water. Just be careful if you’re washing it off in the bath tub or shower, as it will get VERY slippery! Remember to wash down any surfaces when you are finished. Also, if you have pets, be warned that they will try to lick you afterwards!

Oatmeal Loofah

For all of you with eczema or extra sensitive and dry skin, you HAVE to try this. Oatmeal is known for soothing dry and irritated or inflamed skin, and it will leave your skin feeling great. Get a cotton or cheese cloth bag – if you don’t have one, you can make one, or use a cotton sock or nylon tights. Fill it with a handful of oatmeal. Use this as a loofah when you shower. Straight away you will feel your skin become silky smooth. Or alternatively, you can run the oatmeal bag under the tap in the bath. It is normal for the water to be cloudy, and it also works wonderfully! It’s a cheap alternative for all the expensive oatmeal products you can buy in the stores.

Baking Soda & Water

This is extremely effective and super easy! It’s a great way to minimize blackheads and gives your skin a deep clean feeling. Make a paste of baking soda and water in the palm of your hand and gently rub onto your face and neck in circular motions. Your skin will feel fantastic afterwards!

Lemon Scrub for Oily Skin

Mix sea salt with lemon juice into a paste and gently massage onto the skin in circular motions. Rinse off with warm water. You would think that the lemon would really dry out the skin, but it actually leaves it feeling super refreshed and clean! For best results, use fresh lemon juice and only use once a week.

Eye Bag Minimizer

The thinnest skin on the body is on the eyes. So it’s very important to take extra care of this skin by removing make-up every day and using an eye moisturiser. A great way to make your eyes feel great is tea bags! The best are chamomile or green tea. Steep the tea bags, and wait until they are slightly warm. Lie down and place a tea bag over each eye. Leave them on until they are cold. The coldness will help reduce any redness or inflammation around the eyes.

I hope you have fun trying these recipes at home! I certainly did!

Let me know how you got on with these tips, and if you have any to share, feel free to do so in the comments section below.

Look out for more at home treatments that I will be posting soon!

Ingredients:

• 2 80g tins of tuna (drained and flaked)
• 1 tomato – diced
• 1/2 cup corn
• 2 garlic cloves – finely diced or pressed
• 2 tbsp mayonnaise
• oregano
• pepper
• dash of lemon juice

Mix the tuna, tomato, corn, garlic and mayonnaise together. Add a dash of lemon juice – this is optional, but I find a dash of lemon juice makes any fish taste better; even if it is just humble tinned tuna!

Add the oregano and pepper to taste, and it’s ready to serve!

Serve with warm toast cut into triangles, and cubes of cheese.

Bon Appetite!

• 200 g / 4 cans of tuna (drained and flaked)
• 200 g mashed potato
• 4 spring onions (chopped)
• 100 g / 1 cup of frozen peas or petit pois (defrosted)
• zest of 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 4 tbsp bread crumbs
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the Mayonnaise

• 4 tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• Pinch of red paprika
• Salt and pepper

In a large bowl, mix together the first six ingredients. Slowly add enough egg to bind the mixture together.

Wet your hands, so that the mixture doesn’t stick to you, and shape it into patties – make them roughly the size of your palm and about 1 inch thick. Lightly cover each one with breadcrumbs.

Heat the oil in a frying pan over low-medium heat and cook the tuna-cakes for a few minutes on each side. Be careful when turning them!

In the meantime, mix together the ingredients for the mayonnaise – add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the hot tuna-cakes with a lemon wedge, the lemon mayonnaise, some green salad and a glass of cold Chardonnay. Bon Appetite!

* You can substitute the tuna for tinned salmon.