All Natural and Nurturing Skin Care Recipes

If you are truly interested in an all natural skin care regimen, this article may help you at least get started on your way.  Mixing up your own beauty treats may seem like too much of a hassle even if you really rather use them than store bought filled with additives and chemicals, but even if you are a beginner in the kitchen, the majority of these homemade products are very easy to make.  You will probably need to experiment to find out what works best for you, just the same as you would if you bought your products ready-made. 

One great advantage to homemade is the low cost.

Tip:  When purchasing your ingredients, buy organic whenever possible, and always look first to local farmers and food producers.  This is also a great benefit of making your own products.  You will know exactly where each ingredient came from.

Spa-worthy skin care products straight from your own kitchen table are sure to get your skin slowing, and remember, just a little bit will go a long way.

STRAWBERRY FACIAL MASK

Strawberries have a mild fruit acid, and they act as an exfoliant to remove dead-skin-cell buildup.  It will soften any skin type, but is especially effective for those prone to breakouts.  Do not use on sunburned or wind burned skin.  Be sure to pull your back before applying.  Use this mask two or three times per week to help even out your skin tone.

• 3 medium-size, very ripe strawberries
• Remove stems from fruit
• Cut berries into small chunks
• Mash berries into juicy pulp and massage onto dry, freshly cleansed face and throat
• Leave on 20 minutes
• Rinse off with warm water
• Pat dry
• Follow with your favorite moisturizer

SEA SALT AND OLIVE OIL BODY SCRUB

This is an age-old remedy for skin troubles.  Sea salts are rich in minerals.  They have healing, rejuvenating powers.  This scrub will leave your skin smooth.  Its effects are due to the naturally exfoliating salts as well as to cleansing, moisturizing extra virgin olive oil, and it is ideal for sloughing away dead skin cells.

·        ½ cup finely ground sea salt

·        2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Stir salt and olive oil together in a small bowl.  Dampen your skin.  Rub the mixture from head to toe, then rinse off in the shower.

A starter set of essential oils might include:

• Grapefruit oil:  balancing, beneficial to combination skin
• Lavender oil:  calming, idea for all skin types
• Peppermint Oil:  cooling, stimulating
• Rosemary Oil:  refreshing, regenerating
• Sweet Orange Oil:  uplifting, rejuvenating

Source:  Barker E. KITCHEN TABLE beauty. Vegetarian Times [serial online]. May 2008;6:70. Available from: MAS Ultra - School Edition, Ipswich, MA. Accessed August 5, 2008.

Written by:  Connie Limon  To find more skin care articles and tips visit http://smalldogs2.com/SkinCareTips  To find a variety of reprint articles visit http://www.camelotarticles.com