Photo: WindyWinters / Flickr

Need a beauty boost? Look no further than your fridge. You probably have all you need to make home made beauty products’ right at your fingertips. Think soothing cucumber eye gel, sweet sugar and honey body scrub, and yoghurt body mask. You’ll save money, and have the peace of mind of knowing exactly what it is you’re putting on your skin – no nasty chemicals, and, definitely, no animal testing. It’s all good.

Soothing cucumber eye gel

For a home made eye gel that will gently soothe and help get rid of any signs of a hectic lifestyle, you’ll need some aloe vera, half a cucumber, witch hazel, and a drop or two of lavender essential oil. You can buy aloe vera gel at a health shop, and witch hazel at any pharmacy. Aloe vera has fantastic regenerative properties, while witch hazel is a natural astringent. Blitz the cucumber, around half a cup of aloe vera gel, two tablespoons of witch hazel, and lavender essential oil in your blender. Store the mixture in the fridge, and apply when needed.

Sweet sugar and honey body scrub

Photo: Powerhouse Museum / Flickr

This body scrub will moisturise your skin while exfoliating just as well as any scrub you’d get in the shops. Take a cup of sugar crystals (try muscovado sugar for its colour and sticky texture) and mix in two tablespoons of honey. Add a little olive oil, and the essential oil of your choice. Lavender essential oil is calming and healing, citrus oils like neroli are uplifting and energising, and tea tree is a natural antiseptic that will help with problem skin.

Yoghurt body mask

Yoghurt is very good for skin irritation and sunburn, and is a very gentle exfoliator, suitable for the most sensitive skin. This home made body mask is an excellent summer treatment, and it’s very easy to make. Add three tablespoons of pureed carrots ( a great source of vitamin A) and three tablespoons of honey to a quarter of a cup of yoghurt. Mix together thoroughly, and apply to your body before soaking in a warm bath for around 15 minutes.

For more natural beauty recipes, have a look at sofeminine.co.uk.

Tags: beauty products, blender, fridge