We all like to look good, but beauty is definitely not skin deep! Why not try some of our beauty recipes to help your look and feel great?

How to get rid of Summer Sandal Skin

Walking around in just your flip flops or summer sandals can really begin to cause hardening and the appearance of cracks on the soles of your feet. Melt those dead skin cells away with this purely natural foot soak.

Pour 2-3 cups of pineapple juice and ½ cup of coconut milk into a footbath or basin. Pineapple helps to breakdown hardened skin as it contains the natural enzyme bromelain.

Soak your feet for 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water and towel dry. Rub a pumice stone gently over the more calloused areas before washing away the dead skin and again towel dry. Finally moisturise your soles and seal in the goodness!

Sun Fried Tomatoes

100% natural and the perfect solution to relieve that inevitable sun burnt moment. This tonic is also great for skin subjected to lots of sun screen!

Tomatoes have cooling and astringent properties, are rich in vitamin C helpful for brightening dull skin and contain vitamin A needed for building healthy skin. Its naturally acidic properties help it balance the skin and get rid of excessive oil.

Juice a couple of seasonal English tomatoes and one cucumber to a fine pulp, strain and then apply to the sun burnt / oily areas and leave for around 10-15 minutes.
Wash off with warm clean water. The remaining tonic can be refrigerated and used again and again…

Berry Nice Skin

The first seasonal strawberries reach markets in April and this easy-to-do exfoliate will get your hands and feet soft and ready for the warmer weather. Have some for breakfast and benefit from their anti-oxidants and then use the leftovers for pampering……

• 6-8 Strawberries
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 teaspoon of coarse salt (Maldon)

Mix together all ingredients, massage into hands and feet, rinse, and pat dry. Strawberries contain a natural fruit acid which aids in exfoliation.

Blackberry Skin Tone

The other type of Blackberry (the one that doesn’t let us work on the train) can work wonders for our skin. Pick your own blackberries, make a blackberry and apple crumble, and use the leaves to make this 100% natural toner.

Blackberries have astringent properties, are high in tannins (great for tightening skin tissue) and are rich in the antioxidants vitamin C & E, helpful for brightening dull skin.

This toner is great for combination skin types and as an after-shave lotion.

Put 3g of blackberry leaves into a bowl and pour over 50ml of boiling spring water. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes. Strain and leave to cool. Add a drop of rose or sandalwood essential oil to a dark glass bottle, add 3ml of cider vinegar and shake. Finally add the blackberry infusion. Shake again and store in the fridge.

Banana Skin

Bananas contain tryptophan, a rich amino acid that is known to be extremely beneficial for hair and skin. They are chock full of potassium which adds super softening properties to the skin. Wheat germ oil promotes skin cell formation and is great for nourishing and rejuvenating dry and winter damaged skin.

1. Peel and mash one banana.
2. Add 1tbsp of honey, an egg yolk, 1tsp of wheat germ oil, 1tbsp of fine powdered oats and a tsp of lemon juice (optional).
3. Mash further to form a smooth, creamy paste.
4. Add a drop of rose essential oils last, and stir to mix well. Apply to the face and allow to dry.
5. Rinse off with warm water and towel dry.

You can also try adding some avocado for extra moisture!

Pump It Up!

Rich in anti-oxidant vitamins A and C, as well as zinc which are essential for the growth and repair of skin tissues, pumpkin can help fight that wintry dry and itchy skin and helps to reduce the signs of aging.

Blend 250g papaya flesh, 400g pumpkin flesh and 1 egg in a food processor until smooth.

Wash & rinse your face with warm water, dry and apply mask avoiding your eye area. Leave for 10 minutes and rinse. You may feel some tingling as the enzymes in the pumpkin go to work immediately gently exfoliating your top layer of skin (it works like a scrub without being abrasive)

Shower Power

Lively up yourself each morning with this uplifting citrus shower scrub designed to instantly revitalise and awaken the senses. In-season grapefruit is rich in antioxidants, especially vitamin C. Used directly on the skin it can help with pretty much all skin complaints and is perfect for washing away dry and scaly wintry skin.

Mix some coarse sea salt with grapefruit, orange and lemon peel, and a couple of drops of citrus seed oil. Gently massage the mixture into your body. Leave to soak into your skin and rinse with warm water.