Tips

Homemade Beauty

Tips

Who knew that the best beauty fixes don’t necessarily come from a store? Look no further than your kitchen for all-natural home remedies that give your face a healthy glow. We turned to Mary Helen Leonard—DIY-beauty guru and author of the Natural Beauty Solution—to whip up powerful DIY masks using beauty-boosting ingredients like fresh berries, matcha green tea, and turmeric. “These gorgeous skin care recipes,” says Mary Helen, “can be made with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.” Sounds deliciously beautiful to us!

RECIPES BY MARY HELEN LEONARD

AVOCADO MATCHA MASK

MAKES ONE APPLICATION

“Antioxidant-rich matcha green tea and nourishing avocado give this fresh mask its gorgeous green color,” says Mary Helen. “Aloe vera and deep-cleansing bentonite clay work to detoxify skin without over-drying. The combination of soothing aloe and rich avocado make this mask a great choice to refresh dry or mature skin.”

GATHER:
1 tablespoon aloe-vera gel (juice)
1 teaspoon fresh avocado
1 teaspoon bentonite clay 1 teaspoon matcha powder

DIY IT:
In a small bowl, mash the fresh avocado and aloe-vera gel together until fairly smooth. Add the bentonite clay and matcha powder. Whisk together.

HONEY BESAN FACIAL MASK

MAKES ONE APPLICATION

“A traditional ingredient in Indian skin care recipes, besan flour makes an ideal cleanser for most skin types,” says Mary Helen. “The natural lactic acids in yogurt work to gently exfoliate the skin, while honey and turmeric moisturize and soothe. You can increase the exfoliation of this recipe by gently massaging your skin as you rinse this mask away.”

GATHER:
1 tablespoon besan (chickpea) flour 1 tablespoon plain whole milk yogurt 1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon ground turmeric

DIY IT:
Combine ingredients in a small bowl and whisk together.

MANDARIN ORANGE AND NEROLI PERFUME

MAKES: .31 FLUID OUNCES

We asked our friends at Aura Cacia to share their stunning homemade perfume recipe with us. The marriage of Mandarin orange with Neroli essential oils is a match made in perfume heaven. We matched this DIY perfume with a Cheryl Saban handblown glass perfume bottle ($150; cherylsabandesigns.com) which lets you dab on a little (or a lot) of this sweet scent.

GATHER:
5 drops Aura Cacia Mandarin Orange Essential Oil
5 drops Aura Cacia Neroli (in jojoba oil)
2 teaspoons Aura Cacia Organic Jojoba Skin Care Oil
.31-ounce amber glass roll-on bottle

DIY IT:
Add essential oils and jojoba oil into bottle, add lid, and shake gently until well blended. To use, apply 2 to 3 swipes to pulse points on wrists, neck and inside elbows.

STRAWBERRY OAT MASK

MAKES ONE APPLICATION

“This pretty pink facial mask uses the natural acids found in strawberries and yogurt to gently brighten and exfoliate dull dry skin,” says Mary Helen. “Soothing oats, moisturizing honey, and a pinch of detoxifying bentonite clay make it ideal for giving your complexion a quick boost.”

GATHER:
1 tablespoon whole oats
2 medium-sized strawberries, chopped 1 tablespoon plain whole milk yogurt
1 teaspoon honey
2 teaspoons bentonite clay

DIY IT:
Combine whole oats, strawberries, yogurt, and honey in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Remove mixture to small bowl and whisk in bentonite clay.

how to master masks

Drape a warm, damp washcloth over your face to moisten skin.

Apply mask liberally to face, neck, and décolletage. Avoid your eyes, mouth, and nostrils.

Allow mask to set for up to 20 minutes. Remove mask immediately if it feels tight or itchy.

Rinse mask with warm water. Follow with toner and moisturizer.