Home Mixtures for Problem Skin

Winter is coming which means that cases of dry , itchy skin will become more common. Here are some more home remedies to help you stay soft, moisturized and free of the chemicals in commercial lotions.

Buttermilk has been used in the USA since the earliest settlers arrived to help moisturize dry skin, including buttermilk baths to keep the whole body in tip-top skin condition. If you suffer dry facial skin, try dabbing buttermilk on before allowing it to air dry and subsequently washing it off with warm water.

The Native American Indians on the other hand have traditionally used the oil of the Jojoba plant to keep their skin moist and to keep minor irritations, rashes and skin blemishes at bay. This is because Jojoba has well established anti-inflammatory qualities making it an ideal skin treatment for those with minor skin problems and irritations.

St. John's Wort is another herbal remedy that is highly recommended for dealing with dry skin too. It works especially well if you are having problems with chapped or damaged skin in particularly cold weather or if you suffer dry skin as a result of exposure to strong detergents.

There are also several ways to dry out oily skin. Your teen might find these treatments effective for acne.

The first and easiest thing to do is to avoid washing your skin too much. All that does is encourage the skin to produce even more oil. Instead, use tissues to dab away any excess oil as often as necessary.

An alternative is to dip a washcloth in natural yoghurt before dabbing it on the greasier areas of your skin. Allow the yoghurt to dry and it will bring the excess oil away with it.

An oily skin recipe that many find to be highly effective is a mixture of 1 egg white, ½ a cup of oatmeal, ½ a cup of mashed apple and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Mix all the ingredients together to a smooth paste, apply to your face for 15 minutes and then rinse off with warm water.

Exfoliating your face keeps it healthy too. An alternative exfoliant recipe that is especially effective for oily skin is a mix of 3 tablespoons of aloe vera gel, 1 tablespoon each of lime juice and honey and 2 tablespoons of brown sugar. Start by combining the aloe vera and honey until the mixture is completely smooth before adding the lime juice and then the sugar.

Apply the mask to the complete facial area with the tips of your fingers (once again, be gentle), leave on for 15 minutes and finally rinse the mixture off with warm water.

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Natural Face Masks to Make At Home

If you need to clear up your complexion or help your teen get over acne or blackheads here are some simple natural homemade masks that can be applied that do not contain the harmful chemicals that commercial cosmetics do.

Rose, honey and oatmeal face mask: There are many different ways that you can make superbly effective face masks using entirely natural materials. These face masks help you to cleanse your skin far more effectively than you could ever do with just soap and water and of course, every one of them is 100% natural.

In this case, take one third of a cup of well ground oatmeal and combine it with 1/8 of a cup of rose petals. The fresher the petals are, they better it is so they should ideally be fresh off the plant. Crush them before adding to the mix.

Add to four tablespoons of runny honey (if you are using more solid honey, warm it so that it becomes liquefied) before applying the mixture to your face. Leave it on for half an hour or so (why not relax in a nice hot bath infused with rose petals as well?) before washing the mixture off with warm water.

Apple crush facial mask: As the name probably suggests, you need an apple for this face mask recipe. You also need one tablespoon of lemon juice and a tablespoon of dried herbs of your choice (for example, lavender, spinning, chamomile, sage or anything else you have available).

Drop the apple in how water and cook it until it can be mashed easily. Mash the apple and add the lemon juice and herbs, getting rid of the pulpy apple remains. Once the temperature of the mixture is cool enough to do so comfortably, apply the mix to your face as a mask.

Leave for five minutes before washing off with warm water and a washcloth or mitt…

Lemon and egg surprise: Lemon juice is another substance that you find in many natural skincare recipes. In this case, whip up an egg white until it peaks and then pop it in the freezer for 15 minutes or so.

After this, add the juice of a lemon and one puréed or grated tomato. Apply to the skin, leave for 10 to 15 minutes and then wash off with water. Do this every day for months and you will notice a marked improvement in skin quality.

Banana, cream and honey: Take one tablespoon of honey and mix it together with half a mashed banana plus 2 tablespoons of sour cream. Apply as a face mask for 10 minutes and then wipe clean with a warm, damp cloth.

Apple and tomato mask: For this one, you need two tablespoons of plain yoghurt, ½ a tomato, 1 egg white, 2 or 3 tablespoons of whole wheat flour and 2 slices of chopped apple.

Mix all of the ingredients together, spread on dry skin and allow the mixture to dry as well, which should take around 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

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