10 to 12 pieces of ripe strawberries washed and trimmed
2 tablespoons of honey, any kind

---

Banana Or Avocado Facial Mask
(Moisturizes normal to dry skin)

2 large bananas, ripe ( Cavendish,lakatan or bongolan ) peeled or
1 avocado, ripe with flesh scooped out
1 tablespoon of honey ( optional )

Mash bananas or avocado with a fork. Do not over-mash unless you want a soupy mask. (Your facial is ready at this point but adding honey helps the fruit to adhere to your face). Apply the facial over your face and neck. Leave for 15 minutes then wash off with water.

---

Tangy Tomato Facial Cleanser
(For oily skin,a wonderful antiwrinkle treatment)

2 fully ripe tomatoes
½ cup fresh milk

Puree tomatoes in a blender and pour puree through a strainer into milk. Smooth this mixture onto the face and neck. Leave on for 10 minutes then rinse with water. Pat dry! You may use this mixture for up to 2 times a day for 1 week. This recipe is good for two applications. Refrigerate only up to 6 hours.

---

Gentle Oatmeal Or Walnut Cleanser
(For sensitive skin)

¼ cup instant oatmeal or walnuts
plain yogurt

In a blender, grind oatmeal or walnuts to a very fine meal. Pour into a small glass bowl and stir in enough yogurt to form a paste. Smooth the cleanser over your entire face, avoiding the eye area. Leave for 10 to 15 minutes then wash off with warm water.

---

Sweet Milk Facial
(For dry flaky skin)

1 ½ tablespoons fresh whole milk
2 tablespoons honey, any kind

Combine milk and honey, stir vigorously. Smooth the paste onto your face and neck. Leave for 15 to 20 minutes. Wash the mask off with clean tap water. Pat dry!

---

Everyday Fruit Facial

Fresh Juice of any of the following fruits : lemon(calamansi), lime,
strawberries, grapes, apples, oranges, tomatos

Using your fingertips, dab fruit juice on your face. Leave for 10 minutes then wash off. Do this once a day. These fruits contain alpha-hydroxy acid (AHA) that loosen dead skin cells and cause them to fall away from new cells, leaving your face smooth and soft. Regular treatment with AHA will increase sensitivity to sun exposure, so do use sun protection. Other sources of AHA from the kitchen includes applesauce, apple cider vinegar, yogurt, milk, sour cream, powdered milk, grape juice, wine, cream of tartar and sugar cane.

---

Olive Oil Exfoliant
(For all skin types)

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon of rice powder

Mix oil and rice powder in a small dip. Apply onto face and neck. Gently rub all over using circular motion. Carefully wipe off with tissue paper. Wash with your favorite soap and warm water.

---

Skin-Care Concoctions from your kitchen
(For Hands)

Apple Cider Vinegar or Lemon Hand Toner
(To balance pH from exposure to alkali laundry & dishwashing detergents)

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
8 cups water

Mix vinegar and water in a screw-capped glass bottle. Rinse hands with this solution after handling alkaline detergents. This should restore the natural pH balance of your skin.

---

Cucumbers and Teabags

Slice chilled cucumbers ¼ inch thick and place on closed eyes for
5 to 10 minutes! Flip the
Cucumbers and do the same.

Place used teabags in resealable plastic bags and refrigerate. Apply teabags to your eyes as you would the cucumbers.

It's the coolness rather than anything else that makes cucumbers and teabags effective in soothing eyes and reducing eye bags!

---

Herbal Hand Bath
(To sooth tired hands)

3 to 4 cups water
1 tablespoon of combination of chamomile tea, elder flower tea, bergamot tea,dried sage, dried rosemary and mint

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Turn the heat off. Add herbs and leave to steep until infusion is warm enough to the touch. Strain. Soak hands for 15 minutes. Dry hands thoroughly and either do a hand exfoliating scrub or simply apply a moisturizer.

---

Milk Bath
(To soothe, rejuvenate and soften hands)

3 to 4 cups water
½ cup powdered whole or skim milk
3 tablespoons honey

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a near boil. Stir in milk powder and honey until well blended. Turn the heat off. When mixture is warm enough to the touch, soak hands for 15 minutes. Rinse with warm water. Pat dry!

---

Sugar Exfoliant
(For normal to dry skin)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoonsnsugar ( the coarser, the better)

Mix oil and sugar and gently rub into palms, back of hands and if you wish, wrist !
Rinse hands well with warm water. Pat dry. If your hands are very coarse and dry, substitute lemon juice for the oil.

---

Moisturizing Hand Cream

2 teaspoons honey
½ cup unsalted butter or olive margarine
1 to 2 tablespoons strong chamomile, jasmine or orange spice tea

With a wire whisk, whip all three ingredients into a rich cream. Smooth on hands. Refrigerate
any unused cream especially during the summer months.

---

Nourishing Lotion

5 to 6 bags chamomile tea
3 tablespoons honey
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons wheat germ

Soak tea bags in milk for 3 to 5 hours. Refrigerate to prevent milk from spoiling. Remove teabags. Blend in honey and wheat germ. It's ready for use.
Place in a screw- capped glass jar and refrigerate any unused portion for up to 5 days.

---

Skin-Care Concoctions from your kitchen
(For the Feet)

Lemon Foot Cleanser

½ cup fresh lemon juice
½ cup water
Paper or hand towels

Mix lemon juice and water. Dip towel into mixture and apply on your feet. Leave on for 10 minutes then rinse with tap water. Remove odors, softens and smoothens skin.

---

Skin-Care Concoctions from your kitchen
(For the Body)

Cleopatra's Famous Milk Bath (For silky soft skin)

4 to 5 cups fresh milk or
1 to 2 cups powdered whole milk

Add the milk to warm bathing water. Soak whole body for 20 to 30 minutes. Gently scrub yourself with a loofah or washcloth. Rinse thoroughly with water.

The lactic acid ( an AHA ) content of milk can get rid of dead skin and cleanse the skin down to its deepest layers. Do not use this preparation if you are allergic to milk products.

---

Honey Bath
(To rejuvenate, tone and soften skin)

3 tablespoons honey, any kind
1 ½ cups hot water
¼ cup fresh lemon juice or apple cider vinegar

Dissolve honey in hot water. Add lemon juice or vinegar. Pour mixture into bath water.
Soak in it for at least 20 minutes. Scrub with loofah. Rinse thoroughly in warm water.
Pat dry and apply moisturizers.

---

Relaxing Bath Soak
Add ½ cup baking soda to warm water to soothe and condition your skin.
Leaves your skin feeling fresh and silky smooth, while eliminating odors associated with hot weather.

---

Salt Scrub
Make a paste out of kosher (not iodized) sea salt and water and rub all over
body before a bath soak or shower. Let it sit for 1 to 2 minutes before a thorough rinse.

---

Sweet Oatmeal Scrub
(For really smooth skin)

½ cup instant oats, ground in a grinder
½ cup sugar, coarse granulated type
1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
2 to 4 tablespoons whole milk

In a clean glass jar, mix all ingredients into a smooth paste. Alternatively, you may mash in ½ cup fresh aloe vera gel for healing wounds or sunburn. Gently rub onto damp skin. Leave for 5 minutes. Rinse well with warm water.

---

Relax and treat yourself to these unbelievably easy-to-make and easy-to-use skincare recipes. They are generally safe because the concoctions are whipped up from edible, all natural ingredients!

A few Precautions

Apply a small amount of the preparation on your inner arm. Leave for 15 minutes then wash off with water. If redness or any irritation occurs, try another recipe. If skin remains normal,then go ahead. Avoid the eye area. Always use freshly drawn water, otherwise, use spring or mineral water. A food processor, blender or coffee grinder is a great aid in most of the recipes. You can experiment to find out which ingredients work well for you. To avoid irritation, space the frequency of trail treatments, especially with exfoliants and scrubs. For instance, do not try 2 different scrubs or baths in 1 day. 1 or 2 experimental attempts a week will suffice.

Ingredients for healthy, beautiful skin The ingredients used in these beauty concoctions contain a lot of essential nutrients and possess unique roperties beneficial to our skin. For example, oatmeal is hypoallergenic and known to soften skin and heal dry and itchy skin. Milk, yogurt and other dairy products nourish, hydrate and soothe skin and contain lactic acid, which is an AHA. Honey is a wonderful hydrant enriched with enzymes, minerals, vitamins and amino acids. T also helps retain skin moisture and is therefore rejuvenating. Wheat germ is high in protein and vitamins B and E, which make it nourishing, soothing and helpful in preventing damage caused by free radicals. Texture makes wheat gentle exfoliant.

Chamomile soothes and softens skin. Rosemary stimulates circulation to skin. This Mediterranean herb has great toning and astringent properties that help clear and revitalize congested skin.

Many fruits are effective in exfoliating, toning and delivering nutrition to the skin.

Recipes for the face, hand and body are suitable for the feet as well. As a rule, any preparation that is suitable for your face works for the rest of your body. But, not all that is acceptable to the rest of the body is good for the face. Facial skin is very sensitive. Always start with your hair tied or held back and your face freshly washed with water and your favorite soap.

Healthy Lifestyle still the KEY

Your skin will definitely thank you for these pampering treatments but the concoctions do have their limitations. Our skin does not absorb nutrients as well as our digestive system - its absorptive capabilities are limited. Therefore, for gorgeous looking skin, it is still best to maintain a balanced diet, regular exercise and a healthy lifestyle !

~ HAVE A FRUITFUL TIME WITH ALL THESE RECIPES AND GOD BLESS YOU! ~