My name is Joyce and i am a 44 year old beauty specialist. I opened my own salon along side my home. I have built up a nice little customer base, but even though most of the products i use are chemical free there are some that still have them in. I have made my own skin natural  products for my own use for some time now and over the next couple of months i hope to go completely chemical free in the salon by making my own range of natural products.

The reason for setting up my blog (please bear with me as i am not that great on the computer, this is my first time at setting up a blog page) is to bring natural recipes for skin care and some lovely little tips to you and to show you don`t have to spend a fortune on products. Nearly all the ingredients can be found in the kitchen and supermarket.

Before i give you some recipes there are a few more things i`d like to say and perhaps you`d like to send some feedback.  

      Discover the fun of natural beauty at a very cost affective way to the natural beauty that is inside all of us,

 These cheap but affective treatments are easy to make, the ingredients are easy to buy, with no chemicals and the results are fantastic. The natural enzymes that are found in the foods we use everyday have been used in beauty remedies as long as we have inhabited this world; the Egyptians are the most famous for using fruits and vegetable oil in their daily routine. The problem with modern beauty creams are the chemicals that they use.        Even though they are only used in tiny amounts in the creams, our skin absorbs 60% of what we put on it, these chemicals are absorb into the skin and over time they build up in our system.

   Vegetable oils such as olive oil (of which I am a huge fan of, not only in cooking, but in the products I make for the face and body), is fantastic for the skin not only its ability of mixing with other ingredients but it is a great source of vitamin E which as been greatly used by the cosmetic industry for years. The skin is happy to absorb olive oil, so it isn’t blocking the pores of the skin.

I have put together some of my great quick fix tips along with facial exercises to tone the neck, throat, lips, cheeks and eyes to help give the face a younger appearance.

We tend as women to feel guilty about giving ourselves an hour of me time. With our busy work schedules or home life or both, we tend to neglect our needs till one day we look in the mirror and our life styles have caught up with our looks, so remember if you look good you feel good and that has to be a positive place to be at. Not everyone can afford or have the time for a weekly visit to the beauty salon or spa but we can have an extra 30 minutes in the bathroom to revive the real woman inside us all and we deserve this as full time housewife, mother, wage earner and everything else our lives demand from us, a little me time can save our sanity and looks, as good looking skin isn’t just for the young.

Try as much as possible to use organic products, the more natural the better but remember it doesn’t matter too much if you can’t.  Remember don’t put pressure on yourself, there’s enough people out there doing that for us already.

The only thing that you should try and use is extra virgin olive oil this should be as pure as possible.

Allergies; if you see any ingredients that you may be allergic to either replace them with something else or just leave them out.

 As time goes on our skin can show the signs of ageing but its not time alone that can cause these damaging affects, work environment, stress, air pollution, lack of sleep, dehydration and poor diet.

 We all know we should drink plenty of water as it flushes out toxins, plumps up the skin and hydrates the body.  If you are like me and not a great lover of water, then try this have a glass of water just before you go to bed as this ensures there is sufficient fluid in your body to stop dehydration through the night.  Then have a glass of water as soon as you get up to flush the kidneys out before you have your morning coffee. You can get sufficient fluids through the day from teas, coffee, juice milk etc, and a really good way to see if you are getting sufficient fluid is to look at your urine when you go to the bathroom, if it is a light clear yellow your fluid intake is fine, if it is to dark or to light that means to little or to much fluid intake.

The skin elasticity’s diminishes over time through the slow down in production of collagen. To help the body keep up the production of collagen you should take a vitamin C tablet a day.

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 Exfoliation of the skin is another important ritual we should do at least twice a week for the removal of dead skin cells, so blood can flow through the layers of the skin and encourage the cells to rejuvenate.

  So it’s now time to have a look through the book, choose a treatment and go and pamper yourself. That’s right, go and get your ingredients, lock the bathroom door and indulge in the time for yourself and come out looking refreshed rejuvenated and relaxed. Most of these treatments can be used on all skin types. A piece of advice, go out and buy yourself an Aloe Vera plant.  It will be the most useful plant you will ever spend money on, just leave it in the bathroom and when you need Aloe Vera gel just break of about 1 ½ inches of  its leaf and that will give you about a tea spoon full and the leaves grow back.

 This is dedicated to all the women who have decided that they are worth and deserve an hour a couple times a week to themselves where they can leave work, children, husbands and the stress of life outside the bathroom door.

Face or body scrubs

 

Try to exfoliate twice a week. If you have very sensitive avoid the area or remove the rough ingredient then use as normal.

 

Honey babe

 

2 dtsp natural honey

2 dtsp natural yogurt

1dtsp extra virgin olive oil

1 dtsp of sugar

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl, massage in circles all over body and face, then rinse of either in the shower or in the bath. Instructions for all scrubs are the same.

 

 

Lemon scrub

 

1 dtsp E.V olive oil

2 dtsp sea salt

1 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

Aloe Vera scrub

 

2 dtsp oats

2 dtsp of brown sugar

2 tsp of Aloe Vera gel

1tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 dtsp of E.V olive oil

Citrus scrub

 

2 dtsp sea salt

1 dtsp ground ginger

1 dtsp E.V olive oil

1 tsp grated lemon peel

1dtsp grated orange peel

1 dtsp lime peel

Cleanser

These can be used instead of soap as a face wash on a daily basis

 

Honey

1 dtsp honey

1 dtsp natural yogurt

Mix together, massage in circles all over face and neck then rinse of.

Oatmeal

1 dtsp oat meal

1 dtsp natural yogurt

Mix together, massage in circles all over face and neck then rinse of.

Toners

 

These are used after you have cleansed your face and neck. Use a cotton pad to put it on and a tissue to pat dry your skin afterwards. These waters can be purchased at the pharmacy.

 

Rose water

 

 

Witch hazel

 

 

Orange water

 

 

Cold mint tea

 

 

Cold green tea bags

 

 

Face masks

 

Always make sure you’ve exfoliated before you have a mask, find a quite place like in the bath to get the benefit.

Fresh fruit face lift mask

6 strawberries

6 black grapes

½ pear

½ apple

1oz freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp honey

Chop up fruit and place all ingredients in a blender and blend together. Apply a layer of mixture all over face and neck leave for 20 minutes then rinse of. Left over mask can be put in fridge for up to 2 days.

Honey face mask

1tsp honey

1 egg white

2 tsp glycerin

1/3 cup of flour

Mix all ingredients together into a thick paste. Apply to face and neck leave for 20 minutes then rinse of

Peach mask

1 peach

1 tsp honey

1oz freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp Aloe Vera

1/3 cup of flour

De-pit peach blend all ingredients into a paste. Apply to face and neck leave for 20 minutes then rinse of.

Oat mask (great for oily skin)

 

1 heap dstp oats

1 dtsp honey

1 egg yolk

2 strawberries

Mix together into a paste apply immediately to face and neck leave for 20 minutes rinse of.

Papaya mask

 

½ the flesh of a papaya

1 dtsp honey

Instruction same as above.

Banana mask

 

½ banana

1 dtsp honey

2 dtsp sour cream

1 dtsp heap flour

Instructions same as above

Treatments for large pores

 

No 1.

2 dtsp sea salt

1oz of buttermilk

Mix into a paste, apply to affected areas leave for 5 minutes then rinse of, repeat 3 times a week.

No 2.

½ cucumber

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mash together, place in between two layers of gauze, place over face, and pat down, leave for 20 minutes then rinse of.

 

 

 

 

Acne treatments

 

These treatments will help with the managament of your acne not cure it you should see your GP he may be able to find out what is causing your out breaks and perscribe something .

 

No 1.

½ cucumber (mashed)

1 tsp Aloe Vera

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp fresh carrot juice

2 egg whites

1/3 cup fullers earth (from the pharmacy)

Mix ingredients together, apply immediately to face and neck, leave for 20 minutes then rinse of. This mask can be used on the back.

These treatments can also be used on back.

No2

2 dtsp of ground almonds

1 dtsp milk

1 dtsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1 dtsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 dtsp honey

1 vitamin A (use the contents inside the capsules).

Mix ingredients together into a paste, apply to face and neck leave for 20 minutes then rinse of.

TIP

For a quick dry out try and dab a small amount of white toothpaste on spot before you go to bed.

Body masks

 

For fantastic soft and more toned looking skin

Pineapple body mask

1 small pot natural yogurt

1 banana (mashed)

1 small tin of pineapple (empty juice)

1 dtsp honey

1 dtsp E.V olive oil

1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

1 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

Mix all the ingredients together, massage in circles all over body, wrap up in a warm dressing gown and relax for 30 minutes then rinse of. Instructions for all body masks are the same.

Papaya body mask

 

1 papaya ( the flesh of the whole fruit mashed )

1 dtsp honey

1 small pot natural yogurt

1 dtsp E.V olive oil

Mud body mask

 

1 large cup of Fuller’s earth

2 tsp Aloe Vera

1 avocado ( the flesh mashed )

1 tsp freshly squeezed orange juice

2 dtsp E.V olive oil

Foot treatment

 

Cinnamon and ginger foot scrub

1 dtsp honey

1tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground ginger

1 dtsp E.V olive oil

1 dtsp sugar

Mix all the ingredients together, massage into feet, place each foot in a plastic bag for an hour then soak and rinse in foot soak.

Peppermint foot soak

1 bowl of warm water

2 dtsp Epson salts

2 dtsp bread soda

3 drops of peppermint oil

3 drops of tea tree oil

Place all ingredients in water and stir, soak feet for 10 minutes pat dry and apply foot lotion.

Peppermint foot lotion

1 dtsp of Aqueous cream

3 drops of peppermint oil

2 drops of tea tree oil

Pair of cotton socks

Mix ingredients together, massage into feet, place on socks for an hour then reveal soft comfortable feet.

So you don’t scuff the skin.

 Remember that your feet work harder then we relies caring us to were we need to go, supporting us for hours on end and they are usually the last part of our body we treat. Start today be a friend to your feet.

Hand treatments

Hand scrub

 

1tsp E.V olive oil

1tsp of sugar

1tsp of orange juice

Mix ingredients together, then rub all over hands, place into cotton or rubber gloves for 20 minutes then rinse of.

Hand lotion

 

1tsp of aqueous cream

2 drops of lavender oil

 

Instructions same as above.

 

Bath soaks

Place all ingredients in the bath and soak for 30 minutes

 

1 mashed banana

2 dtsp milk

2 dtsp coconut milk

1 small pot of natural yogurt

2 dtsp honey

5 drops lavender oil

———————————————-

2 dtsp honey

1 litre milk

5 drops lavender (relaxing )

Or

5 drops orange oil

2 dtsp Epson salts

2 dtsp bread soda

Same instruction as above

 

Hair

 

Deep conditioner

 

1 small jar of real mayonnaise

½ avocado flesh

Mix the two ingredients together, massage into hair, wrap in towel for 30 minutes then rinse out.

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Dry hair

 

1 egg yolk

1dtsp E.V olive oil

Mix two ingredients together, massage into hair, wrap in a towel for 30 minutes then shampoo twice.

Dry itchy scalp

Crush 1 aspirin into you shampoo each time you wash your hair to relieve this condition.

Greasy hair rinse

 

Take 5 mint tea bags and make a pot of tea, allow tea to cool and then use the tincture as your final rinse when washing your hair, the tincture washes out the remaining oils left in your hair. 

Or

2eggs, 1dtsp vinegar, 2 dtsp lime juice

Instruction as above

Puffy eye treatments

 

Place either of these ingredients over the eyes for 15 minutes

If possible keep in fridge.

 

2 thin slices of cucumber

 

2 thin slices of apple

 

2 thin slices of potato

 

2 cold tea bags

 

2 cold mint tea bags

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tips

 

Face

 

1. For a quickie face lift for a night out, while you’re running around getting everyone organized put egg white all over your face for 20 minutes then rinse of when you have your shower.

 

2. Eyebrows, to keep unruly brows or just to define the shape place a smear of Vaseline on to the tip of your finger and smooth along the shape of your brow.

 

 

 

 Lips

Place a small amount of olive oil on a toothbrush and lightly brush them, this removes dead skin from the lips and increases the blood flow the results are soft plumped lips

Hands

 

When you are doing the washing up or housework massage a good amount of hand cream into your hands then put a pair of gloves (rubber etc)When you have finished, take of the gloves to reveal beautiful smooth hands.

Nails

Rub E.V. olive oil into your cuticles to keep them soft, also when drying hands push cuticles back with towel to keep cuticles short and tidy.

Stained nails

Place a drop of your favorite essential oil on to a denture tablet and dissolve in a bowl of water and soak nails for 15 minutes.

Toe nails

When cutting or filing nails go straight across the nail do not shape and never go beneath the two nail groves on either side of the nail.

Facial exercises

 

Neck and throat

 

No 1

Sit upright, tilt your head back so you are looking at the ceiling, while keeping lips closed start a chewing motion. Do for 10 counts, repeat 5times.

No 2

In the same starting position, pucker your lips into a kissing position and try to stretch the kiss towards the ceiling hold for a count of 10, repeat 5 times.

No 3

Sit upright, facing forwards, push your lower jaw forwards till you feel the stretch, now tilt your head till you are looking at the ceiling feel the stretch hold for a count of 10, repeat 5 times.

 No 4

Sit upright , facing forward, keep your closed with you’re the tip of your tongue touch the roof  now walk it back along the roof feel the stretch, hold for count of 10, repeats 5 times.

Eyes

 

No 1

Gently tone the muscles of the eyes by lightly pressing two fingers on each temple while rapidly opening and closing the eye lids for a count of 10, repeat 5 times.

No 2

With eyes open lightly place a finger length ways along the bottom lid, now raise and lower the bottom lid for a count of 10, repeat 5 times.

No 3

Sit upright with your eyes open facing forward, now raise your eyebrows whilst closing your eyes then open

while lowering your eyebrows do for the count of 10, repeat 5 times.

No 4

Sit upright with your eyes looking forward, look up then down, right then left, circle eyes left to right, then circle right to left, repeat 10 times.

Lips

 

No 1

Sit upright, facing forward, purse the lips into a kiss, lift the kiss up towards the nose and hold for 10 counts, repeat 5 times.

No2

Sit upright, facing forward, keeping lips closed , teeth together, do a broad smile without opening the lips hold for a count of 5, then move the closed lips into the kissing position and hold for the count of 5, repeat 5 times.

Cheeks

No 1

Have a relaxed smile with lips closed, suck in cheeks between teeth hold for a count for 10, repeat 5 times.

No 2

Place your first 2 fingers onto the cheek bones, then gently raise then

lower your cheek muscles for a count of 10, repeat 5 times.

No 3

Keep your lips and teeth closed, blow air into your top lip the move it to your right cheek, then to bottom lip, then left cheek back to upper lip,  now do it the opposite way, do for the count of 10, repeat 5 times.

No 4

Raise the cheeks while wrinkling the nose up then lower, do for the count of 10, repeat 5 times.

Remember a little beauty saying, if you wouldn’t put it in your body don’t put it on it, this is one of the rules for not using chemicals