Image: sxc.hu

Ingredients:

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup natural honey
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (canned)

Directions:

1. Stir ingredients together in a medium bowl.
2. Draw a warm bath.
3. Slather your face and body with the mask.
4. Get into the bath and soak for 15 minutes.
5. Rinse in the shower.

Do you use any homemade beauty treatments? Leave your comments and let us know what has worked for you.

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Yogurt Pumpkin Body Mask

Image: Honey.com

Smoothing Skin Lotion

• Mix 1 teaspoon honey with 1 teaspoon vegetable oil and 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice.
• Rub into hands, elbows, heels and anywhere that feels dry. Leave on 10 minutes. Rinse off with water.

Skin Softening Bath

• Add 1/4 cup honey to bath water for a fragrant, silky bath.

Hair Shine

• Stir 1 teaspoon honey into 4 cups (1 quart) warm water. Blondes may wish to add a squeeze of lemon.
• After shampooing, pour mixture through hair. Do not rinse out. Dry as normal.

Here are some historical honey beauty secrets also provided by the National Honey Board.

Madame du Barry, the infamous last mistress of Louis XV, used honey as a form of facial mask, lying down for a rest while the honey did its work.

Cleopatra of Egypt regularly took honey and milk baths to maintain her youthful appearance.

It was said that Queen Anne of England used a honey and oil concoction to keep her long hair lustrous, thick and shiny.

It was claimed that another famous Englishwoman, Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough, used her own secret recipe for a honey water to keep her hair beautiful.

Chinese women have a tradition of using a blend of honey and ground orange seeds to keep their skin blemish-free.

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3 Simple Honey Beauty Recipes

Image: Honey.com

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup pure honey
• 2/3 cup shea butter, (can substitute cocoa butter)
• 3 Tablespoons wheat germ oil
• 2 teaspoons grapefruit seed extract, optional
• 3 drops sandalwood oil, optional
• 2 to 3 sheets 24-karat gold leaf

Directions

Blend honey, shea butter and wheat germ oil until completely mixed. If using cocoa butter, soften in a double boiler or microwave.

Add grapefruit seed extract and sandalwood oil.

Crush 2 to 3 sheets of 24-karat gold leaf until almost powder consistency and add to mixture.

Apply to clean, damp skin. Let absorb completely before wearing clothing.

Recipe courtesy of the National Honey Board.

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24-Karat Gold Silk Body Butter

Image: istockphoto

Ingredients:

• 4-5 small strawberries
• 2 tablespoons of yogurt
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoons of honey
• 2 spoonfuls of oatmeal

The strawberries contain natural antioxidants which protect your skin from free radicals. Berries also help to absorb oil and treat breakouts. The yogurt helps refine pores and tone skin, while the olive oil hydrates and nourishes the skin.

Watch this video to see how to make this fabulous mask.

For the body, I love other yogurt-based products. For example Korres Yogurt Body Butter is really great. It leaves your skin feeling silky soft, hydrated and healthy. You can get Korres body butter from Sepora for $29 for a 7.9 oz. tube.

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Yogurt-Based Beauty Products

Image: sxc.hu

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Whole Milk
• 1/2 Cup Raw Honey
• 2 teaspoons Aloe Vera Gel

Directions

1. Mix ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Pour into your warm bath as it’s filling.
3. Soak in the honey and milk bath for 20-30 minutes for maximum benefits.

Have you ever tried a milk bath? Many people mix powdered milk with essential oils like lavender or peppermint for an aromatherapy bath.

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Honey and Milk Bath Recipe

Image: istockphoto

Ingredients:

• 1 cup epsom salt
• 1/2 cup sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon glycerin
• Food coloring (red and blue to make purple)
• Lavender (or any fragrance you like) essential oil
• Glass jar with lid

Directions:

1. Combine epsom salt, sea salt and baking soda in large bowl and mix together with a wooden spoon.
2. Add 1 teaspoon of glycerin and a few drops of food coloring to get your desired shade.
3. Add 5-6 drops of essential oil and stir vigorously until ingredients are well combined.
4. If the fragrance is not strong enough for you, add a few more drops of essential oil until your get desired results.
5. Store in an air tight jar.

Also check out our previous post on how to make homemade bath bombs.

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Homemade Lavender Bath Salts

Image: sxc.hu

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp. heavy cream
• 3 tsp. cottage cheese
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup rolled oats

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients together in your blender.
2. Smooth the mask all over your face.
3. Relax for 20 minutes in the bath and then rinse with warm water.

Do you know any recipes for good homemade facial masks or other beauty treatments? Leave your comments here and let us all know!

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Cocoa Facial Mask

Image: National Honey Board

Firming Face Mask

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon honey
• 1 egg white
• 1 teaspoon glycerin (available at drug and beauty stores)
• approx. 1/4 cup flour

Directions

1. Whisk together all ingredients and enough flour to form a paste (approximately 1/4 cup).
2. Smooth over face and throat.
3. Leave on 10 minutes.
4. Rinse off with warm water.

Honey Peanut Polish

Ingredients

• 1 apricot
• 1 ripe pear
• 1/2 plum
• 3 tsp. honey
• 1/2 cup unsalted peanuts

Directions

In coffee grinder or food processor chop peanuts until almost powder consistency. Set aside. Using a blender or food processor combine apricot, pear and plum. Blend to gel consistency and place contents in glass or hard plastic bowl. Stir in honey and peanuts.

On cleansed skin apply small amount of honey peanut polish. Starting at the cheeks, massage in light circular motions moving to forehead, nose, chin and neck, reapplying product where needed. Repeat. Product may be left on skin as a mask or rinsed immediately. Remove with tepid or cool water. Pat dry skin with soft towel and follow with appropriate moisturizer. Cover and store remaining polish in refrigerator.

Benefits: Soothes dry, irritated skin. Also good for sensitive skin conditions.

Image: National Honey Board

Harvest Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask
- Makes 4 treatments -

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp. pumpkin puree
• 1 Tbsp. honey
• 4 tsp. cornmeal
• 2 tsp. aloe vera gel
• 2 tsp. pineapple, diced
• 1 tsp. green tea
• 1/2 tsp. sunflower oil
• 6 drops frankincense essential oil (optional)
• 4 drops cinnamon extract (optional)

Directions

Steep green tea in boiling water. Set aside to cool. In blender or food processor puree pineapple and place in medium-sized mixing bowl. Add pumpkin, honey and aloe. Mix well.

Stir in sunflower oil, green tea and cornmeal. Discard the remaining green tea. Add frankincense and cinnamon. Stir.

Apply small amount of pumpkin mask to cheeks, forehead, chin and neck. Massage in circular motions gently buffing skin. Repeat. Apply more product as needed.

Leave a thin layer of pumpkin mask on face and neck for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with tepid or cool water and pat dry with soft towel. Follow with appropriate moisturizer. Store remaining mask covered in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Benefits: Pumpkin enzymes dissolve dead skin cells while the cornmeal sweeps them clean. Honey has antimicrobial properties as well as moisturizes and softens. The result is a beautiful glowing complexion. Use this mask as often as you like.

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Honey Facial Mask and Body Polish

In this video, they show how to make a homemade foot scrub using olive oil and sugar. The sugar is, of course, an excellent natural exofliant, while the olive oil has hydrating properties.

Another easy homemade foot scrub can be made by combining eggs and salt.  Beat two eggs lightly, then add just enough salt to get the scrub to the texture you prefer.

After using the foot scrub and rinsing your feet with warm water, apply a your favorite moisturizing lotion or petroleum jelly to your feet and put on clean, white cotton socks overnight.

If you use the scrub weekly and a the sock treatment nightly, you feet will be in shape in no time at all.

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Olive Oil and Sugar Foot Scrub

Image: sxc.hu

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unscented shampoo
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 15 drops fragrance oil

Directions:

1. Pour shampoo into a large glass bowl and add water.
2. Stir until thoroughly mixed.
3. Add salt and continue stirring until the mixture thickens.
4. Add essential oil and stir.
5. Store in a plastic or glass bottle.

This bubble bath also can substitute as a body wash.

You can choose any fragrance you like — my favorites are the fruity fragrance oils, such as cherry, strawberry or peach. However, you can try everything from lavender to peppermint. If you like you bubble bath a little more fragrant, just add more of the oil.

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How to Make Your Own Bubble Bath