Fruity facial
Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs), which are found in the most expensive anti-ageing cosmetics, come from ordinary fruit. This home-made mask contains vitamin A, to heal skin, and fruit enzymes to remove dead skin cells. Mash together a peeled, ripe peach, 1 teaspoon brandy and enough cornflour to make a workable paste. Smooth over face, avoiding lips and eyes. Rinse off after 10 minutes.

Get steamy
The facial steams offered at beauty salons can be easily created at home, for a fraction of the cost. They are fantastic for improving micro-circulation to the skin’s surface, opening pores for deep cleansing, and giving you a naturally healthy glow. Bring 3 cups of water to the boil and pour into a bowl. Add 4 drops of an essential oil appropriate to your skin type (dry: ylang ylang or rose; oily: peppermint or lemon; normal: calendula or chamomile). Lean over the steam and tent your head with a towel, keeping your face at least 25 cm from the water’s surface, to avoid burns. After 10 minutes, splash face with cool, fresh water.

Salt glow
Try this inexpensive treatment to remove dull, dry skin and leave you tingling all over. Mix together 1 cup of coarse sea salt (from healthfood stores) and enough olive oil to form a workable paste. Stand in the shower and scoop up small amounts with your fingers, and use to massage arms, legs and stomach with small, circular movements, always moving in towards the heart. Avoid breasts and genitals. Shower off mixture, finishing with a cool rinse.

Bathing bliss
Try a Japanese nuka bath: tie a handful of rice bran in a face flannel and drop it into warm bathwater to release vitamin-rich oils that soften skin. Ease dry or itchy skin with an old-fashioned soda bath; just pour &frac; cup of bicarbonate of soda into the water and swish to disperse it thoroughly. Or, add 1 cup Epsom salts and 5 drops each of pine, juniper and grapefruit essential oils to warm bath water. Soak for 20 minutes. This spa-style treatment helps to eliminate toxins from the body – the hot water encourages you to sweat, while the oils and salts stimulate circulation.

Beat lumps, bumps and wrinkles
Spread sour cream over rough skin on the backs of arms and legs. Leave for 10 minutes, then rinse off. The lactic acid in the cream exfoliates the skin via a natural chemical action. A tried-and-tested tip for uneven skin tone is to soak cotton pads in lemon juice, and use them to massage the affected areas. The citric acid in the juice softens and bleaches discoloured, leathery skin. Fight the ageing process with this all-natural wrinkle remedy: mix together 1 teaspoon each of brewer’s yeast and avocado oil, lightly pat into skin and allow it to dry before rinsing off. Brewer’s yeast is thought to boost collagen production in the skin, while avocado oil is a rich source of anti-ageing vitamin E.

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