63 woman this month | December 2011 | 4. The soothing cucumber eye gel This treatment will give you instantly brighter eyes. The cucumber calms and cools tired eyes by soothing the eye contour and simultaneously encouraging plumper skin, so that you look and feel fresher throughout day four. Blend quarter of a large cucumber until a little pulp is left. Transfer into a glass bowl and mix in one ounce of aloe vera gel. Gently apply to the under eye area. 5. The cleansing blueberry toner Blueberries are one of the strongest sources of antioxidants, which effectively neutralise damaging free radicals that can create skin cell damage and premature skin ageing. This toner will clear skin for a smooth and undamaged complexion. Blend three tablespoons of blueberries. Add half a cup of sour cream or plain yoghurt. Refrigerate for one hour. Apply to the face and leave for 15-20 minutes. 6. The firming egg anti wrinkle cream Surprisingly, egg whites act as a mask upon the skin and encourage firming and tightening of the facial skin. This cream is ideal as a quick fix on day six and helps minimise visible signs of ageing. Beat one egg white until crisp. Blend in two tablespoons of cucumber juice, one tablespoon of lemon juice and one tablespoon of rum or brandy. Keep the mixture in the fridge for two hours. Massage into the face and neck, leave on for 15 minutes and rinse off. 7. The detoxifying floral steam treatment Heating the facial skin with hot steam opens all of the pores, allowing for all the dirt to be removed. As well as being a great detox treatment, the process will also calm you. Drop some lavender flowers into a large pan of warm water and add a few drops of lavender, patchouli and tea tree essential oils. Heat the ingredients for a few minutes and pour into a large bowl. Cover your head with a towel and lean over the bowl to breathe in the aroma for about 10-15 minutes. 8. The gentle hair remover Waxing can be expensive and painful and, quite frankly, something entirely unenjoyable! This treatment uses only natural products that are good enough to eat, and allows you to take your time in the comfort of your own home. Dust the area to be waxed with cornstarch. Mix together the juice from half a lemon, one cup of sugar and quarter of a cup of honey in a glass bowl and microwave for two minutes. Stop and stir the mixture every 20-30 seconds and then let it cool down until gently warm. Use a wooden stick to spread a thin layer onto your skin. Cover the mixture with a strip of cotton fabric and stroke the strip in the direction of the hair growth. Pull the skin taut and rip away the strip against the direction of the hair growth. 9. The healing peppermint lip scrub The harsh winter weather conditions often prompt chapped and sore lips which need tending to. Take day nine to get lippy; scrub away the dry skin and build up and soothe the under skin with calming oils and Vitamin E. Pour half a teaspoon of brown sugar and half a teaspoon of caster sugar into a bowl. Add a few drops of peppermint oil, almond oil and Vitamin E oil. Dab a small amount onto the lips and rub together to gently exfoliate. Leave for a few minutes and then wipe off. 10. The divine Champagne bubble bath Champagne is always a treat and an even bigger one when you are bathing in it. This remedy has to be the ultimate in luxurious relaxation, giving you an excuse to soak and a chance to unwind on day ten. Heat water and stir in quarter of a cup of foaming soap concentrate and one tablespoon of glycerine until completely dissolved. Add quarter of a teaspoon of champagne fragrance oil and half a teaspoon of salt and stir. Allow mixture to cool and then add to your bath. 11. The energising ginger skin crème One of the most festive spices is a wonder for skin. Ginger invigorates and boosts circulation in the skin so that your complexion is smooth and glowing, giving you the appearance of vitality (even when you aren’t feeling it). Grate a two-inch piece of fresh ginger and squeeze over a small glass bowl to extract the juice. Add in two teaspoons of light sesame oil, two teaspoons of apricot kernel oil, two teaspoons of vitamin E oil and half a cup of cocoa butter. Heat the bowl until the cocoa butter has melted. Let the mixture cool and then apply to the face. 12. The brightening nail treatment Women can often end up being the ones chained to the kitchen stove during Christmas and day twelve’s treatment gives your hardworking fingers that little bit of attention they really deserve. Saturate one denture tablet with a few drops of essential oil. Drop the tablet into a small bowl of warm water. Soak fingertips for ten minutes.
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