Natural Secrets of Beauty — Part 5

Adapted from “Secrets of Youth and Beauty” by Daniele Ryman.

The jawline and neck are very delicate areas. They are the first places to show your age.

However, essential oils combined with massage can work wonders.

Use the following oil to massage into your neck and jawline. Always use upwards movements and gently lift, pinch and hold the skin to help tone and lift it.

Sandalwood Neck Oil
10ml (1 dspn) jojoba oil
8ml (1 1/2 tspn) avocado oil
2 capsules borage oil
4 capsules wheatgerm oil
10 drops essential oil of sandalwood
5 drops essential oil of bois de rose
2 drops essential oil of either petit grain or orange
50ml bottle

Mix together in the bottle and shake well. To help penetration of the oil, place a hot cloth on your face for a few minutes.

Apply every night until used up — this recipe gives enough for two to three weeks’ supply. Repeat the process two or three times a year.

Keep in the fridge or a cool place.

Natural Secrets of Beauty — Part 4

Adapted from “Secrets of Youth and Beauty” by Daniele Ryman.

Women are forever looking for new ways of enhancing their lips. Collagen injections and High-Street lip plumps head the list. What we dread, however, is the ghastly “trout pout”.

Many women are now turning to natural balms which have a gentler action. The following natural lip plump is an inexpensive home remedy.

Simply massage it into your lips twice a day and you will have fuller lips in no time at all.

You will need :

10ml (1 tbspn) jojoba oil
5ml (1 tspn) castor oil
5ml (1 tspn) argan oil
2 capsules wheatgerm oil
A 50ml bottle

Mix all the ingredients in the bottle and apply to the lips, gently pressing in with the fingertips. Massage into the skin around the mouth in a clockwise direction, pulling out both upper and lower lips slightly and rubbing in.

Apply a little more oil to the lips and leave for a few minutes before removing the surplus with a tissue. Ideally use twice a day.

The oil will keep for a month in the fridge.

Natural Secrets of Beauty — Part 3

Adapted from “Secrets of Youth and Beauty” by Daniele Ryman.

Many creams intended to beautify the eyes and the surrounding skin can have the opposite effect. The following light gel, which you can make up yourself, will naturally ease the symptoms.

The causes of puffy, darkened and unhealthy looking eyes are usually late nights, too much alcohol, cigarette smoke and allergies. Bags under the eyes may also indicate kidney problems.

Apply a little of this gel –which will keep for three days in a refrigerator — to boost circulation and reduce puffiness, lines and wrinkles.

Eye Gel
Half a cucumber, liquidized
1 capsule wheatgerm oil
50ml herbal infusion of either marigold, fennel, comfrey or parsley (one teaspoon of herb)

Make up the herbal infusion in 50ml of boiled water, cool and strain. Stir it into the liquidized cucumber with the contents of the wheatgerm capsule.

Apply a little to the skin around the eyes and pat it in.

Natural Secrets of Beauty — Part 2

Adapted from “Secrets of Youth and Beauty” by Daniele Ryman.

There are lots of things that can go wrong with the face, whether it’s naturally pretty or not.

For example, broken capillaries or spider veins can be particularly visible on the cheeks. If you have this problem, avoid hot baths and showers, hot facials, too much sun and especially alcohol, as these cause capillaries to dilate.

Vitamin C in your diet is important, as is rutin, a bioflavanoid found in the pith of citrus fruits. These can often be found together in supplements. Both are good for strengthening vein walls.

Also, parsley is an effective essential oil which slows down the spread of broken capillaries and moderates their appearance.

Another essential oil for this problem is oil of chamomile. So are violet leaves and orange oils.

Here’s a recipe for a face oil for broken capillaries you can make up yourself at home:

30ml (2 tbspn) rose masqueta oil
10ml (1 dspn) argan oil
2 capsules borage oil
2 capsules wheatgerm oil
6 drops essential oil of parsley
2 drops essential oil of chamomile, violet leaves or orange
50ml bottle

Mix together in the bottle and it’s ready for use.

Apply to the face after cleansing, preferably in the morning. After ten minutes, remove surplus.

The oil will keep for two to three months.