This week I thought that it would be good to look at face masks and it would be fun to look at some homemade ones for you to try.

I will also be talking about footcare, particularly anybody who is not able to venture out due to age, illness and trying to keep safe.

If you do not already have a favourite face mask, here are some recipes to make your own. Remember there are plenty of mask recipes online. Patch test your skin prior to use just in case your skin rejects the ingredients and you have a reaction.

Homemade Mask Recipes:

Dry skin

  • ½ Avocado removed from the skin mashed as smooth as possible
  • 1 teaspoon of your favourite face oil or your moisturiser or vitamin E cream.
  • Avocado is very nourishing, perfect for a dry skin

Sensitive Skin

  • Soak 3rd cup of oatmeal in half a cup of hot water for approx. 3mins.
  • Three teaspoons of turmeric powder
  • 1 Tablespoon of avocado oil or add two teaspoons of your favourite sensitive skin facial oil.
  • Oatmeal is a good anti inflammatory as is turmeric.

Acne

  • 1 tablespoon of Manuka honey
  • 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder
  • 1 drop lavender

Oily skin

  • Soak 3rd cup of oatmeal in half a cup of hot water for approx. 3mins.
  • Half of a mashed-up banana
  • 1 drop of lavender or tea tree oil.

Other ingredients to experiment with are:

  • Mayonnaise Yoghurt to revitalise and exfoliate
  • Egg whites for acne
  • Baking soda added to oatmeal for clogged pores
  • Cucumber to sooth and hydrate (blend for a mask) great to cool around the eyes.
  • Aloe Vera gel to sooth and heal
  • Cacao powder for anti-ageing
  • Lemon juice for an astringent and brightening effect (use sunscreen for a couple of weeks after though).
  • Vitamin E to nourish
  • Almond oil to nourish

I would smooth a layer of hyaluronic serum under the home-made mask, this will help to draw the ingredients in to the skin, alternatively mix the hyaluronic serum into the mask.

There is an abundance of home-made recipes to be found online. The key to choosing or making your own face mask, as with all skin care, you must know your own skin type. Remember what may be amazing on an oily skin, could be awful if used on a very sensitive skin. If in doubt, patch test first, and if you suffer with food allergies, then do not use that ingredient in a mask!

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Home made masks need to be used straight away and not saved as the ingredients can go off and it is far more pleasurable to use if the ingredients fresh.

If you are not a regular mask user, use once a week and usually no more than twice a week leaving a few days in between. While a lot of us are trying to stay at home to help the NHS now is a good time to experiment and have fun.

Competition

As a little encouragement I am setting a competition for you to send in your own mask recipe and my favourite will receive a voucher for a facial, when we get back to normal and an Elemis face mask. Please email northwich@guardiangrp.co.uk

I happen to love using a face mask on a regular basis particularly as I have got older. There are some fantastic ready-made ones on the market.

Here are my favourites:

For teen skins, congested skins or oily T-zones

Try Elemis Herbal Lavender Repair Mask, tell your teen to use sparingly. My children cleanse when they return from school and apply this to just problem areas.

Garnier and simple have developed some great sheet masks at a good price.

Tired or dull skins

For those working long hours to keep are country going you may feel that your skin is looking for a boost. Peptide Plumping Pillow face mask by Elemis is great. You can sleep in this mask too. I use this at least once a week.

Garnier Moisture Bomb does a night-time deep sea water and hyaluronic acid eye sheet mask, for puffy eyes.

Dry skin

Elemis Superfood vital Veggie Mask or their exotic cream moisturising mask, Clarins are selling some great SOS masks including SOS Hydra

CACI hydro mask, keep in the fridge for a cooling effect after the sun.

Simple and Garnier do some great sheet masks too if on a budget.

Anti-ageing

My favourite cream mask must be Pro-collagen Marine mask and the Pro-Collagen hydra – gel eye masks, great anti agers which nourish and does not leave my skin sensitive, I alternate with the plumping pillow mask. I have also just started to trial Teresa Tarmey massage tool and silicone mask, I will share my review. Trinny Woodall recommended it …

My favourite anti-ageing sheet mas at the moment before a night out has to be Super Restorative Instant Lift Serum Mask.

This is one that you need to lie down for, but it really leaves your skin looking glowing and bright.

Remember once your mask has been removed you must apply your usual moisturising routine.

Feet

It is often easy to forget about or neglect our feet, un yet they work so hard, and the state of our feet can really effect our health. For anybody during lockdown who cannot reach their own feet, there are podiatrists that will still see you if you need.

It is important if you have poor skin healing particularly diabetics that you don’t allow your feet to get overly dry or cracked, and not to allow the nails to grow too long.

Tips for your feet

• Exfoliate regularly with a pumice or Scholl sell an electric foot file which I love. You must maintain by following the cleaning instructions after each use.

• Moisturise at least daily, I try to apply foot cream twice a day. My favourite foot creams are

• Soak your feet once a week, if you get fungal infections use some tea tree oil in the foot bath or lavender for healing. Rosemary can invigorate, but do not use rosemary if you are epileptic.

• Scholl do a dry skin foot mask a lovely weekly treat for dry feet or use as and when you feel.

Tea Tree

Tea tree oil is a great oil to always have at home. It is a small tree or shrub native to Australia. I love the Australian body care one. Always patch test before using any oil, I have a couple of clients who are allergic to it.

I use it to treat spots, as a natural insect repellent, I also burn it in the house if any of the family have been sick.

I find it to be good to help to treat with athletes’ foot.

This oil is reasonably priced and has been known to be active against some bacteria, fungi and viruses.

Take on holiday as a good antiseptic.