While we're all guilty of looking in the mirror and wondering when on earth those frown lines got so deep, the majority of us can't afford the time - or the money - to go for regular detoxifying-exfoliating-anti-ageing-revitalising facials. (As much as we'd love to.)
I am no exception: dripping in vanity, but completely and utterly skint.
So short of using the Carrot Dating app, what's the solution?
Skin therapist Nataliya Robinson says that your beauty regime doesn't need to be full of expensive beauty products.
Everything you need to keep your skin at its best can be found in the kitchen cupboard. Or - if you're not the type of household that stocks raw honey - at the local market or supermarket.
The DIY raw organic facial she recommends is cheap, easy and fits easily into your busy schedule.
When I meet Nataliya to get tips on how to bring her salon expertise home, she is sweet but honest.
As a 25-year-old London-based gal, who likes the sun, cycles to work and drinks too much on the weekend (and during the week), I'm told my skin isn't at its best.
"You've got some light skin damage," she tells me as she gently takes my make-up off. "And cycling everyday exposes your face to a lot pollution."
When my face crumples with disappointment she reassures me that luckily the damage is not too serious, but that I should take better care. I agree, deciding not to reveal that I regularly sleep in my make-up.
See Also:
Can Prescriptive Skincare Help Treat My Spotty 30-Something Skin?
LOOK: Make-Up Artist Reveals Jaw-Dropping Before And After Photos
I learn that olive oil is a perfect make-up remover my oily/combination skin tone and exfoliating with manuka honey will unblock my large pores.
When I tell her about my own beauty regime - a mix of potions from bottles of varying sizes - she warns me against chemicals regularly found in beauty products.
"Using plant-based ingredients doesn't mean that glowing radiant skin needs to be compromised," she says. "Also, we can create our own natural skin care regime based around our own ethical beliefs: for example, vegan, fair trade, or organic."
Here are Nataliya's beauty tips to make your very own DIY organic facial, from the comfort of your own kitchen.
Cleanse
Massage one to two teaspoons of olive oil into your face. Olive oil is a gentle cleanser, cleansing the skin without stripping it of its protective layer.
Massaging the oil into your face for a minute will dissolve it into your pores. Then soak a soft wash cloth or flannel in hot water and gently wipe off all traces of the oil and dirt.
Exfoliate
Nataliya's "raw face scrub" will remove the dead skin cells from your face. Its main ingredient is oats, known for their hypoallergenic, moisturising and exfoliating properties. Oats also contain amino acids - ideal for repairing damaged skin.
Ingredients for "raw face scrub":
- Measure out 2 teaspoons of oats.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon of baking soda.
- Split open 1 tea bag (rose hip or green tea) and add to the mixture.
- Finally, add aloe vera gel and a little water.
- Mix all these ingredients until they form a paste.
- Gently massage this paste onto your face. Rinse off with warm water.
Tone
Now for the "raw cucumber lightening toner". Cucumber is a natural skin cleanser, which refreshes and tightens the skin.
Cut some cucumber slices and apply them directly to your face by using them like cotton wipes. Leave your face to dry naturally.
Mask
This is a "raw skin feeder". This mask will help nourish, heal, soothe and moisturise your skin. (Those who suffer with Eczema can try it for relief from itchiness.)
Ingredients for "raw skin feeder":
- 1/2 Ripe Organic Avocado
- 1/4 Cup Raw Organic Honey
- Add a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice (if skin is oily)
- Add 1 egg yolk (if skin is dry).
- Then mix to form a paste.
- Apply this mixture onto the face and leave it for 15-20 mins. Then rinse off with water.
In-salon treatments
Facial cosmetic acupuncture treatment could follow the mask application.
This painless process uses natural procedures to effectively relieve muscle tension, soften fine lines and provide a natural lifting effect. It can also help reduce the signs of ageing by revitalising the skin.
For further muscle tone lift a massage with coconut oil would then be given. Coconut oil is renowned as a moisturiser, antibiotic, multivitamin, anti-ageing, and anti-oxidant all-in-one.