Skin Care Experts Reveal Their At-Home Beauty Recipes

POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone
POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

Sun. Stress. Sleep deprivation. The list of things wreaking havoc on your skin on the daily goes on — especially since cold weather and holiday season is here. Whether you're in need of some brightening (lemon peels, anyone?), bronzing (bring on the henna!), or bump-soothing (eggs are wonderful in more than your morning omelette), many beauty experts suggest looking into your own pantry. There, you'll discover healthy, convenient, and often cost-efficient solutions to some of your most common beauty gripes. Behold, some of their tried-and-true, tasty recipes that you can whip up to get gorgeous skin!

Coffee Body Scrub
POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

Coffee Body Scrub

What You Need:

  • 1 spoonful brown sugar
  • Almond or coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup organic coffee grinds

What to Do:

Mix brown sugar and coffee grinds, adding in almond or coconut oil until you’ve created a paste-like consistency. After your shower (in the tub to prevent a mess), massage the paste into your skin using an upward motion, concentrating heavily on any areas with cellulite. Leave the paste on for 15-20 minutes and then rinse with cool water.

Why It's Great:

"Caffeine can be used for cellulite, as it reduces the size of cellulite fat cells by 17 percent," noted Ildi Pekar, founder of Ildi Pekar Skin Care. "This will also work as a quick exfoliate to remove any dead skin so that the end result is that your skin is fresh, glowing, and has reduced cellulite!"

Nutmeg and Milk Evening Exfoliating Face Mask
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Nutmeg and Milk Evening Exfoliating Face Mask

What You Need:

  • 1/2 tablespoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 small bowl
  • 1 small spoon

What to Do:

Combine nutmeg and whole milk in small bowl, stirring well. Then, apply mask to a freshly washed, makeup-free face. Massage the mixture into your face in small circles (you can also use it on your décolletage). Leave mask on for 5-10 minutes, then rinse well with warm water and pat dry using facial sponges or a baby washcloth. Finish by applying evening moisturizer.

Why It's Great:

“Nutmeg has natural antibacterial and calming properties so it's good for healing sensitivity," explained Renee Rouleau, founder of Renee Rouleau Skin Care. "Whole milk offers natural exfoliating, hydrating, and soothing properties."

Depuffing Almond Oil Eye Pads
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Depuffing Almond Oil Eye Pads

What You Need:

  • 2 tablespoons almond oil
  • 2 teaspoons coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vitamin E oil
  • 2 tablespoons pure aloe vera gel
  • Essential oil of your choice (optional)
  • Glass bowl or jar

What to Do:

Place all ingredients in a glass bowl or jar, microwaving for 30 seconds at a time until melted together. Stir, and refrigerate until the mixture is cold.

Cut cotton pads to fit the under eye area. Soak cotton pads in the solution, and put into the freezer for a few minutes until they’re icy cold. Apply to eye area and let sit for 15 minutes, then remove. Do not rinse. Follow up with your favorite eye cream.

Why It's Great:

"The cream is frozen so it will immediately decrease puffiness and increase circulation to brighten the eye area," said Sonya Dakar, founder of the Sonya Dakar Skin Clinic. "Almond oil is an emollient, which means it makes the skin softer, and less harsh and abrasive. It has historically been used to treat psoriasis, eczema, and scarring. Virgin coconut oil has a very high scavenging effect on free radicals and is loaded with antioxidants, which have considerable antiaging effects. Aloe vera gel has strong anti-inflammatory properties, and vitamin E provides a boost of antioxidant power."

Skin Brightening and Hydrating Clay Citrus Mask
POPSUGAR Photography | Nicole Perry

Skin Brightening and Hydrating Clay Citrus Mask

What You Need:

  • 2 tablespoons Fuller’s Earth Clay
  • 1/2 teaspoon each lemon peel powder and licorice root powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon vitamin C powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon green tea extract powder
  • 3 drops lemon or lime essential oils
  • Liquids to choose from: Aloe vera juice (soothing and healing), greek yogurt (purifying and cleansing), and raw honey (nourishing and softening)

What to Do:

In a glass bowl, mix all dry ingredients. Pour in the essential oils, then slowly add your liquids of choice until you get to a smooth, thick paste. Apply to your face and neck and leave on for approx. 15 minutes (Note: do not allow the mask to dry.) Remove with a warm wet washcloth and repeat once or twice a week.

Why It's Great:

"This recipe is a great at-home surface rejuvenator that brightens and rejuvenates the skin," noted Nerida Joy, founder of the Nerida Joy Skin Care Clinic. "Everyone wants their skin to look healthy, dewy, and youthful."

Clarifying Egg Mask For Acne
POPSUGAR Photography | Jae Payne

Clarifying Egg Mask For Acne

What You Need:

  • 1 egg
  • 1/2 cup plain organic yogurt
  • 3 tablespoon almond oil

What to Do:

Whisk the egg in a bowl, then blend in the yogurt and almond oil.

Why It's Great:

"The egg is incredible for clarifying and the yogurt is anti-inflammatory. It contains acidophilus, which is antibacterial and will shrink any pimples," explained Joanna Vargas, Founder of Joanna Vargas Skincare. "The almond oil is really great because it’s hydrating. It’s rich without clogging the pores, and it’s going to leave the skin soft and dewy."

Lemon Honey Cherry Face Scrub
POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

Lemon Honey Cherry Face Scrub

What You Need:

  • 1/2 cup organic, raw honey
  • 3 tablespoon organic cherry concentrate
  • 1/2 cup organic, instant oatmeal
  • 1/2 lemon wedge

What to Do:

First, wet the oatmeal with the lemon juice. Then, blend in honey and cherry concentrate and mix well.

Why It's Great:

"Honey is a purifying, antibacterial humectant, cherry is an antioxidant-rich fruit full of skin beneficial vitamins, oatmeal is rich in skin nourishing beta glucan, and lemon is rich in Vitamin C and skin lightening powers," offered Susie Wang, cofounder of 100% Pure. "This is one of my favorites!"

Natural Body Tanner
POPSUGAR Photography | Anna Monette Roberts

Natural Body Tanner

What You Need:

  • 1/4 cup fine (additive-free) henna powder (avoid any with dyes)
  • Warm water
  • 1 heaping tablespoon active live yogurt

What to Do:

Add warm water to the henna powder 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing thoroughly until you achieve a paste-like consistency (shouldn't be runny). Then, mix the active live yogurt into it to form a smooth paste. Immediately to follow (and in the shower), apply the concoction to your wet body using gloves (being careful not to stain your hair). Leave it on for approximately 5 minutes, then rinse off to reveal a nice glow.

Why It's Great:

"Henna, in its purest form, is a prized ingredient in the Middle East and is utilized in many ways, and the Moroccan version will leave you with a color that's more bronze than, unlike some other solutions, orange or red," said Dr. Lamees Hamdan, Founder of Shiffa Dubai Skin Care.

Pre-Event Detoxifying Face Mask
POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

Pre-Event Detoxifying Face Mask

What You Need:

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil

What to Do:

Mix ingredients and then apply to face. Gently massage the scrub into skin, using a circular motion to stimulate the lymphatic system and rid it of impurities. Leave the mask on for 10 minutes. The lactic acid will assist in resurfacing, while the olive oil will act as an anti-inflammatory. Remove with tepid water.

Why It's Great:

"I love it because nothing preps you for event better than exfoliating. This mask is balanced because it gently exfoliates and is and anti-inflammatory," explained Vargas. "It will make the skin glow for miles."

Skin-Brightening Citrus Scrub
POPSUGAR Photography | Grace Hitchcock

Skin-Brightening Citrus Scrub

What You Need:

  • 3 cups organic cane sugar
  • 1 cup extra virgin organic olive oil
  • 2 organic oranges

What to Do:

Saturate the sugar with olive oil, then squeeze in juice from the oranges. Grind zest from oranges into the scrub. Blend well. Apply to skin immediately and rinse off when finished.

Why It's Great:

"While the cane sugar in this scrub works to exfoliate, the virgin olive oil (rich in olive oil squalane) gets to moisturizing," noted Wang. "Add in the benefits of orange (mood lifting; skin brightening) and apple cider vinegar (which serves as a skin-softening toner), and you have one powerful picker-upper!"

Rose-Infused Body Clay
POPSUGAR Photography | Benjamin Stone

Rose-Infused Body Clay

What You Need:

  • 1/4 cup dry or powdered clay
  • 1-2 tablespoons rose water

What to Do:

Mix clay and rose water together to form a mud-like paste. Apply to body in the shower (to avoid making a mess), concentrating on particularly dull areas. Once dried, wash off to reveal nourished skin. If you have dry skin, look for rose clay or white kaolin clay. For oilier skin, French green clay is the best.

Why It's Great:

"Clays have a high mineral content," offered Dr. Hamdan. "They help feed, and absorb excess oils, dirt, and toxins from the skin."