Organic Homemade Skincare Recipes by Dr. Ava Shamban

Looking for some simple, good-for-you recipes to make at home this summer? Quit searching for the perfect summer pie recipe and instead whip yourself up a delicious skin treat. Here are a few of my favorite recipes created by Dr. Ava Shamban, M.D., the Dermatology expert you may know from Extreme Makeover.

• Strawberry and Honey Cleanser:
  • 3 or 4 very ripe strawberries, hulled
  • ½ teaspoon honey
  • 2 drops lavender oil

Crush strawberries through a sieve, retaining the juice in a small glass bowl.  Add honey and lavender oil to the strawberry juice and mix well. Massage the mixture firmly onto your face and your neck, Leave on for one minute, then rinse off with warm water.

I love this cleanser for summer because it is refreshing thanks to the strawberries plus it is hydrating thanks to the honey.

• Pomegranate-Mint Mist
  • 1 cup water
  • 4 mint leaves, crushed
  • 2 pomegranate tea bags

Boil water.  Add mint leaves and pomegranate tea bags.  Steep for fifteen minutes.  Remove the leaves and bags.  Pour liquid into a jar, seal, and refrigerate.  When the liquid is cold, pour some into a small spray bottle.  Keep the rest refrigerated.

You can’t beat the refreshing blend of pomegranate and mint for a light pick-me-up on hot days.

• Avocado Refreshing and Smoothing Mask
  • ½ avocado
  • 1 tablespoon yogurt
  • 1 egg white
  • 1/3 teaspoon lemon juice

A perfect blend of moisturizing avocado and egg white, combined with the skin-brightening properties of lemon juice makes for the perfect skin-perfecting mask.

• Refreshing Mint Foot Lotion
  • ½ cup basic moisturizing lotion
  • 4 drops peppermint oil

In a jar, mix lotion and peppermint oil.  Massage a thin layer onto your feet.

After a long day on your feet, nothing, and I mean nothing feels better than a refreshing mint lotion massaged into your soles.  Breathe deep and unwind.

Find more amazing recipes in Dr. Ava’s book, Heal Your Skin, available at amazon.com.