Come rain or shine, strawberries are synonymous with summer, Wimbledon and Pimms and make perfect companions to cream, sugar and mint! So, if you have a few left over after dessert and cocktail-making, grab some fresh mint and create these simple, revitalising recipes to beautify your skin and get holiday ready!

Take two key ingredients

We shall be creating a strawberry face mask and a mint and strawberry scrub. I used three strawberries to make both items, but if you wish to make larger amounts then increase the amount of strawberries accordingly. This is a great way of using up slightly bruised or less flavoursome fruit!

Refining Strawberry Mask

You will need

• Strawberries
• 1tablespoon of yogurt (oily, combination, sensitive skin)* contains lactic acid and a gentle exfoliant, cooling to skin and softening

If you have dry, damaged or dehydrated skin you can use double cream instead, stir beforehand to thicken slightly. Double cream contains lecithin and is nourishing to dry skin.

I used three strawberries and then divided the mixture up to make the two products. However, if you just want to make the face mask take one large strawberry or two small ones.

Steps

1. Wash, hull and chop the strawberries,

2. Then mash them to a gorgeous pulp, or if you have a hand blender use this for a much smoother consistency

3. Drain off any extra juice, transfer to a small dish and add your natural yogurt or double cream

4. Stir gently to combine or use a hand blender to combine

5. Your mask is ready to use! Apply the mask evenly over the face, avoiding eyes and mouth. Place a slice of cucumber over each eye and relax for 5-10 minutes, before rinsing with cool water and then moisturise as usual. The mask will keep for two days in the fridge, but is best used fresh – any excess can be applied to the back of hands.

You could also add any one of the following to thicken the mask and give it a more exfoliating action:

• a teaspoon of ground almonds
• a teaspoon of finely ground oats (useful for sensitive, dry/congested skins)
• a flat teaspoon of fine white china clay – softening and cleansing (available from online natural beauty suppliers or health/herbal stores.

Strawberry and Mint Scrub Mask

You will need

• Strawberries
• Fresh mint – small bunch, about 6-10 leaves (depending on personal minty preference!)
• Sea Salt
• Sugar (white or brown)

Steps

Follow steps one and two as previous recipe

3. Finely chop up your mint and add to your prepared mashed up strawberries

4. Stir to combine (yes it does look like Salsa mix!!) – again if you have a hand blender, you can use briefly for a smoother consistency.

5. Now add sugar and salt, either equal amounts of one tablespoon each or vary accordingly, depending on preferred texture. If skin is on the sensitive side, use white and brown sugar instead of salt. Stir to combine.

6. This is quite a loose scrub so just apply to skin – it is ideal for feet and hands to refresh, refine and loosen dead, dry skin - leave on for a minute or two, then apply circular strokes and gently scrub. Rinse, moisturize and admire your buffed up skin!

This is a real tonic if kept in the fridge and applied to hot, overworked feet – use within two days. Mint is cooling and deodorizing, sugar and salt are exfoliating and cleansing, strawberries contain natural fruit acids and refine skin texture – they also smell great! Again, you can practise with adding clay, oats or almonds to your mixture if you want a thicker mask with more texture!

Recipes provided by Tanya Moulding, aka The Perfume Mistress – purveyor of botanical events and workshops in smell, natural perfumery and skincare.

www.theperfumemistress.com
@perfumemistress

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