Cultivating healthy skin is a combination of what we put in our bodies and what we put on our faces. When I switched from chemical-laden commercial products to homemade, natural remedies, the results were incredible. I was spending less money, using products that were easy to make and chemical-free, and my skins tone and appearance improved dramatically. Here are four fantastic ways to care for your skin (and a sweet bonus)!

Oh Honey!
Since I love to have dessert first, I will start with the sweet bonus wash your face with honey! Thats right; skip the fancy, drying commercial face washes. Use 1/2-1 tsp of pure, raw, unfiltered, organic (or wildflower) honey to wash your face morning and night. Honey is a mild anti-bacterial agent that kills the bad guys without destroying beneficial bacteria or drying the skin out. Its also a humectant, which means it draws moisture to the skin and helps seal it in. All skin types benefit from washing with honey instead of soap (never wash your face with soap!) or face washes.

Use a little warm water to get the face wet, massage the honey in (with clean hands), and rinse well with warm water. Follow with one of the masks (once or twice a week) a witch-hazel or apple cider vinegar-based toner, and a light moisturizer (sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, carrot seed oil, or argan oil).

Mask 1: Dull or Tanned Skin
Mash up 3 ripe, organic strawberries. Apply the pulp to your clean face. Lie down for 10 minutes, preferably with cucumber slices over your eyes. Rinse your face with rose water, tone, and moisturize.
The vitamin C in the strawberries rejuvenates skin, the seeds gently exfoliate, and the slight acidity helps balance the skins pH.

Mask 2: Dry or Slightly Dry Skin
Mash 1/2 of a ripe organic avocado (yes, avocados are technically fruits) with 1 tsp raw honey and/or 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil. Apply to your clean face, and let sit for 15-20 minutes while you rest with cucumber slices or used (cooled) chamomile teabags over your eyes. Rinse with warm water, then cool water, and then tone and moisturize.

Mask 3: Oily, Blemish-prone or Slightly Oily Skin
Finely dice or mash 1 ripe organic tomato and rub it into your clean skin. The seeds gently exfoliate, while the mildly astringent properties of the tomato cleanse the pores. The vitamins A, C, E, iron, and potassium in the tomatoes support healthy, glowing skin.

For combination skin, mix the tomato with 1/2 tsp honey, 1 tsp mashed avocado or 1 tsp jojoba oil. Let sit for 10 15 minutes, rinse well with cool water, then moisturize.

Mask 4: All Skin Types
This mask combines the cleansing, hydrating, and mildly astringent properties of apple with the deep moisturizing of honey, egg, and oil, plus the pH balancing of vinegar.

Blend 1/2 of a cored, sliced organic apple with 1 Tbl organic raw honey, 1 free-range egg yolk, a dash of apple cider vinegar, and 2 Tbl organic extra virgin olive, coconut, or jojoba oil until you get a thick paste (use the Pulse setting so you dont make it too thin). Rub the paste into your skin, let sit for 15 20 minutes, and rinse well with warm water before moisturizing.

Treating your skin well can be an easy and delicious experience. Most fruit can be used as an invigorating and healing mask. Enjoy experimenting with ingredients in your kitchen to nourish and rejuvenate your skin.