For low-cost beauty, go natural (From Kidderminster Shuttle)

For low-cost beauty, go natural

7:00am Saturday 3rd July 2010

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Whip up your own beauty products in the kitchen and go au naturel.

With the recent Budget proclaiming VAT rises are on the horizon, we might all have to make cutbacks with splurges at the luxury beauty counters.

But don't let the new Chancellor shed doom and gloom on your pampering routine.

DIY doesn't have to mean paint stripping and fitting shelves - raid the kitchen cupboards at home and give Nigella Lawson a run for her money, concocting your own beauty delicacies.

Janey Lee Grace, author of new book Look Great Naturally... Without Ditching The Lipstick, argues you can still look uber-glam without the latest It products by embracing natural beauty.

"You can simplify a little, save money and the planet, while still hanging on to that all-important lipstick!" says Janey.

Budget schmudget! Stay in control of what goes out of your wallet - and onto your skin - with natural DIY beauty.

:: Beauty feast Forget homemade ice cream and save on calories with products that will beautify rather than leave you bloated in your bikini.

You don't need exotic ingredients to kick-start your own larder of super-fresh beauty remedies.

"You'll soon realise that it's easy-peasy to replace the suggested ingredients with whatever you have lying around," Janey explains, suggesting cucumber, honey and oats as perfect examples.

"It's usually best just to make enough to use straightaway; if you do make more and want to keep for use later, then remember if no preservatives are added you will need to store in an airtight container and usually in the fridge."

Janey recommends treating natural handmade skincare as you would fresh foods without preservatives.

And if you really don't want to get your hands dirty, why not get a specialist beauty chef to do all the groundwork for you?

Beauty Kitchen (www.beautykitchen.co.uk) is the newest ethical brand on the block that uses 100% natural ingredients handmade to the customer's specific recipe choices. Eat your heart out Gordon Ramsay!

:: DIY beauty Janey opens up her recipe book of DIY beauty favourites for you to get inventive with natural products that are ideal for the summer months...

Cucumber mask Ingredients: A few tsps brewer's yeast A few tsps finely powdered oats Chunk of peeled liquidised cucumber 2 tbsps plain yoghurt 1 tsp runny honey 1 drop essential oil Whizz all ingredients together in a high-speed blender.

Dead sea salt scrub Ingredients: 2 tbsps Dead Sea salt 2 tbsps almond oil 1 tsp lemon juice You can replace the lemon with a drop of tea tree oil or a teaspoon of honey.

Pore-cleansing coconut oil exfoliant Ingredients: 3 tsps coconut oil 1 tbsp yoghurt 1 tbsp Dead Sea salt or Himalayan salt Mix to a paste, apply and rinse off with water.

:: Natural know-how Don't panic if you've run out of your essential beauty products and payday still feels like a long way off. Janey's quick-fix, all-natural products should see you through any skincare emergencies.

:: Olive oil works a treat as an emergency cleanser and eye make-up remover. "It could be a little heavy for use twice daily, though," Janey warns.

:: Pure floral water works well as toner, according to Janey. As an alternative, for normal or combination skin, try fresh cucumber juice but peel first. To tone oily skin, Janey recommends diluted lemon juice or cooled camomile tea.

:: A simple cleansing wash can be made using 50ml of Castile liquid soap with 10 drops of essential oil of your choice. "Shake it up and it's ready to use. You can also add almond oil for dry skin," Janey suggests.

:: Make a gel-based moisturiser using organic aloe vera gel. Janey says: "This can be used on its own; it makes a great moisturiser and also a shaving lotion for your fella, too."

:: Tried & tested Ideal for suitcase or handbag, give your face a sun-kissed glow with a transportable bronzer. We brush up our bronzing act with three contenders.

:: L'Oreal Glam Bronze Minerals, £13.99 (nationwide) The top needs to be unscrewed to reach the upside down brush for the bronzing balls but this gives a controlled application for how dramatic you want to go. Too bulky for an evening bag but loved the powder's convincing sun-kissed glow.

3/5 :: Lancome Tropique Minerals All Over Magic Bronzing Brush, £31 (www.lancome.co.uk) You can take this sleek applicator anywhere so it's the perfect holiday product. A button releases the bronzing powder, which you can apply to face or body for a gorgeous warm glow.

4/5 :: Chantecaille Protection Naturelle SPF 46 Powder in Bronze, £50 (www.spacenk.co.uk) This product's ultra-compact for handbags and the super-light powder features a handy soft retractable brush. I liked the natural-look bronze but the real beauty, besides the price, is the high SPF protection it offers.

3/5 :: Buy it now Put your feet up and watch Wimbledon with a twist on the strawberries and cream tradition. Pamper with Montagne Jeunesse's Strawberry Souffle masque, 99p (Superdrug).

Beauty bulletin :: Spa V soccer World Cup fever is dividing the nation and we aren't talking about the teams. While millions of men up and down the country are tuning into the beautiful game, many women are indulging in their own beautiful regime with at-home pampering. Sales of bath cream, face mask and candles at Marks & Spencer have surged by an average of 45% since the start of the tournament as women demand extra time and head for the vuvuzela-free sanctuary of the bathroom. Nick Jones, director of Home & Beauty says: "Women are creating their own at-home beauty spa, well away from the wall-to-wall football coverage."

:: Recessionista alert Beat the Budget blues with the new Beauty Steals app for iPhone. Developed by beauty gurus Jo Fairley and Sarah Stacey, the application gives cosmetic addicts access to hundreds of reviews of affordable products, tested and rated by real women, to help you decide how to spend your cash. Buy online via Beauty Steals app and you'll receive further discounts on many of the products listed. The Beauty Steals app costs £2.99, available from iTunes.

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