Turn back the clock with these natural anti-ageing masks and recipes from ‘The Doctors’ plastic surgeon and beauty guru Andrew Ordon, MD.
It may seem ironic for a board-certified plastic surgeon to be doling out advice on how to defy your age naturally, but Andrew Ordon, MD, a cohost of the syndicated talk show The Doctors, encourages against an operating-table mentality. In his new book Better in 7: The Ultimate 7-Day Guide to a Better You, Ordon describes more natural, less-invasive approaches to skincare and beauty.
The best part: You can whip them up with ingredients you already have around your kitchen. Read on to get glowing and look, and feel years younger.
Table of Contents
Avocado-Honey Moisturiser
A moisturiser is an anti-ageing must. By helping your skin retain moisture and acting as a temporary filler for wrinkles, it makes your complexion look smooth. Dr. Ordon says that his patients love this recipe because it makes their skin look and feel dewy, and youthful.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of fresh cream
- ¼ avocado
- 1 tablespoon honey
Directions:
- Place all three ingredients in a blender and puree into a smooth cream.
- Apply it to your skin and leave on for at least an hour. Rinse off with warm water.
Almond-Sugar Facial Scrub
Regularly exfoliating your face helps get rid of dead skin cells (which dull your complexion) so your skin looks smoother and brighter.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons of fresh cream
- 1 cup of white sugar
- ½ cup of brown sugar
- ½ cup of ground almonds
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
- Mix all ingredients well.
- Apply to dry face in a circular motion.
- Wash your face off with warm water, followed by cold water.
- Pat your face dry.
- Place in a jar and store in your refrigerator for future use.
Acne Spot Treatment
When you have a blemish that needs to disappear fast, try this nifty trick, which Ordon picked up in the green room at The Doctors from beauty expert Kym Douglas. The yeast fights bacteria, the lemon helps dry the blemish.
Ingredients:
- Brewer’s Yeast
- A squeeze of lemon juice
- Water
Directions:
- Make a paste using a little bit of brewer’s yeast, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a bit of water.
- Apply right on your blemish and leave for 10 minutes, cover with a bandage.
Basil Toner
This recipe is great for those prone to acne. The basil acts as an antiseptic, helps clear acne-causing bacteria, and improves circulation to the skin.
Ingredients:
- 3 tablespoons dried basil leaves
- 1 cup boiling water
Directions:
- Crush up the dried basil leaves and mix them into a cup of boiling water.
- Once the mixture cools, strain out the leaves, put it in a spray bottle and spritz your skin.
- Use a cotton ball or pad to spread the toner gently around your face.
- Do this daily before cleansing.
Wrinkle-Fighting Salad
This energy-boosting fruit salad is packed with antioxidants, which protect the skin from sun damage and boost circulation to help deliver essential nutrients to skin. Eat it for breakfast to start your day on a beautiful note.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup fresh blueberries
- ½ cup fresh strawberries
- 1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
- ½ cup pomegranate seeds
- ½ cup organic orange juice
- 1 handful of chopped walnuts
Directions:
- Combine first four ingredients in a small bowl.
- Pour the orange juice over the mixture and sprinkle with the walnuts.
Coconut Deep Conditioner
Keep your hair smooth, hydrated, and shiny with this natural conditioning treatment; apply it once a week.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
Directions:
- Mix ingredients together, apply and cover your scalp with a plastic wrap (like Saran Wrap).
- Leave on for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse hair thoroughly.
Lemon-Agave Age Spot Fighter
Your hands are a dead giveaway of your age, but this scrub can help. Exfoliating your hands lifts off the top layer of dead skin cells, which contains some of the pigment leaving age spots behind. The rice exfoliates, the agave hydrates, and the lemon helps lighten skin and lift off dead cells.
Ingredients:
- ½ cup cooked rice
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
- Mix together the above ingredients and blend well.
- Apply the mixture to dry hands, move the scrub around your hands in circular motions on the backs of your hands with firm but gentle pressure for one to two minutes.
- You can also rub this rice on the palms of the hands to soften calluses.
Java-Up Exfoliator
Sloughing dry, dead skin from your lips makes them look instantly plumper and pinker.
Ingredients:
- ½ teaspoon of moisturising lotion
- ¼ teaspoon fresh coffee grounds
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Directions:
- Mix well in a bowl.
- Apply to entire mouth area and massage around for five minutes.
- Wipe clean with a warm wet washcloth.