The Simpson effect - a DIY recipe for dry skin | Ayesha

If the title hasn't intrigued you enough, take a look at this rather unflattering photo: 

Yep, I've turned into a Simpson!

In all seriousness, this is a face mask that I experimented with recently. It is not a new idea or one that I have cooked up myself; it is a recipe that I found a number of years ago, then tried it with my cousin last year, and now I'm finally doing a blog post on it!

I had found that this face mask not only gave my skin the hydration boost it needed, but that it had completely softened it and my skin looked so bright and clear the following morning. This is what you need to make it:

2 tbsp chickpea flour (basin/gram flour)
1 tsp honey
Splash of milk
1 tsp turmeric powder

Combine all ingredients until it forms a paste, then spread over your entire face. Leave it on for 10-30 minutes then wash off with warm water. Before trying this out, I was worried that the turmeric would leave a yellow residue, but both times I have tried it, it hasn't left any colouring whatsoever. I have read that for some people it has, but nothing that a bit of makeup remover or toner can't get rid of! 

The benefits

Turmeric is an age-old ingredient used in cooking and also for herbal medicinal use - did you know it can cure 99 diseases? It contains antiseptic properties, and I am not sure of the science behind it but it is very good for helping to control acne too. Another interesting thing is that I had a friend once whose baby came down with a cold; she spread turmeric over her baby's face and within 3 days the cold completely disappeared! 

The chickpea flour is used as a gentle exfoliator. Flour in general is very good for buffing the skin which also adds to the glowiness afterwards.

Honey is also a natural antiseptic but I used it as the 'glue' to combine all the ingredients together. It is also super moisturising!

Milk is also a great moisturiser and I used it purely just to loosen up the mixture so it wasn't as thick. You could use water, but I wanted extra hydration.

I really enjoy these 'natural' things; did you know that I've started to add bicarbonate of soda to my toothpaste to whiten my teeth? It's a slow process, but it is working!

Have you tried any DIY beauty treatments? Let me know in the comments below!