Take 1/2 cup of plain yogurt, 1 tablespoon of sunflower oil and 1 1/2 teaspoons of lemon juice to create a cleanser that laves your skin baby soft and bereft of grime. Incidentally, this is good for both normal and dry skin. After mixing all the ingredients, place in a sealed container. Store it in the refrigerator. Use 1 teaspoon morning and night.

Take 2 tablespoons of crushed fennel seeds and 1/2 cup of buttermilk. Heat the milk and fennel seeds in a boiler for 30 minutes. Turn off heat and let it cool for 2 hours. The fennel cleansing cream is thus prepared and you can keep it for up to 2 weeks. Use it once a week, though.

Peaches, plums and nectarines contain large amounts of alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs. These AHAs in fruits help often wrinkles, sun spots, age spots, blemishes and can even unclog pores. However, it is a great cleanser and rubs the grime off the skin in a soothing way.

Take 1 medium peach and 1 tablespoon of honey. Cook peach until it’s soft, mash with a fork, add honey and oatmeal until it has a thick consistency. Apply on skin. Let sit for 10 minutes, rinse well with cool water for clean, clear skin.

Calendula, also called pot marigold, is a powerful all-purpose skin-helper since it is highly emollient, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory. This cleasing milk is a healing addition to your beauty routine. You need 4 tablespoons of avocado oil, 1 tablespoon of fresh calendula flowers (or 1 teaspoon dried), 2 tablespoons of aloe vera gel and 25 drops of grapefruit seed extract. In a double boiler over very low heat, heat the oil and calendula flowers together for 30 minutes. Allow to cool, then strain out the flowers and discard them. Stir the aloe vera and the grapefruit seed extract into the cooled oil, mixing well to combine. Scoop some of the milk and massage gently into skin. Rinse thoroughly with warm water.

A good, deep cleansing treat is to give your face a sauna. This is especially good for congested skin. Fill a bowl with near-boiling water and add 4 drops of each of the essential oils recommended for your skin type: for normal skin, use mandarin and lavender; for oily skin, use lemon and eucalyptus; and for dry skin, use rose and chamomile. Place a towel over your head and hold it over the bowl from a distance of about 30cm for a period of around 2 minutes. This opens the pores and prepares it for a face mask. You should not use a face sauna if you have sensitive skin, are pregnant or suffer from asthma.