Homemade Facial Masks

Everyone wants to look beautiful, to FEEL beautiful...but what's really going into the bottle that you use on the most expressive (therefore important) part of your body- your face? It's important to know what's going ON your body as well as IN it.

Before those fancy mud-mask spa-treatments came out, people used to do these things at home...and they worked wonders. Since most people have these ingredients in their house already, you don't need to spend lots of money to look and feel your best. Here are four recipes for any skin type:

Recipe 1: Apple-Honey Zit-Zapper

This facial mask is for oily or acne-prone skin. Simply grate one apple and mix with about 5 tablespoons of honey. Leave on for 10 minutes and then wipe off....Voila! Beautiful skin!

Why it works: Honey is a natural antiseptic and will help remove bacteria from your face. Apples are acidic and will help lift some of the oil (which is a base) so that it can be washed away more effectively.

Warning: Do NOT overuse on dry skin types, as this will dry skin out even more.

Recipe 2: Skin-Soother

Simply mix one part old-fashioned oats to two parts yogurt and rub where it hurts! This is for windburned or sunburned skin and can be used on the neck and shoulders too.

Why it works: The milkfat in the yogurt helps to nourish and encourage healing in the skin and the oats form a protective barrier against further irritation.

Recipe 3: Gorgeous Green

Boil one carrot so that it's mashable. Mix with one half of a ripe avocado, and add one tablespoon of olive oil. Your best bet is to use a blender for more even distribution. Leave it on for 20 minutes, then wash off and pat dry.

Why it works: Avocados not only possess a lot of vitamin E (which moisturizes your skin), they also contain Vitamin C and can soak into the skin faster than anything else.

Recipe 4: Sugar-Scrub

Mix 1/4 of a cup of brown sugar (About 4 Tablespoons) with 2 Tablespoons of milk- Anything but skim. Massage into your face for a minute and let sit for 15. Rinse, and enjoy your newly exfoliated face!.

Why it works: The crystals in the brown sugar are so small and fine that they act like a commercial scrub, and the milkfat not only helps the crystals glide across your skin but moisturizes at the same time.

So the next time you can't find just what you're looking for in the beauty aisle at the supermarket, turn to your kitchen instead!.