Lately, natural skin treatments have become all the rage. The best thing about this type of product, and probably the reason they're so popular, is that they can be effective without having to produce unpleasant side effects. But, the best part is that you can use natural skin treatments in the comfort of your home.

Making your own products may sound complicated, but it really isn't. In fact, most of the recipes used to create skin care products are simple and inexpensive.

The most Popular Skin Care Ingredients

Almost anything you can find in your garden, pantry or refrigerator can be an excellent ingredient for natural skin care recipes. However, there are some ingredients that are more sought after than others. These include:

*Aloe Vera

*Yogurt & Milk

*Almonds and Oatmeal

*Berries, Grapes, Lemons, Limes and Grapefruit

*Bananas

*Avocados and Cucumbers

*Olive Oil

Some of these ingredients can be combined to make facial masks. Others are excellent moisturizers or cleansers. If you'd like to try your hand at making a natural product, here are a few recipes you can follow.

Natural Homemade Skin Treatments

Make an exfoliating "cream" for dry skin with oatmeal and grapefruit juice. This is a simple recipe that is made by mixing juice and oatmeal together to form a paste. After having made the paste, simply apply it to your skin and wash off with a moist, warm washcloth.

Place slices of cucumber on your eyes to reduce puffiness or grate it to make a facial tonic. It can also be mixed with milk or lime juice to make a gentle whitener.

An orange tonic recipe can also be used as an effective, natural scar treatment. This is done by blanching and grinding a couple of almonds to form a paste. Once that is done, add 2 tablespoons of milk, 1 tablespoons of carrot juice and 1 tablespoon of orange juice.

Once the mixture is completed, apply to the face and leave on for 30 minutes. Wash off with warm water.

Olive oil is an excellent moisturizer and cleanser for dry skin. All you have to do is rub it into your face and remove with a warm, moist washcloth.

You can exfoliate dry skin by using a mixture of crushed berries. These foods are rich in antioxidants, and an excellent addition to your diet.

Bananas are another food that can be used in your diet or as a moisturizing facial peel. Mash one-fourth of a small banana. Whip one egg white until it is frothy and slowly add one tablespoon of cornstarch in as you continue to whip.

Apply a thin layer onto your face and let it set for thirty minutes, then rinse off with warm water.