Face off: How to get a spa day at home

Valerie O’Connor whips together some kitchen basics for luxe facials.

At this time of year it doesn’t matter what I do or what I put on my skin, it still feels like someone has put my face in a toaster, and then sat me in from of an air conditioning unit for the rest of the day. No amount of oils, drinking water or anything makes a difference, the wind and rain and those lovely autumn days — well, they just make me all shrivelly.

In my time at organic college I spent a semester making cosmetics from herb infusions. Body scrubs are extremely easy to make and, if you get nice jars you can give them as gifts too. The best part of it is, that they are made with ingredients that you can eat — well, mostly, and it’s just a nice and fun thing to do in the kitchen and lasts longer than making dinner.