Dermatologist Shares Her DIY Skin Care Recipes

With the cold, wet weather forcing you indoors, winter is the perfect time to test a new DIY recipe. And we've got a slew of fantastic options! Beautylish chatted with Beverly Hills dermatologist Ava Shamban, M.D., for all-natural skin care recipes from her new book Heal Your Skin: The Breakthrough Plan for Renewal. Check out a few our favorites below.

Oatmeal Foot and Hand Soak

1. 3 cups milk

2. 2 cups water

3. 4 cups oats

4. 2 tbsp honey

Place milk, water, and oats in a saucepan on the stove. Cook until the oats soften. Slowly add cooked oats and warm water simultaneously to your foot-soaking container. Add honey and stir. Soak your feet (or hands) for 15 to 20 minutes.

This recipe cleanses, exfloiates, and soothes. “Oatmeal is a natural exfoliant and an anti-inflammatory agent. It relieves dryness, restores natural moisture, and aids in healing minor irritations,” says Dr. Shamban. “Honey is a natural antioxidant with antimicrobial properties. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants—such as vitamins C and B.” Repeat the soak twice a week.

Potato Compress

1. potato (organic, if possible)

Cool potato in the refrigerator for an hour or two. Cut two ½-inch-thick slices. Place a slice on each eye for 10 minutes. Rinse off eye area with cool water.

Move over, cucumbers! “Potato slices reduce puffy, irritated eyes and also help with dark circles,” says Dr. Shamban. How? “Raw potato has drying and disinfectant properties. Potato starch acts as an anti-inflammatory agent to ease irritated eyes, while the citric acid and phosphoric acid in potatoes also helps reduce puffiness.”

Coconut and Rosemary Cream

1. ½ cup base lotion

2. 1 Tbsp coconut oil

3. 1 tsp  avocado oil

4. 10 drops rosehip oil

“The treatment is ideal for people who have dry to severely dry skin, because the oils in this cream act as moisturizing emollients,” says Dr. Shamban. “Coconut oil contains the beneficial ingredients lauric acid, capric acid, and caprylic acid which enable it to work as an antimicrobial, antioxidant, antifungal, antibacterial, and soothing agent. The recipe also works well to fight free radicals, because it is unrefined and hasn't been stripped of any of its important nutrients.” Use once daily.

Yogurt Cleanser

1. 2 Tbsp yogurt

2. 1 tsp baking soda

3. 1 Tbsp applesauce

Mix all ingredients by hand or in a blender. Using your fingers, gently massage a small amount onto your dampened face. Rinse off with warm water.

The cleanser is ideal for oily and/or acne-prone skin. “Plain yogurt contains zinc as well as lactic acid—a natural skin smoother,” says Dr. Shamban. “Yogurt also adds enzymes and oils to the skin, working as a natural moisturizer. It can also reduce pore size and help improve overall skin texture. The baking soda (a.k.a sodium bicarbonate) acts as a physical exfoliant to remove dead skin cells without causing excessive irritation." Use once daily.

Dr. Ava Shamban is a scientist, author, business owner, and supermom of three best known for her on-air expertise on “Extreme Makeover” or “The Doctors.”  She is the Assistant Clinical Professor of Dermatology at the UCLA-Geffen School of Medicine, and recently published  “Heal Your Skin: The Breakthrough Plan for Renewal.” Her mantra? “Life happens. It doesn’t have to show on your skin.” Follow her on Twitter at @DrAvaMD or tune in for more tips on YouTube at DrAvaMD.