Expert Skin Care

CELEBRITIES are always under pressure to look good, so it's no surprise that their bathroom cabinets are packed with top-of-the-range lotions and potions. However, many female stars shun leading brands and instead delve into their kitchen cupboards.

Hollywood A-lister Catherine Zeta-Jones recently revealed that she washes her hair with beer to get her gorgeous shimmering locks.

The Welsh actress, who is married to Michael Douglas, also divulged some of her other weird and wonderful beauty tips that are more commonly found in the kitchen than on a cosmetics shelf.

Ever wondered how she maintains her soft, glowing skin? The Intolerable Cruelty star - who turns 40 this year - moisturises with honey and salt to keep her skin looking youthful.

Instead of toothpaste, Zeta-Jones uses natural whiteners such as apples and strawberries to cleanse her canines.

Here we uncover other bizarre - and inexpensive - celebrity beauty secrets that will have you raiding the kitchen cupboards for the next-best-thing.

MILK
Supermodel Cindy Crawford is a fan of milk, but as well as drinking it, the model-turned-actress uses it to cleanse her skin. According to experts, milk contains antimicrobial and cleansing properties. Lactic acid helps dead skin cells deteriorate. Also reported to be a believer in the benefits of milk baths is Cameron Diaz, who uses powdered milk as an exfoliant on her skin which is prone to acne. Mixed with honey, milk helps the skin to glow.

TOOTHPASTE
Besides using it to keep her teeth white, American actress Jennifer Love Hewitt swears by using toothpaste for spots. If apimple appears, she applies a small amount of toothpaste to it, leaves it overnight, and that helps to clear it up.

OLIVE OIL
Pretty Woman Julia Roberts has an unusual beauty regime when it comes to nail-care. The Erin Brockovich star has been known to apply olive oil to her nails and cuticles. Soaking your nails for 30 minutes in a small cup of olive oil can improve brittle, dry nails. Olive oil is also good for you hair, skin and diet.

COFFEE
You can achieve shiny hair using coffee. It's a popular alternative to shampoo for Jennifer Love Hewitt. But coffee also has another use - and that's for beating cellulite, according to Halle Berry. It's the caffeine in it that helps rid cellulite because it increases blood flow and cellulite is related to poor blood supply.

WINE
Desperate Housewives all over Scotland will be trying out this beauty technique - if they crave smoother skin but don't mind wasting a glass or two of wine. Teri Hatcher, who stars in the hit US drama, is a firm believer in pouring some wine into her bathtub. It has a natural skin softener and exfoliant and wine grapes can draw toxins from the body. Some spas have introduced the latest 'vinotherapy' craze.

CRANBERRY JUICE
Pouring a cup of cranberry juice over your hair after shampooing can boost its shine. The juice does this by sealing the cuticle to add shine. It is said to enhance the colour of red or strawberry blonde hair. It's a favourite technique adopted by the likes of Nicole Kidman.

BEETROOT
Bollywood star and former Celebrity Big Brother contestant Shilpa Shetty uses beetroot as a blusher. She says: "If you want a natural flush, boil some beetroot in the microwave and rub a bit on your cheeks, over your moisturiser."

SALT
Salt is great exfoliator: after a bath or shower, sprinkle it on to your hands and rub gently over the skin to remove dry skin. It also acts as an alternative to mouthwash: mix salt with baking soda in a glass of water and gargle. It's thought to whiten teeth and remove plaque.

VINEGAR
If you are prone to bruising, vinegar is thought to help by reducing blueness and speeding up the healing process. Soak a cotton wool ball in white vinegar and apply to the bruised area for an hour.

YOGHURT
A yoghurt face mask is ideal for soothing tired skin or cooling sunburn. Apply natural yoghurt to a cleansed face for 15-20 minutes. Adding honey helps moisturise dry skin and, for oily skin, add a few drops of fresh lime juice. Rinse off with water.

Flowers have been long used to enhance beauty and to keep mind and body healthy. In India, the Indian Rose has been used by ancient Queens to make their skin soft, supple and fair, while in China, women drink Chrysanthemum soup to detox their digestive system and avoid bacterial infections.

Flower Therapy is seen as a hot new trend, much-welcomed by people who wish to de-stress themselves, and for those who crave for a rose tinted, flawless complexion.

According to experts, the flowers that do not have any side effects, but are packed with goodness of nature, have grown to be an instant hit among customers.

According to Hitender Chandra, an Aromatherapist in India, various flowers are used for different therapeutic purposes. For instance, lavender is an excellent antiseptic and has magical properties. It heals allergies, pigmentation, acne, excess oil secretion, and open pores, and hence tops the list.

Next in line are the Marigold and Sunflower that penetrate the skin and imparts wonderful glow.

Jasmine comes as a blessing for hypersensitive skin. More than anything, it is the visual impact of flowers and their fragrance that has high healing effect on our senses. It de-stresses mind and enhances skin tone.

Even a mere visit to a florist shop, or looking at arrangement of flowers, has a deep impact on one’s state of mind, and in general renders a happy and positive feeling. The fragrance of flowers rejuvenates the senses and peps up our moods, say therapists.

However, in a therapy room, it wouldn’t be sufficient if there are just few flowers or bouquets lying around. Rather, a complete environment with flowers is required, which renders a peaceful feeling, and this makes a lot of impact.

However, the goodness of flower becomes double when mixed with other herbal products, as is usually done in Flower Therapy. The flower pastes and tea barks are mixed with fruit pulp and other ayurvedic ingredients, such as cream and aloe vera gel, along with floral paste, which enhances their healing properties.

For the beauty-conscious in India, particularly in the ‘Pink City’ (Jaipur), Flower Therapy is proving to be a much sought-after treatment for skin ailments. Several clinics and parlors here are offering these therapies. Irrespective of the kind of problems, be it acne or dark circles under the eye, Flower Therapy seems to be the perfect quick-fix treatment.