Run out of your usual mask, no time to buy another? Or just want to make use of food lying around the house? Check out these masks that really work!

Aspirin mask

The BHA content in the humble aspirin pill is a powerful agent against blemishes, and using this as a scrub/mask will leave you with smooth, even skin. It is recommended to use this once a week, but you can increase the frequency of use if necessary.

Step 1: Take 6 uncoated aspirin and break each into halves. Put in a small cup or a lid.

Step 2: Add 3-4 drops of warm/hot water, and use a stick to smush the aspirin around. If it's too dry and doesn't dissolve, add 1 drop of water at a time until it forms into a thick white paste.

Step 3: Spread thickly onto your face. Leave for 10-15 minutes. You'll know it's ready when bits of white powder start falling off your face.

Step 4: As you wash it off with warm water, gently massage it into your skin. You'll feel your skin to be very smooth and even.

Step 5: Pat face gently dry. You should be feeling radiant and soft!

Revitalising mask

 Strawberries are a good source of glycolic acid at its source, and make a great pick-me-up mask!

Step 1: Take a handful of fresh strawberries and place in a plastic bag. Mash by squeezing it with hands to a lumpy consistency.

Step 2: Put in 1 tablespoon of yogurt in the bag. Mix.

Step 3: Apply thickly as a mask.

Step 4: As you wash it off with warm water, gently massage it into your skin. You'll feel your skin to be very smooth and even.

Pore-minimising mask

Step 1: Soak a few cotton compress in some beer.

Step 2: Place on face, and relax for 30 minutes.

Step 3: Remove for tight skin with small pores!

Prune porridge mask

This mask sounds and looks disgusting but is very soothing and good for a face tormented by sore underground pimples.

Step 1: Pour 1/2 cup boiling water over 2 dried prunes in a bowl and leave until soft.

Step 2: Mash prunes. Use any leftover prune water in cooking about 1/2 cup oatmeal.

Step 3: Mix oatmeal with mashed prunes and enough honey to make a sticky mash that will adhere to the face.

Step 4: Apply while still warm (but not hot), leave 20 minutes and rinse off with warm water.

Yoghurt mask

The gentle acids in the yoghurt are very good to help restore the natural acid balance of the skin.

Step 1: Use natural, unflavoured yoghurt; you can add honey and/or oatmeal if you like.

Step 2: Apply to face and leave for 10 minutes, before rinsing off with warm water.

Creamy green mask

This mask feels wonderful and does great things to cleanse and hydrate the skin, and acts as a mild exfoliant as well as a mask.

Step 1: Mash 1 tablespoon ripe avocado, add 1/2 tsp honey and mix.

Step 2: Stir in a little almond meal until the whole thing is of a pleasant creamy consistency.

Step 3: Apply to clean skin, leave on for 15-20 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water, massaging gently as you remove to exfoliate the skin.

Avocado & honey moisturising mask

Honey is antiseptic, hydrating and cleanses the pores. However, if you're prone to odd pimples, don't use this before a big night - sometimes its ability to suck impurities out of the skin means you get a zit.

Step 1: Mash up 2 tablespoons avocado, mix with 2 tablespoons honey and 1 egg yolk.

Step 2: Apply for a very rich and moisturizing mask.

More fruit masks

You can also make masks from mashed fruit pulp, alone or mixed with oatmeal and/or honey till you get the right consistency. Good fruit to try:

Tomato: astringent and a good blackhead remover. Pulp it up and mix with oatmeal, or slice and lay on the face on its own.

Apple: grate an apple and mix with honey to make a mask that soothes and heals acne, and makes your skin look great. Strawberry: a good oily skin mask. Pulp it up, smear it on the face, wash off. Makes the skin look soft and fine. A good use for over-ripe or bruised berries.

Avocado: Moisturising. I find it's too oily for my skin, but I've heard good reports from others.
Banana: Also a moisturiser.

Carrot: Grate a carrot, add honey, use as a facial for oily skin. Or you can mash up a cooked one.

Peach: A nice, good-smelling mask for dry or normal skin. Cucumber: On its own, is cleansing, astringent and cooling during hot weather. Juice a cucumber and wipe the juice over the face. It will reduce shine and the appearance of wrinkles.