By Jessica Hartshorn

HONEY works as an old-school facial mask. After cleansing your face to open your pores, apply a tablespoon and allow it to set on the skin for fifteen minutes before washing it off. Not only is it hydrating, but honey can also draw out impurities, says Janice Cox, author of Natural Beauty at Home.

OLIVE OIL is a moisturizing multitasker. Before bedtime, work a half teaspoon into your hair from the roots to the ends, and shampoo it out the next morning. And to prevent dry, cracked heels, Joshua Onysko, founder of Pangea Organics, suggests rubbing it on your feet and covering them with socks before sleeping.

SUGAR can be used as an exfoliant for your body. Onysko says to mix equal parts sugar and a light oil (such as canola, safflower, or sunflower) so your skin gets immediate hydration, too. Salt can also work in a pinch, but our experts agree that both sugar and salt are too grainy and rough to be used on the face.

OATMEAL cleanses the face gently. Put a quarter cup into a coffee grinder or food processor for a few seconds to turn it into a fine powder, Cox says. Then pour it into a bowl, and mix it with one or two tablespoons of water to make it into a paste that you can spread onto your face. Rinse well.

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