OPINION: A dark chocolate face and body mask

Dark chocolate is full of skin-friendly ingredients that will help keep your skin glowing and healthy.

It contains a range of potent antioxidants that protect your skin from free radical damage and so will keep it soft, supple and younger for longer. The flavonoids in dark chocolate help your skin retain its elasticity and will keep wrinkles away; and they also encourage skin cell regeneration. Combining dark chocolate with caffeine makes an excellent skin-detoxifier, removing dead skin cells thus allowing your skin to breathe. It has sun protection properties and will shield your skin from detrimental UV rays.

To make a dark chocolate face mask you will need:

• 1 bar dark chocolate

• 1 cup milk

• 3 tablespoons salt

Method:

• Mix the milk and salt together.

• Melt the chocolate separately.

• Add the melted chocolate to the milk and salt mixture and stir until well blended.

• Allow to cool and apply to your whole face and neck.

• Leave on for 20 minutes.

• Gently wash off with warm water and a gentle cleanser and then follow with your moisturiser.

If you would like to make a body mask you will need:

• mineral sea clay

• dark chocolate chips

• your preferred essential oil or extracts (almond oil/ macadamia oil/ jojoba oil / aloe vera gel, ginseng)

• milk

• honey

• chocolate oil and/ or cocoa essence (available at Dischem or any store that sells baking goods).

Method:

• Exfoliate your skin gently before applying the mask.

• Blend into a thick and smooth paste.

• Use a brush to apply the mask all over your body from your feet all the way up to your neck.

If you would like to make it into a body wrap, wrap a heating/thermal blanket around yourself to draw out any further impurities, and leave on for 20 minutes. Your natural body heat will keep the chocolate moist and smooth. Rinse off with lukewarm water or/and relax in a hot bath for 15 minutes.

Claire Brown is a natural remedy expert based in Northcliff.