Amanda Hamilton's homemade spa perfection

Resident GMTV nutritionist Amanda Hamilton tells iVillagers how to escape the Christmas chaos by indulging in a relaxing homemade spa treatment

With the commercial chaos that is Christmas most of us feel an ever-increasing desire to escape and focus on, well, nothing really.

The assault on the senses that comes with any full-blown celebration can sometimes leave us more worn out than revived. Not so much a case as 'bah humbug' as the saying goes but 'bah bath-time' for some much needed time out.

No surprise then that many of us seek solace in a spa, should budget allow. One of the most popular spa trends in recent years has been Ayurveda, a philosophy that follows the belief that to achieve true health we must be in physical, emotional and spiritual balance.

Signed over the salary to Santa? Don't worry, the good news is the ingredients used in swanky style Ayurvedic treatments can be found down your local market for nothing more than a few quid.

With that in mind, for this month's iVillage.co.uk menu I've decided to share some mouthwatering spa recipes to help you keep the glow this festive season.

First the face: a window of your wellbeing. Make a moist paste by adding honey and gram flour and apply it on the skin. Leave it for at least 20 minutes and then wash off with lukewarm water. The simple honey mixture enhances the complexion and makes the skin feel baby smooth.