Beauty tips from around the globe

With their sultry Latin looks, exotic Asian beauty and European elegance, women from other countries always seem so gorgeous. We uncover their beauty tips so you can try them out at home

Zap those zits - New Zealand
It's one of New Zealand's best-kept beauty secrets, but Manuka honey has been a top skin tonic for generations. Originating from the Manuka tree, a native plant in New Zealand which is famed for its antiseptic oil, the honey is rich in minerals and has gained a worldwide reputation for its special germ-killing and wound-healing abilities.
Try it at home: Comvita Skin Therapy Manuka Honey Skinclear Cream (£7.95, 25g) helps rejuvenate skin and combat acne and other spot-forming conditions.
www.comvita.co.uk

Make your hair shine - China
Ever wondered why Chinese women tend to have such glossy hair? It could be due to a beauty secret passed down through the ages - using a hair rinse made of rosemary and green tea. While this magical tea is rich in health-boosting antioxidants, rosemary is detoxifying and can help rid hair of impurities, giving it a healthy shine.
Try it at home: Neal's Yard Remedies Rosemary & Thyme Shampoo (£5.25, 200ml) is a refreshing tonic to boost shine and condition.
Green People Intensive Repair Conditioner (£8.50, 200ml) is based on herbal infusions of organic green tea and organic horsetail for strong, healthy hair.
www.nealsyardremedies.com

Get a glowing complexion - Greece
Far from being just a healthy snack, in Greece yogurt is a renowned topical beauty treatment. A natural source of lactose, proteins, vitamins and minerals, Greek yogurt has been used directly on the skin for years in Greece to treat sunburn and other skin problems.
Try it at home: Use it as a nourishing mask. If you don't want to get messy with the yogurt in your fridge, check out Korres Yoghurt Mask (£16, 40ml), with watercress, vitamin E and olive oil to soothe and hydrate for radiant skin. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes and rinse off with lukewarm water.
www.korres.com.

Banish cellulite - Brazil
The exotic looks and figures of Brazilian women are the envy of females around the world, so we're dying to know some of their tips. And it's actually quite simple - sand! While relaxing on the beach Brazilian beauties rub wet sand on their bodies to smooth and stimulate their skin, and combat the dreaded cellulite.
Try it at home: Unless you live near a warm, sandy beach, this isn't going to be easy so instead pop into Lush for Sandstone soap (£1.95, 100g). It contains skin nourishing vitamins and minerals to pummel and polish the skin, then turn it to the sand-topped side and it transforms into an exfoliator to beat stubborn cellulite.
www.lush.com

Look younger - Israel
People travel from all over the world to slather themselves in nutrient-rich mud from Israel's Dead Sea. Even Cleopatra is reputed to have travelled there from Egypt to immerse herself in its nourishing waters. Today Hollywood royalty, such as Julianne Moore and Susan Sarandon, are fans of products from the salty sea. Indulging in a black mud body wrap -a mixture of Dead Sea minerals - can cleanse and stimulate the skin, toning and firming tissues for a youthful glow.
Try it at home: Ahava Pure Spa means you can still take advantage of Dead Sea benefits without leaving your bathroom. Energizing Body Mud Mask (£12.50, 250g) helps moisturise and purify, as well as containing anti-ageing properties for younger, fresher looking skin.
www.ahava.co.uk

Be a natural beauty - France
The French see pampering as a top priority, and have strict beauty regimes, from applying rich creams all over their bodies to taking luxurious baths, using products only of the best quality. They feel that less is more, and would rather use a dab of concealer where they need it than plaster themselves in make-up. French women also believe that a woman is beautiful when she is comfortable with herself, and frown on excessive cosmetic surgery. Old doesn't mean unattractive, and many women prefer to age gracefully (think Juliet Binoche).
Try it at home: Make time for pampering - set aside an evening a week where you can exfoliate your body and treat it to some heavenly moisturising products. Next, streamline your make-up bag - get rid of all the cheap, garish cosmetics and beauty products you never wear or use, and keep the classic, quality items. For a dreaded spot break-out, use a concealer such as French classic Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat Radiant Touch (£22), instead of a thick foundation. And think yourself sexy - a new haircut or a top can boost your confidence in leaps and bounds (far cheaper than a facelift!).
Call 01444 255700 for Touche Eclat stockists.

Get flawless skin - Scandinavia
The beautiful complexions of Scandinavian women can be put down to a single product that's cheap and easy to come by - water! Knocking back at least two litres of pure spring water every day to flush out toxins, these beauties also splash their face with mineral water throughout the day to revitalise their skin and reduce puffiness.
Try it at home: Aim to drink at least six to eight glasses of spring water a day. Decant some into a bottle with a spray attachment and spritz yourself throughout the day.