Drinking plenty of water, applying sunscreen daily and getting enough beauty sleep are a few of the steps you should follow to ensure your skin maintains its vitality.

But there’s another quick and affordable way to achieve a youthful glow, and it’s probably in your spice rack.

Often used to add a bit of a kick to a dish, from stews to pies or a comforting bowl of chilli, this ingredient also leaves skin glowing, and one celebrity swears by it.

Revealing her ‘elixir of youth’ in The Times, journalist and broadcaster Emily Maitlis said that a beautician friend convinced her to introduce paprika to her skincare routine, and she’s never looked back.

Made from dried, ground red peppers, the spice is a natural vasodilator thanks to its sweet and smoky flavour, which means it can open blood vessels and help regenerate cells, leaving skin looking plumped and refreshed.

The kitchen ingredient, which originated in Central and South America, is also packed with vitamin C. A popular skincare ingredient known for helping skin appear brighter, it also promotes collagen, which gives skin its elasticity.

We naturally produce collagen, but as this begins to slow down in early adulthood, skincare containing collagen can help promote a younger-looking appearance.

Describing it as ‘hot and prickly’ when applied to the face, while there’s no shortage of products containing paprika on the market, Maitlis prefers to apply it as a paste. And you can easily whisk up your own version at home with a few other kitchen essentials.

This recipe on Yogibeings advises mixing one teaspoon of paprika with one teaspoon of whole milk and two tablespoons of honey to create an anti-ageing and brightening face mask.

You can also add sugar for a natural exfoliant or use an avocado as a cream.

As it can feel slightly prickly when applied to the face, the recipe recommends leaving it on for 20 minutes before rinsing it off with cool water.