There is nothing better than taking sometime out to pamper yourself, especially if your a mommy. Here I list a step by step guide to a DIY at home facial. First I recommend brewing yourself some green tea with honey to get in the mood. Put on some light music and take a few long deep breaths. Okay now here we go,
1. Remove makeup, dit and oil with a cleanser suited for your skin type, rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
2. Fill a large pot with water, and place four chamomile tea bags inside to calm redness and reduce bacteria. Bring the water to a boil.
3. Spread a gentle exfoliating mask over your face, avoiding the skin around your eyes, and leave the mask in place for the next step.
4. Remove the boiling water from the heat. WIth a towel over your head, hold you face about a foot above the pot for two to three minutes.
5. Rinse the scub thoroughly and blot dry with a clean towel.
6. Immediately apply a thin layer of a mask. Clay for oily skin; a creamy one with honey , aloe or rnica extract for dry skin and sensitive skin; or, for combination skin, a combination of the two (clay on the t-zone and a hydrating maks everywhere else). Leave on for 10 minutes.
7 Rinse off the mask, and before the skin is completely dry spread a thin layer of moisturizer on the face. This is the best time to apply serums and moisturizers because the skin is like a sponge when it's wet and soaks up the products 50% better than if dry.
8. Rest your skin and do not apply makeup for atleat 6 to 8 hours. So it is best to do this facial in the evening before bed. You can also take your omega fatty acids such as fish oil or flax oil which are great for plumping the skin, and also fighting inflammation, improving circulation and hydrating your skin from the inside out.
What you will need for your facial:
1. Chamomile Tea bags which contain antiseptic and ant-inflammatory qualities, making it especially good for dry and sensitive skin. Tazo Chamomile Calm tea bags are my favorite. You can find these at your local Starbucks or at some Supermarkets.
2. You will need rubberbands or shower cap to keep the hair off your face. A good idea is to put a conditioning oil in your hair such as olive oil, jojobo oil or good old coconut oil(yummy)in your hair then place a shower cap over your hair. Now your killing two birds with one stone by treating your skin and hair.
3.If your skin is dry or senstive use a milky cleanser like Aveeno Active Naturals Ultra Calming Moisturizing Creamy Cleanser or a cleanser of your choice
4. For Oily skin and those prone to breakouts, choose a facial cleanser with salicylic acid to help exfoliate and unclog pores. You can add a few drops of Tea Tree oil to your cleaner for added benefits.
5. On Combination skin, a foaming gel cleanser works best to lift away excess grease without overdrying. Make sure the cleanser is oil-free.
My tips and tricks:
1. If your skin has a tendency toward broken capillaries or redness(rosacea), abstain from steaming( the heat can dilate capillaries worsening the condition). Instead soak washcloth in a pot of chamomile tea. Wait until you can hold it comfortably, then drape if over your face till it cools.
2. Those with dehydrated skin should skip the scub and instead apply a moisturizing cream with hyaluronic acid, glycerin or pathenol over dry areas, allowing the steam to penetrate.
3. For oily or acne-prone skin I recommend applying a mask containing sulfur. Sulfur has natural antibacterial properties, which prevents future breakouts and calms redness.
4. Those who prefer homemade masks, as I do, can treat dry skin with organic raw honey and avocado. For my oily skin sisters like me, stir plain steel cut oatmeal, while it's still warm add two tablespoons of aloe juice and three crushed zinc tablets. For sensitive skin , try a peeled, mashed peach blended with one tablespoon of honey and a few drops of olive oil.
5. To soothe irritated or to calm skin. Try applying Organic Yogurt. It contains lactic acid and probiotics that refreshen skin. Yogurt also fights off an over proliferation of bacteria known as P. ances which cause acne.
6. To soothe puffy eyes wrap chilled, grated cucumber inside some gauze pads and press each to your eyes.
7. One of my favorite masks is from the Vitamin Shoppe and its called Aztec Indian Clay touted the most powerful facial in the world. It cost $7.00 which isn't bad and last ages. It comes in powder form to mix with organic apple cider. Braggs Organic Apple Cider is a great brand that they also sell at the Vitamin Shoppe for $3.00. For $10.00 you have a great facial.
I hope you enjoyed this post. If you have any questions I would love to answer them. Do you have any beauty tips and tricks you could share?
