Your face is the most exposed part of your body, from daily car exhaust, air pollution and other environmental airborne toxins. We need to cleanse and detox our pours to regain that fresh glowing luster we all had in our youth. Let’s face it… if your not in your twenties, we all can use a little natural TLC on our skin. I use to purchase top of the line all natural herbal/organic skin care products, but when things are a little tight, you tend to drop the luxuries and go for what is necessary in life. Actually, we don’t have to by making your own health & beauty products and skin care treatments yourself at home. If you been treating yourself good on the inside, do the same on the outside.
Here are two options for facial steam treatments:
1. purchase a low cost facial steamer – take your herbs and make a tea, let it steep for 5 – 10 minutes, strain & let it cool. Take 1 – 2 oz. and pour herbal tea into the facial steamer at time indicated.
2. place the herbs in a pot of boiling water & then transfer it into a bowl, take a towel and place it over your head covering the bowl & absorb the stream. Keep the eyes closed, and breathe slowly. Allow the steam to work for 3 minutes for dry/sensitive skin, 5 minutes for normal skin, 8 – 10 minutes for blemished skin. How often you use a facial also depends on skin type: once a week for dry/sensitive skin, 1 – 2 times a week for normal skin and twice a week for blemished skin.
Skin Types & Formulas
Oily Skin & Blemished Skin
Oily skin normally results in overactive oil gland production, common in teens and some adults. Facial steams for oily skin typically include herbs credited with addressing excess oil production as well as soothing inflamed or acne-ridden skin. Steam at least 1 – 2 times a week, 8 – 10 minutes to slow oil production and unclog pores.
Herbs
chamomile, lemongrass, lavender, rosemary, thyme leaves, watercress, arnica flowers, nettle leaves, peppermint leaves or yarrow blossoms, eucalyptus.
Dry Skin
An herbal facial steam may help stimulate oil production while increasing circulation and removing impurities, do this for 3 minutes and no more then once a week to prevent over-drying.
Herbs
arnica flowers, calendula flowers, fennel seeds, rosemary leaves, rose petals, chamomile, comfrey root, comfrey leaves, small amount of peppermint leaves.
Normal Skin
A nice blend and balance circulating the blood to hydrate and nourish the skin. To maintain that luster, steam for 5 minutes 1 – 2 times a week.
Herbs
chamomile, lemon-balm leaves, rose petals, lavender blossoms, linden flowers
Mature Skin
Mature Skin loses some of its elasticity from a lack of collagen production and loss of sebum on the skins surface creating aging and wrinkled complexions. A weekly Cleanse for 3 – 5 minutes will help replenishing & hydrating your skin. Apply a liquid capsule of vitamins A, E, & C, to your treatment by mixing the vitamins onto the outer eye areas, small lines & wrinkles, and neck before steaming.
Herbs
dandelion root, comfrey root or leaf, cowslip petals, chamomile, licorice root, orange blossom flowers, marshmallow root, comfrey, rose petals and lavender for their regenerative properties.
Next…
Facial Masks for All Skin Types (*)
Papaya Mask *
Step 1. Clean & wash face. Cut a slice of ripe Hawaiian or Mexican papaya, remove the pulp and seeds.
Step 2. Rub the inside peel of the papaya slice onto face, hands and neck. Leave on for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with tepid water.
Step 3. Eat the papaya pulp after removing! Don’t throw it away… it’s loaded with healthy digestive enzymes, is low in calories (just 39cal/100g), and is high in vitamin-C, which boosts your immune system and acts as an anti-inflammatory.
Your skin will feel beautiful and healthy!
Honey Mud Mask *
This honey mud mask is rejuvenating & nourishing, exfoliating, soothing, and hydrating ingredients that get the skin and face clean by getting deep down into the pores and drawing out impurities naturally. Best of all it can be used on any skin type to help maintains skin healthy glow, texture, and beauty.
Use 100% pure organic raw honey…
Fx 1. *
1/4 cup or less of honey
1/2 avocado
(or)
Fx 2. *
1/2 avocado
yogurt mix
(or)
Fx 3. *
1 tbsp natural yogurt, room temperature (not lowfat or non-fat)
1 tsp honey (For dry skin, use an extra tsp of honey. Oily skin, add a few drops of juice from a lime).
Combine all the ingredients in a small glass or stainless steel bowl, mix with a small spoon and apply to your face and neck immediately after it is made. Apply layers on skin evenly, leave it on for 15 to 30 minutes. Rinse it off with warm water; you may use a wash cloth to remove sticky honey mask until it’s all gone gently. Repeat and rinsing the wash cloth until your face is nice and smooth and glowing!
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Homemade ‘Cat Litter’ Mask for All Skin Types
Yes, this IS WEIRD. I read it from Diane Irons’ book. The beauty expert swore cat litter is made of the same ingredients as special clays found in super expensive spa facials.
1 bag cat litter (must be market ’100 Percent Natural Clay’)
Water
Drops of your favorite essential oil (see list below)
Mix in a couple tablespoons of the cat litter with water and drops of oil (the oil helps make the experience somehow less kitty litter-ish), apply mask to face and wash off after 15 minutes.
Homemade Face Mask for Combination Skin
A rose-based mask is perfect for balancing out the oily and dry areas of your skin.
Optional: 6 fresh rose petals
2 tbsps rosewater
1 tbsp natural yogurt, room temperature (not lowfat or non-fat)
1 tbsp runny honey (to get honey runny, you can warm it in a microwave for a few seconds).
Soak rose petals, then crush them in a bowl. Add the rosewater, yogurt and honey.
Mix well and apply to the skin. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse.
Homemade Juice Mask for Oily Skin
Strawberry and lemon juice contain natural astringents.
1 tsp lemon juice
2 egg whites
3 tsp honey
1 cup strawberries
Optional: 4 drops of your favorite essential oils (see list below for best oils for your skin type.)
Mash or blend the above ingredients. Smooth over face. Let it stay for 10 minutes. Rinse. Recipe works for two people, so invite a friend, or cut recipe in half for just you.
Banana Mask for Oily Skin
1 ripe banana
1 tbsp honey
Lemon or orange juice
Mix the banana and honey together. Add a few drops of orange or lemon juice. Apply to face for 15 minutes.
Homemade Mask for Acne
½ cup fresh mint
½ cup cilantro
1 tbsp powdered zinc (an anti-inflammatory)
Blend mint and cilantro in a food processor, add water to make a paste. Blend in powdered zinc.
Homemade Clay Mask for Oily or Acne-Prone Skin
Clay masks help neutralize skin. You can pick up clay from any health-food store. (i.e. “Aztec Indian Healing Clay” from Healthy Options )
A basic fuller’s earth clay (if skin is sensitive, try a French green clay)
1 tsp honey
water (for a richer mask, substitute whole milk)
your favorite essential oil (see list below.)
Mix 2 parts water to 1 part clay, mixing in a bit of honey. Add more water if clay is too dry. Add a few drops of the oil. Keep mask on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with a warm washcloth. Tip: This recipe works for dry or normal skin too. Add another tablespoon of honey and add a few drops of essential oils for your skin type (see list below).
Simple Mask for Oily, Acne-Prone Skin
Recipe from Paula Begoun’s ‘The Beauty Bible.’
1 bottle Milk of Magnesia (no flavors, please)
Apply solution to face. Wash with warm washcloth after 15 minutes. Milk of Magnesia is actually liquid magnesium. Like clay, it’s from the earth, but has disinfecting qualities and absorbs oil better than clay.
Homemade Face Mask for Dry Skin
Avocados and honey are particularly moisturizing.
½ avocado
¼ cup honey
Mash the avocado in a bowl, then stir in the honey. Apply to skin and leave for 10 minutes. Run a washcloth under cool water, then rinse face.
Homemade Milk Mask for Dry Skin
1 tsp powdered milk
1 tbsp almonds, pulverized
1 tbsp runny honey
1 tsp aloe vera gel
2 drops essential oil (choose your favorite from the list below)
Mix ingredients well, apply to face, let sit for 15 minutes, wash off with warm water. This recipe is enough for two.
Homemade Face Mask for Sensitive Skin
This soothing mask is great for chapped, sunburned or irritated skin.
1 cup natural yogurt (we like it just-out-of-the-fridge cold)
½ cup oatmeal (any type of basic oatmeal works here)
Mix the ingredients together & apply to the skin for 15 minutes. Wash off mask with a warm washcloth. Don’t have yogurt in the house? You can substitute Pepto-Bismol. (No, we’re not kidding! The agents that soothe your stomach also soothe your face).
Extra tip: This mask works well for other skin types as well. For oily skin, add a couple drops of lemon or lime juice. For dry skin, mix in a couple tablespoons of honey.
Homemade Face Mask for Aging Skin
This mask works well for maturing skin, since sugar is a natural exfoliant and will help soften the lines your skin creates as it ages.
3 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp warm water
Melt sugar in warm water. Make sure granules are dissolved, otherwise they may tear your skin. Apply to the face and leave for 10 minutes. Gently massage around the skin. Rinse.
*Essential Oils by Skin Type *
You can find these by capsules or bottles with droppers in health food stores like Healthy Options.
Normal skin
Atlas cedarwood, geranium, jasmine, lavender, soy, neroli, evening primrose, almond, orange, geranium, palmarosa, roman chamo, rose, rosewood, Ylang-ylang, tea tree
Combination skin
Geranium, rosewood, Ylang-ylang, rose geranium hydrosol, neroli hydrosol
Dry and aging skin
Almond, carrot seed, cedarwood, clary, jasmine, geranium, lavender, orange, Palma rose, neroli, castor, extra virgin, wheat germ, sandalwood, rosewood, rose, Vetiver, Ylang-ylang
Oily skin
Cedarwood, geranium, Clary, lavender, Ylang-ylang, lemon, peppermint, Niaouli, Cajeput, cypress, frankincense, patchouli, Roman & German chamos, sandalwood, juniper, Melisa, coriander, lime (distilled), grapefruit,rose, rosemary, eucalyptus, red mandarine, myrtle, neroli
Sensitive skin
Roman & German chamomile, rose, Palma Rosa, Helichrysum, neroli, rosewood, carrot, angelica, jasmine, Neroli, Chamomile or Yarrow Hydrosols
Read more http://lipstickeffect.multiply.com/journal/item/4?&show_interstitial=1&u=%2Fjournal%2Fitem
Moisturizer
Night Cream
My personal skin cream moisturizer formula, I use daily as a night cream. I don’t have the exact measurements, I use my judgement according to the size of the jar. The smaller amounts used are the bee pollen, royal jelly, and propolis; they are expensive so I try to get a combination to save on cash, but still retain the quality. A good source of vitamin E I get is from Dr. mercola. I had seen formulas slightly similar to mine, but not as good because there are other fillers and I’m not sure how pure the quality is… costing anywhere between $50 – $100 for a small jar!!!
Ingredients
1 tbsp Bees Wax
Bee Pollen =
Royal Jelly =
Bee Propolis = (all three from a jar – 1 tsp)
2 tbsp Raw coconut oil
2 tbsp Raw shea butter
1/2 tsp Avocado oil
2 tsp Rose water
Vitamin E – capsules (2-3)
Vitamin A – capsules (2-3)
1/2 tsp Glycern
pure oil fragrance (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a warm stainless steel bowl and whip until smooth, let it set & use at night. A small dime to nickel size cream will cover your face, neck & hands. Not an exact science, I add more or less some of the ingredients by eye. A small jar batch can last you 6 months to a year depending how much you use.
Day Cream Recipe
Ingredients
1/4 cup aloe vera gel
1 tsp. bees wax
1 tsp. cocoa butter
1 tsp. vitamin E oil
3 tbsp. almond oil, or hazelnut oil
4 tbsp. German-chamomile hydrosol
1/4 tsp. borax powder
10 drops lavender or calendula essential oil, or your favorite fragrance
Melt the beeswax, cocoa butter in a double boiler.
As soon as the mixture has melted, stir in the almond oil, or hazelnut oil, and then lower the heat slightly.
Heat the hydrosol and aloe-vera gel (if using) in a separate pan. Add the borax powder; stir until completely dissolved.
Remove both pans from the heat.
Using a hand mixer or whisk, mix the hot hydrosol into the hot waxy mixture in very small quantities. Continue stirring until the cream has cooled.
Add the essential oil and mix well.
Store the day cream in a small jar, away from light and heat.
DIY: Make Your Own Facial Toner
Floral waters regulate the pH value and the acid mantle of the skin. They also increase the skin’s moisture content and prepare it for absorbing lipids and active substances. I’ve listed several floral waters, so you can choose one best suited to your skin type and need:
Rose
Perfect for all skin types, it softens facial lines and revives dull, tired skin. No wonder it’s the most popular floral water.
Rose Geranium
Great for sensitive skin, but works on all skin types, it calms broken capillaries, couperose and rosacea and helps heal wounded or blemished skin.
Orange Blossom
Good all skin types, except dry, it helps promote the production of collagen while encouraging the replacement of old cells. It also stimulates circulation to reduce puffiness and relieve swelling.
Lavender
Perfect for all skin types, it tones and stimulates cell regeneration, soothes irritations and reduces inflammation.
Witch Hazel
Great for all skin types, especially oily, mature and damaged skin, its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties ease redness and irritation. (Note: True Witch Hazel Floral Water is not what you find on the pharmacy shelf.)
Sandalwood
Good for dry and mature skin types because it immediately boosts moisture, while balancing, cleansing and toning with anti-inflammatory properties for dewy, refreshed skin.
Tea Tree
Perfect for impure and acne-prone skin types, it effectively kills bacteria and treats acne with antiseptic, antifungal, antibacterial and antiviral properties.
Peppermint
Great for tired and impure skin because it helps alleviate redness associated with irritation or acne.
Myrtle
Good for oil-prone and impure skin types, it fights bacteria, regulates oil production and helps heal wounds and blemishes with mild antiseptic and regenerative properties.
Next choose your essential oil(s). These are some the oils you’ll find (by skin type and listed in alphabetical order):
Dry to very dry skin
Bergamot, Clary Sage, Frankincense Arabian, Jasmine, Lavender, Myrrh, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rose, Rose Geranium, Rosewood, Sandalwood, Vetiver
Normal Skin
Cedarwood, Frankincense Arabian, Jasmine, Lavandin Super, Lavender, Neroli, Palmarosa, Rose, Rose Geranium, Rosewood, Sandalwood
Oily combination skin
Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Cypress, Lemon, Palmarosa, Thyme Linalol, Tea tree, Ylang ylang
Sensitive Skin
Chamomile, Frankincense Arabian, Jasmine, Neroli, Rose, Sandalwood
Directions:
Add 1-3 drops of essential oil(s) to 8 oz. of floral water in a clean, sterile bottle. Shake to thoroughly blend the ingredients. Mist or splash it on your face after cleaning skin.
Read more: http://www.saffronrouge.com/blog/post/diy-make-your-own-facial-toner
Related links:
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DIY Rose Water & Benefits
DIY Citrus Cleaner
DIY Fluoride Free Natural Toothpaste
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