Make it Yourself Monday- Facial Masks

Now that we are coming into Fall, it is really important to pay attention to your skin and take some time to prepare it for the harsh winter weather that we all hope we don't have! And, if you are blessed enough to live in the warmth, then you still need to care for your skin, because the sun is just as harsh as the cold, if not more so.


So here are a couple of easy to make face masks. The first one will mainly serve to detoxify and remineralize, while the second will be heavily nourishing. So one one week and one another would be perfect! 




Seaweed Mask


You will need;
4 tablespoons of kelp powder-[*See the 1st note below the recipes] (check your local health food store for this).
1/2 cup of aloe vera gel (you can get this in your local big box store or pharmacy)
3 tablespoons of distilled water


Mix the kelp powder and gel in a small bowl, then slowly add in the water until the mixture becomes a the consistency of a thick paste. You may use slightly less or maybe even slightly more water than the amount stated. That is ok. Just get a nice pasty consistency, one that you can easily spread. Then apply it to the face and neck, and leave sit for 15 to 20 minutes while you try to relax. When time is up, rinse with warm water and pat dry, then moisturize as normal.


This mask is gentle enough to be used routinely, so once a week is great, or alternate this one with others that have benefits you may need.


Vegetable Mask


You will need;
1/2 cup of heavy cream
1 cooked and mashed medium sized carrot
1 peeled, pitted and mashed avocado
3 tablespoons honey


Combine all the ingredients into a bowl, mix well, and spread over the face and neck. Relax for 15-20 minutes, then rinse with cool water and pat dry. Moisturize as normal.


Clay Masks


You can take all manner of clay and add any type of liquid to it to make a mask. You can use milk or other dairy products (such as cream, yogurt, or milk), water or various juices. 


Just a few notes-


-There is more than one type of seaweed available. You need to make sure that you purchase one that is face safe. Some types are only for use as a body wrap, and those are too harsh for facial use. So make sure that you get one that is safe for the facial area.


-There is more than one type of clay available. Generally speaking, certain colored clay is better for certain skin types. Do not buy a certain clay because your friend has that clay. You need the type that is best for your skin! 
Want to know what is best for what? Tune back in tomorrow for Teaching Tuesday- Clay!


- Remember to keep the avocado pit because it is a great natural massage tool.


-If you use clay in a mask, the thicker the clay is, the more intense the drawing action will be, so keep this in mind as you prepare it. 


-Masks are designed with ingredients that are intended to pull impurities from the skin, then other ingredients are intended to either restore and/or put some specific properties back into the skin. 


-What your skin type is, and what it needs to restore balance, are the key factors that should determine the type of mask that you use.  When in doubt, study and ask questions! 

Make it Yourself Monday- Nourishing Mask

Here is a recipe that you may be tempted to eat, but use it on your face and neck and you will look scrumptious! Take some carrots for their beta carotene and anti-oxidant vitamins, add some avocado for its high amount of vitamin E, and toss in some heavy cream for its calcium and protein, and you will get a facial mask that, when used regularly, will improve the skin's texture, diminish age spots and rebuild the skin's collagen.


You will need;
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cooked and mashed medium to large sized carrot
1 peeled, pitted and mashed avocado
3 tablespoons pure honey


Combine all of the ingredients in a bowel, mix well, then spread over the face and neck area, avoiding eyes and nostrils. Allow the mixture to set for 15 minutes, then rinse with tepid water and pat dry. Moisturize as normal.


Remember to keep your avocado pit, as it makes a wonderful (natural) massage tool. Just rub it and roll it against your skin to soothe tired muscles!   

Make It Yourself Monday - Winter Hair Conditioner

I hope that you had a relaxing weekend, and are prepared for the week!  Since it is Monday, it's time to make something! The dogs benefited last week, so this week we are going to move back to treating ourselves.
We all know that the winter wind and cold, or for that matter, the summer sun, wind and heat, wreaks havoc on our skin. What we often times forget about though, is the impact that the weather has on our hair. Over-exposure to the elements, aka that ski trip you took after Christmas, or that tropical vacation you took to get away from the cold, can make your hair dry and brittle. Even when you don't think that your hair is in bad shape, the following treatment is great for maintenance. The best part about it? You can make it yourself!


A hair conditioner that you can quickly whip up at home combines eggs, avocado and oils, and you don't even need to have eggs on hand! Simply peel and pit one ripe avocado and mix it together with one cup of mayonnaise (mayo is simply eggs and oil). The mayo, however, should be the all natural kind. You will be able to purchase this kind of additive free mayo in your local health food store, unless you are into making your own.
Mash the avocado and the mayo in a small bowl until it is well blended, then rub it onto your head and over all your hair. Take advantage of this time by massaging the scalp as you apply. Once you have it all mixed in and slathered on, cover your head with a shower cap (or plastic wrap if you don't have a shower cap) and relax for twenty minutes as the ingredients cook into your hair. Once your time is up, rinse and shampoo as normal.


If you want to be adventuresome, while at the same time saving yourself some money, as well as a trip to the health food store, you can easily whip up some mayo yourself....although you will have to have eggs! To make a simple mayonnaise all you need to do is to slowly add olive oil to an egg yolk (some people use the whole egg), while vigorously whisking. You must whisk hard enough to disperse the oil and continue whisking so that the water from the yolk and the oil will form the base of an emulsion. The lecithin, which is in the yolk, is also an emulsifier, and it will stabilize the mixture.
For the hair this is all that is necessary, but, when making a mayo for eating, you may want to add some salt, cider vinegar, and a bit of lemon juice for taste, as well as a tad of mustard, which will sharpen the taste and  further stabilize the emulsion. Today, many people add various other herbs, such as paprika, tarragon, or red pepper, to create a designer type of mayo.  It's all up to you, your taste buds and your imagination!

*Just a mixing note; when mixing the mayo, if the liquid starts to separate and it begins to look like a curd, just start over whisking another egg yolk, then slowly, very slowly, add in the curd. Keep on whisking and  it will turn into (emulsify into)  mayonnaise. A little patience goes a long way,
.

Ingredients for Making Mayonnaise

FOOD YOU CAN USE

MORE FOOD YOU CAN WEAR, IF YOU DARE!

Here are some more recipes that utilize the food in your refrigerator to care for your skin. Look through and try a few!

NOURISHING MASK

With carrot, avocado and cream

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 carrot, cooked and mashed

1 avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed

3 Tbs. honey

Combine all ingredients in a bowel and mix well, then spread over the face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes, then rinse with cool water and pat dry.

Carrots are high in beta-carotene and anti-oxidant vitamins, heavy cream is high in calcium and protein, and avocado is a rich source of vitamin E. This mask will improve skin texture, diminish age spots and rebuild collagen when it is used regularly.

FACE MASK

with pineapple

4 large pineapple chunks or 1/2 cup canned pineapple, drained

3 Tbs. ev olive oil

Put the pineapple and oil in the blender and blend until mostly smooth. Apply to your face and neck with your fingers, relax for 15 minutes then rinse with warm water and pat skin dry.

Pineapple contains bromelain, an enzyme which helps rid the skin of dead cells and dirt. It also helps counteract histamines, therefore it has anti-inflammatory properties. The pineapple fruit also acts as a mild astringent and skin freshener. The olive oil has excellent healing properties, is a great source of vitamin E, and will help to restore the skin's surface. Together, this masks ingredients combine to make a very beneficial treatment.

HAND MOISTURIZER

with apricots

6 dried apricots

2 cups water

1 oz beeswax

1 cup apricot oil

1/2 cup coconut oil

1/2 cup aloe vera gel

5 vitamin E capsules, open and use the gel only

place apricots in a small saucepan, cover with the water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 20 minutes, then set aside and allow to cool. Use a double boiler (put adequate amount of water in the bottom pan) to melt the beeswax, apricot oil, and coconut oil together. Cook, stirring constantly for about 10 minutes, then pour into a glass container and set aside. Put the apricots and water into a blender and blend until smooth, then strain through a cheesecloth, trash the solids and put the liquid back into the blender. Add the aloe vera gel and the vitamin E to the blender, then mix on low speed. While still blending on low, slowly drizzle the beeswax into the blender, blending and drizzling [on low] until this mixture has the consistency of cake frosting. You may OR may not use all of the beeswax. Once you have the right consistency, pour the mixture into jars. Store in a cool place. This mixture will thicken as it cools. Apply it to your hands after every washing. This moisturizer is particularly effective on prematurely aged, dry, sensitive, and/or inflamed skin!

HAIR PACK for DRY HAIR

with avocado and mayo

1 avocado, peeled and pitted

1 cup real mayonnaise

Mash the avocado in a small bowel, then blend in the mayonnaise. Once mixed, gently massage into the scalp and hair, then cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap. Leave on for 20 minutes, then shampoo as usual.

This mixture is a wonderful conditioner for dry hair and can be used as often as needed.

MOISTURIZING HAIR WRAP

with molasses

1/2 cup of molasses, honey or maple syrup

Apply molasses, (you can substitute honey or maple syrup if you want) directly to damp hair, massaging into the scalp. Once worked in, cover with a shower cap or plastic wrap and leave for 20 minutes. After the 20 minutes, rinse with warm water, then rinse and shampoo as usual.

This treatment is incredibly easy to do and will add shine and moisture to your hair.

PUFFY EYE REMEDY With potatoes and cucumbers

1/4 small raw potato, peeled 1/2 medium-sized cucumber, peeled 2 Tbs sage infusion, cooled *(to make a sage infusion you take 1/4 cup sage (fresh or dried) and pour 1 cup almost boiling water over it, allow to steep for about 30 min. then strain. Throw out the sage and store the "tea" aka infusion in the refrigerator in a glass jar, covered. This will remain good for about 2 months.)* Slice the potato into chunks then mash into pieces in a food processor to get them as fine as possible. Use the food processor to puree the peeled cucumber very briefly. You don't want to over process it. Then strain the excess juice. The whole thing will be runny, but preserve the more pulpy part.Now mix the potato, cucumber and tea together and pour into an empty ice cube tray. Freeze. Next time eyes are puffy, red and sore, pop out one of these ice cubes and place over the eyes. Leave on for 2-3 minutes, or you may just dab them on if leaving on bothers you. When finished, rinse your eyelids off & pad dry. You'll see the difference! The cubes will remain good in the freezer for 2 months. Also, for another, quicker, easier remedy you can throw a few slices of cucumber or just two teaspoons into the freezer before you get into the shower in the morning. After you've gotten out of the shower & dressed, place the frosted spoons or the cucumber slices on your eyelids. Sit back and relax for 10 minutes. The cool of the spoons reduces puffiness, while the cucumber actually possess a natural ingredient that helps to sooth irritated skin.

ERIN GO BRAGH !

On this wearin' of the green day, and being of almost full fledged Irish decent [Great, great Grandma was a full blooded American Indian], I'd like to say, Eire go brach, which is Gaelic for "Ireland until the end of time" (or Eirinn go brath, which is "Ireland Forever")! The term Erin go braugh! is the Anglicized version. Any way ya say it, Top of the morning and a Happy St. Patrick's Day to ye! LOL, I have been out all afternoon celebrating St. Patty's Day! Upon returning home I found that I never finished and published this post! Oops and sorry! I do not, however, want to wait another year, so here ye are. I hope your day was blessed with the luck of the Irish! In keeping with the green theme, try these! The oatmeal in the following recipe is very rich in vitamin E, and is well known for its anti-itch, anti-inflammatory, and skin soothing properties. Almonds are a natural emollient and, when ground, make an excellent exfoliant. The almond, oatmeal mixture is great for irritated, tired, dry skin. The avocado pulp, which contains vitamins A, D, and E, possesses collagen rebuilding properties. In order to avoid clogging your drains, use a small pouch or make a muslin bag to hold the oatmeal and almonds. Ideally, the pouch/bag should be large enough to fit your hand into, so that you can use it as a mitt to rub the avocado on your body. Alternatively, you could use a bath glove, but the pouch will afford you more room. AVOCADO ALMOND BODY SCRUB 1/2 cup almonds 1 cup dry oatmeal 1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and mashed Grind the almonds in a blender or coffee grinder until course, don't make too fine! Then mix the almonds with the oatmeal and place into a muslin mitt or a glove. Scoop the avocado and rub on your body with the mitt. Rinse with warm water, pat dry and moisturize. Then save the pitt to use as a natural massage tool ! AVOCADO CARROT CREAM MASK 1/2 cup heavy cream 1 carrot, cooked and mashed 3 Tbs. honey Combine the ingredients in a bowl and spread over your face and neck. Relax for 15 minutes, rinse with cool water, then pat dry. Remember that the thicker you make the mask paste, the more intense the action on your skin will be. The carrots are high in beta-carotene and anti-oxidant vitamins, the cream high in protein and calcium, while the avocado is rich in vitamin E. Put them all together and this mask will improve skin texture while diminishing age spots and rebuilding skin collegen when used regularly. AVACADO HAND RUB 1 ripe avocado, peeled and pitted 3/4 cup oatmeal 1/4 cup almond oil 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 cup water Place all ingredients except water in the blender. While slowly mixing, drizzle the water into the blender until the paste has the consistency of a thick pudding. You may not need all of the water, depending upon the amount of avocado meat. Once completed, rub and massage the paste into your hand in a circular motion. Rinse off with tepid water and pat dry. For best results, use twice a week to maintain soft, smooth hands.

SCRUB A DUB DUB, YOU DON'T EVEN NEED A TUB!

With the tips previously covered you can now treat yourself to natural, healthy, easy treatments for your face, hair, hands, nails, and feet. You can even reduce your stress or wake yourself up with some great bathing tips, so what is left you may ask? Well, how about the complete, full-bodied spa treatment in the comfort of your own home? Try this. Turn the lights down low, light a candle or two, unplug the phone, shut off the computer, set some relaxing music on low and prepare to relax, soothe and rejuvenate your mind and body. With the following tips you can treat yourself like the queen you deserve to be! These treatments are more SPA like and definitely more time consuming than the ones for specific body parts, but YOU ARE WORTH IT! So schedule yourself a SPA DAY at HOME! General body treatments include scrubbing, wrapping, bathing, moisturizing, and massaging. So I will take these in order and offer you some tips and recipes for each. Let's begin with scrubbing. When you exfoliate, the fancy word for scrubbing, you rid the skin of dirt, oil residue, and dead skin cells. This is important because, with the layer of dead skin cells gone, your skin will better absorb the products used in the next steps of skin care. It also serves to stimulate and circulate lymph fluids, which help eliminate toxins in the system. The stimulating massage increases blood circulation and stimulate the production of the body's own natural oils. Full body exfoliation should be done daily for great body and skin health. When done properly, it is one of the easiest treatments to revitalize and energize your mind and body. *Tips for doing it properly*

• Do not abrade the skin. Be gentle, especially when first beginning. As you develop a rountine treatment, your skin will develop a resisitance and you will be able to apply more resistance without irritating your skin. Remember that the purpose is to affect the top most layer of skin, not the underlying tissue.
• Use the proper tools. This is body scrubbing, not face scrubbing. Use a mitt, a towel, a loofah sponge, or a stiff body brush.
• Use your tool in circular motions. Begin with the feet, ankles, then the legs. Then do the hands, arms, shoulders, and down your back. Then do your stomach and chest.
• Use a cool water rinse after you are finished and pat your skin dry.
• Use moisturizer after you finish.
• Be sure to clean your tool thoroughly with soap and water after each use. Hang to air dry where it will get plenty of air circulation. You do not want to grow bacteria!
• Exfoliate your body daily, spending at least 5 minutes on the process to obtain optimal benefits.
• Since this treatment is energizing and revitalizing, it is best performed in the mornings.

*RECIPES*

*Irritated or Dry Skin Body Scrub Take 1 ripe avocado, peel it, pit it, and mash it. Set it aside. Take 1/2 cup of almonds and place them in a blender or coffee grinder. Grind them until they are course. Make sure they are not too fine this is not a face recipe! Once ground, mix 1 cup of oatmeal, old fashioned, not instant, and put them into a bath glove or muslin mitt. Scoop the avocado up and rub it over your body with the almond/oatmeal filled mitt. Rinse with tepid water and pat dry, then moisturize. Oatmeal is well known for its anti-inflammatory, skin soothing, and anti-puretic (anti-itch) properties. It is also very rich in vitamin E. Almonds are a natural emollient and make a great exfolient when they are ground. Avocado pulp contains vitamins A,D,and E and posesses collogen rebuilding properties. Not to mention that the pit of the avocado makes a great natural massage tool for sore muscles, so make sure to wash it and save it for use after your scrub! *Revitalizing Body Scrub, especially for Dry, Flaky Skin you will need; 1/2 cup of course sea salt 1/4 cup of rosemary oil body-scrub tool Dip your body scrub tool into the oil and then into the salt. Rub over your skin as described in the tips section. Continue to dip and scrub until you have covered your entire body, then rinse, pat dry and moisturize. Rosemary clears the mind and revives, as well as increases blood flow, while the sea salts work great to exfoliate the skin's surface.

*Body Scrub In a bowl, mix 2 cups of coarse sea salt with 1/4 cup of apricot kernal oil, making a paste. Gently smooth on body, in the mannor described in the tips section, being sure to use the palm of your hand, flattened, applying firm, but un-abbrasive pressure. When you have covered the whole body, rinse off, using a sponge or loofah, pat dry and moisturize. The apricot kernal oil is rich in natural emolients, as well as vitamin A adn B. It is easily absorbed by the skins' pores. It leaves the skin very smooth and well moisturized, while the salt is a natural exfolliant.