I love to pamper my face using wholesome ingredients from the kitchen.
I have almost bade farewell to beauty salons. My last few visits to beauty parlours – for a facial – have given me a headache and dull skin. Perhaps my skin didn’t like products they used or the massage was heavy-handed or combination of both. There was only one time when I have truly enjoyed facial and I was left with glowing skin for weeks. It was a salon in Andheri, Mumbai (I don’t remember the name, it’s been few years). The lady who did the facial had such a tender and loving touch, which I think made all the difference. Unfortunately I was there for a short stay and I couldn’t visit it again. And I haven’t come across anybody like her.
So now I prefer to do luxury face treats at home. I recently came across this face nourishing recipe in a health book. I tweaked it a bit and tried it on… The almond and mint face mask made my face sooo soft, and it brightened it up instantly, and it also smoothed out uneven skin tone around my face. I highly recommend it.
After just two applications I even received a few compliments – so it’s not just me hallucinating the benefits 🙂 My skin is combination type, but looking at the ingredients I believe it should work for all skin types. Also, they are pretty basic but effective and you should have most of them in your pantry.
Here’s the list of ingredients and what each has to offer:
Almond is rich in vitamin E and mono-unsaturated fatty acid, which easily absorbs into the skin to improve complexion. A wonderful natural moisturiser, it leaves your skin soft, supple and smooth.
Mint is cleansing, soothing and cooling and nourishes both dry and oily skin types. It is effective in treating blemishes and reducing puffiness.
Honey is a natural humectant, which means it will draw moisture from outside air and hydrate your skin. It has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties which help with acne and other skin problems.
Milk has natural lactic acid that helps to cleanse, exfoliate and soothe the skin. Milk contains protein, enzymes and antioxidants – all of these enhances smoothness and help to strengthen skin structure.
Lemon is detoxifying, astringent, antiseptic, and anti-fungal. It increases lustre of dull skin, and helps to fade blemishes and even out skin tone.
Frankincense essential oil is a balancing skin tonic, effective for dry and mature complexion, scars and wrinkles.
This is how I made mine:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until you have a smooth and creamy mixture.
Notes:
How to apply:
Apply little by little to your clean face and neck, avoiding the eye area. Massage gently using your middle and ring finger, always moving upwards. Massage for 3 to 4 minutes.
Spread the remaining mixture evenly on your face and neck. For tired eyes, put cucumber slices or chamomile tea bags (used/chilled) on your eyes. Now lie down and relax for 15 to 20 minutes. Focus on your breath and let all your worries melt away. Wash off with warm water (you can also use a wash cloth/muslin cloth to remove the mask). Lastly, splash your face with cold water to seal and pores and all the nourishing goodness.
Massage tips:
Enjoy your soft, smooth and radiant skin 🙂