Bath.Body.DIY

How to give yourself a great facial!

Follow these simple instructions and experience the luxury of a salon quality facial, right in the comforts of your own home.

• Wash your face thoroughly, using mild soap or cleansing cream.
• Clean your face, using an astringent to remove any dead skin, soap, or cleansing cream residue.
• Nourish your face using a facial mask.  Cover the skin with a light, even coat, avoiding the area around your eyes; now Relax.  Choose a mask with ingredients that are best for your skin type, i.e., dry or oily.  Leave the mask on for approximately 15 to 20 minutes.  Try not to talk or move your face too much.
• Rinse you face thoroughly, using tepid water, and pat dry.
• Steam your face to clean out your pores, using a large bowl or sink full of hot water.  If you want to add herbs to your water, you can.  Chamomile is great for normal skin, peppermint for oily, and rosemary for dry skin types.  Make a tent over your bowl using a large bath towel and lean over the water for 10 to 15 minutes to open up your pores.
• Rinse thoroughly, starting with warm water then slowly changing to cold water to slowly clean and close the pores.  This is very important, especially if you're going outside afterwards.
• Moisturize your face with a light moisturizer.  Massage the cream or lotion onto your face and allow it to soak in.
• Now smile!  Your skin is cleansed, looking and feeling fabulous, and you just saved yourself $50.

***Wait***

Don't have enough time for a complete facial?!

Give yourself a mini facial....

Cleanse your face and put on a simple one ingredient mask, plain yogurt or avocado works great!  Leave this on for about 10 minutes, then jump in the shower to rinse it off and steam open your pores.  Rinse your face with some cool water, moisturize, and you're ready to go.

bath.body.DIY: A gentle DIY cleanser that's suitable for sensitive, dry skin

Since dry skin tends to be sensitive, the aloe vera in this DIY recipe is perfect for soothing and moisturizing this skin type.  The olive oil provides the skin with the oil it so desperately needs, but is unable to produce on it's own.  Since cleansers that tend to foam are generally too harsh and drying for dry skin, this cleanser does not produce a lather, but effectively removes dirt and debris.

What you'll need:

1/4 cup of aloe vera

1 teaspoon of olive oil

1 teaspoon of glycerin

5 drops of rosemary essential oil

Directions:

Apply with your fingers or a cotton pad, rinse with cool water.

*Shake this solution well before each use*

Dramatically tone your skin

This particular recipe for a firming facial mask will dramatically tighten and tone your skin.  Visibly shrinking your pores and leaving you with amazing looking skin.  This mask is recommended for all skin types, especially those who suffer from enlarged pores and slack skin.  This particular mask may be used 1-2 times a week followed up immediately with a moisturizer.

Firming Facial Mask

What You'll Need:

The white of 1 cold, fresh small or medium sized egg

1 teaspoon of cornstarch

Prep Time:

5-10 minutes

Tools:

a small bowl with a fork or small whisk

Directions:

Combine the egg white and corstarch in a small bowl or drinking glass and beat with a fork or small whisk until foamy and well blended.  the mixture should not be lumpy at all.

Application:

Using your fingers, smooth the mixture onto the face and throat (if desired) in a thin, even coat. The texture of the mixture will be gel-like due to the main ingredient in the mask being the egg white.  It's best to let this mask dry for 20 minutes while laying/leaning your head backwards, so gravity will not pull any wrinkles that you may have downward.  Leave the mask on for approximately 20 minutes.  Rinse, then follow up with a moisturizer.

Enjoy!