Milk and Organic Sugar Face Mask for Smooth, Creamy Skin

Glycolic acid is all the rage in anti-aging skin care. One of the alpha hydroxy acids, it promotes skin rejuvenation. Used regularly, it is said to smooth out the skin, creating a glowing, radiant complexion. Well, I thought I'd give glycolic acid a try with some organic sugar cane (don't use processed sugar!) and another one of the alpha hydroxy acids — lactic acid from a little milk.

Warning! My milk and sugar cane face mask is messy. It is not going to dry on your face like the typical neat and clean face mask. It is a great skin treatment for evening out the complexion and giving your face an exfoliating, nourishing experience. The milk really helps to make the skin feel soft right after use, while scrubbing with the sugar stimulates the skin, which is always a good thing for boosting nutrient and oxygen intake for cells. The small things count when it comes to skin care.

To make this milk and sugar facial treatment you will need:

• 2 tablespoons organic cane sugar
• 3 teaspoons milk or cream
• 2 drops of neroli essential oil

Stir together the milk, sugar, and orange blossom oil. Cleanse the face with your daily facial cleanser, opening pores with a splash of warm water to rinse. Coat your face with the mask. I do this over the sink, continually reapplying the milky sugar and buffing the skin with the sugar crystals.

This is really more of an exfoliating sugar scrub, but wearing it on the face like a mask for a few minutes is a great way to give your skin some nutrients from the milk as well as the beneficial properties from the neroli oil, which, by the way, stimulates cell growth — the perfect addition for this renewing, anti-aging facial.

Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Watermelon Sensitive Skin Face Mask for Summer

Summer is right around the corner, which means you are going to find sweet, fragrant watermelon at the market — the perfect ingredient for a
sensitive skin face mask to help replenish and repair sun-damaged skin. This ultra pink melon is high in vitamin A, a key nutrient for protecting skin cells from damaging UV rays. Eat up your fresh watermelon this summer (go for the apricots, peaches, mangos, and summer carrots as well) and slather your face with this cooling, hydrating fruit. Wear a broad spectrum sunscreen everyday, and you should be able to keep your skin in goddess worthy condition.

Watermelon is also a good source of vitamin C and silica, two nutrients that are required for the production of new, healthy collagen. You also get some antioxidant activity from the vitamin C and carotenes. Like cucumber, watermelon soothes irritated, dry, or damaged tissue. I like to add aloe vera juice for more repairing, regenerative properties. Yogurt helps to gently exfoliate, while also moisturizing. Finish with calming lavender and this mask is going to restore and renew even the most sensitive skin.

This is one of the best homemade facials for rosacea, dry skin and mature skin. It is therapeutic for any face that has spent the day in the sun. To make this sensitive skin face mask you will need:

• 1/4 cup fresh watermelon chunks
• 1 teaspoon aloe juice
• 1/4 cup plain yogurt
• 2 drops lavender essential oil

Blend the melon, aloe, and yogurt in the blender. Move to a bowl and then add the lavender. Apply to a clean face. While letting your face mask set, rinse out the blender and make a fresh watermelon smoothie for more nutrients for gorgeous skin. The double dose of vibrant nourishment will really replenish and restore your complexion. My personal favorite recipe — a handful of blueberries, fresh watermelon, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, five or six ice cubes, and a spoonful of raw honey.

photo credits: Mary K Baird 

Image: Master isolated images / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Pore Refining Face Mask With Green Clay and Orange Blossom

Isn't it wonderful that some luxuries in life are actually good for you, like chocolate and French green clay? Grab your piece of rich dark chocolate and some green clay powder, and try out this pore refining face mask. It is one of the best for smoothing out the complexion, deep cleaning, and shrinking those oh-so-horrendous pores on the face. It combines nutrient-rich French green clay and calming, toning orange blossom water. Once you have the clay powder and flower water you can whip up this facial in no time for a fraction of the cost of a commercial mask or a trip to the spa.

Drawing out impurities and dosing the skin with trace minerals from decomposed plant matter, French green clay is wonderful for refining pores. The more gunk — oil, dead skin cells, bacteria, dirt, and makeup — in pores, the larger they are going to appear. The super cleansing action of green clay is the ultimate solution to this problem, sucking out all of the gunk, while also supplying the skin with silica (think collagen production), zinc (think anti-bacterial action) and other nutrients. Toning and tightening, it also draws blood flow to the skin, bringing oxygen and nutrients to nourish cells.

Why orange blossom water? This delicately astringent hydrosol helps to shrink pores while also refreshing the skin and calming inflammation (great for acne). Wait, it gets even better. Orange blossom water is also regenerative, so you get a pore refining, anti-aging homemade facial.

To make this green clay pore refining face mask, you will need:

• 3 teaspoons French green clay powder
• 3 teaspoons orange blossom water
• 2 drops rose essential oil
• 1 drop frankincense essential oil

Mix everything together in a glass or ceramic bowl. Use more or less flower water to make a paste. To prepare the face, lay a warm, wet cloth over the skin for about thirty seconds. Very gently pat the skin dry. Apply the mask, smearing an even layer over the entire face. Rest, enjoy some music, or to get really luxurious, sip on a cup of drinking chocolate (try making with soy milk or water to cut down on dairy products, which aren't the best thing for the skin). After ten to fifteen minutes, rinse off the mask, dry, and put on your best face cream.

To refine pores, try using this treatment three times a week for the first week. Then, scale back to once a week. If you don't have oily skin, use this homemade refining treatment once a week. Another tip for dealing with large pores is to increase your water intake. Try drinking more water and herbal tea to help balance oily skin.