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.