Summer facial from our very own kitchen.....

 

Most of us know that we need to drink plenty of water to be hydrated, so does our skin which needs to be hydrated especially in summer. A good facial leaves your skin smooth, bright and flushed. It’s fun to get a facial at a spa, but living abroad and running to the spa often burns holes in our pocket. Now you can get the same great results in the comfort of your home without spending much.

We have an idea of the basic facial regime: wash, scrub, face pack, toner & moisturizer. The procedure can vary for different skin types.

• Coffee face mask: While the mask will remind you of your morning cup of COFFEE, it’s actually an ideal mask for all skin types. Take 2 tsp of ground coffee with 1 tsp sugar ½ Portion of olive oil & juice of half a lemon. Mix the ingredients well and apply, lightly massage the scrub for few min and leave it for 10-15 min, wash of your face with warm water. If you have sensitive skin, you should avoid rubbing your face because the coffee grounds could potentially scratch your skin. It's really up to you, you'll get a feel for what your skin can take and how finely ground the coffee is. It can also be used as a body scrub .You can store the leftover paste in the refrigerator.

• Banana Mask: You can use banana as an all-natural, homemade facial mask that moisturizes your skin and leaves it looking and feeling softer. Mash up a medium-sized ripe banana into a smooth paste, then gently apply it to your face and neck. Let it set for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off with cold water. Another popular mask recipe calls for 1/4 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey, and 1 medium banana.

• Papaya Mask: This papaya face mask is great for acne and also helps lighten and even out skin pigmentation. This is a powerful mask that can lighten scars as well, leaving you with bright, flawless skin. Papaya, Honey, Lemon contain antibacterial properties that will kill off acne-causing bacteria from the skin. Papaya also has a deep-cleansing action that will push out all the gunk from clogged pores. Blend or mash few pieces up the soft ripe papaya into a lump-free puree and apply.

• Yogurt/Milk Facial Masks: You don’t have to go to a spa to give your face a quick assist. To cleanse your skin and tighten the pores, slather some plain yogurt /milk on your face and let it sit for about 20 minutes. For a revitalizing facial mask, or to relax your nerves you can mix 1 teaspoon plain yogurt & orange pulp with 1 teaspoon aloe pulp. Leave the mixture on your face for at least five minutes before rinsing it off.  Add a spoonful of oatmeal to act as a scrub for face & body. You could also add strawberry, mixed berries, turmeric, oats, pomegranate, inside meat of pumpkin, cucumber or egg white – depending on your mood. :)

• Turmeric mask:  For centuries in India, a facial mask made with turmeric was applied to a bride's face before the wedding for a radiant looking skin and this tradition continues till date. Turmeric is also used to help cure acne, lighten and brighten the skin and fight age spots. It is fairly simple to make your own turmeric facial mask, using ingredients that are readily available.  Take 1-2 tsp gram flour in a bowl and add the turmeric, milk and honey to it. Mix all the ingredients and make it as fine smooth paste. Sandalwood powder and turmeric paste mixed with milk or rose water also helps to improve the face glow and lighten the dark skin tone. If it is used weekly, this mask should produce positive results.

• Lemon Facial Masks: Create a facial that both exfoliates and moisturizes by mixing the juice from 1 lemon with 1/4 cup olive oil or sweet almond oil. Add 1 tablespoon honey and 1/2 lemon juice and mix well. Apply the face mask onto your clean face and let it dry for 15 minutes. Gently use warm water to loosen the face mask. Do a final rinse off with cold water.

General tips:

• Pull your hair back with a headband to prevent hairs from getting stuck in the mask; it’s quite sticky at times.
• The mask should not be applied around the eye area.
• To save time, put on the face mask before doing something like getting breakfast ready or soaking in a bath, so that you kill two birds with one stone.
• After the mask dried up, it may get stuck to your skin in some areas. Do not pull it from your skin while washing. Gently massage such areas with water till the mask slackens and comes out.
• Although, there are a wide range of beauty and skin products but use of these natural ingredients like mint, tomatoes, egg white, olive oil, clay, charcoal, teabags, oatmeal's, berries, or just milk, are always a safe bait when it comes to skin care because these ingredients have no potential side effects and have been in use from the times of our grandmothers.

So, go ahead and pamper yourself, use any ingredients from your kitchen, each has its benefits and let the magic work on your skin for a bright summer day. :)

Happy pampering!!