Budget/Environmentally/Skin Happy Options
[dropcap letter=”I”]know how important beautiful, healthy skin is and while there are a million products on the market, sometimes our skin needs straight up naturals to reset. Once upon a time I studied skincare, hair, and makeup (2400 hours, 5 licenses and certifications later) and taking care of that precious dermal layer we call skin is so important.
So I’ve put together five options to keep your skin happy, your lines at bay, and bid farewell to those pores that seem to have their own zip code – on your face.
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1. Egg On Your Face!
The Egg White Mask | Approx. Cost Per Use – $0.25
What You’ll Need: One Egg
You know that moment when you go to a hotel and they have those magnifying mirrors? The ones that make you gasp at how many pores you can actually see on your face? Yah. That’s fun. We can fix that. Sure, regular facials at the local day spa are the best thing in the world but in the event you want to save a few hundred dollars, your fridge will serve you well. Grab one egg, one bowl, some cotton balls and stand in front of the mirror with a freshly washed face.
Crack the egg and separate out the yolk, leaving only the white in the bowl.
Take your cotton ball and dip into the egg white. Apply egg white filled cotton ball to your face (avoid direct eye contact). Once your face is covered, wait 10 minutes as your face completely tightens, pores disappear, and you feel a bit like you’ve had “some work done” because of the natural tightness you’ll be experiencing. Rinse and voila! A beautiful glow, invisible pores and photo ready skin.
[separator type=”thin”]2. So Seedy!
Home Made Apricot Scrub | Approx. Cost per use $1.00
What You’ll Need: Dried Apricot Seed, Organic Rolled Oats, Coconut Milk Bar Soap, Yogurt (optional)
Apricots are finally back in season so after you’ve devoured the succulent fruit, keep the stone seed! Wash it clean and let it dry for a day or two. Once it’s completely dried out, grab that cheese grater and gently grate into the finest grating available. Next take that coconut milk bar soap and grate it into tiny gratings. Put in a bowl. In a separate bowl place ½-1 tablespoon of the grated apricot seed shell + the coconut milk bar soap. Now toss in a few natural and organic rolled oats (1 tsp should do the trick) and add water. You should get a creamy yet soap-like consistency. For a gentler scrub, add in a spoon full of plain cold yogurt* and mix. Make sure you have a nice even consistency (check to make sure its not TOO grainy so you don’t overdo it on your skin). Once you’ve found the right blend (test on your hand), wash your face clean, dry, and then use your homemade scrub to remove any dead skin cells and yucky dirt from your face. You’ll see immediate results.
*Yogurt actually also acts as a pore and fine line reducer and can be used on its own as a mask 2-3 times per week.
3. All Avo-It!
Avocado, Yogurt, Oatmeal Mask | Approx. Cost Per Use – $2.00
What You’ll Need: Avocado, Yogurt, Lime, Tumeric (optional)
Avocados are sort of nature’s miracle fruit. The natural vitamins and elements in one avocado have a ton of healing agents. For starters one avocado contains 17 vitamins and minerals! Then add the fact that it’s the good kind of fat our body needs to fight off disease and the fact that it makes the best accompaniment to tortilla chips and it’s no wonder we love them so dang much. So turns out, the green miracle is also phenomenal for your skin.
Mash up ½ of a ripe avocado until it is a creamy texture, add a tablespoon of plain cold yogurt (tightens pores, reduces fine lines), the juice of 1-2 squeezed fresh lime wedges (reduces discoloration), and a pinch of turmeric (acts as a natural antiseptic). Once you get a creamy texture without lumps, apply directly to clean, fresh skin and leave on 10-15 minutes. Rinse and feel moisturized and refreshed!
[separator type=”thin”]4. Honey, Moisturize!
The Honey Mask | Approx. Cost Per Use – $0.50-$2.00
What You’ll Need: Local Honey … the good stuff.
Honey is a seductive gift from those buzzy little bees and nature. The thought of the honey freshly dripped all sexy onto a bowl of fruit, or sitting on the edge of a spoon, or – well – whatever youuse it for, honey is something that is downright intriguing. It also happens to be one of the best ways to ward off seasonal allergies, heal sore throats or laryngitis, and as it turns out, do things to your skin you didn’t even know were possible.
First off, food for thought: there are as many honey varietals as there are flowers and herbs. Think about that for a second. Imagine the honey we haven’t even tasted yet! That said, from white sage (light beige) to orange blossom (amber) to avocado honey (dark molasses), the flavor profiles and healing properties vary based on the origin of pollen. Honey on its own makes one amazing mask. You don’t have to add anything else, the honey all by its lonesome works wonders.
So, which honey should you use? We suggest sticking with some from your local environment (this avoids allergic reactions). The best ones tend to be the herbal honeys like lavender and sage which you can find at your local Farmers Market. The avocado honey is also phenomenal (moisturizing + great for rejuvenation). Whichever honey you decide to use, all you need to do is pour some into a porcelain bowl. If its fresh it may be slightly crystallized and if that’s the case, just run the honey jar under warm water PRIOR to opening and using. Using your fingertips (clean ones), place onto your freshly cleaned face, leave on 10 minutes, rinse off and there you have it! Glowing, happy skin.
5. Ôlive-You!
Olive Oil Moisturizer | Approx. Cost Per Use – $0.50-$4.00
What You’ll Need: Pure, organic extra virgin olive oil.
While Coconut oil has been getting’ all the street cred lately, olive oil has long since been an advocate of our healthiest selves. With a long standing history of doing heart healthy, brain enriching, skin enlivening things to us since the dawn us humans stumbled across olive trees, this oil derived from olives is one heck of a cure for a great many things. In fact olive oil has been known to reduce the risk of stroke, heart disease, inflammation, Alzheimer’s, lower cholesterol, helps you lose weight, and a whole list of beneficial factors.
Olive oil also helps your skin get back to optimal moisture without clogging pores or making you feel too oily. Before telling you how to use olive oil, it can’t be stressed enough that you’ll need to do your research on the best REAL olive oils. Sadly there is a market out there full of fraudulent brands claiming to be pure extra virgin olive oil. And they’re not. Read the ingredients and make sure they are COOC/EVOO Certified. All you should see is 100% olives in the list of ingredients. A few brands we know and trust are: California Olive Ranch, McEvoy Ranch, O Olive Oil. There are also some amazing Italian brands out there.
Ok so now what? If your skin is feeling dryer than normal or like it just doesn’t have that tautness, olive oil is the remedy.
FOR FACE: Grab a cotton ball and put olive oil directly onto it then after you’ve done your entire face washing regime, instead of moisturizer, run that cotton ball over your entire face. (Don’t saturate it as a little goes a long way.)
FOR BODY: Pour olive oil into your favorite bottle of body moisturizer and shake it up. That little dose of olive oil will make your skin beyond soft, healthy, smooth, and in the best possible condition.
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