Holiday Face Ritual

As the holiday season continues, we still find ourselves stressed out about seeing family... which can ironically lead to breakouts, thus leading to more stress, thus continuing the vicious cycle! In the midst of your busy end-of-2012 schedule, find 20 minutes to pamper your face and find yourself breathing a little easier afterward. Not only will your skin look better, but it will feel smoother and have a wonderful glow.

To start, remove any make-up with your choice of make-up remover. Rinse your face with warm-to-hot water for about a minute to open your pores. Get some sugar from your kitchen (about 3 tbsp) and mix it with some warm water (about 2 tbsp), then mix until it forms a grainy paste. Use this sugar scrub to exfoliate your skin -- spend about two minutes rubbing the scrub on your skin in small circles. Avoid the sensitive area around your eyes, as the scrubbing motion can cause irritation (the sugar itself will not hurt it).

 



Now that your face is ready to soak in vitamins and nutrients, mix together the above ingredients in a small bowl (whisk the egg white until fluffy first!). It will look and smell wonderful, and should have a slightly runny consistency. Why mix together these ingredients?

Pumpkin

This seasonal produce is full of Vitamins A, which heals the skin; Vitamin C, a vital anti-oxidant; and Zinc. The pumpkin soothes the skin,working wonderfully with the other ingredients in the mask, which could be too powerful and irritating on their own. At the same time, it also helps the skin absorb the other ingredients and allow them to penetrate to deeper levels.

 

Egg White

It should not be surprising to see this on the list of ingredients... if you've ever made a homemade face mask before, I'm sure you've found yourself cracking an egg or two. The egg whites tighten your pores and also lift your skin. If you have oily skin, you can add another egg white, as this will help to cleanse your pores and absorb any excess oil.

 

Baking Soda

Are you surprised to see this on the list? Believe it or not, baking soda (or powder, if you don't have any baking soda on hand) acts as a mild exfoliant, cleanser, and mosturizer for the skin. Many skincare products contain sodium bicarbonate (the scientific name for this ingredient) because of its gentle ability to remove dead skin cells, dirt, and oil.

 

Cinnamon

This warm spice serves as an astringent in this mask. Combined with the pumpkin, this is the reason your skin will have a fresh glow when you wash off the mask. The cinnamon helps improve circulation and also plumps and pampers your skin cells.

 



After combining the whisked egg white and other ingredients, apply generously to your face. Find something to do, or, if you have time, soak in a hot tub, as the steam and heat from the water will help your face absorb all of the ingredients. Be careful, however... if you don't have time to relax in the bath, don't do anything that requires a lot of movement. Because the mask is runny, it will not fully dry on your face and you don't want globs of it falling off!

Leave it on for about twenty minutes, then rinse off with warm water and a washcloth, if needed. Afterwards, use your daily cleanser to wash your skin, then rinse well. Finish the rinsing with cold water, closing your pores, and pat your face dry, leaving it damp. Apply your favorite facial mosturizer. As a great everyday tip -- if you apply mosturizer while your face is still damp from washing it, your skin will absorb more of the nutrients and appear healthier.


Enjoy this holiday facial routine that will only cost you about $1.50 and a trip to the kitchen! Happy glowing and happy days!!!