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A New York City Health and Beauty Blog

Four Pure, Effective Homemade Masks for All Skin Types

February 1, 2011

I’m probably preaching to the beauty blog-reading choir here, but skincare obsessions are a bit of a thing with me. (I’m still in the honeymoon stage with my citrusy Trader Joe’s set.) Nearly a decade ago, there was an extremely unique skincare and beauty shop in the mall called Skinmarket, which has sadly long since closed. I went almost every weekend until it did, and the coolest part by far was an ice bar with freshly made masks you could purchase by weight.

I thought of Skinmarket during the last big snowstorm, around about day four of my frosty captivity. Masks are cool because unlike, say, serums, most people have the necessary ingredients for at least one awesome mask on hand. Here are five treatments you can make with very common pantry/medicine cabinet staples.

1.)Avocado: Okay, part of me feels like it’s a sin to waste perfectly good almost-guacamole by smearing it on my face. But utter deliciousness aside, avocados are rich in Vitamins A, C and E. Vitamin A is multi-beneficial, but prized for its exfoliation abilities. C renews skin, and E heals. Mash half an avocado with a fork and apply to skin. 8-10 minutes is a good benchmark time for mask application. I would use the other half to make a sandwich while I wait.

2.) Oatmeal: For those of us with itchy, easily irritated skin, oatmeal is really a miracle ingredient. When I was in beauty school, we did a relatively long facial section on oatmeal, and were told it “force feeds” moisture into the skin. While that may be a bit of hyperbole, oatmeal is very hydrophilic. Aside from that, oatmeal has long been used as a calming ingredient to soothe ailments like eczema. Cook 3/4 of a cup of oatmeal with 1/3 of a cup of water, and let it cool slightly. Spread warm- not hot- oatmeal over facial skin, and leave for about ten minutes. Dampen the mask a bit, and remove.

3.) Baking Soda: This isn’t a mask per se, but I have tried bucket loads of exfoliant in my career. Nut scrubs and pit scrubs tend to be a bit harsh, with jagged edges causing “micro-abrasions” in delicate facial skin. Even pricey exfoliants can be a bit lackluster- but mix a bit of baking soda in with your regular cleanser or even combine it with water to create what is hands down the best skin scrub I’ve ever used.

4.) Honey: I touched on honey briefly last week, but this is another seriously awesome one-ingredient skincare powerhouse. This is not the least messy mask there is- I had a dedicated honey mask brush- but in addition to a strong ability to trap moisture, honey is antibacterial, full of vitamins and antioxidants, and it just gives skin an indescribable glow. Warming the honey a bit- about ten seconds in a ramekin in the microwave- will make application marginally less sticky. A very warm washcloth will help with removal and steam in some extra moisture.

Do you have any favorite pantry staples for beautiful skin? Ever made a homemade skincare potion?

2 Comments
Filed Under: Skin care Tagged: avocado, baking soda, exfoliants, exfoliation, facials, home facials, homemade masks, honey, masks, oatmeal, skincare

Treat Yourself to a Spa Discount at Spa Week

April 1, 2010

Image: Spaweek.com

Everyday we work hard to pay our bills, put food on our tables and accomplish the goals that we’ve set for ourselves. This is one of the main reasons why I feel that Everyone deserves a little bit of luxury”. Every once in a while we need to reward ourselves for the hard work and sacrifices that we make on a day to day basis. So whether you treat yourself to an expensive (but worthy) makeup bag, a new makeup palette or a Chanel tote – I say hey you are truly worth it. Why work hard if you cannot reap the rewards? Treating yourself well is not just about the material luxuries of life but also taking care of your bodies. If you do not take care of yourself how can you take care of the kids, your hubby, your wife or even your goldfish?

I frequently get manicures, make trips to the salon and get facials whenever I can. Sure sometimes these treatments can be expensive and may not always fit into your budget, after all these are tough economic times. Well ladies (and gents) this is where Spa Week comes it. Spa Week is the glorious week of April 12-18, 2010 where you can get $50 spa treatments at approximately 800 spas throughout the US (and Canada) including (but not limited to) New York, Virginia, Florida, California, Nevada, New Jersey and several other states. Ladies you can treat yourself to everything from Botox to ear candling to laser hair removal to vajazzing. I was quite happily surprised at the extensive list of participating spas and services available. I plan on partaking in a 60 minute hot stone massage since I’m always in need of some relaxation after a long day at work. A trip to the spa is not just a luxury as there are many healthful benefits such as stress relief, detox and healthy skin (depending on the treatment). When you feel good you look good and this is important to your overall mental well being. When a person takes care of themselves it helps to improve their body image and their self esteem. So take a moment or an hour out of your busy life to do something fabulous for yourself, you deserve it.

To check out the participating spas go to http://www.spaweek.com/ and then book your appointment.

1 Comment
Filed Under: Events, Fitness, Skin care Tagged: Body Care, deals, facials, health, massage, relaxation, Spa Week, well being

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