Simple Ways to Stay Young: Making Face Masks

Face masks are a simple and fun way to treat your skin right. And they can make you feel like a kid playing in mud. My favorite part is actually freaking my kids out when they are supposed to be in bed and keep coming out of their rooms. That'll teach them!
Making a mask is actually playing in mud- or clay- or with your food. 
This one was bentonite clay, a few drops of essential oils and water. The darker ones have activated charcoal added.

You can add and use ingredients that are in your kitchen. What you put in your face mask can change often and serve different purposes. I love the fresh feeling, softness or tightness I can get from a mask. When considering what you want to put in your face mask, you will want to consider the needs of your skin type. Make a base and then add extra elements or just take what you have and make a mask!

We have this notion that taking care of our skin is really complicated or maybe not needed. But let me tell you, our skin will eventually reveal the care we have given it. My goal lately is to help my skin look as young as I feel: not a day over 30! 😉 Since i didn't start paying attention to my skin until a few years ago, it's taken some time to get it to recover, and I do feel like it's working. And while what we put on our skin is important- so is what we feed our bodies! Healthy fats, less processed foods, more water and antioxidants are all important to incorporate into our daily diet! So take care of you all the time and then give your face a little TLC every now and then!

Join our ongoing discussion on healthy living here

When you gather ingredients, take care to use high quality ones that are not going to do your body more harm than good! Links are included for some, and using organic kitchen ingredients is always ideal. 

​Face Mask Base Recipe

2 Tablespoons Bentonite Clay
2 capsules of Activate charcoal, opened and emptied
A drop or capsule of Vitamin E oil
3-5 drops of Essential Oils (full list of ideas below)
Water

​Combine Dry ingredients- careful to avoid making a dust or breathing any dust.
Add water slowly until a thick paste is created. Do not use a metal spoon or container as it will interact with the bentonite clay.
Add additional ingredients to augment properties. This will make a few applications. 

After mixing your mask, apply evenly on clean facial skin. Allow to sit on skin for desired time. If you have sensitive skin, are new to the ingredients in the mask or unsure of your needs, keep it on for a shorter time (5 minutes). You can allow to dry and then wash off for your desired amount of time (15 minutes is often long enough). 
You'll know it's been on long enough when you want to smile and can't! 
I promise i was trying to smile really big here! It's ok if it's drier in some areas than others, that may be due to it being thicker in some spots. Add more liquid to your mask if you need to to get it to smooth out. 

​Rinse off with warm water and a gentle wash cloth. Splash skin with cool/cold water to close up pores.  Pat dry. Apply a toner and moisturizer as you desire. Some redness may occur immediately after due to increased circulation in your facial skin. This will often settle after a short time. Soothe with moisturizer, aloe or liquid oil or face serum. You can do a face mask as often as you determine is needed. Once a week is the general recommendation.

What are some other skin care ideas you use or needs some insight on?

​Essential Oils for the Face: 

Different essential oils have properties that make them more suitable for certain skin care needs. They can support elasticity, hydration, excess sebum, circulation and more. You will see some oils like Lavender and Geranium and Frankincense pop up more often than others! Those are all a great place to start and smell amazing with one drop of each! You can get started with both Lavender and Frankincense immediately with this opportunity. Young Living essential oils are what we use because quality matters and especially for sensitive skin and overall health!

• Normal: Lavender, Frankincense, Geranium
• Dry: Geranium, Lavender, Myrrh,  Patchouli, Rose, Frankincense, Ylang Ylang, Cedarwood, Clary Sage, Roman Chamomile, Sandalwood, Jasmine, Blue Cypress, Australian Blue Blend, Purification Blend
• Clearer Skin: Geranium, Cedarwood, Lavender, Patchouli, Tea Tree, Rose, Roman Chamomile, Lemongrass, Rosemary, Melrose Blend
• Sensitive: Helichrysum, Lavender, Rose, Jasmine, Geranium, Frankincense, Sandalwood, Vetiver
• Oily: Frankincense, Geranium, Lavender, Patchouli, Tea Tree, Ylang Ylang, Clary Sage, Roman Chamomile, Cypress, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sandalwood
• Mature: Rose, Sacred Frankincense, Frankincense, Myrrh, Helichrysum, Sandalwood, Geranium, Lavender, Patchouli, Cypress, Jasmine, Rosemary, Ylang Ylang, Joy Blend, Humility Blend, Inspiration Blend

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Spicing it Up

​When you want to get adventurous with your face mask, spice it up (literally) or just raid your kitchen for fun, here are some additional ingredient ideas and their benefits.

​DRY INGREDIENTS:

Sulferzyme (capsule powder for overall joint and body health) (cellular health)
Dark Cacao powder (antioxidants to prevent skin damage)
Ground Oatmeal (natural exfoliant and antibacterial and nourishing)
Baking Soda (Gentle exfoliant and balances PH)
Turmeric (anti-inflammation and skin brightening)
Kaolin Powder (detoxifying and cleansing- not over drying)
Bentonite (acne, circulation, detoxify, tighten pores)
Activated Charcoal (Detoxifies, cleanses, circulation, oily skin)
Need Crystals (natural exfoliation)
Bee Pollen: (exfoliate, disinfecting)
Spirulina: (antibacterial properties and clear pores clear and tight, antioxidants)

LIQUID INGREDIENTS

Aloe Vera (moisturizing, healing and youthfulness)
Green Tea cooled (anti-inflammatory, reduce sun damage,
Rooibus Tea cooled (eczema, dermatitis, rashes and inflammation.)
Apple Cider Vinegar (acne, great for concentrated spot treatment, dilute for all over)
Avocado (Hydrating and Softening)
Honey (moisturize, acne, clarifies pores)
Banana- mashed (moisturizing)
Strawberries- mashed (tightening, antioxidant)
Red Wine (antioxident, reverse aging)
Vitamin E Oil (reduce scaring, increase elasticity, also preservative)
Coconut Oil (Acne, antibacterial)
Jojoba Oil (mild for all skin types)
Grapeseed Oil (mild for all skin types)
Coconut Oil (Acne, antibacterial)
Egg White- Wrinkle prevention
Yogurt or Plain Kefir (antibacterial, moisturizing, toning)              
Rosehip Oil (Reverse wrinkles)
Raspberry Seed Oil (rosacea)

Have fun and take care of your skin! Let me know if there are other aspects of skin care you'd like more info on or what the craziest ingredient you've added to a face mask is!