Hydrating Skin Treatments

January 20, 2015

As you know, or maybe you don’t…eating is one of my favorite things. So imagine my glee when I learned that I could put food on my face, and still benefit from it! We absorb all sorts of things through our skin. Of course skin is our first layer of protection, so everything doesn’t get absorbed. Actually, I can’t even tell you what we do actually absorb through the skin (another post for another day). At any rate, there are several treatments that provide moisture and cleansing to the top layer (epidermis) of skin. So now you can enjoy food without worrying about calories! Note to self: figure out how to enjoy the taste of food through the skin, calorie free.

Here are some hydrating skin treatments that I love, and the ingredients to make them.

Lavender

Lavender

Simple aloe vera mask

All you need is a towel and aloe. I like to keep an aloe plant around the house. Aloe vera juice is good for calming irritated skin, reducing wrinkles, and has mild antibiotic qualities. My grandmother would use it to prevent scarring, and to care for mild burns. Wash your face with your usual cleanser. I like to wash my face with plain water and an exfoliating pad or a towel. Rinse your skin. Lightly pat your skin so that it is just a bit damp. Break open one of the leaves from the aloe plant and spread the juice on your face. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes. Wash the aloe off with warm water, and gently towel dry. I like to dry my face with cotton rounds as they are very gentle on the skin. Apply a facial moisturizer. So simple!

Honey...

Quick honey mask

This sticky and sweet treat is soothing and can calm irritated skin. In addition, honey has antibacterial qualities and can unclog pores. Honey also helps keep skin youthful by providing moisture. Wash your face and gently pat it dry. Spread the honey over your face. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash the honey off with warm water and gently dry your face. Apply a facial moisturizer afterward.

Oatmeal mask

It’s good for breakfast and a facial. Oatmeal is a good exfoliator and can help with acne. Oatmeal also has a calming effect on irritated skin. Cook up a bowl of oatmeal, adding nothing to the oats other than water. Allow the oatmeal to cool. Wash and dry your face. Spread the cooked oatmeal over your face and let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Wash the oatmeal off with warm water and gently dry your face. Apply a facial moisturizer afterward.

Cucumber and oatmeal mask

Cucumbers are moisturizing and cleansing, as well as anti-inflammatory. For the mask, you’ll need about 3-4 inches of peeled cucumber, 1 tablespoon of dry oats ground into a powder (you can use a mortar and pestle or a coffee grinder), and 1 tablespoon of honey. Puree the cucumber in a food processor until it is smooth. Add in the oats and honey and blend in the food processor until the mixture is smooth. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours. After washing your face, apply the mixture. Let it dry for 10-15 minutes. Wash the mixture off with warm water and gently dry your face. Apply a facial moisturizer afterward. If you want to amp up your facial, place a cucumber slice (round) over each eye. The vitamin K in the cucumber helps to get rid of dark circles under the eyes.

Rose

Rosewater freshener

Rosewater smells great and has anti-inflammatory, astringent, and antiseptic qualities. Just buy rosewater in a spray bottle and you’re all set. Use this alone as a freshener by spraying it onto your face. You can also use rosewater as a toner after cleansing your face, followed by the application of your facial moisturizer.

Epsom Salt Soak

Epsom salt, lavender and sage soak

Get ready to relax with this soothing soak. Epsom salt is said to be good for relieving tired and sore muscles. It is an exfoliant that is good for dry skin, and has anti-inflammatory qualities. Lavender has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities, and the fragrance is calming. Then there is the sage. Sage has antiseptic and antibacterial qualities. Another bonus, both sage and lavender are believed to ease muscle pain. With this soak, make sure that the water is warm, very warm. If you are soaking your body in the tub, use 1-2 cups of Epsom salt. If you are just soaking your feet in a basin, then ½ a cup is adequate. As for the sage leaves and dried lavender, I use about 1-2 teaspoons of each. It creates a great, aroma. I like to soak for about 15 minutes.

Alright, go play!

~ Cece

You must be logged in to post a comment.