like a natural woman

Hurrah for face masks! and another hurrah! for using supplies from the produce aisle of the grocery store to make your very own homemade face mask! I love knowing exactly what's going into the concoction I'm putting on my face, and of course I like that it is super friendly for a tight budget.

Face masks are an easy way to clean your pores, help with acne, and soothe dry or oily skin. It is also a fabulous way to relax. I've tried different combinations of natural face masks, and here are some of the ones that I liked:

1. Avocado yogurt mask (for dry and sun-exposed skin. I do this a lot in the summer.)
You need: avocado, honey, natural yogurt, and cucumber.

1. Start with a clean face. Wash off all make-up with warm water and pat dry.
2. Mash the avocado with a fork until creamy. Avocados naturally contain a deep penetrating vegetable oil that is wonderful for dry skin care. Maybe the most important element of avocado is that it is a good source of potassium, which is known as the youth mineral, so whether you are eating avocados or making a face mask, they can help your skin maintain its healthy and beautiful glow (Bananas also are rich in potassium!)

3. Add 1 tbsp. of all natural honey to the avocado mash. Honey has the ability to kill germs on the skin and can reduce swelling and inflammation, giving the skin a taught and youthful appearance.

4. Stir in the natural yogurt. Yogurt is a natural and gentle cleanser and is used in a lot of skin care products. Yogurt also contains lactic acid, which soothes and softens the skin while tightening wrinkles and refining pores.
5. Apply a thin layer of the avocado face mask to your face and neck. Peel and slice two pieces of cucumber slices over your eyes and relax (With natural gentle astringent properties, cucumber is the perfect addition to your avocado face mask, as it cleans, nourishes, hydrates and helps reduce circles underneath the eyes.) Allow the mask to set for at least 15 minutes before rinsing thoroughly with warm water, and again, patting dry.

2. Sometimes my skin is dry, sometimes my skin is oily, and for the oily days, the Banana Oatmeal Mask is good idea. You need: a ripe banana, fine-ground otameal, water, honey, and lemon.

1. Mix in about 1/2 cup of water with 1/4 cup of oatmeal (try to get it to a gooey texture, but not too runny), and then mash in the banana.
2. Add some honey.
3. Add a few drops of juice from an orange or a lemon.
4. Apply to face for 15 minutes before rinsing with a cool washcloth or a steaming warm washcloth.

3. Aspirin Face Mask is good for exfoliating and also for treatng reddness and acne. It makes your skin feel soft!
You need: uncoated aspirin, a few drops of water, honey
(This is not an everyday mask; maybe do every other week)

1. Put 5-10 uncoated aspirins in a small bowl and add in a few drops of water to dissolve aspirin into small pieces.
2. Add in a few drops of honey and mix together.
3. Apply to face for 15-20 minutes before washing off with warm water.

4. Another one of my favorites is the Egg Face Mask. It probably is the easiest one to do, because really all you need is one egg. You get instant results with this one - your face feels firmer and smoother after the first mask. You can find the easy directions here.


have fun !