A Natural Facial ... It's Good Eating!

The beauty of a natural facial is that if by chance you are locked in the bathroom for several days, it offers some solid nutritional value!

The Right Way To Start

Although I've never met anyone who actually does this ... ideally, you should test any facial mask for 20 minutes or so with a dab behind your ears to confirm you have no allergy problems with it. (Don't forget it's there, will you? Especially if it's food based, it can make for an embarrassing moment of intimacy later that evening).

In any case, always be ready to rinse your face clean at the slightest feel of burning after you've applied a mask. And before you apply the mask, wash your face and neck (warmth opens the pores, of course) and apply a little protective cream around your eyes. Then you can mash the good stuff on with abandon, and leave it there for up to 20 minutes ... but no more. Finally, gently rinse the mask off with warm water (usually) and perhaps apply a moisturizer that suits your skin.

And find a way to relax while your facial is on!

Keeping Your Facial Simple

I am astonished at the variety of things intended for our stomachs that can feel really good when spread all over our faces.

Egg white ... simply separate the white from the yolk, put the white on your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Smoothes, refreshes. Skin definitely feels tighter after this one.

Egg yolk ... same treatment. The yolk is supposed to act as an anti-oxidant, helping clean up skin blemishes.

Oatmeal ... mix oatmeal and water into a paste, apply and let dry.

 

Cornmeal ... similarly to oatmeal.

Plain yogurt ... an excellent moisturizer.

Plain honey ... on a warm, moist face.

Avocado (crushed, of course) works well.

You can also crush strawberries, or papaya, or watermelon and apply them ... but for only 5 minutes. And be especially cautious with strawberries, a surprising number of people have a related allergy.

A Little More Ambitious Facials

An egg yolk, plain yogurt, or even cottage cheese can be used to get a better consistency in your mask mixture. But the following go far beyond this!

Still very simple: mix a little honey and lemon juice with a carton of plain yogurt. Mix in oatmeal too, if you like; makes an excellent rejuvenating mask.

Try this facial with things you almost certainly have at home: a tablespoon of honey, ditto plain yogurt, an egg yolk and a splash of almond oil. All the elements are supposed to have individual wonderful effects which are probably ruined by being mashed together but the combination is definitely a good one.

Getting a little fancier: banana, avocado, cantaloupe, 1 tablespoon of wheat germ oil and a similar amount of yogurt. I have to say, that's more effort and expense than I prefer to go to to make a decent salad for the family but does it ever sound good!

There are a lot of even fancier facials out there ... but the truth is, almost any of the above will feel great and make your face feel wonderful. And the 20 minutes break is the real benefit anyway for you busy moms!