Natural Face Masks Pack on Goodness

A Potent Make-it-Yourself Face Mask for Radiant Skin
by: Sheryl Walters

Face masks are a good way to thoroughly cleanse and nourish the skin on a deep level. There are many natural skin care facemasks on the market, but you can easily make your own at home… and you will probably find that it is even more nutrient dense and chemical free than what you can buy in the shops.

Here is a powerful facemask to nurture and pamper your skin, making it smooth and vibrant. It is packed full of antioxidants and beautifying properties to ensure radiance.

Natural Skin Care Ingredient number 1…Chocolate

Chocolate has recently been rediscovered to be one of the most nutrititous foods on the planet. Raw chocolate in its purest form has the highest amount of cancer fighting, disease busting, premature age destroying antioxidants on the planet.

While chocolate used to be known to cause acne, it has since been recognized that the milk in chocolate (or a whole list of other ingredients that make up your average chocolate bar) is the cause of acne. In fact, it has recently been discovered that putting milk in powerful foods such as tea and chocolate keeps the antioxidants from being absorbed.

The Mayans and the Aztecs called chocolate the food of the Gods. In addition to its high levels of antioxidants, it contains ingredients that regulate mood, increase libido, and leave us feeling peaceful, relaxed, and full of love.

If you can get raw chocolate powder, it is best. If you can’t get it, simply use pure, unsweetened cocoa powder.


Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 2…Avocado

Many anti-aging skin care products use avocado oil for its anti-aging properties that create youthful, glowing skin. It defends against carcinogens and other elements that can cause disharmony in our skin.

It is also rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which is anti-inflammatory (inflammation is one of the biggest causes of aging) and is a potent moisturizer. Avocados increase the elasticity of the skin.

Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 3… Green Tea

Green tea is consistently being hailed as a powerful antioxidant, and is one of the people of Okinawa Japan’s secrets for longevity and vibrant health. Putting it on directly on the skin is equally potent.

Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 4…Honey

Honey is a great anti-bacterial agent, will open up the pores, and will deeply cleanse and detoxify the skin. It will also make the mask sticky.

If you want your mask to be strictly vegan and raw, you can use agave nectar, which has similar properties.

Natural Skin Care Ingredient Number 5…Oatmeal

Oatmeal naturally exfoliates the skin to remove dead skin cells, leaving it soft and smooth.

Oatmeal is also well known for its healing properties.

Mix them all up

Mix one mashed avocado, 3 tablespoons of raw chocolate powder or cocoa powder, 2 dessert spoons of honey, and 2 tablespoons of oatmeal. Infuse green tea in a small cup of hot water and let it cool. Add a splash to the mixture, or enough to make it into a paste.

Treat Your Skin

Apply on the face, gently massaging it so that oatmeal can start exfoliating the dead skin cell layer. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and rinse off with luke warm water.

Make Great Scented Water for Baths

Herbs for that Wondrous Bathroom Scented Waters Indulgence

Author: Hester-Lynne Murdoch

The bathroom and the time we spend in it are important for so many reasons. Besides the usual short visits, we spend time there cleansing and reviving our body and inner person. This is a time that you have “me - time” the few minutes when the children cannot get to you, your family have to fend for themselves or all have gone to bed and now is the time to relax, slow down and enjoy your senses and stir the imagination:

We have five senses; Smell, feel/touch, hear, see and taste, but in our rushed life we often forget, or don’t have the time, or just postpone stopping and enjoying being alive.

Take a little time to spoil yourself, make this easy herbal scent, for your bathroom.

Place these next to the bath, when you bath add lavishly to bath water, relax smell it, run your hands through the water, feel the water and scent on your skin, smell the air, smell your skin. When you dry yourself, spread more of the Scented Waters over your entire body. The difference it makes to how you feel is amazing.

Place some Scented Waters next to your basin. When the weather is hot, pour water into the basin, add Scented Waters, and splash your face with this wondrous luxury.

The great thing about making Scented Water is that it is so easy, you can use any herb you like, or whatever is available in your garden or once a flower arrangement has slightly lost its firmness, use the flowers to make your scented waters:

Herb Scented Waters

Use any herb you like, here are a few you might consider: Rose petals, lemon balm, lemon thyme, rosemary, chamomile, violet, sage, mint or lavender, vanilla pods, or a combination of any flowers or herbs, whatever takes your fancy.

Directions

Wash and sterilise a jar that has a screw top. Fill the jar with fresh or dried flowers or flower petals and cover them with boiling water. Allow to cool. Add surgical spirit in the proportion of 4 tablespoons of spirit to 1 litre of water. Add 15 drops of lemon juice. Leave for two days, shaking daily. Strain and pour into clean sterilised bottles. Pretty small bottles, preferably dark glass, with cork or glass stoppers look the best especially if you have in mind to use these super fast and easy to make scents as a gift to a friend. Make a card saying made with love or care by hand from yourself and you have a winner present for any occasion.

Spice Scented Water

This takes a little longer, but it is well worth it: Use any of the following spices: Cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander, or combine them with a favourite herb like bergamot, patchouli, or sage.

Directions:

Coarsely ground, crush or pummel the spice. Place 1 part spice and 5 parts rubbing alcohol in a sterilised screw top jar. Seal and leave for a week, shaking daily. After a week, strain discard spices and herbs and smell, if you feel it needs a stronger smell, replace the herbs and spices with fresh and repeat the storage and shaking for a week. Once you are happy with your Spice Scented Water, strain and pour into clean sterilised bottles with glass or cork stoppers as above.