Facials from Your Fridge

Skin is the largest organ of the body and needs lots of care inside and out to be glowing and looking its best. Great looking skin starts with a healthy diet of fresh fruits, veggies, whole grains, lean meats, low fat dairy, plenty of water and avoiding things like sugar, caffeine, alcohol and cigarettes. As well as eating well, you want to have a basic skin care regiment everyday of cleansing, toning and moisturizing and using a mask or exfoliate once a week. When you pick a product from your store you may want to check the http://cosmeticdatabase.com/.

The cosmetic database is part of the Environmental Working Group. The EWG thoroughly test all kinds of products numerous times for safety and then rates them, you can even type in your favorite product and check its safety. Since the FDA doesn’t regulate personal products it is a great way to check products you already own or are thinking about spending money on.

For an at home facial simply look in your fridge, mix up some ingredients and your face will thank you. Learn about these common fruits and then try the recipes below for a great girl’s night in. One note if you are allergic to any of the products, don’t use them or if you get a burning sensation wash it off right away.

Bananas:

Can be used for all skin types; even sensitive skin. Bananas have anti-aging properties; can remove freckles, facial acne and moisturizer. Bananas help to repair the skin and you can use them once a week. This fruit helps to lesson small wrinkles. You can crush and mix it with other ingredients or slice it and apply it to the face. The banana adds vitamins and leaves the skin feeling smooth.

Oatmeal:

Colloidal oatmeal or oatmeal that is ground up to a fine powder in a blender or other appliance is used in skin care in baths to help with irritated skin like Eczema. In facials it is used for sensitive skin, it is soothing, purifying and softening.

Egg Whites:

Beat the egg whites and then use the soft foam as a mask, leaving it on for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with a gentle cleanser. Egg whites have a tightening effect and will clear impurities from the skin. It helps with all skin types.

Honey:

Is helpful in tightening, toning and hydrating the skin and is appropriate even on sensitive skin. It can be great for aging skin because of its ability to help the skin retain moisture that is lost with aging. Honey can help with acne and won’t dry out the skin. Cleopatra used honey and milk in her bath to help her looking youthful.

Heavy Cream:

This can be used to help in anti-aging and to add moisture.

Yogurt and Buttermilk:

Can be used for all skin types and are a mild astringent which will leave the skin feeling refreshed.

Tomatoes:

Help skin with the antioxidants and has astringent properties which pull out impurities in the skin or help to get rid of dead skin cells. Because of the vitamins it will also help to brighten the skin.

Strawberries:

Work well as an exfoliate to removing black heads and dead skin cells and have vitamins that will brighten the skin.

Cucumber:

Refreshes the skin, and reduces puffiness. Cut fresh slices of cucumber and place over closed eyes; reduces puffiness and gives eyes a sparkle.

Some recipes: (From Reader’s Digest Homemade)

Oily Skin Mask:

Oatmeal Exfoliant:

Banana, Sour Cream, and Honey Face Mask:

2 tablespoons sour cream

1 tablespoon honey

½ Banana

Wash your face with your favorite cleanser. Then mash the banana, and mix all of the ingredients together. Apply to your face and leave on for about 10 minutes. Clean your face with a warm wash cloth, rinse and then pat dry. This face mask is enriching with the banana deep cleaning, the honey moisturizing and the sour cream binding them all together.

Yogurt and Oatmeal Deep-Cleaning Facial

1 tablespoon yogurt (any kind)

1 Tablespoon finely ground oatmeal

½ teaspoon honey

Wash your face with your favorite cleanser. Combine yogurt and oatmeal, and then place the honey in a bowl over another bowl of hot steamy water to melt the honey a little and then mix with the yogurt and oatmeal. Apply to face for 10-15 minutes wash off apply a toner and then moisturizer.

Avocado Dry Skin Mask

Mash up a ripe ½ avocado

2-3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons Plain Yogurt

You can play with the ingredients until it is the right consistency a bit and then leave on your face for 20 minutes wash off with a mild cleanser.

This recipe is from Care2greenliving.

Apple Mask for Normal Skin

1 Apple cut up and placed in food processor

2 Tablespoons Honey

Cut up apple and place in food processor then mix with honey and place in refrigerator for 10 minutes. Apply to face for 20-30 minutes and then wash off with your favorite cleanser, finish with a good moisturizer formulated for normal skin.

This recipe is an anti-aging recipe from Anti-Wrinkle Treatments for Perfect Skin, by Pierre Jean Cousin.

Anti-Wrinkle Facial

1 small banana
1 tablespoon organic honey

2 tablespoons fresh heavy cream
1 tablespoon oat flour
Bottled or spring water
Rose hydrosol

Mash banana and mix with all other ingredients except the Rose Hydrosol and Spring Water. Play with consistency adding more flour or cream to make it just right to stay on your face for 30 minutes. Wash off with the spring water, dry and then use a cotton ball to apply the Rose Hydrosol.

By making your own facial masks at home you will save money with the produce that you already have at home and know what is in your final product while having fun in the process. Why not make it a girls night in, invite a few friends over, and have them BYOF (bring your own fruit).