Spa Day At Home: Therapeutic Facial Steam

Spa Day At Home: Therapeutic Facial Steam

DIY Facial Steam Dry Mature Skin

 

I’ve never had a professional facial; I know, I know. I’m a green beauty blogger – shouldn’t that be at the top of my list? I do dream of making an appointment one day but most treatments at organic spas cost about 1/4 of my rent, at least here in L.A. But while browsing fancy spas and wishful thinking, I noticed that steaming is a part of the treatment, something that up until recently I reserved for alleviating a head cold.

Steaming works like a deep clean, unclogging the buildup from your pores while encouraging blood flow and increased circulation which is incredibly wonderful for dull, tired skin. And it’s one of the easiest, yet most indulgent DIYs out there! [Ed. note: this also comes in handy if you told someone you worked out, but instead decided to collapse onto the couch and watch Netflix. Just steam your face and you’ll have a legit-looking workout glow to show off.]

I now steam before applying my weekly mask and each time I’ve experienced an instant revitalized glow along with better efficacy from my pricey products! Incorporating this steam step into your routine does take a few minutes extra, but if you have a fancy product that you feel guilty even using, applying it after a steam is the best time to use it since your skin is ready to soak up every penny’s worth of its benefits.

Just hot water and a towel will do the trick but you can customize your home steam with the essential oils, herbs and flowers beneficial to your skin type.

DIY Therapeutic Facial Steam

Here’s my custom blend, good for normal/dry skin: 1/3 cup blend of dried rose buds/petals, calendula, chamomile, and lavender.

My method:

  • Pour a full tea kettle amount of boiling water into a large pot.
  • Throw in your desired herbs or essential oils and mix around.
  • Lean over the pot and drape a large towel over your head to trap in steam and breathe deeply. Sit for 8-10 minutes, enough time to allow the steam to cleanse pores and for the beneficial oils to sink in. Take intermittent breaks from the steam, when needed (note – if someone’s in the room with you, its fun to look out from under your towel and cackle like a witch).
  • Rinse face with lukewarm water then apply a mask or just finish your routine with your night time serum/moisturizer.
  • If you have rosacea or redness, you may want to limit to 3-5 minutes or skip steaming altogether since it increases circulation and can irritate already inflamed skin.

When finished, you can compost the herbs and water your plants the facial steam water.

Happy home spa day!

Homemade Healing Body Butter

Homemade Healing Body Butter

DIY healing lotion, body butter, may day glow, coconut oil, shea butter, almond,

As a kid, summer meant never not being in a pool (AZ life, hollaaa) but at the end of a carefree day, I would come home with patches of itchy, dry skin. This summer has been reminiscent of my childhood; traveling, being outside all day, nothing to worry about except which type of ice cream to devour for dessert. But spending so much time in the elements has returned my skin to that scaly fishchild state. One of the first things I did when I got home from vacationing was whip up a batch of this body butter/lotion, et voila, my skin was renewed!

This homemade body butter soothes virtually every skin irritation issue; dry skin disappears, rashes and bites are calmed and it also heals and prevents scarring, which is wonderful for my darker, scar-prone skin.  This would also be great for preventing stretch marks and healing burns.It’s thick and luxurious due to the incredible healing properties in these rich ingredients. Not to mention it smells like chocolate frosting (no, it doesn’t taste like frosting..not that I’ve tried it or anything…*looks away*).

If greasy lotion bothers you, just make sure to slather it just before you go to bed to give your skin plenty of time to soak it up.

Healing Body Butter Recipe

To get the most out of any homemade products, make sure to purchase raw ingredients that are responsibly-sourced and organic. I purchase mine from Mountain Rose Herbs, Lassen’s (LA area), or Whole Foods.

1/4 cup Shea butter (improves elasticity, collagen production, intense moisture, anti-inflammatory)
1/4 cup coconut oil (healthy fatty acids, rich in vitamins K, E and iron, anti-bacterial/anti-viral)
1/4 cup cocoa butter (antioxidants, rich in vitamin E, caffeine said to help firming/reduce cellulite)
1/4 cup jojoba or sweet almond oil
10-15 drops of essential oils of your choice (I prefer rose or neroli)
Hand mixer (optional)

Combine the first four ingredients in a sterilized glass bowl and melt using a double boiler. Once melted, let the bowl cool down then place in fridge until the ingredients solidify (about 45 min-1 hr).

Optional, yet highly recommended: use a blender to whip ingredients for about 5-8 minutes, until a frosting-like consistency is achieved.

Mix in essential oils of your choice, if desired. When you choose your oils, keep in mind that there will be a strong chocolatey smell from the cocoa butter, so they should pair well with that. Slather this on after exfoliating/dry brushing and feel like a queen. Store in an airtight glass jar, like a small mason jar. Use within 1 month. Enjoy! You’ll definitely be feeling yourself.