The Recipe:
- Pick your poison (or in this case not... YAY)! Here's mine: A handful of Fresh Mint (or Mint Tea in a Tea Bag), Tension Tamer Tea (I use Celestial Seasonings Brand- in a Tea Bag), Rosemary, and Thyme (Fresh or Dried). Be creative! Throw in whatever's fresh, whatever's in your spice cabinet, or whatever tea bags you have on hand. I happened to just throw this together- no real method to my madness. Tea Bags are my new BFF! Who knew?
- Bring your potion to a boil in a pot on the stove. I prefer to do this before I wash my face- so it's not scolding by the time I'm ready to use it. If it's too hot, give it a minute to simmer down LOL.
- Wash your face... as you normally would.
- Apply a thin layer (about 1-2 drops or less than you think) of Olive Oil to your entire face, including eyes. Try not to get your eyelashes, especially if you wear contact lenses! I prefer EVOO. For all you girls who normally break out and would never dream of using oil on your skin... don't worry! This did not (I repeat, DID NOT) clog my pores. In fact, it actually helped the steam get all the gross gunk out- and kept my skin from drying it out, leaving nice and supple. I was totally amazed!
- Pour just enough Witch Hazel (I use Dickinson's Brand Original) to cover the bottom of a large, heat resistant bowl... I use stainless steel, but you can use glass also. Never, ever use plastic... it can leach BPA and other harmful chemicals.
- Combine the contents from pot with the Witch Hazel in the bowl.
- Make a "Towel Tent" by draping a Bath Sheet or Large Towel over your head and over the bowl to create a facial steam bath. Make sure you tuck it in, crossing it at your neck like a babushka (haha) and all around you so you can't see any light! I also use a small towel under the bowl so I don't burn my kitchen table. Nobody said this was gonna be a pretty sight!
- Steam face for 5-8 minutes only. Set a timer on your stove, cell phone etc.
- Yes... sometimes it feels like FOREVER under there. So try to take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth and relax! If you need some air- let some light in under the towel.
- When your timer goes off... quickly wipe the sweat off your face- aka toxins, ew!
- While your face is still damp- exfoliate mixing your facial cleanser with a tiny bit of Baking Soda (preferably aluminum-free, if possible). You can also use granulated sugar if you don't have any baking soda. See... Ghetto-Fab as always LOL. Whatever you do... don't scrub hard! Just gently exfoliate.
- Mix your mud mask at this point- if it's not already pre-mixed. I use Aztec Secret (please see my review). You can use whatever you have on hand including plain yogurt, honey, bananas, avocados, cucumbers, etc. Be creative with this also. FYI... Your face may be slightly red for about an hour or so- so I wouldn't do this on a night I planned to go out, unless it were several hours before.
- Rinse the mask off and splash your face with cold water.
- Apply a final thin layer of olive oil once again to seal all of the new moisture in. Remember, just as stated above... you DON'T want it greasy.
- One last thing... now look in the mirror and promise me you will tell yourself how P-R-E-T-T-Y you are! Ohhh... just do it! You know you want to!!
xoxo Smooches...