Facial Masks
Orientation:
Please listen to your animated helper orient you to this page.
Then, hop over to Aphrodite’s Salon. Like other rooms in the Ship, the Salon transforms to meet your needs. Bring your beverage and notebook. Once you read through this page, watch the videos, and, of course, remember to grab your download at the bottom of this page.
Determine which facial mask you would like to try first. Create it and give yourself a facial. Keep experimenting for the next month, and remember to record which ones you like best!
Introduction to Facial Masks
Since before Cleopatra, women have gathered whatever is available to enhance youth and beauty. Everything from yogurt to gold to mud has been used as components in masks and beauty creams.
Many food products contain phytonutrients that stimulate the skin. These nutrients are often readily available and can positively affect skin toning and cleansing.
Masks have many benefits, including cleansing, detoxifying, calming, and brightening skin. They can also tighten the appearance of the skin and help deliver healing ingredients.
You can make facial masks from almost anything. But to get worthwhile results, it is helpful first to determine the purpose of your mask and then choose if it is clay, starch, milk, or fruit-based.
If you want a moisturizing mask, use moisturizing ingredients, possibly including carrier oils. If you wish to detoxify with your mask, you might include clay, charcoal, and other ingredients that pull out toxins.
Essential oils are a fabulous way to enhance masks, but because they are so concentrated, only use 1-2 drops for each mask and stir in well (a maximum of 1% of your total product). Match the essential oils and carrier to your skin type, using charts and information from earlier lessons to create a mask that addresses your purpose and suits your preferences.
An Overview of Facial Masks:
Your Practical Potions Journal downloads include recipes for masks. Experiment with ingredients to find what you like best.
General Tips for DIY Masks
Could you perform a patch test before applying any new ingredients?
Use fresh, organic ingredients when possible.
Please keep in mind potential allergies.
Understand that natural doesn’t always mean safe for everyone; individual skin can react differently.
Mix ingredients to achieve a paste-like consistency for easy application.
After rinsing off the mask, follow up with a moisturizer, especially if your skin is dry, normal, sensitive, or mature.
These are general recommendations. Individual results can vary, so listening to your skin’s needs and responses to different ingredients is essential.
Masks For Different Skin Types:
Mature Skin–
Some ingredients helpful for mature skin are:
Seaweed, honey, bee pollen, rhassoul clay to improve elasticity, rosehip seed oil, myrrh, helichrysum, frankincense, myrrh, neroli, carrot seed, yarrow, cistus, helichrysum, rose otto and palmarosa. Carrier oils of argan, pomegranate seed, bakuchiol, rosehip seed. Food Products: Avocado, banana (moisturizing and rich in antioxidants), papaya (contains enzymes for gentle exfoliation).
Oily/Acne Skin-
Green clay, activated charcoal in tiny amounts, rosemary verbenone, spike lavender, cedar, juniper, petitgrain, peppermint, myrtle, thyme linalool, tea tree, juniper, lemon, manuka, and niaouli, neem. Masks made of raw, whipped egg whites have also been popular. Smooth a beaten egg white over your face. Let it sit for half an hour, and rinse it with water. Egg whites make the skin tighter and more resilient.
Dry Skin–
Seaweed, oatmeal, white clay, rose otto, frankincense, carrot seed, Roman chamomile, mandarin, palmarosa, and sandalwood are all advantageous for dry skin. Or-raw, mashed avocado fruit and cultured milk products like kefir, yogurt or buttermilk are also effective traditional cures. Honey is a wonderful humectant. Shea butter, Cocoa butter. Carrier Oils of Avocado, hazelnut, and many more are mentioned in a previous chapter. https://www.northernstarcourses.com/lesson/c-carrier-oils-butters-a-few-ingredients-for-cosmetic-making/
While wearing the mask, relax for 15-30 minutes. Then, rinse your face with cool water.
Also, try 5-6 tbsp of raw milk and 2 tbsp of warmed, liquid honey. Mix. Apply the paste to your face and neck. Leave it on for 25 minutes. Wash with lukewarm water. Of course, drinking lots of purified water and having adequate humidity in your house and business is also essential.
Sensitive Skin–
Oatmeal, honey, white or pink clay, bee pollen, marshmallow root powder, aloe vera, allantoin powder, matcha green tea powder, rosehip seed, apricot kernel, calendula oil, seabuckthorn seed oil. Coconut milk, German chamomile, Roman chamomile, helichrysum, lavender, rose otto, or yarrow may be helpful for sensitive skin.
* Less ingredients rather than more is the motto for sensitive skin. Introduce one new ingredient at a time when making products for this skin type. Always allergy test ingredients on all skin types, but be incredibly diligent with sensitive or rosacea-type skin before completing face application. If you are pregnant, check the safety charts in the pregnancy lesson before proceeding.
Or, mix equal amounts of oatmeal flakes, egg yolk, and slightly warmed liquid honey into a paste and apply it to the skin. Please ensure you get the oatmeal to your desired consistency before using it. You do this by grinding it to your preferred texture in a blender, food processor, or Nutribullet. Cucumber hydrosol, or cucumbers, are also cooling and soothing.
Combination Skin-
Banana Mask
Mix a mashed banana with fresh sweet cream. Add 1 drop lavender e.o. and 1 drop tangerine e.o. Leave it on for 30 minutes.
Marcel Lavabre suggests a facial formula for dry, inflamed, chapped, or oily acne. I have tamed his quantities a bit.
2 oz. Hazelnut carrier oil.
Three drops sandalwood
and one drop each of:
clary,
jasmine,
palmarosa
and rose.
Check your Practical Potions Downloads for recipes and ideas!