Pamper yourself and reap the benefits with fresh skin.

Now that winter is officially over it’s time to shed your skin’s winter coat and prepare for your supple summer glow and your freshest skin ever using homemade remedies you can cook up at home.  Natural ingredients are extremely beneficial for fresh skin and oftentimes healthier without the need for parabens or other preservatives to extend their shelf life.  You blend them at home in a matter of minutes using wholesome ingredients sometimes found in the produce aisle.  Consider it a farm-to-face beauty regimen with big rewards.

No longer is “I don’t have time” excusable.  You really can’t afford not to take good care of yourself, so enjoy a little me time occasionally.  All three of these treatments can be done in less that 25 minutes.  They’re less expense and time-consuming than driving to the spa and nearly as soothing.  Try just one of these treatments at a time or use all three simultaneously.

As opposed to real cooking, none of these recipes require precise ingredient measurements.
Hands on time: 5 minutes
Pampering time: 23 minutes
Optional face massage: 2 minutes

Pampering Tub Soak

Begin running your bath water then add all ingredients listed for Pampering tub soak.  This will fill while you’re blending the Anti-oxidant facial and Moisture hydration mask.  Make sure you’ve gathered all ingredients before beginning.

1.5 cups Epsom salt (natural muscle relaxer)
2 drops neroli essential oil (anti-anxiety)
4-5 drops lavender essential oil (anti-fungal)

Soak for a minimum of 20 minutes then rinse face (if using Anti-oxidant facial) and body in shower before applying  Moisture hydration mask.

Anti-oxidant facial – works for all skin types

1T pineapple juice (exfoliant) Use leftovers in your next smoothie.  Great anti-inflammatory which benefits skin too.
1T Manuka honey or regular honey (hydration & anti-bacterial)
1T pumpkin puree (anti-oxidant) Use the leftovers in your next smoothie.
1 tsp cosmetic clay of choice (pore detoxifier)

Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.  Apply with fingers or a fan brush to face, neck and décolleté.  Soak in a warm tub for 20 minutes preferably using the Pampering Tub Soak or soak of your choice.  Rinse well.  Follow with Moisture hydration mask before retiring for a restorative night’s sleep.

Moisture Hydration Mask – leave on

1/4 cup jojoba oil (non-comedogenic)
1T rosehip seed oil (deep-penetrating hydrator)
1 tsp pumpkin seed oil (antioxidant containing vitamins A and C)
1 drop lavender essential oil (calming)
1 drop neroli essential oil (skin regenerative)

Mix all ingredients and massage over face and body.

If you have 2 extra minutes do this circulating face massage:  Using Moisture hydration mask, massage your face and neck in an upward direction using circular motions.  This will counteract gravity, stimulate your lymphatic system and eliminate toxins.

Don comfy nighty (or not), then slip in between the sheets for 8 hours of restorative, beautifying sleep!

Beauty Sleep strategies and makeup tips for faking it.

While it would be ideal to boast 7-8 hours of sleep nightly, for most of us with busy lives, it just isn’t a reality.  Restorative sleep not only benefits your mood, coping capabilities, problem solving skills and overall health; your skin and eyes will noticeably give away your lack-of-sleep making you not only feel bad but look less than radiant when sleep is elusive for more than a few nights a week. This makes us not only feel groggy but we are visually reminded of our previous nights’ tossing and turning every time we look in the mirror.

Tips and home remedies to help you achieve restful sleep each night

Turn off blue light-emitting electronics at least an hour before bedtime. Or if you absolutely have to work on the computer you can download a blue light filter or try these blue-light-busting-glasses so you’re not sabotaging your circadian clock.

Drink a cup of warm tea such as Chamomile or Nighty Night about an hour before bedtime.  While a glass of wine can take the days edge off, more than one can cause you to wake in the wee hours due to your body burning off excess sugar.  Try this soothing anti-inflammatory drink that not only tastes great but lowers inflammation which will reduce puffiness and redness.

Soothing Anti-Inflammatory Milk  –  Makes 2 cups
2 cups of non-dairy milk of choice
3 star anise pods
2 cinnamon sticks
1 knob of ginger
Add all ingredients to a saucepan, bring to a simmer then let steep for a few minutes. Strain and enjoy!

Make sure you’re getting your magnesium.  If you’ve ever been kept awake by restlessness a likely culprit could be a deficiency of magnesium.  Try Calm Natural Vitality.  Known to induce a state of Calmfulness.  You can thank me later.

Tart cherries contain melatonin and are anti-inflammatory -a winning combination for sleeping throughout the night.  Oftentimes I will mix a tablespoon of tart cherry juice with Calm for an effervescent and tasty sleep aid.  Frozen tart cherries also make a guilt-free evening snack.

Dark and cool is the best way to keep your bedroom for optimal sleep.  Black out curtains are excellent when you live in the city and setting your thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees is best for deep sleep.

Diffusers or cotton buds filled with lavender or ylang ylang will dispense a calming scent throughtout your room and promote relaxation.  This diffuser is as beautiful as it is useful.

When beauty sleep isn’t an option use these makeup strategies to give you a wide awake appearance  …even when you’re not.

Puffy eyes are women’s biggest complaint and are largely due to allergies and water retention especially if they dissipate within a few hours of being up.  To speed up the deflation process try keeping eye cream in your refrigerator or a set of spoons and apply for a few minutes before proceeding with concealer.  The cooling effect will de-puff by constricting blood vessels and diffusing fluids.  Another option, try 100% Pure eye cream with coffee bean and green tea.  It smells as good as it works and is exactly what the name implies -100% pure.

Dark circles are the most obvious and problematic result of not sleeping well.  Banish them with a peach tinted concealer which counteracts the blue tone around the eyes.  Be sure to blend concealer up into the inner corner on the side of the nose and only use where needed to avoid creasing in outer corners.

Open up your eyes by curling lashes and concentrating mascara on the middle lashes.  This makes eyes appear rounder and more open.  Try a product with a round spooley on the tip for detailing or use these disposables with your favorite brand -with the added benefit of keeping your pricey mascara germ-free longer.

Get the red out with a neutral liner applied along the lower rim of the eyes.  Lack of sleep can cause redness in this area.  Try this product to brighten the inner rim and revitalize tired looking eyes.  Stick with lighter eye shadows as darker tones can add to the sunken appearance.

Keep it peachy on the lips to cancel out the blue tones under the eyes.

May you sleep soundly tonight.   zzzzzz