I am so not the do it yourself type. That may be a bit passe to say, but I have no problem writing a check to have something completed in a timely, professional manner. No, you will never see me in home depot learning how to lay my own tile. Nor will I be the one experimenting with the installation of my new chic crystal chandelier. I mean, why should I? Time is money and I believe in talents. There are some things that I was not blessed to do well while others are naturally gifted to complete them in excellence. My philosophy: Stay in your lane and the world will move much smoother.
So, you probably won’t be surprised to know that I am also a faithful spa patron. I love hot stone massages and, when I am feeling really stressed, splurging for a facial is also a welcomed treat. It is well worth the money and an absolute steal when I find a sale for services on groupon or spadeals.com (love). But, for some reason, I have been EXTRA stressed these last few weeks. It is mostly due to my new (as of 6 months ago) job working in HIV/AIDS at the baddest public health agency in the country (*sigh*); the job is forcing me to make work/life balance a priority. The stress is not worth it. Ever. And, to make matters worse, I saw the tiniest and most annoying pimple pop up on my cheek. WTF.
I remember some advise from the last facial that I received (it was deeply discounted, by the way *smile*) – The esthetician advised me to steam my face regularly and check for blackheads and impurities as they will rise to the surface once the steam is applied. She said that I would be able to tell when these impurities are “ready” to be extracted. Now, at the time I was listening to her amid a sea of lavender fragrance oil and was a little too relaxed. I remember thinking, “Chile, I am not doing this on my own. That’s why I pay you good money to do it for me.” lol. Silly Monica.
But, when I saw that pimple – something in me got so angery. I can’t let myself get so stressed that I stop taking care of myself. Plus, my love for makeup won’t allow me to accept such an impurity. Makeup is art. Pimples seem to damage the purity of the canvas lol. So, I get to google searching and find a facial process and recipes to make my own mask. I wanted to share the steps because this at-home facial turned out to be the best thing I never had. I loved the entire process – I took my time to examine my skin at every step (I never really do this – my hair gets all of my love and attention) and actually nurtured my skin. Immediately afterwards, I could tell that my skin thanked me for it. Check the process below. This is definitely a new addition to my regular weekly routine.
- Cleanse the skin – You’ll want to wash the face, neck and ears with a good facial cleanser to remove any grime or dirt. Don’t forget to remove makeup with a makeup remover.
- Exfoliate – Using your fingers, rub a gentle exfoliating facial scrub in a circular motion on your face. Concentrate on the areas around your nose and forehead or if you have combo skin, work harder on the areas that tend to be “greasy.” Rinse your face well since exfoliating scrubs tend to be drying.Tip: You can make your own scrub using white or brown sugar mixed in with extra virgin coconut oil.
- Steam – There are several ways to steam your face. You can fill your sink with warm water, dip a washcloth in and press to your face repeating 2-3 times or you can take it further by boiling water over the stove, then turning off the stove and putting your head over the water with a towel over your head, letting the steam seep into pores for a good 5 minutes. Or you can actually use my clothing steamer.
- The mask – For oily skin, use a clay-based face mask. For dry skin, go for a hydrating gel or cream mask. Apply the mask, avoiding the areas around the eyes. Keep it on for 10-20 minutes (or, according to the directions on the product). Rinse completely.Tip: This site has some great suggestions for at-home face masks: 23 Homemade Face Mask Recipes.
- Moisturize – Smooth on a soothing, basic moisturizer over your face and neck. See my list of the best facial moisturizers.
Enjoy. My facial lasted about an hour – I estimate that to be about $95 in spa money. I thoroughly enjoyed every, free step.