Fashion & Beauty
Pamper Yourself, Naturally!
By Lia Whisler
April 6, 2008
Do-it-yourself facials using fresh ingredients from your local dining hall
It’s Friday afternoon. That problem set has finally been turned in, your response papers have been sent off to your TF’s, and that paper you need to write for Monday? Well, that’s due in two days. You’ve worked hard this week and now it’s time to relax and recuperate before you go out and party it up.
Your brain isn’t the only thing that is exhausted from synthesizing the hundreds of pages you’ve read and the hours you’ve spent in lecture and section, nor is it only your legs that question why you always feel it necessary to walk back to Dunster for lunch every day when your classes are in Sever in the morning and Yenching in the afternoon. Believe it or not, simply walking around all day and being awake for 15 hours can be really harsh on your face. Not only are there many chemicals in the air, some natural (think free radicals and UV rays) and some byproducts of our modern culture (think car exhaust), that can be detrimental to our complexion, but also the oil that our skin produces, especially when mixed with make-up, can definitely clog our pores. That’s why it is a great idea to give your skin a break after a hard week, and pamper yourself with some natural ingredients you can simply grab on your way out of the dining hall. So with a little help from grandma’s secret recipes, here’s our Freeze guide to getting, and keeping, your skin in tip-top shape. Just make sure to check first that you are not allergic to any of the ingredients used.
Step 1: Cleanse
It’s important to first clear your skin of any make-up and lotions you may be wearing. So use whatever make-up remover and cleanser you have and get that skin squeaky clean! Once you’ve got a clean face, give it a rinse with some herbal tea, especially chamomile or mint. Not only does this smell great, but these herbs are very soothing and calming and definitely help refresh your skin. So, to do this, simply make a cup of tea and, once the water cools down a bit, rinse your face with it!
Step 2: Scrub
Exfoliation is one of the best things you can do for your skin. It is constantly turning over and replenishing itself in a process that takes only a little over two weeks. This means that you continually need to get rid of the dead skin cells on the very top layer of your skin. Of course, your body itself does a great job of doing this, but helping it out by exfoliating can speed up the process just a tad. This allows the brilliance of your new skin to shine through since there are no stray dead cells dulling your radiance. So, to do this, all you need to do is grab a spoonful of sugar (the real kind, i.e. NOT Splenda) and add the juice from half of a fresh lemon/lime. Rub this mixture together in your hands to coat the sugar with the juice, and then gently scrub your face. After about a minute, rinse off the scrub with lukewarm water (or more tea!). BONUS: This exfoliation also works great on hands and feet!
Step 3: Renew
Facial masks are the best way to replenish nutrients in your skin. Luckily, almost any natural food product can do this. Below is a classic homemade facial recipe, as well as a guideline for those who wish to experiment a little!
Classic recipe: Take ¼ cup of oatmeal, a spoonful of PLAIN yogurt and one of honey, and a bit of milk to smooth out its consistency. Mix the ingredients in a bowl making a sort of globular paste, using more or less milk depending on how the mixture is turning out. Make sure it never gets too runny though! Apply it to your face and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then rinse it off with cool water.
Creative Recipe: Virtually any type of fruit or vegetable will work wonders on your skin. Try bananas, pears, avocados, cantaloupes, grapes, or anything else that catches your fancy. The key is to mix the ingredients with something like honey and oatmeal, or yogurt and milk, to get a pasty type of mixture. Eggs also work wonders, but they can be difficult to snag in a dining hall. Whatever you choose, apply the concoction to your face and let it sit for 15 minutes. Finally, rinse it off with cool water.
Step 4: Replenish
Once you’ve stripped your skin of all the dead layers, and given it some nutrients to keep it healthy, it is important to seal in your hard work. The best thing to do is to simply dab on a bit of your daily moisturizer. This helps your skin in its regenerating process and protects it from all the natural forces working against it.
And there you have it – four easy steps to bringing out your skin’s radiance while allowing yourself to relax and breathe in the delicious scents of the foods you used to create your own unique facial. For optimal brilliance, repeat this regimen once a week. Not only will your face thank you for providing it with many nutrients it doesn’t otherwise get, but your body will be happy to enjoy the downtime as well!
