Arpirin acne mask

When you’re sick, you take aspirin to reduce inflammation. When you have an unhappy pimple, you’d do anything to reduce the inflammation. You’re curious to see if it will work on blemishes the same way it works on a fever, so you make a paste and try it out. Eureka!! The pimple has calmed down and is much smaller. Nuff said! Here’s how:
TOOLS:

• aspirin
• hand sanitizer
• spoon
• distilled water
• small bowl
• glass palette (optional)

STEPS:

1. Sanitize your fingers by washing them with anti-bacterial soap or sanitizing spray. I love Burt’s Bees Hand Sanitizer because it has aloe and witch hazel in it which are both very soothing.
   
2. Place one aspirin under a spoon. Place the palm of your hand on top of the spoon and press down over and over in a rolling motion until the aspirin is evenly crushed into a powder.
    
   3.Add a drop of distilled water (I sprayed the spoon with the sanitizing spray then filled it with distilled water and poured one drop over the crushed aspirin).
   
   
   
   4.Mix it together with your finger and decide if you need to add another drop. I added one more drop to make the paste, but you might not need to, or might have to add two.
   5.With your finger, cover the blemish with the paste.
   
   
   
   6. Wait 5 minutes for the paste to work then gently rinse off with water.
      
      
      
   But if you’re allergic to aspirin, sadly, this mask isn’t for you.

The Wondrous Uses of Olive Oil - A Greek Beauty Secret

If you didn’t know, olive oil contains healthy fats, which means that they are consumed and burned by the body while actually helping with digestion and healthy food processing. A tablespoon of Extra Virgin Olive Oil contain about 45 calories and it is more than enough to add some flavor to your salad, fish, vegetables and meat.

Aside from consumption, olive oil has a lot of beauty uses as well. Below you will find 6 ways that you can use the olive oil in your house to achieve healthy skin, hair and nails among other things!

1. As a makeup remover

 

Even with the most gentle of makeup removers, you might sometimes feel that they are too harsh on your skin. Sometimes you end up using excess product to remove all make up, and you run out faster. Well, olive oil is a lot less expensive than bottles or liquid make up remover and it is a lot less likely to run out :P 

 

 Just add some olive oil to a cosmetic pad or a tissue and begin removing your make up while simultaneously moisturizing your skin. 

On a side note: don’t let the olive oil sit on your skin after removing your make up though. Especially if you have acne prone or oily skin, I would suggest washing your face or exfoliating after using olive oil to remove make up to make sure there is no excess oil on your face.  

2. As a hair conditioner 

 

This is an old remedy passed on between Greek women for generations. When dealing with dry, damaged and coarse hair, the best way to treat it is to use olive oil as a moisturizing mask. Heat up some olive oil in a bowl but make sure it’s not boiling hot. Test it out first. Then, dip the ends of your hair in it and wrap it up in a towel for maximum moisture or let it loose for about 10 minutes. 

It’s best to be doing this while taking a shower mostly because you don’t want to be dripping with olive oil around the house :P You don’t need conditioner if you use this treatment. Use a light shampoo to remove all excess olive oil from your hair so it doesn’t get oily. And there you have it: silky smooth hair with a product from your kitchen!!! The results last 3-4 days depending on how many products you use on your hair or how much you process it (straightening, curling, blow drying etc.) 

3. As a stretch mark treatment 

 

Even if you are skinny, you can still get stretch marks. These don’t just come from rapid weight loss or weight gain; it also has to do with your skin’s elasticity and genetic making. But don’t worry; there are things you can do in order to treat stretch your existing stretch marks or to prevent others from appearing. Olive oil is a natural moisturizer and is high in ingredients that can make your stretch marks fade! It won’t tighten your skin though. 

Other natural ways to treat stretch marks include using products high in Vitamin E, Hohoba Oil or Coconut Oil.

4. As a damaged skin treatment

Instead of buying a cuticle cream to treat your hands or a foot cream to treat cracked and damaged ankles or toes, use olive oil for both of these cases! The same result can be achieved again with Vitamin E oil or Hohoba oil but again, I think Olive Oil is a lot more accessible and it’s more likely to be found in the house. 

5. As treatment for the face

Perhaps this isn’t a good suggestion for people with heavy acne problems that are seeking medical assistance to treat their acne but for mild acne scars, olive oil can assist in the healing. You’re not supposed to bathe your face in olive oil, you rather spot treat the areas where you detect acne scars. Another thing to note is that olive oil will not make scars disappear overnight but rather assist in the natural process of the body reconstructing the damaged skin. 

Here are also some DIY facial mask ideas with olive oil that you can make in your own kitchen!

 Honey and Olive oil face AND hair mask

 You will need:

- 1/2-1 tablespoons of honey

- ½ tablespoon of olive oil 

- 2 tablets of common aspirin (if you're going to use this on your face. It's also better that the aspirins are not coated for better dissolving with the other liquids)

 

Mix the ingredients and let it sit on your face/hair for 20-30 minutes.

Egg Yolk, honey and olive oil face mask 

You will need:

 

1 tablespoon of honey

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 egg yolk

Leave the mixture on your face until it's dry. This mask is great for dry skin or if you live in a dry environment.

6. As an exfoliator

Two other ingredients on your kitchen counter you can use with olive oil for another DIY are sugar and salt. Add an even ratio of sugar/salt and olive oil and you have your very own homemade scrub that will instantly illuminate your skin and remove the dead skin sells effectively!

Enjoy :)

*S 

Pimple Treatment - The Unexpected Zit

...And then you saw it. It came uninvited, unannounced and most certainly unwanted. The all mighty, annoying and sometimes huge… the unexpected zit. 

Lucky for us people who still have to deal with the unexpected zit even in our adult lives where you would hope that things like Clearasil and pimples would be a thing of the past, beauty science has come up with some effective ways to deal with said zit and maybe only have to bear with it for a quick period of 24 hours.

First of all, I would love to say that the best advice I have would be to not try to pop it, but I never could keep myself from doing so and so I had to find other ways to fix the damage. But, please, if you do decide to pop the zit make sure your hands are clean and you use napkins and not your nails. You will most likely scar your skin if you do.

So, below are three different ways I have found are best in dealing with the unexpected zit.

   Gel: A gel made for spot treating is great if you only want to treat one area. Neutrogena’s Rapid Clear Sore Pimple Gel is my suggestion; you apply a bit of product to cover the infected area, after you’ve cleansed your skin, wait for it to dry and go about your day. It’s best that you use this gel before going to sleep and let it work throughout the night. You will wake up with clear skin or with a much reduced-in-size pimple.

       
And, of course, this gel contains salicylic acid, which I am convinced by now is the answer to any acne problem. P.s this product is not just suited for sore and red pimples; it works for the ones that look kind of “bumpy” as well.

 

    Ice: This is a good option for a sore and red pimple because the cold will reduce both the soreness and the redness. After cleansing and toning the skin, take an ice cube and place it on the infected area. Don’t hold it there, lift it from the pimple and place it again. Check to see how your skin is reacting, if it’s hurting too much, don’t try this method. 

  

    

    Mask: The last option is to use one of the masks you might already have but instead use it as a spot treatment. Whatever mask you may be using, they all aim to give you the same result: better looking, even skin tone. In my experience, a clay mask is great for this because the way clay works is that it draws the toxins out of the skin. Also, clay as a substance is very drying, so when using it as a mask it would dry and "de-puff" the pimple. Clay also removes oiliness and dirt from the skin so overall it’s a great option for spot treatment.

      

    You don't have to use a particular type of clay. I have been using a brand with green clay for years now, but white and red clay work just as well!!!

 

    Happy pimple treating ^^

    *S

Tired Skin Beauty Tips!!!

We live busy lives and sometimes that can take a toll on our skin. So, here are some quick remedies for taking care of your tired skin as well as some easy tips you can integrate into your daily life that can help maintain your skin luminous state as well as prevent aging!

 

- After removing your make up (preferably with a cleansing wipe or foam, not a scrub), move on to removing whatever eye shadow, concealer or mascara you might be wearing. An easy way to remove all your mascara without damaging your delicate eyelids is to dip regular cotton swabs in eye makeup remover and gently work through your upper and bottom lashes until you have successfully removed everything. 

- Your skin needs extra nourishment so a beauty mask is in order! Clay masks are great for tightening the skin as well as rejuvenating and illuminating. However, in order to fully restore tired skin, the best mask to use is an oatmeal/honey/yoghurt (or milk) mask. Oatmeal has soothing elements that assist in the restoration process of the skin and the same thing can be said for yoghurt and honey mask. Honey is also a great product to fight free radicals and prevent future breakouts while maintaining the skin’s elasticity and youthful look. You just need a tablespoon of each ingredient mixed together for a great home made mask :)

- Before using the mask: use a gentle scrub made for daily use in order to remove the dead skin cells, which may be more when your skin is looking extra tired. Wash the face with warm water before and after using the scrub and with cold water when it’s time to remove the mask. Warm water will open up the pores of the skin to better receive the ingredients of the mask, while the cold water will tighten the skin again. If you don’t like the feel of cold water, you can always give yourself a mini ice facial with an ice cube after applying your skin care products. The ice won’t remove the products; your skin will have already absorbed them.

- As you’re letting the facial mask settle in, it’s a good idea to use some products specifically for your eyes. Masks are not supposed to be used around the eye area; opt for under eye fabric strips, slices of cucumber or just take two spoons, place them in the freezer for about 5 minutes and then put them under your eyes for as long as they’re cold (the cold is not supposed to hurt your under eye area so make sure you test it first). These remedies will help with puffiness, dark circles, redness or the skin and will generally help with making you look more awake and healthy!

You can also use a gel eye mask

 And some Health Beauty tips!!!

1. Drink lots of water! It’s a cliché, I know, but water helps get rid of toxins. 

If you’re not a big fan of water, some alternatives include eating cucumber, which is basically 96% water (although that will not replace your body’s need for water). 

You can also drink green, red, white, black and rooibos tea or any other tea high in anti-oxidants. 

 

2. Protein-infused foods (in moderation) can help with preventing acne. Also, Omega 3 fatty acid foods like nuts, can help with maintaining the skin’s youthful look. Salmon and sardines are good for skin when it looks tired, while foods rich in Vitamin A, such as egg yolks, nonfat milk, and oysters assist in better healing whenever your skin does get damaged. Finally, avocado, mango and papaya are great for the skin in consuming as well as using them in facials! 

 *S