Today I spent few hours in the kitchen doing what usually women do on the weekend: cooking and cleaning 🙂
I developed a habit of performing some self-care while doing household chores.  I hardly ever have time to sit down and relax, however, I found ways to perform some beauty rituals while being busy with other necessary stuff.  Once you develop your routine, you will be amazed with your ability to combine 2 or even 3 tasks together.  For example, I manage to have a facial mask, hand care, as well as a simple work out almost daily.
Today I managed to do 2 facial masks.
You will find ingredients for both facial masks right at your kitchen. I suggest using organic ingredients as you are putting them on your face, however, I’ve made my masks from ordinary goods and they worked as fine.
Honey, cinnamon and nutmeg homemade facial mask and scrub
1/2 tea spoon of ground cinnamon
1/2 tea spoon of ground nutmeg
1/2 to 1 tea spoon of natural honey
Mix all ingredients and apply to your face. Â You will look awful :), so warn anybody at home not to look at you. Â You might feel a slight burning and tingling sensation due to cinnamon heating up your skin and increasing blood flow. Â Wash off after 15 minutes (warning: this mask is very messy to wash off, if you can, do it in the shower; or be prepared to clean your counter after).
How this mask works:
Cinnamon – increases blood circulation thus promoting nutrition and oxygenation of the skin. When applied topically it is used to heal wounds and beautify skin as it has antiseptic, anti-aging, anti-fungal and antibacterial properties.  Cinnamon fights off acne and pimples as well as minimizes or even treats acne scars.  Cinnamon exfoliates skin.  It also has anti-aging properties due to powerful antioxidants, vitamins and minerals including calcium, magnesium and iron; as it was mentioned before, cinnamon increases blood circulation allowing delivery of vital nutrients and oxygen to each skin cell.
Nutmeg – rejuvenates skin, promotes anti-aging, eliminates skin blemishes and acne and also exfoliates skin; it possesses anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-infammatory properties.  Its active component  Macelignan eliminates fine lines, prevents skin sagging  and minimizes wrinkles.  As we age, adipose tissue – the fatty layer under superficial skin layers – decreases; that causes skin sagging and wrinkles.  Macelignan reduces the rate adipose tissue decreases thus promoting younger and healthier skin.
Honey – it is full of anti-oxidants, and has anti-bacterial properties.  It rejuvenates skin, assists in anti-aging, clarifies skin pores, has moisturizing and soothing properties.
Blueberry, strawberry and yogurt homemade facial mask
Warning: this mask smells beyond delicious!
Natural masks do not last long, I would say a week in a refrigerator at the longest. Â That is why I try to use minimum ingredients so I make my mask for 2-3 uses only.
8 blueberries
1 big strawberry
3 grapes
2-3 table spoons of plain yogurt
1/2 tea spoon of flax seed oil (you can substitute with any oil you like: jojoba, grape seeds, peach kernels etc)
Mix everything together with hand blender completely. Â Apply to clean face until dry (about 15 min). Â Considering you are applying this mask after you exfoliated your skin and peeled off dead cells with the first mask, all vitamins, minerals and other good stuff from this yummy mask will penetrate your skin deeper.
How this mask works:
Blueberries – full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals. A cup of wild blueberries has up to 13,427 antioxidants, including Vitamin A and C, as well as flavonoids.  Blueberries also contain Salicylic acid which is used in facial peels.  Salicylic acid removes dead cells, opens pores and fights bacteria which causes acne.  Blueberries also has anti-fungal properties which prevents acnes and other unpleasant rashes.
Strawberries – posses powerful anti-aging properties.  Strawberries contain anti-oxidant ellagic acid, which prevents collagen destruction—one of the major causes of wrinkle formation. Acidic nature of these berries removes excessive sebum which contributes to acne formation, thus making strawberries very powerful in fighting acnes. Strawberries can also provide mild UV protection as well lighten your skin, acne scars and blemishes.  It is also a powerful peel due to their acidic nature.
Grapes – posses anti-oxidant properties thus promoting younger skin; just mashing grapes and applying them to clean skin will lighten age spots and mild scars..  They are full of vitamin C and other minerals, excellent for nourishing, toning and moisturizing skin.  Grapes also act as mild peeling agent.
Yogurt – contain zinc, calcium, B vitamins, lactic acids and many other necessary vitamins and minerals.  Applying yogurt to your skin will lighten the skin, even the tone, heals blemishes and acne, helps regulate oil production, hydrates your skin, promotes cell rejuvenation. It also minimizes pores and wrinkles.
Flax seed oil – due to its anti-inflammatory properties, this oil minimizes skin irritation, inflammation and rashes of any sort. It reduces dark circles, moisturizes your skin and evens skin tone.
Since all ingredients in these masks are natural and free of chemicals, everybody can use them, including pregnant women and nursing mothers.  The only warning is personal allergies and supersensitive skin prone to rashes.
What are you favourite homemade masks and why?  Please, drop us a comment and share your recipe 🙂
You could also read my review about interesting Korean Facial Mask called Oozoo Fresh Capsule Mask by following the link here .
Stay beautiful!!! Â Stay happy!!!
