Category Archives: Masks

Kitty Litter Facial

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You don’t have to resort to using kitty litter on your face to get squeaky clean pores and a spa-quality facial although the 750,000+ people who have watched YouTuber Michelle Phan’s video (below) might be doing just that. Apparently cats crap on bentonite clay which is also great for the skin so I use it too but in the form of Aztec Secret Healing Clay Mask which is only $5 a pound and actually meant to be on the skin and not at the bottom of a cat box.

Either way, check out her video and decide for yourself- would you actually use kitty litter on your face?

Murad Age-Diffusing Firming Mask

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There was a time when I would love a good Friday night of beauty. Do my nails, maybe a hair treatment and a face mask topped off with some 20/20 and it was the perfect night. Pretty crazy, I know. It’s not like I don’t do these things post-baby, it’s just that they’re more spread out so they don’t take up big chunks of time that are harder to find. Multi-tasking is the new name of the game so I’ve been putting on a mask before I hop in the shower so by the time I’m ready to jump out it’s ready to take off. All the more helpful because I’ve been using Murad’s Age-Diffusing Firming Mask which isn’t a clay version that takes patience and time in front of a mirror to remove, it’s easily wiped away and even better penetrated by the steam which makes it the perfect shower mate.

It’s meant to firm, tighten, and smooth out the skin with a bunch of fancy ingredients, but all I know is that it brightens and boosts my skin in a way that’s visible right after I use it. It makes my skin really soft too, it’s everything you need in a mask. As long as your skin isn’t breakout-prone, all that heavy clay isn’t necessary.

If you aren’t remembering to use your mask weekly, toss it in the shower and use it there. These mini-spa treatments are so key to the health of your skin especially if you aren’t getting regular facials, it makes such a difference.

How to Do an At-Home Facial

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I’m a big fan of the at-home facial, and now that more and more masks use advanced ingredients that rival what estheticians use, it’s easy to have professional-grade glowy skin in about 30 minutes at home for a fraction of the cost. Here’s what I use for my own at-home facial routine.

I always start my facials with an enzyme especially if I’m doing extractions. I’ve been using Ole Henriksen’s Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask, a clear gel with fruit acids, lavendar, and Hyaluronic Acid so it’s hydrating as well as exfoliating. After about 15 minutes I remove it and then I steam my face with a hot washcloth before I extract all the yuk out of my pores. It’s a trick I’ve learned by getting great facials for years, they always start with an enzyme and some steam so your skin is softened and your pores are open making extractions easy and painless. It makes a huge difference especially if you’re using a great treatment afterward because your now clean and open pores will better absorb the ingredients in the next mask.

Now grab whatever mask you use that addresses your skin concerns. Since I’ve been trying to fade discolorations and get some radiance back, I use Priori’s Replenishing Masque twice a week. It’s a creamy formula superchanrged with vitamins, Lactic Acid, and moisturizers to nourish, exfoliate, and brighten skin. I see a huge difference in my skin’s overall appearance and texture right after I use it. I’ll still use a clay formula every now and again if I sense a breakout coming on, but I’ve really been favoring this more grown up mask that hydrates and delivers bigger results without drying.

Cheers to Your Skin With (Practically) Drinkable Skincare

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Wine Hydrating Mask from Arcona’s natural line of almost edible formulations isn’t the typical hardened clay mask that you have to scrub like crazy to wash off. It’s a creamy treatment that plumps the skin using hydrating Hyaluronic Acid, Shea Butter, and the super antioxidant Resveratrol – the extract from red grape skin to brighten and soothe. I’ve been using it to chase away my skin’s winter tightness caused by cold air that I can’t seem to shake no matter how much I moisturize.

Pomegranate is the star antioxidant of Weleda’s Firming Eye Cream, a gentle way to smooth out wrinkles on even the most sensitive skin. In my kit, I’d combine it with a concealer to create a custom tinted moisturizer of sorts for dark circles. Its natural ingredients soak into the skin better than most so it’s versatile to use with mix-ins or of course on its own.

For $16 Made From Earth has one of the best deals you’ll find on its USDA certified organic Green Tea Toxin Cleanser, a typically pricey category of skincare. With Organic Green Tea Extract being its second ingredient (and Organic Aloe being its first), you can leave this creamy cleanser on for a few minutes before massaging it into the skin for a mini-mask to brighten and soothe as well as clean. Typically I prefer a foaming cleanser to a creamy one, but a thick formula like this one holds up well and makes a great partner to a Clarisonic.

Kate Middleton & Manuka Doctor’s Bee Venom Face Mask

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Not to be outdone by the bird poop facial the Beckhams love so much, the bee venom mask is the current queen of all treatments. Kylie Minogue, Kate Middleton, and Victoria Beckham are all said to be using this manuka, propolis, honey, royal jelly, and bee venom laced mask – so it’s pretty much the hot ticket. They even have a crazy tag line of ’10,000 bee stings in a pot.’ Yikes.

Honey has healing and antiseptic properties so I can see its benefit, and the venom itself falls second to last on the ingredient list so I don’t think stinging, swelling, and pain will accompany your home spa experience.

You can check out the original story HERE and Manuka Doctor’s Bee Venom Mask HERE

Skincare for the Hot Summer Months

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When it’s hot, sticky, and humid, slathering on heavy creams is the last thing you want to do. Here are a few things you can use to get skin that’s clear and cool when the temperature rises.

Gel Cleanser: IMAN Time Control Liquid Assets Oil-Free Gel Cleanser $14

Start with a queaky clean surface right outta the gates. Using a gel cleanser instead of a cream will leave your skin feeling fresh and fully cleansed,  Iman’s gel cleanser foams up big, smells great, and even washes away makeup.

Light Weight Acne Treatments: Intraceuticals Clarity Treatment Gel $89

Heavy acne treatment creams can clump under makeup, especially when layered with sunscreens. I love the lightweight Clarity Gel from Intraceuticals. It’s an advanced formulation that calms redness and inflammation while creating an environment on the skin that’s free of bacteria and irritation. It’s a unique way to fight acne without causing the usual peeling and redness that can make skin look even worse.

Facial Masks to Dig Out Oil: Erno Laszlo Beta Mask $50

Beta Mask is my go-to when my skin starts acting up. It’s so refreshing and cool on my skin, it’s like an instant facial with results that rival a true spa treatment. It isn’t the kind of mask that you need to scrub off either, it’s easily removed with warm water. Use it weekly to rid skin of dirt and oil from sweating and being outdoors.

Back Spray: Glytone Back Spray $28

Running, yoga, and hot summer activities that leave you sweaty can lead to a back breakout – the worst kind mostly because you can’t see what’s going on. Glytone’s Back Spray really works, just spray it post-shower or pre-activity to prevent ‘bacne.’

Body Mud: Borghese Fango Brightening Mud Mask $64

I had a gift certificate to a spa once so I did this body wrap thing which was basically a body mask with hot towels wrapped around me. It was cool, but not $200 cool. I can do the same thing at home using a body mud like Borghese, the experts in at-home spa treatments. Their Brightening Mud Mask is the one I like, it deep cleans skin so well that you can see an difference in the clarity and texture of your skin right away. Perfect to slough away dullness for the time of year when you’re showing a little more skin.