Home Facials

Determining Your Skin Type

• Before deciding on a facial mask, determine your skin type. There are three basic skin types--oily, dry and combination.
  
   

• To find your skin type, wash your face as soon as you get up in the morning. Wait half an hour, then check for shininess. You can do this by looking for shine in the mirror, feeling your face for oiliness or pressing a piece of pink tissue paper to your face to see if oil appears.
  
   

• You have dry skin if there is no oil or your skin feels tight.
  
   

• You have oily skin if your entire face is oily after the test.
  
   

• If only your T-zone, (chin, nose and forehead) is oily, then you have combination skin.

Creating Your Own Face Sauna

Spoil yourself once a week by creating your own face sauna. This gentle facial steaming cleanses pores and brings color to cheeks of all skin types. Here's how:

Materials:

saucepan
lemon juice
mint leaves
clean towel

Steps:

1. Bring water to a boil in a saucepan.
   
    

2. Add lemon juice and mint leaves--these extract impurities from skin, help circulation and have invigorating scent leaves.
   
    

3. Remove saucepan from the heat and place on the counter. Check the steam first to make sure it's not too hot for your face.
   
    

4. Cover your head with a towel and allow the towel to drape over the steaming pot.
   
    

5. Steam for five minutes, and splash your face with cool water. Pat dry.

Oatmeal can be used as a scrub or a mask. Instructions are below for each.

Homemade Scrub

Mix together 1/4 cup course oatmeal, one teaspoon honey and enough buttermilk to make a paste. Massage the scrub gently into your skin and rinse with cool water.

Homemade Mask

• For the mask, combine one tablespoon oatmeal with the white of an egg. Apply to the face and allow to dry.
  
   

• If you have dry skin, apply a thin layer of mayonnaise to your face after the mask. Leave on for approximately 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
  
   

• If skin is oily, smooth on plain yogurt for 20 minutes after cleansing, then rinse with cool water.
  
   

• Remember when applying any type of mask to avoid the sensitive area around the eyes and mouth.

Other Tips

• Lemon juice works great for drying up a pimple.
  
   

• It is important to not rub your skin harshly, as this can cause breakouts. To avoid harming your skin, use a facial brush or your hands, and always remember to use circular motions.
  
   

• If you have blackheads and oily skin, you should apply a mask of milk of magnesia once a week. The main ingredient (magnesite) naturally extracts oil from the skin. Only do this once a week to avoid over-drying.
  
   

• Make a simple moisturizing mask by beating one teaspoon of mayonnaise with the one egg yolk. Spread mixture evenly on face. Remove with warm water after 20 minutes. Close pores with a splash of cold water.
  
   

• Revive dried-up mascara by holding the closed tube under hot, running water for a few minutes. The mascara inside will soften and you'll have more to use.
  
   

• Revive facial makeup sponges by thoroughly cleansing them with antibacterial soap.