Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Mint Julep Face Masque

All right, I have a somewhat embarassing confession to make. I went to modeling school when I was in 7th grade. Back then, I was much too young to get a job in the industry and do school, and when I finally was old enough, and had met with some of the bizzles that are in the industry, I was like, umm...forget that. BUT I did take away some very valuable information and tips on beauty and skin care, and I have been religious about both ever since. This is one of my favorite weekly routines, and it is super cheap to do. I highly recommend it, as it not only feels tingly and clean, but helps get rid of those nasty blackheads and zits. I would recommend to do this about once a week. If you do it too often, you will dry out your skin.

Warning: Due to the nature of the post, viewer discretion is advised. You are about to see me in rare form, without makeup (*gasp!*) Click here to prepare yourself. Normally this is only reserved for close friends, family, and boyfriends, so consider yourself lucky. Or something like that...


Materials:
-Facial cleanser
-toner/astringent (optional)
-moisturizer
-towel
-headband, hair tie, bobby pins, clip (whichever helps you get all the hair up out yo grill)
-Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque (I get mine from Walgreen's in the skincare aisle) for under $5.

1. First, clip, tie, or pin back all of your hair, so that it is off of your face completely. If you have bangs like I do, I recommend a stretchy headband for those little stray buggers.

2. Start off by washing your face with warm water and a facial cleanser. There are a million of these available, so take your pick for what works best for you. I will share some of my favorites with you in later blog posts. Make sure to remove all makeup, so you are starting with a clean canvas, so to speak.

3. Gently pat your face dry with a towel. You don't want to rub it, because patting it keeps some of the moisture in, and you also aren't tugging at your skin and causing premature wrinkles.


4. Once your face is completely dry, squirt a dollop of the Mint Julep Masque into your hand, and gently apply to your face. Start in the middle at your chin, and work your way up and outward to the right side, and then up and outward to the left. Think up, as they say. That is, apply in an upward motion toward your hairline on each side repectively. Again, with the premature wrinkles thing, if you are tugging at your face, and constantly tugging down on it, you will get saggy, wrinkly skin over time. Well, you will probably get wrinkles anyways, as that is inevitable, but what I mean is more quickly than you should. Using an upward application will keep your skin looking youthful. (This goes for makeup application also!)



5. Apply enough so that it is not caked on, but also you are not able to see your skin through the layer of masque. Practice makes perfect! Apply over all your skin, avoiding your eyes and lips. Make sure to go as close to your hairline as possible, (and slightly under your chin) without putting any into your hair.


6. Let the masque dry completely for about 20 minutes. You will notice that as it dries, it will become a lighter shade of green. This way, you can tell where there are still wet spots! If you are pressed for time, sit in front of a fan to cut the dry time in half. I usually grab a book and read or watch TV.


7. Once the masque is dry, gently rinse your face with cool or cold water. This is a refreshing sensation that will leave your skin tingly, and also will open up your pores. Wash all of the masque off completely. Pat your face dry with a towel, just as before.


8. This step is optional, but I do it just to remove any excess masque residue that may be lingering. Squirt an alcohol based astringent or toner (I prefer witch hazel--I love the smell!) onto a cotton ball, and apply from the middle of your face out and upward toward your hairline.


9. Finally, apply facial moisturizer from the middle of your face out and upward toward your hairline.  Although it depends on your particular skin type, for summer and spring, I recommend a lighter, oil free moisturizer with some sort of level of SPF, and for fall and winter, a thicker, creamier moisturizer, which is great for that dry skin.


Ta-da! My skin feels and looks A-MAZING. And that's a facial masque tutorial. Coming soon: facial scrubs and daily skincare! What are your favorite skincare routines and products?

2 comments:

  1. im so glad you started this! you crack me up. looking forward to reading through all your tips :)

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  2. Thanks, Shanna!! <3 I hope all is well with you, lady!!! :)

    ReplyDelete