Happy new year everyone! I am ready to jump into some organizing and deep cleaning. I can't wait to get back to meal planning and out of the holiday sugar slump.
The holiday season is filled with junk food and cold weather. Both of those things can result in less than perfect skin.
I've never had perfect skin as we've discussed in my blackhead busting face mask post, but it's certainly getting better. Between the weather, the junk food, and the hard water, I feel like I've had to overcome a mountain - a metaphorical skin-care mountain.
I feel like I'm finally getting the hang of having hard water. It's only taken me almost three years. Hard water likes to zap the moisture out of your skin it's a dangerous combo when winter rolls around.
But, no fear! There's no need to run out to the store and buy a pre-made face mask full of questionable ingredients stuffed into a single-use plastic bag. Whipping up a zero waste face mask is super easy.
I try and do a face mask once a week. The blackhead busting mask is great to get rid of blackheads, but it's not the best for replenishing moisture. I moisturize my face almost daily with this lotion, but sometimes you need something a little extra.
This face mask is only three simple ingredients matcha green tea powder, honey, and aloe vera.
matcha powder:
Matcha is an extremely potent green tea. It's full of antioxidants that are great for rejuvenating and tightening skin. It's useful as an acne treatment because it can reduce sebum production.
Matcha contains chlorophyll which helps detox your skin. It fights free radicals that can damage skin cells. On top of that, it contains a lot of natural caffeine that helps stimulate your skin with new healthy growth leaving you revitalized.
It's also anti-inflammatory great for reducing redness! Basically, if you don't have perfect skin - matcha can help you in some way! If you have perfect skin, keep it that way by using matcha.
Matcha can be filled in bulk on either the spice or tea aisle.
raw honey:
Raw honey is a natural antibacterial so it's great treating acne and it helps with acne prevention. Honey is also full of antioxidants, so this mask will freeze time! Ok, that's a gross exaggeration, but it will help slow down aging. Say buh-bye to fine lines and wrinkles.
Honey is also incredibly moisturizing and smoothing. It will give you a glowing complexion. It's clarifying which helps open up your pores. It will help unclog your pores and allows the matcha and aloe to do their job.
I buy raw honey in glass jars, but I can also get it filled at Rainbow Grocery.
aloe gel:
Aloe is a fabulous moisturizer, and one of my zero waste beauty cabinet staples. I use it in my mouthwash, as a toner, and in this face mask. It does a lot of similar things as the last two items.
It fights acne, is anti-aging, a super moisturizer, and heals burns. I talk in depth about aloe in the two posts linked above if you'd like further reading.
I filled up on aloe at Rainbow Grocery, but you can also make it easily with an aloe plant. Grab my recipe here.
hydrating matcha green tea face mask:
- 1 Tablespoon of Matcha Powder
- 1 Teaspoon of Raw Honey
- 2 Teaspoons of Aloe Vera Gel
Stir all of the ingredients together and apply to a clean dry face. Let it dry and leave it on 20-40 minutes or a whole hour if you want! Rinse off with warm water and pat dry.
Your skin will be glowing and should be noticably smoother.
I am definitely trying to use this mask once a week. After I use it, my complexion is less splotchy and smoother. Winter skin tends to look flat and dull. This mask breaks that pattern leaving it with a nice soft glow. You can tell in the third picture of the film strip. My skin is pink and bright.
How do you beat the winter skin blues?
