Masked (Wo)man – Honey Mask

The Scoop

Dominic knows that I have a plethora of different masks that I have tried and use, but the other night, when I had on my honey mask, he was so befuddled (yes, that’s right, befuddled) that I thought his jaw was just going unhinge and fall off. “Dom, do you really have to sit here and stare at me?” “Yeahh… what’s it supposta do?” He kept looking at me, like I was some sort of California Nut for putting pure honey on my face. So we had a little talk on why pure honey makes one of the greatest masks…

In short, honey is great for acne, anti-aging, moisturizing, (eating), and so much more. And although Dominic reminded me that I was really schlapping “bee vomit” all over my face, that honey is nothing but goodness for it. The next morning, your skin will be glowing. It makes it softer, too. I’ve found that it helps with acne and seems to act as a mild anti-inflammatory. There are no side effects and you can do it as often as you like. In all honesty, I don’t feel that I can claim to explain the science behind this one, but trust me, it’s a worthwhile mask.

What does it all entail? Just get out the honey bear and lather on. You’ll probably land up wanting to use about 2 teaspoons, enough to cover your whole face. I even put this one under my eyes, it’s that gentle. Leave it on for at least 20 minutes.

Variations
Diluted with Water
Take 2 tps and dilute with a little bit of water. This will activate the naturally occurring hydrogen-peroxide found in honey. I would recommend this if you have acne. Acne is a bacterial infection; hydrogen-peroxide is an anti-bacterial.

Aspirin Mask – Honey Mask Combo
This is one of my favorites! Great for acne, too. Take a couple aspirin and drop them into water to dissolve them. (Pouring water over them does not work as well.) Drain off most of the extra water and then mix with the honey. This is such a great powerhouse combo, because the salicylic acid in aspirin is great for acne too.

Mixed with Citrus
Citrus fruits, particularly grapefruit, are great for your skin. Try mixing the 2 tps with a little bit of citrus (whatever you have on hand) juice, or maybe even zest.

Articles & Interesting Sites
Wiki on Honey
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey

Random Website All About The Benefits of Honey
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/

Acne.org Reviews of Honey Masks
http://www.acne.org/honey-mask-reviews/372/page1.html

What I Learned from My Dermatologist: Sunscreen

No one likes being sunburned but we sometimes forget just how strong the sun can be. Like my brother here, now that he’s not being a vampire on night shift anymore, he’s looking a little sizzled. In order to help women remember and simplify, there has been a decided recent trend in makeup and skincare products where so many companies are all beginning to make products that contain spf. From a marketing standpoint, it seems genius. From a “I have no time in the morning” standpoint, it seems like a great idea. But I wondered, how on earth could the spf in my foundation or lotion be nearly as good as a sunscreen? So on my last dermatologist visit, I asked him about just that. He said that the primary issue with this is that the quality of the spf in makeup and other products is that it is not nearly as good as a true sunscreen. According to him, if the bottle says it’s spf 15, it’s really more like the quality of an spf 10.

So all this to say, don’t be misled by the promises of spf in makeup. Simply put, the spf in makeup or even moisturizers just isn’t good enough. Of course this is better than putting on nothing at all, but especially if you are very fair or prone to skin cancer (as I am to both), the spf in your foundation just really isn’t going to cut the mustard for you.

And think about it, a dermatologist would recommend that you apply about a ‘quarter-sized’ blob of sunscreen to your face. Chances are you wouldn’t be putting nearly that much foundation on, and the primary purpose of the foundation is not to protect you. Sun damage is what causes aging and skin cancer. You still need to wear sunscreen!

I can hear it now, “But Daisy, sunscreen is just so dog-on greasy!” But dealing with a little grease is far better than the long term effects. Additionally, there are many sunscreens out there that are less greasy.

My top recommendation is La Roche-Posay Sunscreen. This one you’ll pay a pretty penny for, however, this is said to be the very best, most protective sunscreen on the market. It’s not greasy at all. However, to my knowledge, it’s only sold at CVS and Longs, or online through their website. (See links below.)

My second recommendation is Neutrogena. They also make a lot of great sunscreens that many dermatologists would recommend. Mine told me that if I couldn’t get the La Roche-Posay Sunscreen, I should opt for Neutrogena. The Neutrogena Ultra-Sheer Dry Touch is pretty nice and comes in many different levels of spf.

Another trick that might help out if you still feel like your sunscreen is feeling greasy on your face, put on your moisturizer, let it sink in, and then put on your sunscreen. After that, wait another minute for the sunscreen to sink in and then put on your makeup. Just do something like brush your teeth or comb your hair in between.
Hope this helps and I just wanted to encourage y’all to lather up!

AAD’s FAQ About Sun Care
http://www.aad.org/media/background/factsheets/fact_sunscreen.htm

WebMD’s Article on Sunscreen and Makeup
(Not sure if I agree with all of their ‘tips’ or product recommendations, but I think that especially the beginning part of the article has some good things to say.)
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/features/sunscreen-and-your-makeup-routine


La Roche-Posay’s Product Website
http://www.laroche-posay.com/_int/_en/index.aspx

On Trial – Queen Helene’s Mint Julep Masque

This is definitely my HG (holy grail) face mask, hands down! I know that this is the go-to for many other women, people I know personally, as well as many women who post on the craigslist be/fo (beauty and fashion forum) and on the Makeup Geek forums. I was first introduced to Queen Helene by an old roommate. And although this may be the only good thing that ever came from living with her, it might have just been worth it; I really love this mask this much!

Who

Queen Helene – Smaller beauty company, mostly known for this mask.

What

Mint Julep Masque – Green clay mask that smells minty.

Where

CVS, ebay.com, or Queen Helene’s website http://www.queenhelene.com/skincare_product_detail.php?id=48

When

1 or 2 times a week, at night. If you have very oily skin, it may be okay to do it up to 3 times. OR Used overnight as a spot treatment on a blemish.

How

Put on to dry skin after cleansing skin (or at least after rinsing off with some water). Although this product is primarily intended for your face, if you have blemishes on your chest area, I would say it could be great for that as well. Just use your fingers and schlap it on. It’s done when it has completely dried. You’ll want to make sure that a thick enough coat is put on. It should take at least 15 minutes to dry; a coat that is too thin will dry in less than that. Finish up by washing off with warm water. Washing of with cold water is terrible, and, quite frankly, will take you forever with this one. OR You could also just rub a little dab on a blemish and leave it sit overnight. I know what you’re thinking: “This green crap is gonna get on my pillow!” But for whatever reason, this usually doesn’t even show up on my pillow and stays completely on my face. I would just say maybe wait about 5 minutes before going to bed.

Why

Why does this work? Well, the clay in the mask dries up on your face and pulls out impurities from your pores. Because it is clay, it essentially works the same way in which Pepto works. You take a big drink of clay, and it absorbs all of the yucky in your tummy to make you feel better. Think of this as doing the same thing for your skin – taking out the yuck to make you better. Additionally, it works to make enlarged pores appear smaller because the clay itself is tightening and shrinking up. Also, the glycerin and the zinc oxide in it are great for your skin. The zinc oxide is what helps to eliminate redness. (Future blogs on glycerin to come.)

Risk

None really. This is a very gentle product that I have never heard of anyone having a bad reaction to. Sometimes when I have a mask on my face, I forget about it. I’ve left it on for over three hours and not had a bad reaction.

$

Usually runs about $4 for a big 8 oz. tube. It will last for a few months, even if used every week. I saw them on clearance at CVS today for $2. And from my searches on ebay, it even might potentially be a better value on there.

Verdict

Completely worth it! For $4, this is one of the best products I have ever bought. This a product that does what it says. Dominic can laugh at my green face all he wants, this is one of the best out there, ladies. And I would recommend it to anyone.