“Who knew that my self-care and sanity could be found in the form of a simple custom-blended face mask?”
I recently relocated from New York to New Mexico, and with this monumental move came many life-altering changes. I uprooted myself and donated outdated clothing from my youthful heyday, circa 1982. Even my beloved Grace-Jones-inspired, ultra-shoulder-padded blazers were not spared. I gave away the shabby chic furniture that was no longer “ME” to my friend’s college-bound children and painstakingly combed through closets and stuffed shoe boxes that cradled a lifetime of mementos, elementary school report cards, Bozo the Clown and Malibu Barbie Dolls, and a vast collection of Valentine’s Day cards from long-gone boyfriends. It was time to depart from the validations that I outgrew and no longer needed to cling to. As a result of the move, even my skincare routine was abruptly abandoned when my parched skin demanded an overhaul and some sorely-needed TLC.
To help me regain some comfort and normalcy, this is what I do as a form of self-care: I run into the arms of my favorite retro, Pepto-Bismol-pink chenille robe and slip my cracked heels into my fuzzy, faux-fur slippers. I scurry into the kitchen and look no further than the fridge to find simple ingredients to quickly whip up a custom face mask, close my eyes and allow myself 15 minutes to reminisce about what I left behind in The Big Apple and dream of what awaits me in The Land of Enchantment (aka New Mexico).
Here are some easy, quick-fix masks to indulge in some much-needed comfort and self-care. They’re easy to make and you likely have all the ingredients ready and waiting in your kitchen. Who knew that softer skin and bliss were only a few ingredients away!
DRY SKIN MASK: To quench my thirsty skin that isn’t quite used to the arid Southwestern climate, I simply mix a few ingredients and my skin is transformed, hydrated and nourished.
All you need:
Olive Oil (1 tsp) protects and hydrates skin, antioxidant
Honey (1 tsp) natural humectant
Egg Yolk (1) hydrates, nourishes and moisturizes
Mix equal parts (adjust if you need a bit more) in a small bowl. Apply to clean, dry skin on face (bonus points if you put on your neglected neck). Avoid eye area.
Leave on 10 - 20 min.
Rinse with tepid to cool water. Pat dry.
EYE BAG MASK: Between Covid and my move across the country, I cried me a river, binge-watched Jane the Virgin on Netflix and drank one-too-many glasses of oaky chardonnay. Suffice it to say, the bags under my eyes needed to be unpacked.
All you need:
Ground Coffee (½ tbsp) constricts blood vessels and temporarily tightens skin
Honey (1 tsp) natural humectant
Mix ingredients into a small bowl, adding more honey until you have created a thin liquid-y paste. Apply with a fan brush to target the specific area under the eyes.
Leave on for 10 min.
Rinse with cool water. Bye-bye, bags be gone!
DULL, IRRITATED SKIN MASK: Wearing an N95 mask for long (any) periods of time has left me anxious and my face dull, red, and downright irritated. Here’s a mask to calm skin and leave you soothed and glowing in no time.
All you need:
Cup of water (boiled)
Green Tea (1 bag) anti-inflammatory, soothes redness and irritation
Raspberries (6) adds a dose of Vitamin C
Steep the green tea for approx. 2 min and then cut open the tea bag.
Put tea leaves and raspberries into a small bowl and mash together, forming a chunky paste.
Let it cool, then apply it to clean, dry skin.
Leave on for 15 min.
Rinse with tepid/cool water. Pat dry.
Fun tip: Save some raspberries to toss into a bubbly glass of Champagne! Here’s to a New Year of simple, self-care and maintaining our skin and sanity at the same time. Cheers!
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