Homemade beauty

You are a busy woman.
I know, I know, understatement of the year.
Between chauffeuring kids to every activity in town, going to the office, running errands – groceries, dry cleaning, buying new socks for your husband because he ruined his good ones … again – the idea of a day to yourself for pampering may seem laughable. Upon reflection, it becomes absolutely hilarious.
Fear not, Superwoman. You can create relaxation remedies right in your kitchen.
One of my best friends takes classes at Aveda and recently gave me a five-minute lecture on exfoliating after I told her that I never did. Whoops. I guess I missed the memo, but this is something you should be doing one or two times a month.

Excellent Exfoliation
Mix a half cup of dry oatmeal with 3 tablespoons almond oil, 1 tablespoon of finely ground sea salt — substitute cornmeal for sea salt if your skin is sensitive — and teaspoon fresh mint, minced. Mix with enough warm water to create a paste. Dampen your skin and apply in circular motions, avoiding the delicate skin around your eyes.
Don’t scrub the top layer of skin off; be gentle. If your skin is irritated or broken out, do not exfoliate. It will only cause further irritation.

Deep cleansing
Boil 1 quart of distilled water in a large pot. Wrap a favorite fragrant herb in gauze or cheesecloth. When the water boils, turn heat to low and soak the herb pack you prepared for five minutes. While you’re waiting, apply a light layer of almond or sesame oil on your face. This will help protect your skin from the heat. Remove the herb pack from the water and lower your face over the pot, draping a clean towel over your head to keep the steam from escaping. Stand there – but not too close – for approximately five minutes. Pat dry.

Mask
The most fun part of a day of at-home makeovers is the mask. Who doesn’t love a face full of goopy green stuff? The following is good for all skin types and leaves the skin feeling soft and refreshed.
What you’ll need is simple: half over-ripe banana, over-ripe avocado, 2 tablespoons plain, full-fat yogurt, 1 teaspoon olive oil.
Mash the banana and the avocado together and then combine with the other ingredients. Apply the mask liberally to the face and neck. Let it set for 20 to 30 minutes. (This will give you enough time to catch up on an episode of “Scrubs.”) Rinse off the mask with warm water and pat dry. Voila, smooth and hydrated skin.