Why do we look at the mirror?

To appreciate the lovely and unique face we have? How nice if that happens to all of us. Maybe yes, but a more prevalent response may be to pick flaws, like the little pimple or red dot imprinted by mosquitoes instead. Ladies, especially Asian ladies, look up on Snow White as the blueprint in defining perfect skin colour and complexion – which virtually only exists in fairy tales. Wait, actually you can do it in reality; Michael Jackson would be the ideal blueprint. The point is virtually all ladies hope to look good, in which the definition runs the gamut from, smooth hair, to long and slim legs. In this post, we will look into getting gorgeous skin.

Skin — matters a lot

Skin-related businesses are big businesses; cosmetics and skin care product combined made up 37% of the USD56.2 billion of earnings generated by the US beauty industry. That is USD20.8 million. The lucrative figures could bespeak the emphasis females place on their appearance, especially the skin. Bear in mind that the USD20.8 does not include spa, face lift, facial massage or some sort of plastic surgery, all of which aim to help females have nicer skin complexion or fairer skin.

Alternative or Professional Service?

While it is always better to consult experts if we want a better result in a field in which we are lay, there are times we are our best doctor. Same goes to skin care issue. Facial treatments could easily cost up to hundreds of Ringgit Malaysia. And, we still yet to take into account the money spent on petrol to commute to the beauty centre and the waiting time. Maybe you really enjoy the feeling of being in a beauty centre, where you could chat with like-minded people while receiving VIP-like treatments. By all means, if you feel happy, I think the money and time spent are well worth it. However, you have another alternative at our disposal – DIY at home.

When we are bored of the beauty centre; or have the whim to do facial at home; or running short of time; we may want to consider this option.

 

Do It Ourselves?

Under this option, we can save out a lot of precious time for more important things in life, like doing things you like, having quality time with the other half and family. Furthermore, we would spend much less money. However, it does not mean we have to compromise with the quality.

Below, we will look into problem-specific solution for different kinds of skin issues, which could also deliver glowing skin that we have always craved for.

How?

The very first good news is the ingredients we need are likely to be already sitting in our pantry or refrigerator!

Dry, ageing skin

Cocoa mask is the key to replenishing the moisture on the skin.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder
  • 1 tablespoon of sour cream
  • 1 tablespoon of honey
  • 1 egg white

Directions:

  • Apply on face and let it dry before rinsing

Rough hands

Milk is a solution to soften the hard-working hands, supplement them with vitamins A and E.

Ingredients:

  • Two or three cups of whole milk (sufficient enough to submerge both hands).

Directions:

  • Heat it in a microwave until it is warm
  • Soak both hands in it for 5 to 10 minutes.

Oily skin with imbalanced pH value

Ground oats serve to clear build-up of oil, while apple cider serve to moderate the pH value of the skin.

Ingredients:

  • 3 teaspoons of ground oats
  • ¼ teaspoon of apple cider
  • ¼ tablespoon of lemon juice
  • ½ tablespoon of brown sugar

Directions:

  • Mix the ground oats with apple cider form a smooth paste forms
  • Add in the lemon juice and brown sugar, stir it
  • Cleanse face
  • Apply the mixture on the face and let it sits for 5 to 10 minutes
  • Pat dry the face

Environmental damage

Antioxidants in blueberries help to detoxify the face, while Vitamin C in lemon brightens the skin.

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon of crushed ripe blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon of cucumber juice
  • 2 tablespoons of baking soda
  • 2 tablespoons of water

Directions:

  • Stir them
  • Apply on face, let it sits for 15 to 20 minutes
  • Rinse face with warm water

Dry cuticles (dead skin)

High oil content in coconut oil affords lasting moisture and strengthens tissue

Ingredients:

Coconut oil

Directions:

  • Rub the coconut oil on fingertips
  • Apply on plastic wrap
  • Place it on dead skin

Calloused (hardened) feet

Ingredients:

½ cup of baking soda for every gallon (9.11 kg) of warm water

Directions:

  • Stir the baking soda with warm water in
  • Soak feet in the solution for around 30 minutes
  • Dry the feet
  • Wear a pair of cotton socks

Inflamed or acne-prone skin

White tea toner with Asian-influenced ingredients helps detoxifying the body from the inside out.

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon of peppermint tea leaves
  • 4 teaspoons of white tea leaves
  • ½ cup of boiled distilled water
  • 2 drops of lavender oil
  • Enough aloe vera to cover mixture of above ingredients

Directions:

  • Drink a cup of lemon water
  • Combine above ingredients in a French press
  • Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes
  • Pour into a glass container to cool
  • Add the aloe vera
  • Store in refrigerator before spraying on the face

Dry skin patches

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup of ground rice (grind in a blender)
  • ½ cup of coconut milk
  • ¼ cup of brown sugar
  • 1½ tablespoon of ground ginger

Directions:

  • Use hands to rub the mixture over in circular motion
  • Scrub the paste on the dry skin patches

Flaky lips

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon of coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon of raw honey
  • 2 tablespoons of table honey
  • A spread of lemon juice

Directions:

  • Mix the ingredients with a new toothbrush in circular motion
  • Apply on lips
  • Rinse the lips

Wrinkles 

Ingredients:

  • Fresh papaya
  • Greek Yoghurt
  • Egg whites

Directions:

  • Mix the ingredients to form a paste
  • Apply on the face, let it settle for 15 minutes
  • Rinse face with warm water (to ensure of the mask is totally cleared)
  • Splash cold water on the face (to close up the pores)

The bottom line

All in all, beauty centre is not the only place we could get gorgeous skin, it could be our home. At home, we can enjoy our time with family while doing facial treatment on our own. Also, we could save our precious pounds. All these perks are achievable without compromising the quality. If you are time-strained, yet want to skin care work on your own, you could turn to skin care product. Remember to pamper yourself; if you do not, who will?

 

 

 

References

Mirror History. (n.d.). The history of mirror and mirror facts. Retrieved from http://www.mirrorhistory.com/

Statista (n.d.). Sales breakdown of the beauty industry in the United States in 2015, by product category. Retrieved from http://www.statista.com/statistics/243851/breakdown-of-the-cosmetic-industry-in-the-us-by-product-category/

Tom, G. (2012, May 11). Vain or just paranoid? Women check their reflection eight times a day. Mail Online. Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2142879/Looking-good-Women-check-reflection-times-day.html