My first escapade into natural home-based beauty needed to be simple. I can't go frying my face off with magic greases and voodoo oils right off the bat. I have to give you folks something to look forward to. I thought oatmeal was a good starting point.
Oatmeal contains antioxidants that help defend the skin against harmful pollutants in your everyday environment. It also contains polysaccharides. Have you ever wondered where that "gel" substance came from when you've fixed a bowl of oatmeal? Those are the polysaccharides being released! That gel, when applied to your face, protects the skin from drying out, and also hardens to give that "mask" feel. Saponins in the oatmeal also help to remove dirt from pores. In other words, it is a fresh and natural way to gently cleanse your skin without the addition of any harsh chemicals.
Milk has been used since ancient times for its natural beautification properties. It is rich in unsaturated fatty acids, natural sugars, vitamins, and lecithin. All of these leave your skin smooth and improve blood circulation which can help in resolving wrinkle issues. Milk byproducts such as cottage cheese, sour cream, and cream are also highly useful in improving skin quality!
The first time I tried this (the day before yesterday), I just winged it. I would not advise winging it. Or at least use more common sense than I did. I just whipped up some oatmeal with whole milk in the microwave and put the hot concoction directly onto my face. The heat wasn't so bad, but the ginormous glops of oatmeal were a bit of a mess.
Yesterday, I prepared it the exact same way but used the food processor to smooth it out. That helped, but it still was pretty gloppy. As for how it felt on my face after I let it dry and rinsed it off with warm water? It felt amazing. My skin felt smooth, tight, and clean. I have oily, acne-prone skin and I have noticed a significant difference in just two treatments in the decrease of oil production and pimple pop-ups! I am going to try this for the rest of the week before moving on and experimenting with other cleansing methods. Very exciting!
This evening, I plan on preparing the oatmeal with whole milk and letting it sit for an hour as I did a little research and found that that's what you're supposed to do anyway. Here is my recipe for the Oatmeal & Whole Milk Mask!
~Ingredients~
2 Tbsp. rolled oats
4 Tbsp. whole milk
~Directions~
1. Combine oats and milk and microwave for 1 minute at 50% power.
2. Stir, and microwave another 30 seconds at 50% power.
3. Let sit (for absorption), in or out of the refrigerator, for 1 hour.
4. Spoon into food processor (add a little extra milk if needed) and puree until somewhat smooth.
5. Leave mask on for 15-20.
6. Rinse with warm water.
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