I got some inspiration to start writing again and to do a few videos again for educational and marketing purposes. The first idea that jumped into my mind actually came to me while I was in the shower. I'm quite rushed with my skin care routine so most of it happens in the shower. Cleansing my face, exfoliating - it all happens in there. I got gifted a facial wash/scrub, cool kinda 2-in-1, even better for my skin care routine. Now it's not the natural stuff I normally use but I'm not going to look a gift horse in the mouth, so I used it. Only to get the shock of my life. It came to me like a light bulb moment. There's plastic in there...
Now I'm not talking about the packaging tube. I mean like actual plastic, in the product. The cleanser contains these tiny little blue grains. Looks almost like sand grains. That's obviously what gives the scrubbing effect to help for the blackheads and impurity removal. Cool right?! NO! The previous wash/scrub combo I used also has these little grains in but they were actually super finely ground apricot kernels. These were totally natural and obviously biodegradable. These blue micro plastics on the other hand are not biodegradable and will end up in the ocean via my shower drain. This shook me to my core. Just last week a watched an episode of Down to Earth (by Zac Efron) about how micro-plastics are killing the coral reefs. And here I was contributing to those micro-plastics in the ocean. They could actually end up in the fish I eat - let that sink in for a moment. I don't like writing about doom and gloom kind of things. I like to keep things positive but I just thought people should know this before making a purchase.
I don't think it's just facial scrubs either... there are plenty household and beauty products with these micro-plastics in. Please be aware of these. As long as you're aware - you'll start seeing them everywhere and hopefully be able to give them a miss when you find them on the shelves. The plastic packaging can at least be discarded of properly or recycled but the moment you use the products, it's gone down the drain and who knows where it will end up!?
If you're looking for a scrub - we've got a few natural ones available in store. They have a variety of different active ingredients like enzymes, sugar, bamboo fibers, apricot kernel granules or even oats. It's also super fun to mix your own masks or scrubs to use on our next home-spa-day or girls night. Ask one of our girls to assist you with to find the ingredients of your favourite recipe.
I found the following two recipes on Pinterest. Feel free to share any winning recipes in the comments.
Activated Charcoal Detox Mask Recipe
© Rebecca D. Dillon
Ingredients:
These are the ingredients you need to make this activated charcoal facial mask recipe for acne prone skin:
2.5 oz. kaolin (white cosmetic) clay
.15 oz. sea salt, fine ground
.1 oz. pink Himalayan (mineral) salt
.1 oz. hardwood activated charcoal powder
.05 oz. calendula flower powder
How to Make Activated Charcoal Face Mask
Here is how to make an activated charcoal face mask to fight acne and reduce pore size:
Using a digital scale, weigh out all the ingredients and combine in a glass bowl. Mix well to combine.
Pour the activated charcoal detox mask into one 8 oz. jar. I specifically used a clear plastic 8 oz. low profile jar and a 200 mL cosmetic style jar from Infinity Jars for this project. (My activated charcoal detox mask recipe fills one 8 oz. container. To fill additional jars, double the recipe as needed.) Alternately, you can fill two 4 oz. jars with this recipe. I also like the 4 oz. glass salve jars for this recipe.
How to Use an Acne Face Mask
To use your activated charcoal detox mask, simply combine 1 Tablespoon of the mask with 1/2 Tablespoon of water in your hand to form a paste. Then massage the mask onto your skin in a circular motion. Rinse the mask off with warm water once it has dried.
Alternately, rather than mixing your mask with water, you can also mix your mask with aloe vera juice, plain Greek yogurt or rosehip seed oil to suit your skin’s individual needs.
Detox Face Mask Tips and Substitutions
For more sensitive skin, reduce the amount of salt to no more than .2 oz. total. Additionally, if you have calendula petals, you can simply run them through a coffee grinder to create a powder.
Coffee Face Scrub from blissonly.com
Coffee is a rich source of caffeine which contains powerful antioxidant properties. It protects your skin cells from harmful free radicals and prevents premature skin aging. While brown sugar is a gentle exfoliator. It perfectly combines with coffee to exfoliate your skin, making your skin get rid of dead skin cells. Olive oil contains fatty acids that moisturize and nourishes your skin. Hence makes your skin clear and glowing.
Ingredients
2 Tablespoon Coffee Grounds
1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoon Olive Oil
How To Use
Take a bowl and mix all the ingredients properly.
Now cleanse your face with your regular face wash and apply the scrub to your wet skin.
Gently massage the mixture on your face in a circular motion for 1-2 minutes.
Leave the mixture on your face for about 5 minutes.
Now rinse it off well.
Finish by applying moisturizer.
Repeat it 1-2 times a week.
You can store the rest of the mixture in an airtight jar.
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