Mask appeal

Our face – it’s the first thing that people notice about us. It mirrors our emotions and moods.

Keeping the face looking its best is the smartest thing you can do for yourself. Healthy skin plays a huge role in helping us boost our confidence and self-esteem. Unfortunately, our face is constantly exposed to the environment. The good news is that it has been proven that proper care makes the skin look and feel younger.

I have always admired women, regardless of age, with beautiful skin. "Beautiful skin" meaning clear, clean, healthy and glowing. These women exude a certain kind of confidence that makes you stare at them. They hardly have any makeup on and yet they look stunning. They have what we all want to achieve – natural beauty. Their secrets? Aside from being blessed with good genes, they pamper themselves. They have a regular skin care regimen.

If these women were able to achieve great skin, so can you. The key to having healthy and clear skin is proper maintenance. Make time once or twice a week to "pamper" your face. You can either make a trip to get a facial or stay home and use masks. It will only take you 20 minutes at the most. Yes, I know your partner will most probably make fun of your "green face" so why not get a good laugh yourself and put some on him, too. Oh and read instructions carefully. Some clay masks will dry and harden so laughing might be a no no! Which of course will be harder for your partner to resist clowning around just to make you sure your face cracks.

The good thing about sharing this ritual with friends, relatives or a partner is that it is fun. It’s another way to have a giggle. Laughter is good for your skin.

The four commandments

Masks are not used to replace the three commandments of basic skin care. Clean. Moisturize. Protect. The fourth commandment, toning is only done when you feel your skin needs it.

Clean your face and apply a deep cleansing mask or a hydrating mask or a rejuvenating mask on while reading the papers or watching TV. If you don’t have any of these masks that you can purchase, then you have no excuse not to do it.

Go to your kitchen and open your refrigerator. I’m sure you can find some fruits. Go through your pantry. Grab some oatmeal and honey. Christopher Watt, facialist to Jennifer Lopez and Halle Berry, uses tea, yogurt, honey and other Safeway staples in some of his mixtures. Once you’ve gathered the key ingredients for your do-it-yourself homemade facial mask, read on and choose an ingredient that would best suit your skin type. Avocado and banana mask Soften rough, dry skin with a mashed avocado. The unsaturated fatty acids of the avocado stimulate your skin’s own natural production of oil. This is not for oily skin. Bananas are great for dry skin. They are rich in potassium and Vitamin A. They contain no substances known to aggravate the skin.

Mix the avocado and banana together until smooth and creamy. Spread on clean face and leave for 15 minutes. Rinse and pat dry.

Oatmeal mask Oatmeal comforts and nourishes the skin. It’s rich in protein, potassium, iron, phosphates, magnesium and silicon. It is perfect for individuals with sensitive skin because it is naturally gentle and mild. The egg whites are very astringent and drying, the yolks are rich natural moisturizers. Egg yolks are a major source of lecithin, a natural emollient and preservative.

Mix all ingredients into a smooth paste. Spread on your face and leave it for 15 minutes. Rinse your face will tepid water and pat dry.

For oily skin:
Cooked oatmeal
1 egg white
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
Mashed apple

For dry skin:
Cooked oatmeal
1 egg yolk
Mashed banana
1 tbsp. honey

For normal skin:
Cooked oatmeal
1 whole egg
1 tbsp. almond oil

Watermelon mask

This makes a great toning facial mask. It contains plenty of Vitamins A, B and C, all of which keep skin healthy and glowing. The consistency of this mask is thinner than most, and you may want to use a damp piece of cheesecloth or gauze over the mask to keep it on your face. Mash the fruit in a bowl. Clean your face. Spread the mixture on your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes. Rinse well with cool water and pat dry.

Carrot mask

The orange-colored roots of the carrot plant are rich in Vitamin A, often referred to as the "beauty" vitamin because of its importance in maintaining healthy skin and hair. Fresh carrot juice has strong antiseptic qualities, making it an excellent ingredient for a facial treatment for blemished skin.

Mix carrot juice and clay until smooth. For a thicker mask, you may add more clay. Spread on clean face and leave for 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water followed by cool water. Pat the skin dry.

Use fresh carrot juice made from two large carrots, natural clay. For extremely dry skin, add 1 tsp. light oil to the recipe

Oily skin mask
small tomato chopped cucumber (with peel)
2 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 egg white (optional)

This recipe is perfect for stressed-out or oily skin. Tomato, parsley, and cucumber are combined here to make a mildly acidic and astringent mask. Tomatoes are effective on blackheads and oily skin. The juice of the tomato has astringent properties that help remove dead skin cells and deep clean the skin’s surface. Cucumber makes a gentle and mild astringent mask and is soothing for sunburned skin.

Combine all ingredients except the egg white in a blender or food processor and puree. Stir in the egg white if desired. Apply to your face and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with tepid water and pat dry.



Beauty queen mask
1 egg yolk
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. almond oil
1 tsp. Vitamin E oil

This mixture of eggs, honey, almond oil and Vitamin E is designed to nourish dry, flaky skin. Honey has natural antiseptic properties known to help in regenerating damaged skin tissues. Egg yolk contains lecithin, an antioxidant, like Vitamin E that acts as a natural preservative. After using this mask your face should feel softer and smoother.

Place all ingredients in a bowl and stir until smooth. Spread on clean face and leave on for 15 minutes. Rinse off with warm water and pat dry.

A special concoction

Dermatologist Dr. Isabel Suntay shared with me this special recipe – for the face, not for the stomach!

"For deep cleansing, use one tablespoon honey. Honey cleans and adds moisture. One teaspoon canned cranberry or berry sauce. Fruit acid removes dead skin, shrink pores, and brighten skin tones. One-half teaspoon cornmeal exfoliates.

"Mix all ingredients.

"Gently apply on wet face let stand for three minutes. If you want to exfoliate, using wet fingers, lightly scrub the mask into your skin for a minute before rinsing it out with warm water and a washcloth.

"Take care with all homemade preparations. Any slight signs of irritations like tingling or any burning sensation means you’re sensitive to the ingredient so immediately wash off with a very mild cleanser and water then see a dermatologist."

Shop around!

I don’t know what it is with beauty stores but they never fail to lure me inside. I just love going in and looking around. I especially like going to the facial care section. I’m always in constant search for masks that I could use to nourish, heal, deep clean, rejuvenate or moisturize my skin. These masks are readily available and each kind caters specifically to a certain skin type. Come to think of it, so does the produce section. When I do food shopping, I look at fruits and vegetables as my "facial care" section. I’d look around and see what kind of "mask" I’m in the mood to do. Some people prefer to use natural ingredients while some are content with commercial products. So do your cardio, shop around. Be it in the beauty stores or in the produce section, give yourself a stress-free treat.

I am a firm believer that proper skin maintenance is the key to having great skin. I think it’s better to spend a few minutes once or twice a week doing preventive care for your skin than spend a fortune on repairing already damaged skin.

So make time to take good care of your skin. Stop envying women or celebrities who have the skin you can only dream of. Start now. Make your own beauty regimen and stick to it. Soon enough you’ll see and feel dramatic improvements. But don’t forget that happiness, peace of mind and sleep are essential to skin. So does deep rhythmic breathing, water, fresh fruit and vegetable juices (for you to drink this time), good sleep and most of all laughter!

Photography by Eric Llongoren

Model: Nadya Cross

Makeup by Chechel joson

All products available in all Pcx stores