the perfect facial: how to get salon-grade results at home

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work.

Those whose wallets can actually afford a monthly facial are few and far between. The average Jane, like you and me, guffaw at the thought of blowing $200 for one hour of TLC. But that doesn’t mean we don’t care about our skin. Like every other women on this planet, we enjoy the intimate experience of doting on our bodies. We want that glow, those clean invisible pores, just as much as the fortunate of upper echelon society.

The truth is, you can meet your outlandish desire for professional facials and flawless skin somewhere in the middle. Great results don’t just come with money. Carve a little time out of your weekly routine, and squeeze in this DIY treatment once a week. I’ll show you how it’s done — the natural way, of course.

Step 1: Cleanse

You’re going to cleanse your face in layers. First, take some jojoba oil (your new best friend) on a round cotton pad, and remove any make-up you have on. You can also use q-tips to remove around the eyes. 

Next, take a lightweight oil cleanser, like this one from Elizabeth Dehn, and wash your face with lukewarm water. This will help to remove impurities without drying out the skin. 

After you’ve done that, especially if you tend to have oily skin, use a mild bar, cream, or foaming cleanser. I’m a huge fan of the Apoterra Skincare line, and this is where I use my Lavender + Green Clay Complexion Soap. I find that it helps draw out all of the dirt and extra oil in my pores. If you’re less acne prone or tend to have drier skin, I suggest her Aloe + Rose Clay Complexion Soap. 

Gently pat your face dry with a towel, and move onto step two.

Step 2: Exfoliate

After the face is completely clean, it’s time to remove any dead skin cells sitting on the surface. For this, I’m going to have you make a face mask that contains powdered milk, oats, chamomile, and turmeric. I usually make a bunch at once, and store it in a glass jar, so it’s ready any time I need. 

To throw it together, follow the measurements below. Put everything into a mortar and pestal, grind it to a fine powder, and then transfer it to a storage vessel. When you’re ready to apply, take a heaping teaspoon and throw it into a small bowl with 1/2 tsp raw honey, 1 dropper of jojoba oil, and a few sprinkles of water. Mix it up, then gently massage across the face and décolleté in circular motions. Spend a few minutes with this process to let the mask work its sloughing magic. Then let the mask sit for 5-10 minutes before gently washing away. Be sure to dry your face with a colored bath towel or paper towel because the turmeric’s color will come off on anything you use. 

Mask Ingredients + Benefits

1 Tsp Powdered Milk - The lactic acid in powdered milk helps breakdown and remove dead skin cells. It’s also great for getting into those pores and washing them out.

1 Tsp Oat Bran - Oats are extremely soothing and healing for the skin. They help to remove redness and to restore moisture.

1 Tbs Chamomile Flowers - Chamomile is also extremely soothing. It helps calm down inflammation and will aid in healing any ruptures on the skin.

1 Tsp Tumeric - This is my little Ayurvedic touch. Turmeric is an excellent exfoliant, and it helps with anti-aging, acne, and scaring.

Step 3: Tone

Now that you’ve cleaned & exfoliated the skin, those pores should be pretty well emptied of any dirt and grime. To follow this up, apply a toner. Toning tightens the pores, removes any residual residue, and restores the pH balance of your skin. I’m a big fan of (wait for it) Apoterra’s Rose Hydrating Toner. It smells amazing and feels like you’re basking in freshness. 

No matter the toner that you prefer to use, I highly suggest transferring it to a spray bottle. This way, you can mist your face with the toner, saving on cotton pads and giving yourself a very refreshing experience. It’s also a more tender application and is gentler on the skin. Since I like to use oil moisturizers, I find that it’s also a good way to leave the skin wet, so it readily soaks up the moisturizer that will come next. 

Step 4: Moisturize & Massage

To top it all off, it’s time to apply a shot of moisturizer. I love jojoba oil-based products, like Apoterra’s Rose Nourishing Serum, because they are natural and extremely nourishing. It’s said that jojoba actually mimics the sebum in the skin which keeps your face from over-producing oil. Think of it like delivering a shot of nutrients from the outside in. 

As you apply your moisturizer, take it as an opportunity to massage the face and increase blood flow. This will help combat the effects of gravity, aka aging. Every school has it’s own brand of face massage, so I highly suggest researching YouTube videos and seeing which resonate with you. Two of my personal favorites that you can start with are: Ayurveda Facial Marma Massage and Lymphatic Drainage Massage. 

And there you have it, a little at home treatment. Do this all the way through once a week, and you’ll feel and look amazing.

the miracles of honey

Note: This post was previously published here as a part of my freelance work. 

Honey. What a sweet sweet elixir. Its uses date all the way back to ancient times, and we’ve only begun to tap into it’s magical powers. From the skin to the immune system, it can work wondrous effects on the human body. For today, I want to address its benefits for a glowing complexion. Behold, your quick guide to honey skincare…

Wash

Raw honey makes an amazing face wash. It has anti-bacterial properties and is chock full of probiotics and enzymes that are beneficial for the skin. It acts gently, wiping away bacteria and oil while leaving the skin hydrated. Its way of stripping away the bad and leaving the good makes it especially great for acne prone skin. 

Keep a small jar of raw honey along with a spoon in the bathroom for easy access. When you go to use, lightly wet the face with warm water and then massage on about a little less than a teaspoon. If you want it’s antibacterial properties to really work in on those pores, leave it for 5-10 minutes before rinsing away. 

Prevent

To give your skin a little pick-me-up, mix up a face mask with honey, yogurt, and flax meal. Smear it across your face, and let it sit for 10 minutes before rinsing off. They honey will work into those pores, treating blackheads, excess oil, and acne, while the yogurt and flax help to slough off the top layer of dead skin. Afterward you’ll notice skin that is plump with moisture and a dewy glow. What’s better than that?

Treat

Raw honey is well respected for its healing properties. It is both anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory all in one go. Even modern day medicine touts it’s effectiveness. For cuts and burns, one of the best things you can do is to apply raw honey. Even better, pick up raw Manuka honey which is harvested from bee’s pollinating Manuka flowers, otherwise known as tea tree. Slather it on your wound and dress it appropriately to heal skin fast. If you really must pop those pimples, mix up some raw honey and tea tree oil to apply directly following. I find that this works wonders at healing the puncture, but also at preventing it from growing back into another embarrassing white head.

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There you have it! Raw honey, great skin’s best kept secret. 

greensgrow holiday

Throughout the holiday season I spent a lot of time at Greensgrow photographing for Instagram and the farm's blog. It was a beautiful collage of all things celebratory. Vendors filled the greenhouse with gifts, trees lined the farm, ornaments, trim, and warming bites were everywhere. Here's a little look back at Greensgrow through the holidays. And...I'm sorry I must...do follow along for more on Instagram @Greensgrow!

rose infused honey

Note: This post was previously published as a part of my freelance work here.

Rose, it has captured the hearts of humans throughout history, and has come to be known as the global symbol for romance. When combined with honey, another substance so renowned it was buried with ancient pharaohs, many amazing things can happen. Before I delve into how to make this magical elixir and what it can be used for, let me tell you the basic benefits to both of its ingredients.

Rose: Rose is packed with vitamin-C, it contains even more than oranges. This means that it is great for the immune system as well as combating toxins. It is also considered to be a cooling herb, which gives it the natural powers to relieve cold and flu symptoms.

Honey: Consuming local honey is thought to help allergy symptoms by building up your natural tolerance to pollens in your area. Studies have been done showing its ability to kill bacteria and heal wounds, and it is great at soothing a sore throat or bad cough.

Now, let me teach you how to combine the two.

You’ll Need:

-          1.5 Lbs. Honey – preferably local

-          ¾ Cup Rose Petals – loosely packed (you can experiment with the quantity to play around with flavor)

-          1 Large Jar

-          Long Spoon for Mixing

-          Dark Cupboard or Space to Store

Directions:

1.       You’ll first need to pull the petals off of your flower buds.

2.       Once you have enough, toss them into a jar with your honey, and stir up well.

3.       Store in a dark cupboard for about two weeks, stirring it up every few days.

4.       Strain the petals out through a colander, and pour the honey into a new jar. It’s now ready to use.

3 Ideas Of How to Use Your Honey:

1.       Pour it over yogurt to make an allergy fighting & immune strengthening parfait (with amazing flavor).

2.       Make your own cough drops to soothe a sore throat or cough (try this recipe)

3.       Mix together a facemask to combat free radicals and inject your face with vitamin-C (try this recipe)