Wax and Bubbles

You know what I’m talking about, when your face seems to be glowing and clear and free of any oddities. Then you have your other face, that’s puffy, a huge blemish on your cheek and not to mention, your color is completely shot. There are several ways you can help prevent this and keep it from ever happening to your when you least likely expect it. Here are three facial steps you can take today and use throughout your life to help your face stay focused as one face and not two.

Facial Toning Massage:

What is it? Facial massage relaxes tension, tones muscles, stimulates the blood flow and also helps to improve skin tone and lymphatic drainage. It has also been know to help remove toxins from the face as well.

What to do: Cleans and tone your face thoroughly, using a cold cream cleanser and a good skin toner. Gently hold the heat to establish facial connection then with a bit of oil on your fingertips and with a sweeping movement, lightly draw your finger from the bottom of the face to the top, avoiding the eyes. Repeat several times, gently increasing the pressure.

Place your fingertips horizontally in the middle of your forehead, using a little more oil if required. Draw them firmly out to the temples several times. You should be able to feel the bones of the forehead through the facial skin and the flesh.

Now place your fingertips on either side of the nose. Draw them up and out to the sides of the face several times, using a little less pressure than you used on the forehead. Using both index fingers, make small circles all over the nose. Be careful not to block off the air flow. Continue making small circles over the chin and around the mouth area, be sure and avoid hitting the lips.

Finish as you started with gently sweeping motions, then gradually getting lighter with the pressure. Lie there and relax for a few minutes afterward. It’s best to perform this on each other, rather than yourself.

Draining Facial Massage:

What is it? If you have a semi-puffy complexion, or even a cold, congestion or sinus stuffiness, a drainage massage is a great way to help relieve the symptoms. Production of excess mucus in nasal and respiratory passages is the body’s response to inflammation caused by i8nfection or even irritants we tend to breath in.

What to do: Start the massage just the same as you would the toning massage, after your do the firm strokes on the forehead, start the drainage techniques. Using both index fingers, place your fingertips on the boy ridge just under the eyebrows on each side right under the inner edge. Press firmly upward, hold for two seconds, then release the pressure and move slightly along the eyebrows, pressing upward with firm pressure. Repeat this procedure until you have reached the outmost edge of the brows. Start again at the inner edge and do this twice.

Now start with your index finger just about each brow and with firm pressure make large circles outward. Following the line above the brow, down past the side of each eye. Then across the top of the cheekbone and up the side of the nose, until you reach the point where you started. Make a total of six circles in this fashion. Start in the same place and do six more circles going in the opposite direction. Then finish the massage with light pressure and getting softer. It’s best to do this massage on each other rather than yourself.

Facial Steaming:

What is it? Facial steaming with essential oils offers an extra dimension to the cleaning process done to the face. The facial steam can increase perspiration which helps rid the skin of toxins and helps clean out the pores and encourages the eliminations of deep seated wastes as well. Facial steaming also helps soften the skin and loosens dead skin cells as well.

What to do: Make up a large bowl of boiling water or even use a facial steamer. Add 5 -10 drops of essential oils if desired. Either place your face in the sauna or hold your face 2-5 inches over the bowl and place a large towel over your head.

Keep you eyes closed especially when using essential oils. After steaming for five minutes, wipe your face and allow your face to cool at room temperature. Then spray with flower water, allowing it to dry naturally. This further helps to cool the face and closes the pores as well.

Ever gone to a spa day or even wanted to go on a spa day, just to relax from your life? Well in order to get a spa day you don’t need to leave your own home at all. You can perform “spa-type” luxury right in your own home and bathroom. The basic element to an at-home spa day is time, uninterrupted time that is. What falls under this is the main interrupter, the telephone. Turn everything off and send everyone away, even the dog.

The best thing you can do for yourself is to take a warm, comfy bath. As shower isn’t as relaxing as a warm bath. Fill your bathtub with hot water. You want to use hot water so the steam will fill the room, make sure the door is closed. Add a few drops of your favorite essential oils to the bath water. Fill a cotton sock with a mixture of dried herbs of your choice, and tie it at the top and drop it in the water. Exfoliate your skin with a body brush, be sure to use circular motions the entire time and going toward the heart when you are at the your arms and legs.

Facial steams can be used two to four time every two weeks. If your skin is damaged though or you have a lot of acne, a facial steam isn’t the way to go for your particular skin. Use purified water when you perform your facial steam and organic ingredients for the mixture.

Dried herbs can be added and three cups of coiling water, while using a towel in the form of a tent over your head, cover your face with the towel and over the bowl, holding your face about 5-10 inches above the water mixture. Hold your face over the water with your eyes closed for about 10-12 minutes. After the steam is over, splash your face with luke warm water then with cool water and pat dry.
Here’s how to make a pretty basic herbal steaming mixture: This treatment helps balance the skin and adds a bit of firmness to the skin layer.

• 1 tsp. dried calendula blossoms
• 1 tsp. dried chamomile flowers
• 2 tsp. dried raspberry, blackberry, or strawberry leaves
• 1 tsp. dried peppermint

Add all ingredients to a cotton sack or a cheesecloth or mess sack, tie off the top of the sack and add to your water in a facial steam or a warm bath.

Facial steaming with essential oils offers an extra dimension to the cleansing process. A facial steam increase perspiration, deeply cleanses the pores and encourage the elimination of deep-seated wastes and toxins. Steaming also softens and loosens the dead skin cells, making them easier to remove, and hydrates the skin.

Avoid steaming if there are spider veins or broken veins, because steam will aggravate these. If the skin is very sensitive, or if there is sunburn or other inflammation, steaming should also be avoided. All other skin types will benefit from a weekly facial steam with essential oils-especially oily skin.

Special facial saunas are available, some of which are designed for home use. However, you can achieve almost as good an effect using a bowl of boiling water and a towel to cover your head.

You will need:
• A facial sauna or bowl of boiling water
• A large towel
• An essential oil of your choice
• Flower water
• A light moisturizer

1. Prepare your facial sauna or bowl of boiling water, making sure that you have a large towel nearby.

2. Add 5-1o drops of essential oil, according to the strength of aroma desired.

3. Either place your face in the facial sauna, according to the manufacture’s instructions, or hold your face a little way above the bowl of boiling water and essential oil, and place the towel over your head.

4. Keep your eyes closed, but be careful not to get your face too close to the hot water. If the initial vapor of the essential oil is very strong, lift your head away from a few minutes, until the vapor is less powerful.

5. After steaming for five minutes, wipe your face and allow it to cool. Then spray it with flower water, allowing it to dry naturally. This further cools the face and closes the pores.

6. Finally, apply a light moisturizer.

• Chamomile: Matricaria recutita and Chamaemelum nobile

There are many different plants that have been called chamomile, also spelled “camomile”, but the most common are German chamomile (Matricaria recutita) and Roman chamomile (Chamaemelum nobile). Chamomiles will grow in almost any soil but typically prefer dry, sandy soil. Full sun is needed to produce abundant flowers, the part of the plant that is used medicinally. While German chamomile grows to be 2-3 feet tall, Roman chamomile is low growing, and often used as a ground cover. The leaves are fine and featherlike.

Chamomile is commonly used in teas and potpourri. It has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, sedative, aromatic and soothing qualities that make it ideal for use on the skin. Chamomile is generally considered to be a very safe herb to use, even for children, although some people do experience allergic reactions from chamomile.

Because it is both antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory, it is useful in treating skin inflammations including eczema, psoriasis and even diaper rash. Extracts of chamomile can also speed the healing of wounds on the skin. Chamomile is mild and gentle enough to use routinely on the skin to prevent infection and inflammation. Chamomile is found in many over-the-counter skin ointments, or you can make your own chamomile balm.

Steam Facial

The simplest way to use herbs for your skin is in the form of a facial steam. Facial steams are useful for opening the pores, cleansing the skin, removing toxins and improving the circulation. It is good to do a facial steam once a week, but first remove all makeup by cleansing the skin.

1 tablespoon chamomile
1 tablespoon fennel
1 tablespoon rose petals
1 tablespoon calendula (for dry skin – substitute lemon balm for oily skin)
Place herbs in a bowl and pour one quart of boiling water over them. Tie back your hair, put you face 10-12 inches over the bowl, then make a tent over your head with a towel to keep in the steam. Close your eyes and remain this way for 10 minutes or so letting the herbal steam penetrate you skin. Afterward, rinse your face with cool water. You can finish off using sage tea or sage vinegar to tighten the pores. In the winter, inhale steam from marjoram and sage to relieve cold symptoms. (Source: Mushroom eBooks)

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A facial stream made with fresh parsley (Petroselinum crispum), rosemary (Rosemarinus officinaluis), mint and lemon cuts through the oil and cleans the face throughly. Use a facial steam once or twice a week, and follow with a gently facial scrub and then a facial moisturizer.

Herbal Facial Steam how-to:

2 quarts water
1/2 cup fresh parsley, coarsley chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh mint, coarsley chopped
1/2 lemon, sliced
1/2 lime or grapefruit, sliced or diced

Place water, herbs and fruit in a large pot, cover with a lid and bring to a boil over medium/high heat. Remove from the heat and steep for 5 minutes more. Place the pot on a table and remove the lid. Using a large bath towel or tea-towel, make a tent over your head and the pot together. Make sure your head has enough clearance from the pot, for it will be rather hot still from boiling. Steam your face for 10 minutes, using care to not burn yourself. Finish with a gently facial scrub or a mask. Follow those steps with a good skin-balancing facial moisturizer.

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