I bitch/whine/complain/moan & groan about how ready I am for some real Winter weather, & now it’s finally peeking it’s head & the bitching/whining/complaining/moaning & groaning continues on.
I am either:
A. slightly bipolar
B. grumpy/annoying
C. experiencing “the grass is always greener” syndrome
D. all of the above
The answer is D, all of the above.
Don’t get me wrong guys, I am loving the temperature drop & all the cozy clothes that come with it big time, but there are two things about this season that I literally DESPISE.
First of all, I can’t even deal with how dark it gets SO early. It’s like I wake up, blink, & it’s pitch black outside. The days are so much shorter, & as a blogger- natural lighting is my BFF.
Secondly, my skin. Winter skin is the stuff nightmares are made of. It’s dry, dull, & just all around lifeless. So, over the past few weeks, I have been on a serious skincare mish. The Clarisonic is/always has been a lifesaver, Derma Rolling has helped a whole bunch, but to my surprise the most game changing skincare routines have been ones I’ve whipped up in the kitchen.
Mainly, the two stupid simple ones I am sharing today. Ready, set, go…
Recipe No.1: The Flawless Skin Facial Peel
This one’s a real doozy– three simple ingredients w/ instant gratification. What’s better than that? All you need is:
» organic, unsweetened apple sauce (if you’r crafty, make your own!).
» Braggs ACV, or any organic // raw // unfiltered apple cider vinegar of your liking.
» Cinnamon
Why it works? Glad you asked…
The applesauce is jam packed with Vitamin B & C, beta carotene, iron, calcium, magnesium potassium, phosphorous, & phyto-nutrients. Obviously all of those will bring serious life to your skin, even out your skin tone, & fade dark spots.
That’s not it though, the major game changer of this “facial peel” is the addition of Malic Acid. Malic Acid is a major benefit of all things apple & makes it so all those amazing vitamins get absorbed into your skin 10x better. Winning, right?
Adding in some ACV helps the applesauce do it’s job thanks to the gentle acids, which also gently exfoliate your skin & slough off nasty dead skin cells.
The sprinkle of cinnamon helps to bring blood to the surface of your skin, thus plumping it up big time (see ya later fine lines & wrinkles!)
The How To:
» Mix together 1 teaspoon of ACV + 1 tablespoon of unsweetened/organic (<— a MUST!) applesauce + a sprinkle of cinnamon. Rub the mixture all over your face & neck, let sit for 15-20 minutes, gently wipe off w/ cool water & a washcloth.
Recipe No.2: The Skin Brightening Mask
Ahhh… this is my go-to at home recipe thanks to a recommendation from my friend Katie. She was constantly hearing me bitch about my skin issues so when she stumbled across this epic remedy she immediately texted me the deets. Thanks Katie, I owe you big time girl!
It’s so easy to make & is fun too. Mixing lemon with baking soda is a very Bill Nye the science guy experience. Try it, you’ll see!
The why & the how:
First & foremost, baking soda has zilch harsh chemicals, which is pretty much a necessity for any & all skincare products. The main reason it works so well for skincare is it is a veryyy gentle exfoliant. It’s also a master at brightening up dull skin sans irritation. Just be sure to not overuse… a little goes a long way.
As for the lemon, well it’s like baking sodas lil’ helper. It’s been known that lemon helps brighten skin tremendously (great for acne scars), but that’s not it. Lemon can help clear up acne due to it’s antibacterial properties & it literally blasts away stubborn blackheads. Take a before & after picture, you will literally see atleast 50% less blackheads after use of this mask. Oh, & just like the ACV concoction, the acid in lemon helps to get rid of dead skin cells.
All you do is mix together about 1 tablespoon of baking soda & 2 light squeeze of lemon, let it fizz, & apply a thin layer to your skin. Once dry, rinse with cold water & VOILA- scope that smooth skin!
There you have it, my at home skin care saviors! Lemme know if you try ’em out and what you think! I am pretty sure you will be blown away.
xx, E
P.S. If you have any at-home skincare remedies, please- do share