At this time of year, leading up to the Silly Season, we Mums and Nans, and even Dads and Grandads, often forget to look after ourselves. We get so busy playing Santa, that all else goes on the back burner.
So on the topic of looking after ourselves, I thought I'd post my Mums old method for a home grown facial. Now you blokes can laugh, but my DS and my DH love doing this and swear that it's great for their skin too, and particularly helpful for ingrown beard hairs. So laugh away, but give it a try before laughing too hard ;0)
You'll need:
Your usual facial cleanser
2 towels
1 large bowl filled with boiling water, and a kettle of boiling water ready to top the bowl up for the second stage of your 'facial'.
1 handful fresh herbs or the contents of a couple of herbal teabags....any kind
Cheap thick moisturiser, whether your favourite facial cream or a cheapo like Sorbolene OR mash an avocado or some berries or mix some oatmeal with milk (not rolled oats....too messy) and use that. The Oatmeal is particularly good for problem skin.
A face washer, moistened well and put in a ziplock bag in the refrigerator to chill
A second face washer, wet well, and wrung out, set close by your bowl.
Then you:
Cleanse your face well.
Spread one towel on the table, and set the bowl on it.
Fill it about halfway with the boiling water, and add the fresh herbs or contents of the teabags...just rip them open.
Put on some gentle music, and sit with your clean face over the steaming bowl, draping your head with the other towel to create a kind of 'tent' to contain the steam.
Sit there for as long as you can stand it, and allow the steam to soften your skin.
Remove the towel, and set it aside for a moment.
Use the wet facecloth to gently mop your face of impurities.
Slather your face well with the moisturiser, or the oats or whatever.
Resume the steaming for another few minutes, then dunk the facewasher you've just used, into the water, wring it out (careful the water may still be quite hot) and use that to remove the cream or other stuff, from your face.
Then use the chilled washer to plop on your face as you lie down for a second to cool off. This closes the pores and makes you feel really refreshed.
Use your usual moisturiser to finish, and you're done :)
Imagine turning up to the home of a friend or lonely person that needs a bit of pampering, with just a few items, and helping them perform this little treatment on themselves. You could massage their shoulders, hands and forearms while they 'steam' and they'd feel a million dollars.
A great no cost pampering gift for anyone.
