GOING GREEN : Post 6. Homemade skin care by Katrine Knauer - www.evolvewellness.com

 GOING GREEN : Post 6. Homemade skin care by Katrine Knauer - www.evolvewellness.com

I think I am addicted. I have always been interested in trying out new face washes and lotions. In the beginning, I think I was mostly drawn in by the fragrance, but later I found myself on the search for organic skin care. Once I realized I could create some recipes at home, the experimenting began. You can make your own face masks and scrubs with itemsfrom your cupboard. This way you can reduce the amount of packaging, use fresh products and know exactly what’s in them. Not bad.

Tomato Face Mask

I thought tomato would be a good first one since we are nearing to the end of tomato season here in Southern California. Tomato is one of those things that I never thought to put on my face, but once I found out that is was anti-aging withlots of Vitamin A, B, C and E. Tomato refines pores, exfoliates and removesblackheads. Not bad, eh ? Tomato works best for oily, acne prone skin.

Mash up a ripe tomato.

Leave it on face for 15-20 minutes.

Rinse with warm water.

Splash with cool water.

Pat face dry.

Honey Face Mask

I use organic honey, and put it on my face and neck. Leave on for about 10-15 minutes and wash off with face cloth. Splash cool water on face.

Honey Sugar Foot Scrub

Soak feet in a warm Epsom bath for about 5 minutes. Pat dry. Mix half a cup of brown sugar with about the same amount of honey. Massage mixture into feet. Rinse.

Coffee Body Scrub

Coffee helps with circulation and has antioxidant properties. This gentle scrub and cleanser leaves your skin feeling soft and fresh, while mending wounds and revitalizing cells.

Use left over coffee grains from your morning drink to scrub body.

It’s good to be open about the many ways you can use most things in the refrigerator as a mask or body scrub. Just be sure to use organic products. You can come up with masks based on season, picking fruits that you can use as a mask or in your dinner. One of my favorites, and with great effect, is papaya. Papaya contains AHAs and papain, which help exfoliate away dead skin cells and lock in moisture. The recipe is simple, just mash up papaya and place on face for about 20 minutes, then rinse off. Since papaya is quite a big fruit, you don’t want to waste it. On a recent trip to Spain, a friend of mine and I created a new recipe, a mix of papaya, mango, yellow pepper, red onions, mint, arugula and goats cheese. Have fun and try something delicious and new.

by Katrine Knauer 

www.evolvewellness.com