HEALTHY SKIN AT HOME

By Amelie Harding

The last few weeks have felt like an alternate reality that we are trying to blindly maneuver through while keeping our most loved ones safe and support the ones that are sick. A lot of us are beginning to feel the effects of this life-changing event both mentally and emotionally. We find ourselves looking for ways to incorporate some sort of normalcy and routine in our daily lives.

It almost seems silly to worry about something like our skin right now but any distraction helps, and it’s never a bad thing to indulge in a little self-care.

These hours and days at home feel like an eternity, so here are a few do-it-yourself face masks and other skin care concoctions that make for a great activity with the kids or a nighttime pampering just for you. Conveniently, all of these ingredients can be found in your refrigerator, pantry, or spice rack.

I hope you find some time to relax, recharge, and feel like yourself for just a bit in the coming weeks. Acadiana is full of resilient and strong people and I wouldn’t want to walk through this anywhere and with anyone else .

Hang in there and be good to yourselves. This too shall pass. Be safe.

HOMEMADE HAND SCRUB

1⁄2 cup coconut oil

2/3 cup raw sugar (or any sugar on hand)

10 drops of your favorite essential oil(s)

1 jar or food storage container

Mix together all ingredients into a paste.

Apply to hands and scrub well before rinsing with warm water. Save the remaining for future use.

We have all been washing our hands and using more alcohol-based sanitizers than ever before these last few weeks, resulting in severely dry and itchy skin. Use this hand scrub as an excellent source of dead skin removal (sugar) and nourishment (honey and oils). For sensitive or reactive skin types, skip the essential oils. Use this scrub nightly until skin conditions improve and for even better results, follow with your favorite lotion or ointment before bed. Try to stay away from synthetic fragrances and/or products that contain alcohol, as these can defeat the purpose by drying you out even more.

SKIN TIGHTENING MASK

1 egg white

1 1⁄2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice (For oily skin, substitute 1 tbsp aloe vera)

1 tbsp honey

Mix ingredients together in a whipping motion until slightly frothy then allow to set for at least 25 minutes, during which time you can expect to experience an intense tightening sensation.

Remove with warm water.

Egg whites have long been used to tighten and smooth skin texture while the citric acid in lemons are a great natural exfoliant and skin brightener. This mask can be applied up to three times a week.

WAKE UP! COFFEE FACE MASK

1⁄2 cup milk

2 tbsp ground coffe

1 1⁄2 tbsp raw honey

Mix ingredients together into a paste, apply in circular motion to entire face and neck, scrubbing away dead skin cells (try not to eat it). Leave on for 20-30 minutes then remove with warm water.

Milk contains lactic acid, which is a great exfoliant along with the coffee grinds while honey adds a natural moisturizing and soothing component to this treatment. What a great way to start the day!

EXFOLIATING & BRIGHTENING FACE MASK

1/3 cup plain yogurt

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp raw honey

Mix ingredients together and apply to skin and neck. Leave on for 20-30 minutes then remove with warm water.

Yogurt is loaded with lactic acid, so it serves as a great exfoliant while turmeric has long been used to minimize hyperpigmentation (“dark spots”) and, finally, honey makes skin soft and supple. This is a great mask to use multiple times a week and can be refrigerated in-between uses.

Amelie Harding is a medical aesthetician, owning and operating Amelie Aesthetics Studio in Youngsville, LA where she offers a wide variety of customized facial treatments, along with threading, waxing, and eyelash services. Amelie was born and raised in Lafayette and is a proud single mother to two children, Zoe (16) and Henry (8).