After my (tiny bit of a) Freak Out Friday, I decided I was in need of a Self-Care Sunday. Not that I’m super stressed today. I mean, after the gym and grocery shopping, I just flopped down and started watching a “That 70’s Show” marathon. BUT STILL, I feel like I need to do something beauty-wise to make me feel refreshed and ready for the work week. Kind of like a “reset” because it’s Sunday.
So, I decided to do a facial mask! Not one of the many sheet masks that I already have, I’m going to make one, fresh, from scratch. How about a…
…Spirulina-Cucumber Mask – I happen to have a sack of spirulina that I got from Nuts.com. Spirulina is an antioxidant and it’s great for the skin. It is brightening and has antibacterial properties (great for eczema). I could use some brightening. I feel as gray as my gym tee, and it’s still summer.
I froze my cucumber slices for extra cooling…
It’s pretty obvious what’s in it and how it’s made, but…
I blend the water and cucumber and strain the mixture into about a teaspoon of spirulina powder…
Stir it up into a mask-y paste…
I just used my brush handle to mix it…A couple of cucumber slices for my eyes there…
Apply mask to your face and neck with an clean ELF stipping brush (type of brush, optional)…
I put it in the fridge – it feels so nice and cooling…
Let it sit for 15 minutes and rinse off!
I feel brightened and refreshed already! I liked the way it felt on my skin. I might use it on my neck more often than on my face actually – I have melasma on my neck and I am constantly looking for products to make it more smooth and even looking. But, I’m not quite done for this Sunday…
A little aromatherapy would be nice…
I have a crazy collection of Yankee Candle tarts that I need to use up before I buy anymore (I put myself on a Yankee Candle “No-Buy”), so I’ll dip into it today.
I am determined to use this all!!!
I’m feeling like a fresh scent…
These are the types of decisions I enjoy making…
Meadow Showers it is…
I guess I’m attracted to green today…
Lovely…I could use something else though…
Time for a healthy snack. I’m going to have two of my (recent) favorite things:
Fruits and Booch!
Great sale on Kombucha at my local supermarket!
Not eating it right now, saving it for Twin Peaks tonight!
Ready for the week! Oh, and I have to leave on this note (since I was feeling Elphaba a little while ago)…
I turned 38 on Sunday (yay). Almost 40. Awesome. For the past couple of years I have noticed that things are changing, physically.
The Hair…
I have five to six gray hairs now, which is fine. Seriously. I only had one gray hair about three years ago, and now I have six. That rate of growth is nothing to be alarmed about. I have so much hair that you’d really have to take a mini flashlight and a tongue depressor (thinking back to those crazy elementary school lice check-ups!) and search my hair to find them. I take fenugreek and I use it topically, which is supposed to help darken hair/keep it dark. Also, whatever. I’ll dye it if it starts to become “too much” for me, but not a moment sooner than that (I like my natural hair color – plus only SIX HAIRS!).
Pre-Poo: Coconut oil and aloe vera for moisture ~ Fenugreek for growth and darkening…
So, I’m sorta “at peace” with my grays…
The “Puff”…
I now get bloated and put on visible, obvious water weight about a week before and during my period. My face gets super puffy and everything (incl. hands, feet, tummy) gets so flippin’ bloated!
This has never happened to me before! In fact, in the past, when I would see commercials for PMS medications I used to think “…Bloated? Water retention? Does that really even happen? Heh, heh…” – YES! It happens, young fool! This is a fairly recent phenomenon for me too – I just started noticing this last fall! I can’t even weigh myself until I am in the clear also, because that water puts on at least FIVE POUNDS. Seriously, at least…
So, what do I do about it? I don’t take a pill for it (even though I was seriously tempted one time because I had a date the next day). I like to make detox/debloat drinks. I’ve tried a couple of different recipes, and I’ve found that anything with green tea and ginger and/or turmeric works pretty well. I just make different combinations of those three ingredients and it seems to help. Iced green tea with lemon and ginger is my favorite.
They say that drinking and eating these foods/drinks/spices help:
Cucumber
Parsley
Green Tea
Ginger
Turmeric (the BEST anti-inflammatory spice!)
Lemon
Watermelon
Apple Cider Vinegar
Dandelion Tea (I haven’t had this, but I know it’s a big part of Jillian Michaels’ detox, so it might be worth a try…)
Cranberry Juice
Water – Lots of water, of course!
Here are a few of the combinations I’ve tried:
Detox~De-Bloat! l to r: Black Lemonade (activated charcoal), Lemon-Ginger Green Tea, Cucumber-Parsley Green Tea and a shot of ACV with Ginger and Turmeric!
At least I get to try different home remedies and recipes, which is lots of fun for me. Especially if I get to buy a new gadget. I’ll have to think of some…
The Eyes…
Probably the most superficial thing, the thing that really irks me: the changes to my under-eye area.
Now, I’ve always had a hollow under-eye area. I have high cheekbones with chubby cheeks, so that just naturally occurs.
2nd Grade Under-Eye Area!
It didn’t bother me until a couple of years ago, when I noticed that on top of being “hollow” they were also getting darker (sounds familiar – “Erika and the Deathly Dark Undereye Hollows”…).
So, when I’m tired (which is every-single-morning now), I look like this:
ZERO MAKEUP! You can see the darkness, even with the old-timey filter…
Eventually, during the course of the day and with the help of concealer, the darkness is less obvious. But it’s jarring to me – because I’m not used to it!
I’m also not used to: Undereye dryness.
I must’ve been such a jerky youngster. I used to see commercials for eye cream and think “C’mon! These women are being so dramatic. Do you really need that?” YES! Skin changes over the years, especially around the eyes!
I used to have an oily under-eye area. I remember when I worked in a department store, at age 20, I would use the tissue paper from the bagging area to blot my face. I’d have to blot my forehead, nose AND under my eyes. NOW, I’d kill for some excess under-eye oil! The dryness is what emphasizes fine lines, so I’m learning that I have to keep that area SUPER HYDRATED. I told my mom about my issue and she bought me this:
Josie Maran Argan Oil – Light – because I’m sensitive…
She said that it’s not enough to use my regular moisturizer (even though it’s a cream), I have to add an oil or serum beforehand. She’s right! My skin looks and feels so much better when I use the oil! I don’t use this only around the eyes. I use it on the dry patches around my nose, around my lips and to condition my eyebrows. It’s great! I highly recommend it. My mom got me the “Light” formula because she knows how sensitive my skin is, and I haven’t had any reactions to it. I combine it with my First Aid Beauty and it’s great!
I’m sure I’ll notice more as time goes on, but for now…
Day to Day Dweeb 