Almond Butter Exfoliation And Herbal Steaming!
EXFOLIATION REGIMEN (CHARCOAL SOAP, HERBAL TONER, STEAMER AND ALMOND BUTTER)
So every once in awhile when I am at my flea markets and such talking to customers about my products and facial care, I get a lot of people asking for facial scrubs. A lot of the exfoliators/scrubs I make are for all parts of the body except the face and so many people are perplexed as to why I don't have facial scrubs/exfoliators. I honestly reply, I can't charge anyone for a facial exfoliator when the one I use at home is worth about 5 cents!
So I thought I would finally share what this 5 cents face scrub is and how I combine it with a facial steam and toner application.
Some Things Of Note
- I usually only exfoliate my face based on how it feels (purely on that!) - it definitely is not based on a weekly, monthly routine. If I touch it and it feels leathery (I literally have days like this) and dead skin is flaking off, then I know it is time for some exfoliation. Usually what causes this is the sun; I am in it about 10 hours during the weekend at a pool and that first layer of skin on your face is taking a beating from all those UV rays
- Exfoliate a few days before and after you plan on being in the sun again! This is so important! Your face might be a little sun damaged/burned after being in the sun which means don't go scrub it clean at that moment. Doing so might cause irritation. You also don't want to scrub away that first layer of skin on your face and then go into the sun that day or even the next day. Your freshly exfoliated face is fresh, raw and doesn't have the appropriate protections regenerated back yet! I know if I swim Sunday I will exfoliate Tuesday or Wednesday knowing I will be back in the sun on Saturday. Plan accordingly!
The Exfoliation Regimen
1. Wash your face with warm water with your regular everyday cleanser or even better, a charcoal or clay soap. You are prepping your face by withdrawing the toxins from your skin and opening up your pores.
2. Take about a teaspoon of some organic almond butter, put it in the palm of your hand, wet it and rub your hands together to make a watery, thick, whitish paste; start scrubbing your face with the paste in your hand for 30 seconds to a minute - focusing on areas that are dry and scaly (for me it is behind the nostrils and my upper cheeks!)
Why Almond Butter? Almond butter is a great gentle exfoliator, that removes the dead skin while the almond oils help replenish and moisturize that skin instead of drying it out. Yea you will have a lot left over after but it is a great fat to use in a shake with some coconut milk, berries, flax seeds, and spinach!
3. Wash your face really well with some warm water. Your face should not feel sticky nor dry or tight after removing the almond butter exfoliation paste, it should feel very smooth to the touch. Make sure to wash your eyes and eyebrows very well too, sometimes the butter likes to hang out there. Your face will be a little pink but that is from the friction.
4. Steam it out! I have a personal facial steamer that I use from secura (a knockoff version from the prohibitively expensive panasonic one). You can also put some boiling water in a bowl (with some fresh/dried herbs or essential oils like rose, rosemary, lavender) and put your face over it with a towel over your head. Both work the same way. I usually steam for about ten minutes.
Why steam? I have read a lot of articles on when and why to steam. I used to steam before then exfoliate because the pores are open and the dead skin is softened. I personally like to steam after I exfoliate because I feel like it helps restore moisture and open up the pores for some goodness to be absorbed (see more in the next step).
5. Apply a delicious toner (preferably one that does not have alcohol or witch hazel). Obviously I am biased, but I use my herbal toner that is apple cider vinegar based, infused with some lovely herbs and mixed with an herbal hydrosol. It is truly crazy, because your pores are all opened up from the steaming, you can feel your face drinking in all the herbal goodness from this toner. Rose and Rosemary to combat inflammation, oregano, yarrow to help with blemishes.
It is great to do this right before you go to bed, so you don't have to do anything else to your face before going to sleep, except apply this toner. Some of my customers also use an herbal clay mask after or during the steam to add an extra layer of support to their skin rejuvenation!
Let me know if you end up trying this out and what were your results!