DIY Fresh Facials Workshop

Go ahead- pamper yourself with a DIY facial!

I really enjoy making my own face masks, especially because it’s a lot easier than you think! We tend to spend way too much getting professional fancy facials or buying expensive products with ingredients we don’t know rather than just make it ourselves.

When I was in my mid-twenties I realized I needed to take better care of my skin and started to research all kinds of homemade facials. I started off with basic ones like an egg white mask for wrinkles or using nutmeg and lemon with honey to create an anti-acne mask. I became more conscious of what I was putting on my skin and aware of the effects of different combinations. It’s something I am constantly trying to gain knowledge on and explore.

Did you know that you can put together face masks with products around your house rather than spending hundreds at a salon?

For my 30th birthday my fiancé purchased a ticket for me to attend a local DIY Fresh Facials Workshop. I was beyond excited to use ingredients I had not previously been exposed to, get professional tips and of course mix my own face masks. The event was being hosted by Mary Helen Leonard of Make it Good Apothecary. I had no idea what to expect but was quite excited to go make masks that were completely natural and get the full hands on experience.

When I arrived I was given a list of all the available ingredients for a diy facial. It was broken up into different stages, starting with a dry base and ending with essential oils. Mary was there to answer any questions about what would be best for my skin type and personal concerns, or any particular add-in that I had little knowledge of. I even had the opportunity to inquire about where to get certain products.

The table with all available fresh face mask elements was set up into four sections. Each one benefited your skin in a different way. These were cleanse, balance, calm and restore. I had so much fun exploring all of the stations that I mixed and matched a bit of everything! I had fully intended to do two dual face masks but I was a little amped up with all of the options.

My first mask was a rose seaweed oat mask. I started with rose clay and oat flour, then progressed from there. The seaweed is a wonderful cleanser with tons of beauty benefits. I never would have thought to try that and now I will definitely use it again!

Ingredients:
-Rose Clay
-Oat Flour
-Seaweed
-Honey Powder
-Neem Oil
-Cucumber
-Yogurt
-Niaouli Oil
-Aloe Vera

My second mask was a turmeric and charcoal clay mask. The base of this one was kaolin clay and charcoal (which has awesome effects for your pores I found out).

Ingredients:
-Kaolin Clay
-Charcoal
-Turmeric
-Strawberry
-Avocado
-Yogurt
-Neem
-Aloe
-Germanium Oil

Each mask was to be stored in the fridge with a recommended use by date of 3-5 days. I was able to get about 3 masks out of both. My favorite of the two was the turmeric charcoal clay mask! Both were extremely refreshing and light on my skin, leaving my face so soft! I didn’t experience any drying out afterwards either. I probably would not have tried half of these ingredients on my own if I had not had access to try them during this workshop, so I’d say that was an ideal birthday present for me!

I highly recommend following Make it Good Apothecary for tips and advice on DIY natural beauty care. You can also purchase her book with a starter kit to make your own facials here! I purchased my book from her before I was even halfway done with my first face mask during the workshop. It’s filled with information on various components that can make up a face mask, hair product, soap, etc. so that you can transition into a better routine that’s right for you. I can’t wait to start trying out new face masks from the suggested recipes so I can do a diy facial more often!

Special Offer for April 2016
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I did some research on some of the ingredients I hadn’t used before so I could know where to find them again for the future! I cared the most about the clay bases.

Now that I know how to make my own proper face masks I will be less likely to spend money on a commercial product with extra unnecessary ingredients! This was easily one of the best events I have ever gone to- fun, educational and beneficial! A diy facial is a blissfully inexpensive way to indulge in self care.