Today is my day off and last night before going to sleep, I reviewed the one thing I was going to do today and that one thing was "accounting". I have a auto light business (co-founded it with my brother few years back) and we pretty much sell all kinds of auto lights online and in our retail store. Downside of having your own business is that you are your own boss and the reason that is a downside sometimes is because there is noone to give you deadlines (expect for yourself) so you have all the time in the world to procrastinate while there are lots of things to be done (such as accounting). So, come this morning, I wake up, have one thing on my mind and that's "Finish Accounting Today". As I open the fridge door to grab the coffee container to make myself a cup of joe (keeping coffee in the fridge keeps it from going stale ;)), I see this aloe vera leaf that I bought from the grocery store last week and I think to myself "today is a good day to do a homemade mask since I'm staying home and can leave it on for as long as I like and steam my face with my facial steamer at the same time to open my pores so that the mask works better. So, after finishing my coffee I cut the bottom of the aloe vera leaf and leave it for about 10 minutes with the cut end facing downwards to let that gooey brown liquid drain from the leaf. I then proceed to make myself my favourite mask with aloe vera which is Spirulina Aloe Vera mask, made of the 2 ingredients mushed together plus a couple of drops of my favourite essential oils Lavender and Patchouli (I also like carrot seed oil but it's the worst smelling essential oil I have ever owned, so unfortunately I do not use it that much even though it's particularly beneficial in th winter months). I apply the mask on my face around 10:30AM, make another cup of coffee and try to drink it very carefully so I don not swallow any of my mask with it (because it tastes kind of gross).. I sit on my laptop and I feel good about treating my skin to a nice mask today so I decide to research the benefits of aloe vera on the skin and I come across some really nice benefits, I also looked into benefits of spirulina; naturally. Here are some of the things I found that made me feel even better about my DIY mask:
Before stating the benefits I will quickly explain what each of them are.
"Aloe Vera is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing.The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on their upper and lower stem surfaces. The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD. Extracts from A. vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing, or soothing properties." Wikipedia
Benefits of Aloe Vera for Skin:
- Aloe is also an antipruritic: A substance that relieves or prevents itching.
- Aloe vera is an astringent: which causes the contraction of body tissues.
- Due to aloe’s high water content, it is a great way to hydrate, moisturize and rejuvenate the skin.
- Aloe increases the elasticity of the skin making it more flexible through collagen and elastin repair.
- Aloe is an emollient, helping to soften and soothe the skin.
- It helps supply oxygen to the skin cells, increasing the strength and synthesis of skin tissue and induces improved blood flow to the skin.
- Aloe vera is a: Disinfectant, Anti-biotic, Anti-microbial, Germicidal, Anti-bacterial, Anti-septic, Anti-fungal & Anti-viral.
"Spirulina is a simple, one-celled organism that belongs to the cyanobacteria family. Spirulina powder is blue-green vegetable plankton has been a source of nutrition for humans since the Aztecs harvested it centuries ago. Spirulina very well may have been the first photosynthetic life form created, and it still contains the rich nutrient content that supports the diversity of life we have on Earth today. Spirulina contains the highest protein and beta-carotene levels of all green superfoods, and is also a rich source of GLA (Gamma Linolenic Acid)."
Benefits of Spirulina for Skin:
Being loaded with proteins, vitamins, minerals and fatty acids, Spirulina has a lot to offer in terms of skincare. It is beneficial for your skin in the following ways:
So, these are some things I learned today along with some other beneficial and rejuvenating mask recipes such as "White Rice Flour Mask" and "Manuka Honey Aspirin Mask" which I still have to try and I may write about in the future. I left the mask on my face for way too long and moistened it with my facial steamer whenever I felt like it was getting too dry and was pulling on my skin. Please note the benefits and claims I listed above are information I found on the internet. What I can say about my experience with this mask, is that it gives my face the nicest glow and freshness after I take it off. The effect stays for about 3-4 hours and then I am back to my normal skin. But hey, 3-4 hours of growly skin is still good enough for me. It is now almost 3PM and I finally am going to start doing accounting. They say time enjoyed is not time wasted. I think I really like to believe in that and I think that philosophy is going to lead to a few more blog posts on here.
Thanks for reading! By the way if you try the mask let me know if you liked it or not!
tnaz
- Skin Toner: Spirulina has a high content of vitamin A, vitamin B-12, vitamin E, calcium, iron and phosphorus, all of which are vital for your skin’s health.
- Treatment of Dark Circles: Spirulina is effective in treating dark circles and dry eye symptoms. Its detoxifying effects give your eyes new energy and power, removing dark shadows and dryness.
- Anti-ageing Benefits: Spirulina contains tyrosine, vitamin E or tocopherol, and selenium, all of which are known for their anti-ageing effects. Tyrosine slows down the ageing of skin cells. The antioxidants present in it eliminate free radicals which are responsible for skin ageing.
- Detoxifies Skin: Spirulina facilitates faster cell turnover that helps skin heal faster. It wards off free radicals and eliminates toxins from the skin to increase skin metabolism. It also prevents candida overgrowth that can cause acne breakouts.
So, these are some things I learned today along with some other beneficial and rejuvenating mask recipes such as "White Rice Flour Mask" and "Manuka Honey Aspirin Mask" which I still have to try and I may write about in the future. I left the mask on my face for way too long and moistened it with my facial steamer whenever I felt like it was getting too dry and was pulling on my skin. Please note the benefits and claims I listed above are information I found on the internet. What I can say about my experience with this mask, is that it gives my face the nicest glow and freshness after I take it off. The effect stays for about 3-4 hours and then I am back to my normal skin. But hey, 3-4 hours of growly skin is still good enough for me. It is now almost 3PM and I finally am going to start doing accounting. They say time enjoyed is not time wasted. I think I really like to believe in that and I think that philosophy is going to lead to a few more blog posts on here.
tnaz
