Beauty on a Budget - Five Fabulous Facials

There are times of the year when stress and weather start to play havoc on your skin, especially on your face. If calling up a beauty spa for an expensive facial just is not in the cards it doesn't mean that you can't do something about it at home.

While some of these call for a few special ingredients you can start your facials from the pantry or refrigerator of your own home and you still will be getting spa quality results. Photo by - Photo8.com

The purpose of a facial is to rejuvenate the skin and bring the glow back, whether you have dry skin or oily take a few minutes to relax and pamper your skin with these treatments.

It might seem obvious but never put any food substance on your face that you have an allergy to. Your skin is your largest organ and if you break out from eating eggs then it will probably affect your skin by applying it.

If you want to do a skin sensitivity test before putting anything on your face, make up the facial ingredients and place it on your wrist and see if there is any reaction within 15 minutes. If you have no reaction then you might be fine but if you are still concerned then only apply the facial to your jaw line to see if there is any adverse reaction. Be sensible. It is better to avoid any ingredients that you have doubts about then find out that they make you break out in hives. Never try a facial (or any new beauty product) for the first time before you have an important event.

Pricey store bought facials tend to have labels that claim they are made with natural ingredients but if you check the ingredient list you will often find that the natural ingredients will make up less than 5% of the product. Better to use all natural ingredients like spas do for the full effect of what they can do for your skin.

The type of facial that you apply, let dry then pull off tend to be made with glue bases (think of when you were a kid and would get white glue on your skin and could pull it off when it was dry) and really should be avoided.

Different skin types need different facials but all facials should be put on skin that has been cleaned. Be very gentle when you are washing your skin and applying your facial, there is no reason to tug and be rough. For a gentle exfoliant mix baking soda with water to make a paste and gently rub over your face and remove with water.

Aloe Vera is a great facial if your skin is damaged, sunburned, or wind burned. If you live in an area where the plant grows naturally you can just break off a leaf, peel it and mash up the pulp. It can be bought in health food stores as a juice or a gel but look for it in its most natural state. It has a slippery texture and you only need a bit to cover your face. Keep it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse off and pat your face dry gently. Aloe Vera has natural healing qualities that will help your skin get back to shape quickly.

Milk of Magnesia is a trade secret of skin care experts (yes milk of magnesia, the stuff you drink for stomach aches). If you tend to break out a lot or get pimples and white heads this can help clean up your blemishes without being harsh on the rest of your skin. Milk of magnesia is runny so it is best to pour some in a small dish and apply it to your face from there. Leave on for 15 to 20 minutes while it dries and then using a wash cloth wash off your face.

Sour Cream There was a reason that Cleopatra would bath in milk to keep her skin supple and soft. Dairy has natural enzymes that react well with our skin. Sour cream is much easier to keep on than milk so apply a thick layer of sour cream to the face and relax for 20 minutes as it does it's stuff. Wash off and you will feel smoother skin.

Oatmeal facials are great for the skin if you have been neglecting it for a while and need a more thorough exfoliating than baking soda will do for you. Grind up 1 Cup of Oatmeal, either in a blender or by hand and add 1/4 a Cup of Milk, 1 Tablespoon of Honey and 1 Tablespoon of Almond Oil (if too dry add more milk). Apply for 20 minutes and then remove with water while gently exfoliating the face in small circular buffing motions.

Almond Oil If you have very fragile dry skin then almond oil could become your next best friend. I use to work for a very well know, expensive bath and beauty shop where the bath oil was one of their best selling products. It was marketed as 100% natural Almond Bath Oil and sold for a ridiculous price. It really was just almond oil, the type you could buy in a good food store, but placed in a nice bottle with a pretty label, no secret ingredients, just almond oil.

For an almond oil facial just pour a little in the palm of one hand and using the tips of your finger on the other hand gently massage it into your face. You only need a little because is does not soak into your skin very quickly. When your face is covered lie down for 10 to 15 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water and gently pat your face dry.

For the full effect of a facial you really should have some cucumber sliced thinly that you can cover your eyes with, just like they do in the movies. Why do they do it? Cucumber is a natural brighter and will rejuvenate your eye lids, the delicate skin around your eyes and it feels great.

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