Your skin has had a hard week.
The sun, pollution, makeup, stress, late nights, early mornings… and it needs a break as much as you do. This weekend, give it the much-needed rest it deserves and I guarantee Monday morning will look soooo much better.
1. Detox it with a good scrub.
Bizarre fact: An average adult sheds 50,000 skin cells every minute!
Now just imagine how many dead skin cells accumulate over one week?
Collecting dead skin cells is not a good idea (duh!) as that only means more clogged pores and breakouts.
Just remember not to get over enthusiastic. You may do more harm than good if you over exfoliate. Your skin should feel super soft and smooth after you scrub. Never red or irritated. The trick is to not apply too much pressure. Gently scrub in a circular motion for not more than 2 minutes. That’s it. You’re done.
Tip: Don’t just scrub your face and forget about the skin on your body. You should be exfoliating from head to toe, especially the drier parts like your elbows, armpits, knees and feet. But always use separate scrubs for your face and body.
Stuff I love: For the face, I’m in love with Kiehl’s Epidermal Re-Texturizing Micro-Dermabrasion. And for the body, Soap and Glory Flake Away Body Polish is a total skin treat. Check out my reviews to know all about them.
2. Purge your skin with some steam.
Steaming your skin has some awesome benefits:
It opens up your pores, making it easier to purge the toxins.
Loosens blackheads and whiteheads.
Improves blood circulation.
Gives a healthy glow.
Warms up your skin to make it more receptive to treatment (mask, serums, etc.).
How to do it right?
Boil a small pot of water on the stove. Turn off the heat and stand over the pot for no more than 2 minutes with a towel draped over your head, so that the steam surrounds your face.
Tip: For a more luxurious experience, add some essential oils to the water.
If you don’t have essential oils, throw a few herbal teabags into the water.
3. Treat your skin with a facemask.
Your skin is different every day. Some days is clear as the blue sky, and on others, it a bumpy mess. So treat your skin for what it is at that very moment.
If it’s oily or spotty today, slap on a facemask that will remove the gunk. Mud or clay masks work wonders to deep clean and remove every trace of oil.
If your skin is in need of some intense hydration, use a sheet mask that’s drenched in serum to boost moisture.
If your skin is feeling all sensitive, a mask with soothing ingredients like aloe vera, calendula or rose water will save you.
Tip: You are not increasing the benefits by leaving on the mask for longer. 15-20 minutes is more than enough. Anything after that is purely a waste of time.
4. Raid your kitchen to look fab.
Your kitchen is overflowing with skin and hair nourishing ingredients. From olive oil to honey to oatmeal to eggs to lemon – it’s all there for you to whip up and slap on to your skin and hair. The weekend is the perfect time to experiment with all the natural remedies your granny swears by.
5. Now all you need is a massage.
Mmmmm… apart from the fact that it feels so good, massaging your skin gently in upward and circular motions relaxes your facial muscles, increases blood circulation, firms skin, prevents sagging, removes puffiness and gives you a glow. And all it takes is 5 minutes every weekend. It couldn’t get any easier.
Don’t ignore the rest of you either. Massage your entire body starting from your feet upwards. Use long strokes on your limbs and circular strokes over all your joints, chest and stomach.
Tip: Don’t use your regular moisturizer to massage your face as it gets absorbed pretty quickly and you will end up ‘dragging’ your skin – which causes wrinkles (kinda the opposite of what you want to do). Instead use a good face oil that also doubles up as a serum. To get the most out of it, choose one that matches your skin type.
Stuff I swear by: Aesop Fabulous Face Oil is a treatment oil with a semi-matte finish that hydrates and nourishes my skin, leaving it smelling intoxicatingly luxurious.
For my body, I’m partial towards L’Occitane Almond Supple Skin Oil as it’s super lightweight, gets easily absorbed and I don’t need to wash it off. Plus, it smells oh-so-sweet!
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