DIY Hydrating Face Mask

Okay, this was too much fun! Walker and I did an instagram LIVE video together making this hydrating face mask. Since I already had my face "on", we put it on Walker's face. Plus, I just thought it would be more fun to put it on him – he's always a good sport!

I'm a huge fan of face masks and do them once per week. My preference is always for hydrating masks -- great way to prevent premature wrinkles!

Walker tied my apron on his head to protect his lovely curls, as you can see by this cute photo. 

This mask is super hydrating, anti-inflammatory and it even provides a little bit of exfoliant – great to revitalize dull skin.

Let's talk about the actual ingredients of this amazing mask! The star ingredient is obviously the fermented Aloe by New Chapter. When you consume this superfood powder (yes, it's edible), like you would if you added it to a smoothie, the nutrients are more bioavailable because it's fermented. But in this case, we are putting it on our face. There are still so many benefits to reap though! 

Now if you don't have this ingredient on hand, you can order it on Amazon. Failing that, you can crack open a stem of your aloe plant and squeeze out that wonderfully nourishing gel.

Aloe dates back thousands of years when the ancient Egyptians refered to it as the "plant of immortality".

• It moisturizes and soothes the skin. 
• It contains phytonutrients that act as anti-inflammatories. Inflammation is at the root of many skin problems from eczema to acne . 
• It's safe on all skin types including dry, oily and combination skin.
• It's wonderful for preventing premature aging because it contains antioxidant-rich nutrients including vitamin C and vitamin E, plus beta-carotene. These nutrients protect the skin from free radicals. Free radicals damange the DNA of skin cells making them die off sooner which can result in wrinkling skin. 

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The next ingredient is grass-fed Sheep's milk yogurt. Now you can just use whatever yogurt you have on hand but the less processed, the better. Kefir is also great (even more lactic acid) and coconut yogurt (make your own!) if you want to avoid dairy. There are lots of options!

• The lactic acid bacteria in the yogurt dissolves dead skin cells. 
• This bacteria also helps to smooth and exfoliate skin. 
• Yogurt is a wondeful source of zinc which has skin cell regenerative properties.
• Studies have shown that yogurt-based face masks increase skin's moisture content and elasticity! 
• The same benefits of yogurt for gut health apply to your face - antifungal and antibacterial.

The final ingredient in this hydrating face mask is honey. I used Manuka Honey, but any local honey will do as long as it's unpasteurized. Manuka honey is reported to have more therapeutic benefits than any other kind of honey. However, that may just be due to the fact that there haven't been enough studies on other types of honey. 

• Honey is a natural hydrator (aka humectant). It attracts and holds moisture to the skin.
• It's anti-inflammatory, making it very effective for treating redness caused by acne or any type of inflammation in the skin. 
• Studies show a nutrient in honey may inhibit the most lethal form of skin cancer. 

When I don't want to make a face mask from scratch, I use Consonant's DHE face mask which is a Joyous Health Approved product!

To apply the mask, with a damp face and clean hands, spoon the mask mixture on to your fingers and apply it to your face. Let it rest on your face for 10 to 15 minutes.

Clean off with a warm cloth and apply oil or moisturizer as you normally would. I love Consonant Skincare's face oils. They are also Joyous Health Approved!

If you want to continue on the DIY beauty care train, I recommend you pick up a copy of my Natural Beauty Guide which has 14 DIY beauty recipes. Just think, you can look as beautiful as Walker does in the photo above (haha!). Just kidding. You are a natural beauty, with or without a face mask, but I can promise you, you will love all of the recipes and information in this guide!

I can't wait to hear what you guys think of this face mask!

If you end up making it, I would love if you could take a photo and tag me @joyoushealth and #joyoushealth so I can see your glowing face and skin!

Have a joyous rest of your week!

Joy