(NOTE: While Herbs of Grace, Inc no longer manufactures the products listed in this article, I feel that the information is important, so I have left the article on the website for educational purposes.)
The purpose of this article is to outline the simplicity and importance of taking care of your skin on a regular basis, using all natural ingredients and products that can be found at Herbs of Grace.
- Steaming: Steaming opens your pores and helps to draw out dirt, oil and impurities from your skin. Using an herbal steam augments your facial by allowing essential oils and other constituents of the herbs to be released into the steam and absorbed into your skin. Good herbs for facial steams are those that tone and soothe the skin. A list of healing skin herbs is below.To prepare your face for an herbal steam, use a good facial soap (like those mentioned under Step 2: Cleansing) just as a preliminary step to wash off any makeup, dirt or oil that has accumulated throughout the day. This does not have to be a thorough, deep cleaning, as that is done in the next step. Set some water to boil on the stove. Place a small handful of facial steam herbs (Herbs of Grace makes two kinds - Normal to Oily and Normal to Dry) in a large bowl. Next, pour the steaming hot water over the herbs and wait just a minute for the mixture to cool a little. Then, tenting your head with a towel to trap the steam in, hold your head about 10 inches above the bowl and close your eyes. Remain there for about 5 to 10 minutes. If the heat is too intense, lift a corner of the towel for a minute and let some of the steam out. After 10 minutes, or when the water has cooled down enough for you to comfortably place your hand in it, take the towel off of your head and splash some of the warm herbal water over your face.
Herbs for oily skin steams Herbs for dry skin steams - Comfrey
- Fennel
- Lavender
- Lemon peel
- Lemongrass
- Rose
- Witch hazel
- Chamomile
- Clover
- Comfrey
- Fennel
- Licorice
- Orange peel
- Parsley
- Peppermint
- Cleansing: This can be accomplished using a soap suitable for facial use, such as any Herbs of Grace soap (My favorite facial soaps are Sensitive Skin, Oatmeal, Lavender, Calendula Chamomile, A Rose is A Rose and Exotic Butter Bar.), or a cleanser (Herbs of Grace makes two - Normal to Oily and Normal to Dry.). Cleansers may include clay, which has drawing properties, gentle exfoliants, such as oats or almonds, herbs that soothe or tone the skin and essential oils that have skin healing properties. These dry cleansers can be mixed with a variety of liquid ingredients to make a smooth paste. Good choices include water, milk, which has been used for centuries to soften and beautify the skin, honey, which is a great skin nourisher and softener, and yogurt. Any kind of fruit that can be pureed can also be added to enhance the healing and nourishing properties of the cleanser. Mix only enough for one use, especially if you have added any perishable food items. Use gentle circular strokes to massage onto skin, avoiding the eye area. You can then wash it off immediately, or, if you are using Herbs of Grace cleansers, you can leave it on for 5 or 10 minutes to dry as a mask. Then wash off with lukewarm water.Some people like to use a toner at this point to tighten the pores and refresh the skin.. If you do, rose hydrosol is a very mildly astringent favorite. Herbs of Grace Rose Hydrosol Mister is a wonderful choice as it is made with organically grown roses. If you prefer not to use a toner, a good splash of cold water will produce similar results.
3. Moisturizing: This is very important, even if you have oily skin. If you don’t keep your skin moisturized, your skin will be vulnerable to damage and will age much more quickly. Make sure to avoid moisturizers that contain alcohol, which can dry your skin out, or mineral and other petroleum based oils, which maintain a barrier on your skin and prevent moisture from reaching your skin. Herbs of Grace offers several moisturizers for different skin types. The Wrinkle Cream is great for maturing or dry skin. The Chamomile Skin Soothing Complex is formulated for those with sensitive skin, or those who suffer from inflammatory skin conditions such as eczema or dermatitis. We also offer a lighter moisturizer for those with oily skin, or those who prefer a less rich moisturizer. The Rose Facial Serum is the newest addition to the Herbs of Grace line of facial care products.
Use these facial guidelines in a weekly regiment complimented by daily cleansing, drinking 8 glasses of water daily, eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly and you will soon start noticing a healthy glow and vitality to your skin that was never there before.
©2014, Herbs of Grace.
This article is copyrighted by Vanessa Nixon Klein, the proprietor of Herbs of Grace, who is a Traditional Naturopath specializing in medicinal herbalism, nutritional therapy, homeopathy and aromatherapy. If you would like to reprint this article, either online or in print, please contact us. vanessa@herbsofgrace.com