Is there anything better to do on a cloudy Sunday than make yourself a facial? After doing a little research, I decided to make a mango facial since mangoes are in season right now. I discovered that mangoes are filled with beta-carotene (Like I know what that is...) which your body makes into Vitamin A, and Vitamin A is great for skin repair. Plus, mangoes are in the top ten power foods, so they are good for you inside and out.
So here's the recipe:
Mango Mud Mask
2 Tbsp Oatmeal
2 Tbsp Almonds (I didn't have any almonds, so I substituted with a another 2 Tbsp of oatmeal)
2 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Tsp Olive Oil
1 Tsp Honey
*You will also need a food processor, knife, and an airtight container.
How to make it:
1) Put the oatmeal and almonds in the food processor and blend them into a fine powder.
2) Prepare your mango however you like to. You will only need half of it. I would recommend cutting the half your using into cubes, and then eat the other half. (Yum!) Add the cubes to oatmeal and almond powder in the food processor and process it for a minute. I stopped about every 20 seconds to make sure to incorporate the goo that gets stuck to the sides of the processor.
2) Prepare your mango however you like to. You will only need half of it. I would recommend cutting the half your using into cubes, and then eat the other half. (Yum!) Add the cubes to oatmeal and almond powder in the food processor and process it for a minute. I stopped about every 20 seconds to make sure to incorporate the goo that gets stuck to the sides of the processor.
3) Pour in the heavy cream, olive oil, and honey, and blend for a minute. Again, I stopped every 20 seconds and stirred with a spoon. If your mask is too thick you can just add some water to it, and if it is too thin you can add more ground oatmeal and almond.
Optional Step: Before I use masks I usually like to put a steaming washcloth over my face to open up my pores.
4) Now you can use your mask! Smooth it over your skin and let it dry for 15 minutes. I think I didn't blend it as well as I should have, because when I put it on my face it wasn't very smooth and it didn't dry all the way, but I think that's ok.
5) After the 15 minutes are up, gently rinse off the mask with warm water and pat dry.
6) Remember to moisturize afterwards, too. I use Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.
7) You can store your mask in an air tight container for up to three days in the refrigerator.
I thought this mask was great and I hope you will try it! My face felt really refreshed and soft afterwards. I also kind of smelled like mangoes for the rest of the day, but I didn't mind. Maybe the only downside was that it was a little more involved than just stirring up some ingredients, but it beats spending $90 on a spa facial.
