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Perfect Skin
A five-step home facial to make sure
your face is ready for its close-up.
Now that summer is officially here, the winter
make-up product near and dear to you—foundation—is history.
A few dabs of concealer here and there and a dewy gloss should be
all you need to worship the sun. But what if your not-so-perfect
skin is keeping you in the shade? Try an in-home facial to prime
your face for its day in the sun. The best part—it’s
easy, so you’ll never be late for the beach.
The goal of a facial is to remove impurities and
rejuvenate the skin through five basic steps: 1) cleansing 2) opening
pores 3) exfoliating 4) applying a purifying mask and 5) moisturizing.
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| Step One: Cleanse
For a facial to work, your skin has to be free from the dirt, make-up
and grime that settles into your skin throughout the day. The first
and most important step is to wash your face with warm water and a
mild cleanser. Virtually any drugstore face wash will do the trick,
but for those of you who are brand-conscious, higher-end products
like Clinique’s Foaming Mousse Cleanser are great, too. Pat—don’t
rub—your skin dry with a soft towel. Your skin should feel soft
and supple. |
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Step Two: Steam
Many find this step pesky, but it’s a sure fire way to open
your pores, and it’s as relaxing as sitting on the beach.
Pour a pot of very hot water into a bowl and lean your face over
the water so the steam drifts upward and blankets your skin. Gently
pat your skin if you start to feel a little sweaty, but try to stay
over the bowl for a couple of minutes, which is all you need to
coax your pores to open and sweat out any remaining dirt particles.
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Step Three:
Exfoliate
Dead skin cells are no match for a good exfoliant, which contains
fine grains that are designed to dig deep into your pores and remove
old, dead skin to make room for new skin cell growth. If your skin
is sensitive, look for a milder exfoliant that won’t be too
rough, such as The Body Shop’s Grapeseed Facial Scrub. Massage
the exfoliant into your skin in circles—again, don’t
rub—and wash away with warm water. Done once or twice a week,
exfoliating is a great way to keep skin fresh, but be careful not
to go overboard—too much exfoliating can be way too abrasive
for your skin.
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Step Four: Purifying Mask
This is usually everyone’s favorite part of a facial. Masks
are a great way to keep a concentration of cleansing ingredients
on your skin for a period of time, and while you wait, it works
to purify your skin from the inside out. Again, drugstore brands
can be a fine choice, and for those who don’t like the feeling
of being petrified while the mask slowly dries, check out Biore’s
Self Heating Mask, which works with a touch of water and warms your
face as it penetrates without hardening. Want to go au naturel?
Make a mask using besan or chick pea flour—it won’t
irritate your skin and you can even use it daily. To make the paste,
mix about 3 tablespoons of besan flour and water in a small
bowl to make a thick paste. Apply the mixture all over your face
and let it harden. You’ll have to scrub it off as it doesn’t
easily peel, but your skin will feel fresher and more relaxed.
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Step Five:
Moisturize
Now that your skin is supple and free from impurities, lock in softness
with a gentle moisturizer, such as Oil of Olay’s Original
Active Hydrating Beauty Fluid. It’s light enough to use during
the day and won’t make your make-up run in the sun. Getting
ready to snooze? Think about using a thicker moisturizer, like Korres’s
Wild Rose 24-hour Moisturizer. Its heavier formula will coat and
sink into your skin to soften while you sleep.
One of the best things about summer is the freedom
to bare your naked face to the world, no questions asked. But it
can be scary if you feel your face isn’t up to the challenge.
Trying in-home facials and using products from the store, or ingredients
from your kitchen cupboard, are great ways to make you feel confident
in the sunshine (after a healthy layer of sunscreen, of course).
Shweta Govindarajan is a congressional reporter
who wouldn't mind teaching Capitol Hill a thing or two about undertones.
In addition to feeding her Sephora addiction every chance she gets, Shweta
writes about all things beauty for ABCDLady.
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