DIY: Cinnamon and Honey Mask

There's nothing I love more than a mask that I can create from my kitchen cabinets. I completely agree with the saying "If you can't eat it, why would you want to put it on your skin?." It is true, everything we put on our body gets absorbed through our bloodstream, so why not use the purest, most natural healing ingredients we can find? And what is more convenient than using everything you already have at home? This happens to be my favorite secret remedy to clearing acne, brightening the skin and lightening acne scars. 

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

Small bowl
Small spoon or spatula for mixing
Cinnamon powder
Raw honey or preferably manuka honey
Oil of your choice, I suggest manuka oil, coconut oil or jojoba oil

LET'S CREATE:

Mix 1 teaspoon of honey with 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and add 5 drops of oil. (If you don't have a dropper eyeball it) but don't use too much, the honey warms up with your skin and will start to drip while it is on  so make sure it isn't too runny, if you need to put in the fridge for a few minutes to get the right consistency, go for it) It should be a thick paste from the cinnamon. If it isn't thick enough, add more cinnamon. Cinnamon can be irritating to sensitive skin types, so test this mask first on a small spot before you apply it to your whole face. The oil helps heal the irritation. DO NOT rub or scrub your skin while this is on your face. Simply let it sit and do its job. You can leave it on anywhere for 30 mins to 3 hours.

WHY IS THIS MASK SO GREAT? 

Cinnamon has been used for decades to plump the skin, bring oxygen and blood to the surface of the skin. It is also used as an antimicrobial and antiseptic. It is really great for those suffering with acne or acne scarring because it is also said to lighten the pesty acne scars that linger forever after your stubborn acne heals. It also helps to dry up sebum on the skin and therefore, drying acne. The coarse granules in the cinnamon actually facilitate exfoliation which makes this mask a two in one deal. :) 

Honey is also antibacterial. It is great for healing the skin and it keeps it moist. 

I like to add the oil because it helps aid in mixing the cinnamon with the honey but it also adds extra moisturizing benefits to the skin and helps prevent over irritating the skin with the cinnamon. 

Remove the mask with a warm washcloth. To don't scrub. Gently remove the mask and apply your moisturizer or oils. Sleep and wake up refreshed and glowing. 

Organic, Dairy-Free Banana Oat Muffins...

One of the biggest challenges with going dairy free is not being able to eat sweets once in a while. I actually don't have much of a sweet tooth but on occasion I crave banana bread or pumpkin bread or a piece of dark chocolate. So, I decided to whip up a recipe that would satisfy my sweet tooth and my diet, while of course keeping healthy clear skin. I actually enjoyed these much more than the dairy versions. They tasted lighter and less greasy, and they are perfect for the start of fall.

You can substitute anything here for a different ingredient that you prefer or feel free to use chopped nuts or raisins...etc.

Makes: 12 muffins
Cook time: 25 mins
Prep: 15 mins

Ingredients:

•  1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour

•  1/2 cup organic raw sugar

•  1/2 cup organic quick oats

•  1 t. baking powder

•  1 t. baking soda

•  1/2 t. salt

•  1 t. pumpkin pie spice

•  1 t. cinnamon

•  3 bananas (preferably ripened or over-ripened) 

•  1 organic grass fed egg

•  1/3 cup coconut oil

•  1/3 cup honey

•  1/8 cup organic pure maple syrup

•  1/4 cup unsweetened vanilla almond milk

•  1 t. lemon juice

•  2 t. vanilla extract

sliced almonds for garnish (optional) 

Preparation:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F, line muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, oats, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon and salt. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas, egg, coconut oil, almond milk, and honey, syrup, vanilla and lemon juice until well mixed. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, mixing until just combined.
3. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, allow to cool on a rack before serving.

DIY Organic, All Natural Toner...

Most people underestimate the importance of a toner in your daily skin care routine, that is, if you even have a routine (which I hope you do!). There are a lot of benefits to a toner that can really change and improve your skin when used regularly. Washing your skin repeatedly can strip it from it's natural oils, causing overproduction of oil from dryness, and can leave residue behind that can actually aid in clogging your pores. Toner rebalances the skin to it's natural PH. The skin should be slightly acidic, moist and supple. I prefer to use my own version of toner so I know there are no superficial additives that are not working to benefit my skin in any way. All you need are three ingredients you most likely have lying around the house, if not, it is a cheap fix. Here is a list of what you will need.

• Organic*** Green Tea (must be organic, super important) with no additives of fruit or anything else. Just plain organic green tea.
• Witch Hazel
• Organic*** Apple Cider Vinegar (must be organic, preferably braggs, should have pieces floating in it which is completely normal and even more beneficial) 
• Tea Tree Oil (optional)
• Vitamin e Oil (optional) 

To make the toner you will need equal parts, organic green tea, organic apple cider vinegar and Witch Hazel. Mix together in a small jar. I used a 1/3 of each. Then I added 6 drops of Tea Tree oil and I broke open two vitamin e capsules and squeezed the oil into the bottle. Shake vigorously so all the oils mix in well. Squeeze on a cotton ball and apply to face or if you used a spray bottle you can spray it onto the face as well. I like to refrigerate mine because I think it is refreshing but you don't need to refrigerate, it will not go bad. I definitely recommend adding some oil, whether it is vitamin e oil or manuka oil, grapeseed, coconut or evening primrose oil. The apple cider vinegar is very strong and the oil is a nice balance. You can also use rose water as an addition. 

Now that you have made your toner, you may be thinking: why those ingredients?Well, here is an overview of the benefits of each ingredient and why they are so useful in treating acne.

Organic Green Tea // I may be biased because I adore green tea. I think it is the cure all for almost everything. It is packed with antioxidants, anti-aging and great for acne, since it provides anti-inflammatory benefits. It even protects the skin to some degree from UV rays. 

Organic Apple Cider Vinegar // Ahhh another ingredient I swear by. ACV is an amazing product, not only to ingest but used topically. It is antibacterial, helps to fade acne scars, and helps to cut down on excess oil. Very beneficial to anyone suffering from acne.

Witch Hazel // Is a very soothing ingredient, it's a strong anti-oxidant and astringent. It helps remove dirt and oil and balance the oil production of our skin. I personally hate the way it smells so the green tea helps mask that :)

Tea Tree Oil // Is an antiseptic, and anti-fungal. It is a great product to use for acne but should never be used at its full strength it can cause the condition to worsen by extremely irritating the skin and infection.  A few drops is plenty for this powerful oil. 

Vitamin e Oil // Vitamin e oil has been know to provide many benefits to the skin. It greatly helps diminish acne scars, and stretch marks (throughout the body), it has great antioxidant properties and helps fight against sun damage, aging and free radicals. 

Hello Kefir, Goodbye Acne

Those of you who have acne may have already figured out that the gut and acne are closely correlated. Research has shown that many people suffering from acne have also been suffering from gastrointestinal distress. Stress may be a factor in this as well, since stress causes a disruption in the normal function of our intestinal health. Unfortunately, many treatments for acne can also cause this issue to heighten.  Birth control pills are often prescribed to those who are suffering from hormonal acne (usually those who have adult acne will use this as a treatment) or oral antibiotics; which both disrupt the flora in our intestines causing stomach discomfort and eliminate the good bacteria that keep our bodies functioning at the best of its ability. This affects our skin because the good bacteria in our gut prevent skin inflammation and it also stands for the opposite.

If you’ve ever been treated for acne at an acupuncturist, you will notice that they don’t come anywhere near the face or where the acne resides. Instead they insert their needles where the gut is, because that is most likely where the infection is coming from.

THE GOOD NEWS: KEFIR

The first time I saw kefir I almost couldn’t bare the thought of ingesting it. It resembles the thickness of heavy cream and yogurt. It’s thick and creamy and doesn’t look at all appetizing. For those of you who are wondering why Kefir could help acne when most dermatologists and estheticians tell you to avoid dairy, well this is completely different. Kefir is actually not necessarily considered dairy. The probiotic content is so powerful that is breaks down the dairy and acts as a high-powered yogurt. The probiotics in the kefir will help restore the good bacteria in our gut and take down the inflammation in our intestines, which is showing on our face. YUCK. Within days of drinking this you will see a considerable difference in the appearance and texture of your skin. Your complexion will be more vibrant and soft and glowy and you will want to buy it by the gallon and bathe in it you will love it so much. Be sure to buy the plain kind. Do not get the flavored versions they are packed with sugar and in my posts below I’ve discussed how terrible sugar is for people suffering with acne or any skin or health condition. Since this is such a thick, “yucky” looking drink I’ve come up with the perfect concoction to incorporate it into your everyday schedule, and it tastes amazing!

The Recipe

• ½ cup almond milk (unsweetened)
• ½ cup Kefir
• 1 frozen banana
• handful frozen mangos
• handful frozen blueberries
• 1 tsp agave or natural honey
• Blend and enjoy!

If you have a hard time blending this because it’s too thick you can add a little bit of water or home brewed unsweetened organic green tea, cooled (decaf). If I decide to drink this after a workout I add some peanut butter or protein powder and it’s a great boost.

Educate Yo Self

I wanted to share some really awesome youtube channels/websites/blogs/books I have come across over the past 2 years that have not only helped me clear my skin but have had a huge impact on my thinking and my lifestyle and I highly recommend all of them to you if you are struggling with the same issues or just need to adjust your life to a healthier way of living or thinking. They have some really helpful videos even just about new yoga poses or some really great recipes. 

The first one, I really really swear by. http://www.epicbeautyguide.com/ she also has a youtube channel which you can find if you look up epic beauty guide.

I actually downloaded the book she had written about holistic skincare and lifestyle. She has cleared up her acne mainly by her diet and some all natural skincare routines. Her dietary information is extremely informative. I learned a ton about nutrition that I really thought I knew but didn’t actually know the accuracy or the truth about a few things. She also talks about the zones of the face that your acne has resided and what it means in the body. It makes it a lot easier to treat when you know the underlying cause and dermatologists and other doctors don’t usually ever get to the root of the problem they just topically treat it or they medicate you with antibiotics and other harmful medications, that in turn actually wind up causing more harm on the body and on your skin. She also has a youtube channel as well as a blog.

The Second one I want to tell you about is High on Health. http://www.highonhealth.org/

Fran also has a youtube channel and a book. I have no read her book because it has a ton of the same information from what I have heard about it as Stephanie from epic beauty so I decided to stick with one set of info. Sometimes when we oversaturate ourselves with too many things dealing with the same issue we actually become overwhelmed, confused and wind up over treating or hurting ourselves by shocking our bodies with too much of something or not enough of something else. So it’s important to take all information with a grain of salt. Find out what is best for you and what works best with your body. Fran uses a few methods that aren’t 100% holistic. She does use antibiotics on occasion. It’s all up to you and what you are comfortable with.  I really love all of her videos and her accent makes them even more interesting and fun to listen to J

The third one I have the most connection to for my own lifestyle. I find that a lot of her principles as far as caring for her skin and her diet and her lifestyle, exercise and even the books she reads and the way she thinks about the world, are very similar to my own beliefs. I love her videos and her blogs.  I hope you find them as great as I do. You can find her blog/website at http://www.thelovevitamin.com/

Her youtube channel and videos are also listed on her site I believe. She swears by Manuka Honey as do I, and I just tried my clay mask by Plantogen with a little Manuka oil and apple cider vinegar, followed by a Manuka honey mask with cinnamon and my skin feels so soft and not dehydrated at all which is a nice change since it’s been flakey and dry this winter. I find it is the hardest to control my acne when my skin is dry because when our skin is dry our body thinks that it needs to produce more oil, which actually causes an overcompensation of oil, clogging your pores and leaving your skin a slippery, bumpy mess. So the manuka keeps my skin in check, I don’t really need too much moisturizer after it either which is nice, because I don’t always like to use moisturizer. It is extremely important that you wear it though, especially if you have acne prone, oily skin for those exact reasons I listed above. If you dry out your skin, you are actually creating more of a problem. Just make sure the moisturizer isn’t packed full of synthetic ingredients, preservatives or pore clogging oils etc…  

An etsy site that I absolutely adore, even just to browse through is skin apotheke. I use the ubtan face scrub. It has neem, turmeric, Ashwagandha root.  There are a lot of homemade all natural organic serums, lotions, scrubs etc… They are really great and I love the packaging. 

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Zria?page=1

enjoy :)

Manuka Honey!

I would consider Manuka Honey a miracle product. Actually, it's not even a product it's a food but one of the best findings I could have come across, thanks to the Plantogen Sales Rep at my school. As soon as she saw my skin, she couldn't wait to get her hands on me. I was skeptical, as I usually am with my skin because I have tried every single thing under the sun to get my cystic acne under control. It has been a nightmare. An extremely expensive trial and error process as well as emotionally draining. But I have her to thank times a million. Immediately after the first application I saw a dramatic difference. The inflammation, and redness had gone down by 50% and I was ecstatic.

Manuka Honey is not the typical honey you would find in a supermarket. It's actually not even from a bee. It's from a manuka honey bush that are usually found in australia or new zealand.  It has antibiotic and inflammatory properties that have actually healed extreme cases of decay and fungus that people have had on their skin, from surgeries, healing wounds etc.. Which is why I like to think of it as a miracle. It unfortunately is the most expensive honey you will ever come across, but each honey pot has a different percentage of active ingredients. Obviously, the higher the percentage the better the results, but every bottle is different so be sure to read the labels. 

Manuka Honey is not the only miracle I want to tell you about. The plantogen line is amazing! The combination of both plantogen and manuka honey has literally changed the entire course of my skin. I don't have a single cyst on my skin. All the inflammation and bumps are completely gone and now the scar and hyper-pigmentation is the next battle. But I would never be up to this point if it weren't for both of these products.

My routine is pretty simple. I use the plantogen combination/oily skin cleanser with my clarisonic mia at night. Then I usually follow it up with the Plantogen geothermal mask, after that has dried I gently wash it off and follow it with the manuka honey. I scoop out a very little bit, about a half of a teaspoon. A little goes a long way and this stuff weighs heavy on your pocket so make sure you keep a light hand. I apply that to a dry face in a thin layer covering all the areas that need it the most. The geothermal mask draws all the impurities to the surface and the manuka honey kills the bacteria and takes down the inflammation. The team of the two works amazing! After I wash the manuka off (about 30-40 mins later) I apply the vitamin c serum to a dry face and then the combination skin lotion both from Plantogen. I have been using this routine for about 5 months mixed with salicylic acid peels and glycolic acid peels and I see a huge improvement. If nothing else, purchase the manuka honey. It will be the best money you have ever spent. And since you try everything else under the sun to clear up your skin, why not try one that actually is proven to work and is all natural and pure.

Good luck :)