Page 31 - Florida Sentinel 1-13-17 Edition

Health
Rx for five brilliant all-natural masks with ingredients you'll easily find in your kitchen. They work:
Congestion
Parsley and thyme are your best friends for clogged pores and in- flammation. As a natural astringent, parsley pulls toxins straight out of your skin and assists in removing anything causing grief and con- tributing to upset pores.
How-to
* Immerse the parsley in a large bowl of boiling water and allow it to soak and cool.
* Once done, dip a washcloth in the bowl and apply to your face. Oil be gone and pores be unclogged!
* Your other option is thyme. Use 3 to 4 tablespoons and 11⁄2 cups of hot water combined and let it sit for about 30 minutes. Filter the mix- ture and use it as a cleanser when- ever needed.
Stressed skin
This mask could be the antidote to pretty much any offending skin affliction but excels on itchy and
rash-like conditions. How-to
* Drop a handful of blueberries into a blender, mix them with a few tablespoons of milk—skim or whole milk both work fine—and add a few drops of witch hazel, a natural as- tringent. I like to puree it all to- gether into a smooth paste, but you can do it just as easily by mashing the ingredients together with a fork or a spoon in a bowl.
* Apply the mixture to your face just as you would with any other mask and gently massage it into your skin.
* After five minutes, jump into a lukewarm shower and let the steam loosen the mask for you. Wipe off any remnants with a soft washcloth.
Dullness
If your skin is looking dull, tired, and lackluster, make radiance your aim with a mask packed with plant enzymes and gentle manual exfo- liants. Use when skin needs stimu- lating and rejuvenating for much-needed glow.
Here's how make sluggish winter
skin smoother: * Mix crushed grapefruit peel and
avocado with two to three drops of almond oil.
*Leave this skin-smoothing homemade face mask on for 10 minutes and rinse. The grapefruit peel's ascorbic acid will exfoliate dead skin cells and boost collagen while the avocado's healthy fats moisturize and almond oil's anti-ox- idizing vitamin E will keep skin smooth.
Dry
You can use a banana as an all- natural, homemade facial mask that moisturizes your skin and leaves it looking and feeling softer.
How-to
* Mash up a medium-size ripe ba- nana into a smooth paste, then gen- tly apply it to your face and neck.
* Let it sit for 10 to 20 minutes, then rinse it off with cold water. * A variation on this recipe calls for 1⁄4 cup plain yogurt, 2 tablespoons honey (a natural acne remedy), and 1 medium banana. Your face will feel smooth as a peach and rejuve-
nated to boot.
Blemished
There's nothing like making an orange paste in the head of winter! Acne that is caused by bacteria and extra oil/dead skin cells clogging up pores may improve with the use of an orange peel face mask of sorts, thanks to the vitamin C, citric acid, and its astringent properties. The vitamin C is particularly helpful be- cause it promotes the growth of new healthy cells, keeping your skin in better condition overall.
How-to
* Rinse your face with water and pat dry.
* Grind/pound up your orange peels (you could use a blender, mor- tar and pestle, whatever gets the job done) and add a little water to cre- ate a paste.
* Once you have the right consis- tency, apply it to your face and/or problem areas.
Wait for 20 to 25 minutes. Rinse off completely with water, pat your face dry, and apply a good moistur- izer.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 13, 2017 FLORIDA SENTINEL BULLETIN PUBLISHED EVERY TUESDAY AND FRIDAY PAGE 19-B