If you have oily, easily congested skin that's prone to clogged pores and breakouts, you will LOVE this simple DIY facial!
Here's what you need:
1. powdered cleanser + masque ($10/$30)
2. DIY activated charcoal powder ($6)
3. makeup remover + cleansing oil ($30) (and yes, you CAN put this oil on your face, I P R O M I S E !!!)
4. toning mist ($8/$25)
5. a clean washcloth and cotton balls/rounds
STEP 1: Wet your face with warm water
STEP 2: pour about a tablespoon of cleanser into your hand, and add a bit of charcoal powder. (About half a cap - a little goes a looooong way!)
It should look about like this:
STEP 3: Mix with water
Use your free hand to turn on the sink and sprinkle a bit of water onto the mixture until it forms a paste (mix with you fingers as you go and add water slowly so it doesn't get too runny!)
STEP 4: Massage it onto your face in circular motions
(Avoid your eyes and mouth, obviously.)
STEP 5: Let it dry
It doesn't take long. You can let it sit for about 5-10 minutes... up to you!
(Bonus points if you can sneak up on your significant other and scare the bejeezus out of them...)
STEP 6: Rinse and Oil Cleanse
Begin rinsing this off by splashing warm water on your face, per usual. You'll notice that it doesn't want to come off. The charcoal likes to attach itself to the gunk in your pores, which is somewhat gross, but also kind of cool, right?
You'll want to do an oil cleanse to get it all off:
Massage a dropper full of the cleansing oil into your damp skin (AGAIN, YOU SO CAN PUT OIL ON YOUR FACE, TRUST ME!!!)* while running hot water in the sink.
Take your wash cloth and hold it under the running faucet to get it nice and hot (don't burn yourself!)
Place the damp, hot washcloth over your face for about 30 seconds to 1 minute for a quick steam.
Use the cloth to gently wipe the oil (and excess charcoal) off of your face.
STEP 7: Toner
You'll notice that there's still a bit of charcoal on your face.
So, take your toning mist and give your face a good spritz. Then, spray down a cotton ball/pad and rub it over your skin until the charcoal comes off!
STEP 8: Moisturize
Yes, you will want to moisturize after you finish this.
Take about 4 drops of the cleansing oil and massage them into your skin.
You can follow with facial balm, beauty butter, or whatever night cream/day cream you prefer. But please don't put junk on your face guys, totally defeats the purpose - let me know if you need help deciphering ingredient labels! (If you are acne prone, I recommend my facial balm, because the matcha powder has antibacterial properties that are great for keeping breakouts at bay!)
*I know a lot of people with oily skin are afraid to put oil on their face. But once you try it, you'll find that it actually helps to balance oil production. (Beware though, not all oils are created equal! I formulated my cleansing oil with oily skin types in mind - jojoba and watermelon seed oil are two of my favorites for oily skin!)
And that's it!
So simple, right?!
FYI, you may or may not see results immediately. The first time I tried this, I was skeptical, and I assumed that charcoal was just another trendy skincare ingredient that didn't really do much. That night I examined my pores before bed, and they looked about the same to me. But the next morning, I was amazed by how much clearer and smoother my face looked! Now, I make sure to do this once or twice a week, and I've noticed way less breakouts and the blackheads on my nose are disappearing, which is nothing short of a miracle, am I right?!
If you add this to your weekly skincare regimen, and make sure you're not using other products that clog your pores, your skin will be soooo happy!
Try it and let me know what you think!
Oh, and for those of you with oily skin, I've created a bundle just for you. It contains everything you need to get started caring for your skin for just $64. (Full retail value is $71!)
Just scroll to the bottom of this post to order!
-XO-
