My matcha green tea facial balm is so moisturizing that a tiny bit goes a loooooong way. So if by any chance you're wondering what you're going to do with this big ol' jar of balm, I have a wonderful suggestion:
Use it to wash your face!
Yass, really!
It's just like an oil cleanse, only richer, and it feels even more luxurious and hydrating.
A balm cleanse is wonderful for anyone with dry skin, but it also works great if you have normal to oily skin and want to boost your skin's moisture levels as we head into cooler weather.
To be honest, I was a bit skeptical to try it myself as I have combination/acne prone skin, but I've been testing it for months now, and I'm really happy with the results. It makes my skin feel so... juicy, yet firm. I'm actually a bit obsessed!
How it works:
The antibacterial and antioxidant properties of the matcha powder, carrot seed, neroli, and sandalwood essential oils work to keep breakouts at bay and reverse free radical damage, while the rich shea butter, avocado, evening primrose, and red raspberry seed oils deliver essential nutrients and moisturizing fatty acids to the skin while dissolving dirt and oil.
How to do a facial balm cleanse:
1. Scoop out about a nickel-to-quarter size amount of balm.
You'll want to use a lot more than you would if you were applying the balm as a moisturizer. About 1/2-1 teaspoon should be plenty.
(It does feel a bit naughty to scoop that much out of the jar, but the good news is that this balm is really well priced compared to similar products you'll find elsewhere!)
2. Warm the balm between your fingertips to soften, and massage it into your skin using circular motions.
The balm will warm up and melt a bit as it comes in contact with your body temperature, and from there, it's just like doing an oil cleanse. Massage your skin (and neck) really well, focusing on the areas where you tend to get clogged pores. If you're wearing eye makeup, save your eye area for last. The balm also works just like an oil cleanse to remove your eyeliner and mascara!
3. Wipe off with a warm, damp washcloth.
The end!
You could also do a mini steam at this point, by getting the washcloth super hot with water (don't burn yourself) and laying it over your face to gently steam open your pores for about 30-60 seconds.
But that's not all...
Just like with all of the Twinkle Apothecary skincare products, this cleansing method is customizable based on whatever you feel your skin needs!
You could add:
1. Powder cleanser for a little gentle exfoliation.
2. Cleansing oil for more glide.
3. Rosehip seed powder for extra exfoliation.
5. A little of all of the above for a supercharged all in one facial!
6. A cleansing tool/brush (I haven't tried this with a regular bristle cleansing brush so I can't necessarily recommend that, but I can vouch that it works great with my Foreo play.) A muslin cloth/mitt would probably be great also.
7. Anything else you can dream up!
After cleansing, I always recommend following with toning mist and/or hydrosol, and then facial oil/serum, followed by (a much smaller amount of) facial balm/beauty butter to lock in moisture. But this is optional - your skin might just feel so amazing after the balm wash that you may not want to do anything else to it right away - which is totally fine. It really just depends on your skin, and your preferences.
I really hope you give this cleansing method a try - it's seriously my new favorite way to wash my face!
Questions? Concerns? Just let me know how I can help!
-XO-
