Homemade Holiday Face Masks | Blogmas Day 11

My skin tends to go a little haywire in the winter months, so masks have become an essential part of my skincare routine. Face masks have an array of advantages, from brightening dull skin, exfoliating, soothing irritated skin amongst other benefits, and nothing is better than a mask made from fresh ingredients found right in your kitchen. Today I have 4 tried and true homemade face masks for you to try out this winter! And the best part is each one literally takes minutes to make.

1. Pumpkin Oatmeal Mask

2 tbsp. raw pumpkin

1 tbsp. rolled oats

1 tbsp. honey

Pumpkin is amazing for your skin. It contains vitamins A and D which can help to soften, soothe and brighten skin. Add in the astringent properties of honey and the exfoliating potential of the oatmeal and you have a good mask to help irritated dull skin when mixed together.

2. Ginger and Honey Mask

2 tbsp. Ginger Juice (throw ginger root and water in blender, strain)

1 tbsp. Honey

Ginger is awesome to treat acne scars because of the natural anti-inflammatory elements it contains. Mixed with the honey, and you have an excellent mask for acne clearing. Simply apply the mask, wait 20 minutes and gently wash off. *Fresh Ginger can also be used to dab on acne spots as a spot remover.

3. Cocoa Coffee Mask

1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa

1 tbsp. ground coffee beans

1 1/2 tbsp. almond oil (or any carrier oil)

Coffee is known to reduce inflammation and redness and as an exfoliator, it gently removes dead skin and gives life to a dull complexion. Cocoa is a good source of antioxidants and it also contains sulfur, which is great for fighting acne. Simply mix together to make a paste, apply to face an after about 20 minutes gently wash off of your face.

4. Sweet Potato Ginger Mask

3 tbsp. mashed sweet potato (cooked)

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger

1 tbsp. honey

1 tbsp. milk/almond milk/ soy milk

Before you toss those sweet potatoes in your casserole, save a little for this mask! Sweet potatoes are known for their anti-inflammatory and anti-aging properties and mixed with the honey and ginger it becomes a mask that'll leave your skin seriously smooth and brighter. Just blend all ingredients until smooth, apply to face for about 30 minutes and gently scrub off.

I hope you find these facial mask ideas helpful! Let me know if you try any and what your thoughts are!

xoxo

LivforLashes

**images from Google**

Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes

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Email: liv_2008@icloud.com

Anastasia Beverly Hills Self Made Palette | Blogmas Day 10

Anastasia Beverly Hills has come out with quite a few palettes the last year and a half and I've been continuously impressed. Each one has been better than the previous one in my opinion and the newer Self Made palette is no exception. I recently picked this up and it's been a new favorite of mine for about two weeks now. 

The packaging on this one is super elegant. It's a black textured case made of a leathery plastic. The brand logo is engraved on a silver metal plate right in the middle. It's thin and compact and feels quite heavy for a small palette, not the least bit cheap. And this one has a usable mirror, unlike older ABH palettes like the Amrezy and Tamana palettes which have cardboard mirrors that kind of warp the image. 

The nice thing about this palette is it comes with 14 shades as opposed to the usual 12 in ABH palettes. It's mostly shimmer and metallics, but two mattes are included, Buttery, a pale cream, and Hot a Chocolate, an earthy deep red-brown. I like that Pink Champagne is included since it was a favorite in the Shadow Couture palette. There's two bright pops of color also. Deep Purple is a pretty violet with an iridescent sheen and Isla is a gorgeous shimmery sea foam green. 

There are a few neutral metallic shades such as Treasure, Hot & Cold and Self Made. I would have preferred a totally matte black but Spirit Rock is still a nice shade despite the glitters throughout. I would have liked some lighter matte transition shades but this palette has none, but I don't mind digging for another shadow elsewhere to accommodate that. 

The formula of the shadows themselves is typical of ABH. They are smooth and buttery and really easy to blend out. The shimmers aren't too grainy or patchy and there's very little to no fall out. I was worried about Hot Chocolate being patchy but it's surprisingly smooth as well. Buttery is a tad chalky but for a very light matte shade that's pretty typical. The brush that is included is nice as well. It's actually usable with a fluffy blending brush on one side and a dense smudger brush on the other. 

Overall I'm quite pleased with this palette. The colors are beautiful and you can create a myriad of looks with just this one palette which is always nice. And for the price, $35 its one of the more affordable palettes on the market right now. 

What are you thoughts on the Anastasia Beverly Hills Self Made palette. Is it a hit or miss for you? Let me know in the comments be sure to check out my other Blogmas posts and follow me on Instagram for more pics and mini reviews. Have a fabulous day everyone!

xoxo

LivforLashes

Follow me on Twitter! @LivforLashes

Find me on Instagram @livforlashes

Email: liv_2008@icloud.com