Blue Water Spa Blog

Kitchen cures for the skin

The Latest from Blue Water Spa

September 2009’s Featured Article:

Take a peek in your refrigerator and evaluate its contents. Chances are, you have a variety of healthy foods that can be incorporated into the skin care services that you offer your clients. Now is the perfect time to rediscover the multi-purpose benefits of common everyday foods that have great potential to nourish our bodies and our skin.
You may have noticed that your clients are more ecoconscious than ever before and are expressing interest in incorporating natural options into their beauty routine. Position your spa and the treatments you offer as ecofriendly by adding natural ingredients found in your kitchen, at your local grocery store or the farmer’s market. Fruits, vegetables, dairy products and natural oils and fats have been used in skin care, hygiene and anti-aging for thousands of years, dating back to the Egyptians. Educate your clients about how you are using these familiar ingredients in their treatments and maybe even share a few remedies they can try at home in between appointments.
Before you decide to empty the contents of your kitchen, pack a bag (make sure it is not plastic) and we will take you on a tour through your local market while highlighting all the best skin care recipes for various skin types.

Renowned for its antibacterial properties, honey is considered to be one of the best natural acne fighting ingredients.

Normal/combination

Since normal/combination skin types generally do not have specific problems to address, anti-aging treatments and gentle exfoliation to increase circulation work best.
• Strawberries can be used to condition and tone any skin type. They help lighten pigmentation problems and keep skin smooth and supple.
Tip: Mash strawberries and use as an astringent or face cleansing mask.
• Cocoa. The antioxidant powers of the distinctive bean promote healthy skin. Research shows that when cocoa is applied topically it helps to reduce skin irritation and combat cellular damage.
Tip: For a soothing mask, mix cocoa powder with a little water or buttermilk—an excellent source of lactic acid that stimulates the cocoa’s antioxidant function and softens skin.

Oily/acne prone

Oily and acne prone skin is frequently irritated by harsh cleansers, acids and anti-acne products. Give your client’s skin a break with gentle remedies that treat acne and keep oil at bay.
• Carrots. The carrot is probably best known for containing vitamin A, which has proved to be as effective in dealing with acne as some compounds such as retinoids.
Tip: Carrots make an excellent skin mask for acne and blemishes.
Apply raw, grated carrots to the face. Add lemon juice if you like. To make a cooked carrot mask, boil three large carrots and mash them or blend in a food processor. Add five tablespoons of honey or yogurt (optional). Apply gently, in an upward motion. Leave on for 15 to 20 minutes. Rinse with warm water.
• Honey. Renowned for its antibacterial properties, honey is considered to be one of the best natural acne fighting ingredients. Why? Because honey actually kills the bacteria that cause acne.
Tip 1: Massage a small amount of slightly heated honey into the skin.
Tip 2: Dab honey on individual pimples to help clear up blemishes.
• Egg whites. Although egg whites alone have no real long-term benefits, they are great for shrinking pores and treating blackheads and whiteheads.
Tip: Egg whites are best applied with a flat brush on clean skin. After the mask has dried, your client will look like a prune—but this lets you know that it is working. The mask can be quickly removed with a wet washcloth.

Dry

Sun damage is usually the culprit behind dry and cracked skin. Other factors include diet, environment and insufficient water intake. (Note that acne is usually the result of dry skin.) Create a facial that not only moisturizes, but helps the skin retain the treatment’s benefits.
• Avocados. Packed with monounsaturated fats and vitamins B and E, avocados are excellent for moisturizing and rejuvenating dry skin. They are also rich in vitamin C, which can stimulate collagen and reduce visible signs of aging.
Tip: Mash one tablespoon of ripe avocado, add half a teaspoon of honey and mix. Stir in a small amount of almond meal until creamy. Apply to clean skin, leave on for 15 to 20 minutes and wash off with lukewarm water. Finish with a rinse of vinegar pH balancer.
• Bananas. High in potassium and possessing the same benefits as the avocado, the banana is often a preferred treatment for dry skin. The long lasting moisturizing effects give the skin a healthy glow. The treatment can also be penetrated into the skin with the use of galvanic or ultra-sound machines.
Tip: Mash the banana and add two teaspoons of yogurt. Mix until creamy and apply immediately to the skin. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove with a spatula and then rinse.

Olive oil can be used on the face daily. With continued use, olive oil can also reduce hyperpigmentation.

For all skin types

• Olive oil. The Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans all took full advantage of the benefits of topical oil application. Today, when we observe the beautiful skin of Med­iterranean women, many identify olive oil as the main ingredient behind their complexion. Sofia Loren is an olive oil devotee, having used it as part of her skin care regimen for most of her life.
Olive oil comes in several grades—extra virgin is the least processed. The cell size of olive oil is smaller than the blood cell, and extra-virgin olive oil has all of the antioxidants the body needs in direct proportion to the body’s requirements.
Tip: Olive oil can be used on the face daily. With continued use, olive oil can also reduce hyper­pigmentation.
• Green tea. The plentiful antioxidants in green tea help fight free radical damage. When applied topically, tea reduces the appearance of lines and wrinkles and can even help prevent skin cancer and signs of aging resulting from sun damage.
Tip: Brew strong tea (one or two tea bags for each cup of water), let cool and apply to the client’s face after cleansing.
• Salt and sugar. When used as natural exfoliating particles, sugar and salt help loosen lifeless epidermal cells that need to be physically removed. The glycolic acid in sugar and its rough texture makes it ideal for exfoliation to give skin a healthy glow.
Tip: For a cost effective scrub, mix a teaspoon of sugar or salt with any cleanser and apply in small, circular motions.

For a cost effective scrub mix a teaspoon of sugar or salt with any cleanser and apply in small, circular motions.

Super foods for the skin

It is true that we are what we eat. While the topical application of fruits, veggies and natural oils will help improve the skin’s appearance, ingesting these same foods is important as well. Remind your clients that a great complexion can be achieved from a healthy diet and taking the right supplements and vitamins. It is also important to drink enough water to keep the skin hydrated. Doctors recommend consuming at least 10 to 12 glasses of water each day to avoid dehydration—which affects cellular metabolism—and to help flush out the toxins in the body, which results in clear skin.

Using these kitchen remedies in your treatments helps you stand out as an innovative and eco-friendly professional in your field.

Experts recommend a diet high in fiber and low in fat. Countless scientific studies have shown that antioxidants and foods rich in omega 3 fatty acids help clear skin and slow the aging process. Antioxidants decrease cell destruction by neutralizing free radicals that can cause damage, and omega 3 fatty acids help reduce skin inflammation and improve circulation. Some super foods that are widely touted for their benefits to the skin include salmon, sardines, nuts, seeds (pumpkin and sunflower), flaxseed and olive oils, blueberries, pomegranate, broccoli, oats, spinach, dark chocolate, wheatgrass, red wine, green or black tea and tomatoes.
Using these kitchen remedies in your treatments helps you stand out as an innovative and ecofriendly professional in your field. Consumers are overwhelmed with the saturated skin care industry and therefore welcome a fresh and natural change. Using these ingredients is good for the skin, better for the environment and easy to add to your existing treatments. Not only can you save money by using low-cost ingredients (when bought in season), but your clients can learn at home treatments to enjoy between appointments to save both money and their skin! They will likely be back and may even send a few referrals your way!

Note: Always remember to ask clients about any food allergies that they may have prior to treatment application.

Maria Comfort is a licensed celebrity esthetician and owner of Touch Total Look, Face & Body Spa in Woodland Hills, CA. She is also an educator for Bella Spa & Salon Distributors, the spa division of Ultimate Beauty Companies, whose efforts are focused entirely on servicing, educating and growing the business of spa industry professionals. Visit www.BellaSSD.com.