Green Goddess Avocado Beauty Masks — Made With Ingredients in Your Kitchen!

You work hard, play hard, and take care of everyone else. But every hard-working woman (and let’s face it, every woman is hard-working!) needs some pampering, slow-it-down, “me” time on occasion.

 

If you think a spa day is out of your budget, think again! Indulging in a rejuvenating facial doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, it doesn’t even have to involve a trip to the spa! Instead, it just involves a trip to your kitchen.

 

Grab that overly ripe avocado sitting on your kitchen counter and turn it into pure, luxurious magic. With the addition of a few ingredients that are likely within arm’s reach, you’ve got a hydrating, exfoliating, all-natural, beauty-boosting mask you can use on your face, décolleté and even hands, because chica, you’re worth it!

 

AVO TIP: Need ideas for what to do with an unripe avocado? Chef Pati Jinich offers some suggestions!

 

Here are a few easy to whip-up masks, all made with ingredients you have at home. Pretty soon, you’ll be scheduling this self-care time into your regular routine.

 

Tremendous Tips

There are a few things you should know before you start your kitchen alchemy and begin applying masks to those body parts you want to beautify:

• Clean your face really well. Make sure you’re free of make-up, sweat, and dust or dirt from the street. Wash your face with warm water and make sure it’s ready to receive its close-up.
• If there’s an ingredient that causes you allergies, don’t use it. It’s not worth breaking out into hives just to feel moisturized!
• If you need an extra moisture boost, add a few drops of coconut oil or olive oil to your mask.
• Wearing clothes while making your mask or waiting for it to try? Wear something you won’t be upset about staining — avocados can have serious staying power!
• Always use ripe avocados for your masks, not green, hard ones.

 

The Mega Moisturizer

This green wonder mask can be particularly good when applied during the winter, when sunshine and ambient humidity can be in short supply. Put half of a ripe avocado (just the flesh), one tablespoon of honey, half a ripe (or overly ripe) banana, and a few drops of lavender oil into a bowl. Mix well until smooth, apply to your face, and let dry (about 15 minutes or so). Wash off in the shower with warm water and feel revived! This mask can also be used on your décolleté, hands, elbows, or knees.

 

The Buff and Shine

This mask can provide some gentle exfoliation thanks to the oatmeal, and the hydrating goodness of avocados. Place half an avocado, three tablespoons of uncooked oats, one teaspoon of lemon juice, one tablespoon of natural/plain yogurt and a drizzle of honey in a bowl. Mix well, apply (for a seriously soothing spa experience, try applying with a dedicated mask brush, like they do at a salon), and let dry on your face for about 20 minutes. Then, wash off with warm water. You can also use it on your hands, elbows, knees, and feet. You might want to double the recipe in that case!

 

While any one of these “good enough to eat” masks works its mojo, soak in the tub or lie down with some cold cucumber slices over your computer-screen abused eyes and take a time out. By the way, you look fabulous!