natural skincare |

[ok, this isn’t the face mask but come on, look at that moon pie!]

T.G.I.F. readers! Hope you are bundled up nice and cozy (if you need that kind of thing where you are. Friends reading from the tropics… I am so jealous). When this cold weather hits, our skin is what suffers. Sure, our bodies may feel cold when we go outside, but once we are indoors snug as a bug our poor skin is still miserable! That is why we need to take extra good care of our skin (especially our faces since they are out and about the most) during these chilly + dry months.

This is the first post in a series that I have been wanting to do forever. In Ayurveda, skincare, food + medicine are often intertwined. It is believed that since your skin is the largest organ in your body, it should only be fed clean, organic + all-natural foods. I always say “if you wouldn’t eat it, don’t put it on your face!”

Now I know that organic, all-natural skincare isn’t always accessible. I live in Berkeley so I have tons of options but I know that most places aren’t quite like this. In addition, natural skincare can be expensive when buying items from crunchy stores. I have never had enough money to buy nice products for my skin + body from such places so I rely on age-old remedies, traditional concoctions + innovative twists on ancient potions!

Enough talk, on to the recipe! This chocolate pumpkin coconut milk mask is easy to make and smells like a holiday treat! Pumpkin is high in vitamins A + C and has tons of natural alpha hydroxy acids, which will gently dissolve dead skin cells. Cocoa has antioxidants which help detoxify your skin and coconut milk + maple syrup are incredibly moisturizing, smoothing those dry patches we all get this time of year.

CHOCOLATE PUMPKIN COCONUT MILK MASK:

2 teaspoons fresh or canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cocoa (raw cacao is best, but normal cocoa is fine, as long as there isn’t any added sugar in it)
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup (if you aren’t vegan/are beegan, I would highly recommend using honey instead due to its antibacterial properties + all around awesomeness)
1 teaspoon coconut milk (the cream on top of the can is the best kind but 1/4 teaspoon out of a carton would be okay too)

Mix ingredients. If mixture is too runny, add a little more cocoa. If mixture is too thick, add a little more maple syrup. Spread on a washed face. Relax for 15-20 minutes, read a book, light some candles, paint your nails! Rinse off with warm water (making sure to get all of it off) and enjoy the smooth, beautiful skin staring back at you in the mirror!

[picture found here]