3 Steps to Glowing Skin and Less Visible Pores Using a Homemade Mask!

It's Friday night, and you suddenly realize your skin has begun to dull from a week of neglect as a result of that busy work/school schedule. We're all guilty of this, so here's 3 simple steps to give yourself that extra boost to "face" the weekend!  

1. M A S K

Homemade DIY all natural mask: oats, lemon, honey, and yogurt

   Mask Recipe

- 2 spoons unflavored yogurt (exfoliating antioxidant)

- 1/2 spoon honey (moisturizing)

- 1 1/2 spoons oats (soothing, acne prevention, antioxidant)
- a few drops of fresh lemon juice (brightening/whitening)

Most grocery stores carry rolled oats only (as seen in the picture below). This is perfectly fine, but I find that the larger pieces fall off as the mask starts drying. To solve this problem...

Rolled oats

Put a cup of rolled oats into the mixer, and voila! You have no fuss, fine oat powder in less than two minutes!

Oat powder

Add all the ingredients together in a small bowl, and mix to an even consistency. Apply generously on face. Tip: cooling the mixture in the fridge prior to application makes it even more refreshing!

Finished all-natural mask mixture. Looks delicious, mmm 

The above recipe is good for 3-4 uses. Avoid making larger portions to keep the mask fresh. Put all unused mixture back into the fridge after use! 

2. C L E A N S E

Rinse off the mask with warm water after 15-20 minutes. It's important to use warm, and not hot water! Hot water irritates the skin and strips it of your natural oils, leaving it too dry and prone to itchiness. 

What I love about this mask is that it does an excellent job of opening your pores and prepping the skin for the pore strips. So go right ahead now and apply that nose strip.

Biore Pore Strips 

3. T O N E

Ok, so your skin is now clean and supple. We can stop here right? Wrong!! A good toner not only helps soothe your skin, it can re-establish the right pH after the whole cleansing process has disrupted it's natural balance. My favorites are the Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner and the Innisfree White Tone Up Skin.  

Innisfree White Tone Up Skin, Etude House Wonder Pore Freshner

That's it! This routine is great for a lazy night in while enjoying a movie, or a sleepover with the girls (triple the mask recipe and make a batch of cookies anyone?! haha)

This is my go-to routine when my skin needs that extra lift, or when I'm suffering through a bad breakout. Although this won't make your pores disappear overnight, by keeping your skin clean you can reduce the visibility of your pores and make them appear smaller.  

Staying hydrated throughout the day, applying a good sunscreen, and occasionally pampering your skin to this all natural treatment is the beginning of brighter skin! 

If you're still searching for that perfect sunscreen, check out this post http://casual-a-flair.blogspot.ca/2014/06/looking-for-perfect-sunscreen-biore.html

Looking for the PERFECT Sunscreen? Biore, Missha, The Face Shop, and Neutrogena Review!

Left to right: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen, Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence, The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen

Ever since returning from my trip to Cancun Mexico sans sunscreen as a baked potato 5 years ago, I've become quite the sunscreen addict. While searching for the "perfect" sunscreen, there are a multitude of factors to consider; varying from your skin type, the SPF level, to other lifestyle concerns. I've been rotating the above sunscreens for a few months now, so below is a brief breakdown of each. Read to the end to find out which is the top performer for my acne-prone, combination skin! 

Left to right: Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen, Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence, The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream, Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen

Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen 50mL SPF 50+ PA+++

Definitely not your conventional sunscreen! Water based, so does not leave a white cast or clog your pores. The consistency is slightly runny and looks somewhat lumpy. Upon application however, the essence smooths out and is instantly absorbed into a matte finish (great canvas for makeup). There is a subtle pleasant citrus scent that quickly dissipates after application. The best part? The impressive 50+ SPF and PA+++, which is sure to provide the utmost protection against both UVA and UVB rays even in those sweltering days! Would recommend for: acne-prone skin, oily skin, combination skin, sensitive skin.

Missha All-Around Safe Block Essence 50mL SPF 45 PA+++

Creamy sunscreen that can double as a moisturizer for those that want to save a step in the morning madness. Would be more suitable for dry skin, or if you're going for the "dewy" finish. Has a scent reminiscent of lanolin cream (or other heavy night creams) that is a little too strong for my liking. Again, very impressive UVA and UVB protection. 
Would recommend for dry skin, sensitive skin, combination skin.

The Face Shop Clean Face Oil Free Sun Cream 50mL SPF 35 PA++

All aspects (consistency, smell, finish) are nearly identical to the Missha. Has tea tree oil and aloe vera gel, which makes it more suitable for acne prone skin. Only complaint is the lower sun protection in comparison with others on the market, although it is more than adequate for those less-than-sunny days! 
Would recommend for: acne-prone skin, dry skin, sensitive skin, combination skin.  

Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Face Sunscreen 88mL SPF 45 Broadspectrum 

The embodiment of your typical sunscreen. Despite being true to name, it was no more or less sheer than any of the other sunscreens in this review. Unfortunately, I have sensitive skin, and developed an allergic reaction with red bumps all over my face after using this product. Not wanting this huge bottle to go to waste, I began using it on my body and have yet to experience any adverse reactions, yay! 
NOT recommended for sensitive skin. 

Terms
For those unfamiliar with the terms UVA, UVB, PA, SPF, and broadspectrum, here's a simplified blurb:
UVA: Causes photoaging and wrinkles. 
UVB: Causes sunburn and hyperpigmentation.
PA: UVA protection factor. 
SPF: UVB protection factor.  
Broadspectrum:  Both UVA and UVB protection. 

And the winner is... 
Biore Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunscreen! My oily, acne-prone combination skin does not break out, and the high protection is ideal for all occasions! Absorbs into skin oh-so-quickly, and provides an excellent base for makeup. Also remains matte throughout the day, and is amazingly sheer. This has definitely become a staple in my everyday essentials (that's right, sunscreen is not limited to summer use only!)

Which sunscreens have you tried? Please share your favorites!