Aspirin and Honey Mask

Aspirin is a salicylic acid, which helps shed dead skin cells. Honey has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, perfect for acne-prone skin. Put'em together and you have the ultimate facial mask.

You'll need honey (the inexpensive bear-shaped squeeze bottle is fine) and uncoated aspirin; I buy the Walgreens brand because it only costs $0.99 for a bottle of 100 tablets. You'll see why I specify the uncoated variety in a moment.

In a small bowl, put two aspirin tablets and add a drop or two of water. You only want the aspirin to break down into a powder, so you must not use too much water. This should happen within a minute. You can help it along by giving it a nudge or rubbing the tablets between your fingers, but it's really not necessary. Any more than a couple of drops of water and you'll have to start over.

(Here is why I specified uncoated aspirin. The enteric-coated aspirin will not break down from exposure to water; too much aspirin can cause the stomach or intestinal linings to become too thin and lead to ulcers, and the enteric coating helps to prevent that. Luckily, this recipe doesn't require the actual consumption of aspirin!)

Once the aspirin has disintegrated into powder, add approximately a teaspoon of honey. Mix it up with your finger and apply it to your face, avoiding the immediate eye area. This is also why I don't want you to use a lot of water in the first step: too much and the mask will just glop off your face. Let it sit for about 10 minutes. If you have any left over, slap it onto the backs of your hands.

Now that the salicylic acid in the aspirin has had a chance to dissolve the "glue" that's holding the old skin cells to your face, it's time to use a little mechanical exfoliation to finish the job. Wet your fingers and gently, in a circular motion, massage your face for about a minute. Rinse with warm water, making sure to get your hairline in case any honey has made its way there. Follow with a gentle toner if you like, and definitely use a mild moisturizer that doesn't contain any AHAs or other irritants. Cetaphil moisturizer is a good bet for most people, though if you have oily skin, I really recommend the DDF Ultra-Lite Moisturizing Dew that I keep talking about.

I use this mask whenever the mood strikes me, which averages about two to three times a week. It shouldn't cost more than $5 for a six-month supply. That's $0.10 per exfoliation! How cool is that??

I cannot take credit for this mask. Unfortunately, I can't remember how I got this recipe, so whoever you are, thank you for sharing it with me!

My Skincare Regimen

Day:

1. Cleanse with Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
2. Apply DDF 10% Glycolic Toning Complex
3. Moisturize with pHisoderm's Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15

Night:

1. Cleanse with Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser
2. Moisturize with Alpha Hydrox Enhanced Cream with 10% Glycolic

Two to three times a week, I use the Aspirin and Honey mask. See the next post for details!

pHisoderm Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15

How cool is it that this product is oil-free?? It's not nearly as light nor does it disappear into the skin as completely as DDF's Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew, which is still my very favorite moisturizer, but pHisoderm's Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15 comes pretty damned close. I'm actually really impressed with this product, which I found a couple of weeks ago while searching for a daytime lotion to replace the DDF. It's oil-free, pH-balanced, contains vitamins C and E, and has an SPF of 15. WOOO!

Shecky's Beauty Week in NYC

Shecky's presents... Beauty Week! From July 21st – 27th, over thirty New York spas, salons and beauty locations are discounting signature treatments & services up to 75% OFF regular prices.

I'm actually kind of shocked that there are laser hair removal services being offered at such amazing prices. Get your body scrubbed, eyebrows waxed, and hair styled for a fraction of the cost! Go forth and be gorgeous!

A Few More Tools in My Battle Against KP, aka Chicken Skin

Dove's CreamOil Body Wash in Ultra Rich is exactly what I've been searching for in my quest for the ultimate body wash. Well, until the next fabulous thing comes along!

I love that it's super-moisturizing; my skin is so disgustingly dry and flaky that you can practically hear me molting. This stuff is really thick and you don't need a lot of it if you're using a shower pouf or loofah. It does have a fairly strong scent, which is a turn-off for me, but not enough of one to keep me from using it. I really wish it was unscented or at least not so strongly fragranced.

Because I have KP, I need extra help scrubbing those stubborn flakes off. So I turned to an exfoliating sponge, similar to the one made by Buf-Puf.

The Buf-Puf Double-Sided Body Sponge is available at Harmon Discount Health & Beauty Store for $4.49 , and also at other drugstores. Harmon has its own similar and cheaper version for around $3 or so for a pack of six. The Harmon version is NOT a double-sided product like the Buf-Puf sponge, which accounts for its superb price point. It does come in a texture more suitable for sensitive skin and is labeled with the word "Gentle". I'm pretty hardcore so I use the Regular body sponge. Both are meant to exfoliate your body, and are very rough. They're fabulous for sloughing off dry, scaly skin like mine, and are perfect for prepping your body for even self-tanning.

I cannot stress enough that these sponges are meant for your body, not your face.

Used with a nickel-sized dab of the Dove CreamOil Body Wash, move the body sponge in a circular motion applying as much pressure as you want. After you've scrubbed yourself down, pat yourself lightly with a towel, only drying your skin enough to avoid dripping water everywhere. Apply the Eucerin lotion I talked about a couple of posts ago, and make sure you get your arms and legs first, where chicken skin tends to be most prevalent. Just a reminder: Eucerin lotion can be a little heavy for daytime in the summer.

While I can't guarantee soft skin for everyone because KP is not the same from person to person and can be quite stubborn, it worked for me within a week. I finally got smooth arms for less than $20 for the body sponge, shower cream, and lotion! The KP on my legs is still there but improving more and more every day.

P.S. Harmon Discount Health & Beauty stores can also be found inside your local Bed, Bath & Beyond!

Aquaphor Healing Ointment

Another member of the much-loved Eucerin family, Aquaphor is my MUST-HAVE item. I have a little .35 oz tube in nearly every bag, plus one in my travel kit, AND the 1.75 oz tube on my desktop, right next to my stapler! It is also available in a large 14 oz tub.

Aquaphor is heavy-duty stuff, about the same texture as petroleum jelly, but far more impressive. I mainly use Aquaphor for my lips, which are constantly dry and chapped. In the winter, I slather it on my hands before pulling on my gloves and by the time I get to my destination, my hands are super-soft! It's also a great item to have when you notice that your cuticles are dry or hang-nailed; you can dab it on while you're in transit (please don't do this while you're driving!)

I would just die and go to heaven if the gods incorporated SPF 30 into Aquaphor. I would NEVER cheat with any other lip balm if only it had SPF 30. With or without sunscreen, everyone needs to get a tube of this stuff.

Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser

In my quest to find low-cost skincare products, I decided to stick with the Eucerin brand for a while longer and see where it took me. I'm really pleased to find that I like their Gentle Hydrating Cleanser! I was worried that it would be too hydrating and leave my greasy skin feeling even more greasy, but I've been using it for a month now and so far so good. If anything, it sometimes leaves my face feeling dry, though with skin as oily as mine and with summer having made her big debut, I don't anticipate that to be a big problem.

Eucerin Gentle Hydrating Cleanser is marketed toward people with dry, sensitive skin, and true to their promise, it rinses away very easily and cleanly. There's no fragrance, so those of us who prefer unfragranced face products can use them without gagging. You don't need much of it to clean your whole face- a little goes a long way, which means you'll have to buy it a lot less often.