2014/02/17

The Treatment Mask // Manuka Honey

















Continuing on from last week's post about hydrating masks, today we are going to talk about the treatment mask. Now, the term "treatment mask" is a very broad term that encompasses many different types of masks, but basically, a treatment mask should be used to address imperfections that you are most concerned about. This could be a mask to combat acne, dark spots, redness, or to restore firmness, radiance, etc. I don't really advocate the use of oil-control masks, because they often strip the skin of moisture, which actually can lead to an increase in oil production and can accelerate the aging process. Instead, mattify the face throughout the day with blotting sheets, powder, or oil-controlling primers.

For those who already have pretty good skin and aren't concerned with any particular issues, use treatment masks according to the changes that occur in the skin as a result of change in the environment: sensitivity during the spring, dark spots during the summer, and dryness during the winter.

Recently, I've been loving using organic manuka honey for my treatment mask. The one I have is the Wedderspoon Premium Raw Manuka Honey Active 12+, but you can find manuka honey from all sorts of different brands in just about any organic food store. Honey is great for the skin because of its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, so it really helps with acne-prone and sensitive skin, both of which apply to my skin. Manuka honey contains a chemical called methylglyoxal, which is a by-product of a natural chemical process in the honey. Methylglyoxal is the major antibacterial component in honey, so manuka honey has a stronger antibacterial effect than regular honey. It is good to buy organic honey when you're going to be putting it on your face because organic honey does not contain pesticides.

I had originally wanted to purchase the new honey mask from Fresh, but I was turned off by the price tag of $130 for 100mL of product, so I just bought some manuka honey instead. Whenever I use manuka honey, the next morning my skin is incredibly soft and my break outs are visibly smaller and less red. Especially those huge, swollen cystic spots (too much information?), they either come to a head or just go down completely. However, the spots are not smaller because they are dried out, they are just much less inflamed, so this is a very gentle way of dealing with breakouts. Using raw manuka honey is great because you know that there are no added chemicals, and it's edible too, so add it to your tea or biscuits or cakes for a healthy alternative to sugar.

I'm sure we all know what honey looks like so I won't bother with showing a photo. I do find that manuka honey is a little bit thicker than regular honey, so I like to spray Avene Thermal Spring Water on my face before applying the manuka honey, just to make it a little bit easier to spread on the face. Then, I just scoop some manuka honey out with a spoon and spread a thin, even layer over my face. I leave it on for 10 minutes, and then wash off with water and a face towel.


Read:
The Face Mask Schedule: here
The Hydrating Mask: here

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