Recipes, Articles & Tips
Chocolate and mint where?
December 23, 2003
By DeNeane D'Angelo / Skin care columnist
We all love the smooth, creamy, rich, comforting taste and smell of chocolate. Mint is yummy in a cup of tea and who doesn't like a peppermint candy cane in their Christmas stocking? Did you know that you can put chocolate and mint on your skin and get delicious results, too?
Chocolate has wonderful healing properties for the skin. The caffeine, as I have mentioned in other articles, is great for tightening, firming and healing breakouts. There also have been studies that show caffeine helps kill skin cancer cells when applied topically. The antioxidants in chocolate are great for the skin, which will feel silky soft once you've tried it on the outside.
Mint is always refreshing and great for oily skin or revving up tired feet.
Chocolate Oatmeal Facial
1/2 cup cocoa
4 Tbsp. heavy cream
3 tsp. cottage cheese
3 tsp. ripe avocado
1/4 cup honey
3 tsp. oatmeal powder
Mix ingredients together in a bowl. Apply gently to face and leave on for 10 minutes. When taking off the facial, try patting the face with a warm washcloth to dampen before removing. Apply your moisturizer and remember you can add a couple of drops of regular coffee, to "kick it up" a step.
Chocolate Lip Gloss
1 1/2 tsp. grated cocoa butter
1/2 tsp. olive oil
1 capsule vitamin E oil
1 capsule flax-seed oil
1/4 tsp. grated chocolate or 3 small chocolate chips
In a double boiler or the microwave oven, heat the cocoa butter, olive oil, flax-seed oil and vitamin E until melted. Stir in the chocolate and keep stirring until melted and well blended. Pour into a small lip-gloss container and allow to cool completely before using.
The oils are so hydrating for your skin and the chocolate is scrumptious to taste and smell. If you want an extra tingle, you can add a drop of peppermint oil to the mix for a natural plumping effect.
All-over Chocolate Scrub
1 cup cocoa
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. grape-seed oil
2 Tbsp. honey
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 or 2 drops mint oil
Enough water to make a creamy paste
Mix all of these yummy ingredients together. Slather on in the shower, lightly scrubbing areas such as elbows, knees and heels. Let the wonderful aroma feed your senses. Rinse off and enjoy chocolately smooth skin.
Remember to live fully in each moment that you are given. Appreciate the beauty around you and be good to yourself every day.
Use these tips and recipes at your own discretion. These are not prescriptions, merely suggestions based on our research and on things we use ourselves. Not everything will work for everybody, but I have had great success with these recipes. If I weren't willing to use it myself, I wouldn't suggest it to you.
DeNeane
© Copyright 2003 by YourPerfectSkin.com
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