EXFOLIATING COFFEE & ACTIVATED CHARCOAL FACE MASK DIY

Since I am already a huge fan of activated charcoal and all its detoxifying benefits, I thought I’d share one of my favorite ways to use it with you, in a face mask! Both my boyfriend (that’s right, this charcoal face mask works for men too) and I use this mask to get all the guck off our faces that build up both in our pores and on the surface of our skin throughout the week. The addition of coffee and coconut to this charcoal face mask DIY also adds a smell to the mix that awakens the sense and leaves your skin hydrated. Sounds pretty good, right?! If you are curious as to how to make this charcoal face mask DIY at home too, keep reading!

COFFEE AND ACTIVATED CHARCOAL FACE MASK BENEFITS

This all-natural face mask exfoliates, hydrates, and purifies your skin leaving it soft, smooth, and fresh. Activated Charcoal pulls impurities and toxins out of the skin while coffee grinds exfoliate dead skin cells away and coconut oil moisturizes. I recommend leaving this activated charcoal face mask DIY on for about 10-15 minutes before exfoliating and washing it off gently with warm water. For glowing skin, follow with vitamin C serums and your favorite moisturizer! ♥

* Please Note - Some links in this post may be affiliate links *

SHOPPING LIST:

Small Containers - I used 4 oz Glass Jam Jars  
2.5 oz Organic Coffee Grinds (fine) - per jars you want to end up with so (2.5 x # of jars = how much you will need)
1.5 oz Coconut Oil***- per jars you want to end up with
Activated Charcoal - I got capsuled ones and removed the charcoal from the capsules, 1-2 for each 4oz jar
 

*** If you have a problem getting the coconut oil out of the container like I did I recommend using a technique called "sous-vide".  Please note that the container has to be made of glass to do this. To do this, placing the glass jar of coconut oil in a bath of water and heat the water up slowly in order to melt the coconut oil. Use a cloth when removing the glass jar from the bath as it will be hot. Pictures included below!

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CHECK OUT THESE OTHER EASY DIY’S

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DIRECTIONS:

Wash and dry your jars fully

Place the coffee grinds in the food processor (you may have to do this in parts!) , add in your coconut oil and activated charcoal. Blend until well mixed well together.

If you did this in parts transfer food processor contents to a large bowl and repeat coffee, coconut oil, and charcoal mixture until everything is done. Mix large bowl contents together one last time with a whisk. The mask should look black and have a thick grainy consistency!

Scoop out and fill jars! 

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I hope you had as much fun making this easy charcoal face mask DIY as I did! Please let me know your comments below or if you have any special requests!!!!! I would love to hear from you ♥ ♥ ♥

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THE IMPORTANCE OF SCALP HEALTH WITH PRAMASANA BY AVEDA

A couple months ago Aveda launched a collection of products dubbed the ‘Pramāsana' line and wouldn’t you know your girl got to try it out first hand. As a proud Leo-lady (I am woman hear me ROAR) you know I take huge pride in my mane and the Pramāsana line deals strictly with scalp health which is why I was so curious to learn more.

You may be asking yourself why is it so important to clean your scalp? And aren’t I doing that already every time I wash my hair? Well here’s a couple things that may surprise you off the bat:

1. Your hair is alive only at the root so nourishing your scalp leads to better hair follicles/roots, faster growth, increased hair strength and better overall nourishment in the long run.

2. When your root or hair follicle is ‘clogged’ hair growth is slow (and sometimes non existent), the hair that does grow is lacking nourishment and therefore can break easier and lack luster.

3. Shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, moose, gels etc. can actually leave 'product buildup’ on your scalp. This with the added sebum (an oil that our body naturally produces to protect the scalp) and general air pollution, roots/follicles in your scalp can actually easily become clogged.

“Effective scalp cleansing can help normal skin cell turnover. Deep cleansing encourages a clean, healthy scalp.” - Dr. M. Julie Thornton, Ph.D., University of Bradford in the UK

The Pramāsana Scalp Care line is made up of three parts - The Exfoliating Scalp Brush, the Purifying Scalp Cleanser, and the Protective Scalp Concentrate - and is 98% naturally derived. Although the product line is available at any Aveda store to take home you can also learn more and test out the line first at any Civello’s Salon. Part of my learning experience was receiving a full Pramāsana treatment at Civello’s Salon on Queen West and I’m happy to say I walked away being a believer in the importance of scalp health!

“Consider yours scalp the soil from which you hair grows. Once you think of it that way, it shouldn't be hard to understand why you might need to give it extra care.” - Justina Majia-Montanta, VP, Global Product Development at Aveda.

The entire treatment takes about an hour (or less if you are doing it at home) and is safe to do once a week. The first step to the treatement is to exfoliate your scalp using the Pramāsana ‘Exfoliating Scalp Brush’. This special brush has looped bristles designed to loosen impurities and buildup prior to cleansing all the while not tangle your hair. Simply place the brush on your head with a bit of pressure and move it around in small circles to massage the scalp. 3-4 minutes is really all you need!

Next apply the Pramāsana ‘Purifying Scalp Cleanser’ directly to your dry scalp (yes you haven't even wet your hair yet) and massage this in. You will notice right away that it starts to foam. This is the cleanser removing impurities and cleaning the scalp which will balance sebum levels and scalp pH. Again 3-4 minutes is really all you need!

Now is when you would wet your hair and add shampoo. Any shampoo can be used in conjunction with the Pramāsana line except Aveda’s Invati line because Invati has a scalp cleanser already in it that can cause your scalp to have adverse effects and actually become dry. So once your done with the Purifying Scalp Cleanser, wet and shampoo your hair as you normally would.

At this point in the treatment and if you are in an Aveda salon you can opt in for the Pramāsana ‘Nourishing Scalp Masque’ (available only at the salon) which is specifically designed to nourish your scalp after it is properly cleansed. Think of it as the serums or brightening mask you would apply before the moisturizer you would use. It’s an intensive hydrating and nourishing treatment for your roots!

“Cleanse your Scalp. Shampoo is for hair.” - Aveda

Whether you do the mask or not you can go ahead at this point and finish your routine of conditioning and washing your hair. Before you blow dry and add in your heat protection products now is when you use the Pramāsana ‘Protective Seal Concentrate’. This lightweight serum sinks into your scalp and nourishes the skin while also protecting it from further future build up. The Protective Seal Concentrate can be added to both wet and dry hair. In my case Gabo, my Senior Civello Stylist, applied it directly to my roots on the top horseshoe portion of my hair before massaging it in (again 3-4 minutes is really all you need) before finally blowdrying and styling my hair.

Further things I learned about the Pramāsana line:

• The aroma features grapefruit, neroli and cypress!

• The treatment at Civello is $65 without the ‘Nourishing Scalp Masque’ and is $95 with.

• Both males and females should consider looking into the health of their scalp especially if they are experiencing hair loss, breakage or malnourished hair.

• It doesn’t effect colour treated hair however it shouldn’t be done until 4-5 days after you get your hair newly coloured since your roots will be sensitive from the dyes you used during your colouring.

Lastly did you know that all Aveda products are cruelty free!? That’s right, no testing on animals! All of the products (except the Nourishing Scalp Masque) can be purchased in an Aveda store or at Aveda Salon’s and Spa’s and retail for:

Pramāsana Exfoliating Scalp Brush - $28 CAN

Pramāsana Purifying Scalp Cleanser - $45 CAN

Pramāsana Protective Scalp Concentrate - $57 CAN

I thoroughly enjoyed my treatment and, like I said before, walked away believing in the importance of a healthy scalp. It’s definitely safe too say that I will be using the Pramāsana line at home and incorporating it weekly into my routine - not to mention doing a whole lot more hair flipping! LOL

PURE + SIMPLE - SPA REVIEW

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Pure + Simple - Eglinton Location (2375 Yonge St, Toronto, ON M4P 2C8) Tel: 416.481.2081

Pure + Simple is an all-natural skincare and wellness spa that was recommended to me by a fellow blogger and friend MoVernie on the MOVE. Although I have never been to Pure + Simple before it seems to be a very well known spa and many peoples hidden secret - and now I know why, but the secret is OUT!

Pure + Simple has been helping people achieve beautiful and natural skin since the 2000s’. The owner Jean Eng battled with severe acne almost her whole life and once she started to see her daughter going through the same battle, she decided to do something about it. In the past, harsh ointments and antibiotics prescribed by esthetician and dermatologists left her skin with scares and redness and she knew her daughter and many others were destined for the same fate – but not if she could help it.

Jean went to school to learn about skincare, first as a curiosity, but was soon inspired to open her own natural spa concept and design a line of holistic, chemical free products now known as the beloved Pure + Simple.

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One thing that I love about Pure + Simple is that KNOWLEDGE IS POWER! Every single esthetician is there to help you achieve your skin goals.  On top of their exceptional services they also offer a variety of products – all holistic – from numerous brands, not just their own. The company and the people that work there all share common core values: natural safe skincare always, sustainable business practices and the notion to treat each client as an individual with their own special problems and needs. 

Pure + Simple aims to maximize the experience and comfort of their clients – and they deliver! Through choosing all-natural skincare products they provide some of the best products out there without compromising on services or results. If you are trying to live a healthy lifestyle, are battling with acne or are pregnant you should consider treating yourself to a Pure + Simple facial.

When I went in for my facial last week my lovely esthetician Caitlin shared a multitude of eye opening skincare tips that I had never heard before. As I said before at Pure + Simple knowledge is power which is why they take the time to explain simple skincare tips to help you achieve your skincare goals.

Now I am going to share those tips with you!

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Pure + Simple products recommended to me by my esthetician Caitlin

1) Hydration is good BUT – just because you drink 8 glasses of water doesn’t mean you are going to have beautifully hydrated skin. As a matter of fact, your skin is the last organ on your body to benefit from how much water you drink. That doesn’t mean you should stop drinking water it just means that topical creams that are water-based hydrate your skin directly and are more effective at producing beautifully hydrated skin.

2) Always go from THINNEST TO THICKEST – after cleansing your face before you apply your creams, remember to always apply the thinnest cream to the thickest cream.

3) AVOID THE EYES – face cream and eye creams are two different things. Eye creams are deliberately developed to prevent Milia – white small bumps on the eyelid caused by keratin buildup. Do not worry these small bumps are not dangerous and are not like pimples because there is no pore. They can however be easily removed and Pure + Simple can help you with that.

4) Don’t BOX yourself in – everyone has a different skincare footprint/needs. The majority of people do not fall into one skincare category but actually multiple. There may be areas of oiliness but other areas may be red and in need of hydration. Your skincare regime should reflect your personal needs.

5) Your body produces oils NOT water – when picking the proper skincare products examine weather your skin is red or inflamed. Water based products will help sooth and hydrate your skin. That does not mean oil based products wont, it just means your skincare needs are personal and therefore your products and skincare regime should be personalized to.

6) Do you ingest CHEMICALS? – Then why would you put them on your skin? Anything we put on our skin is absorbed into our bodies’ circulatory system, meaning it can directly contribute or detract our overall health. That is why skincare products that have safe and natural ingredients are essential. Avoid parabens, petrochemicals, silicones, phthalates, sulfates, or synthetic fragrances + dyes.

7) Serums? What are they? – serums, by definition, are skincare products you can apply to your skin after cleansing but before moisturizing with the intent of delivering powerful ingredients directly into the skin. Although serums are suppose to be water based (and therefore more absorbent) there are many serums out there that are oil based.

Today Pure + Simple has 4 locations (one in Waterloo) with one more on the way (Beaches - coming soon).  On top of having 4 brick and mortar locations they also have all their products available online for purchase on the Pure + Simple website. If you feel like coming into a store to ‘try before you buy’ (which I recommend for any first timers) the staff at Pure + Simple will gladly offer you free samples and a free skincare analysis. If natural makeup products are what you are after they can help color match product for you. If you are looking to change your lifestyle and try some natural products and services I definitely recommend Pure + Simple.  I know I’ll be going back soon.

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Couldn't leave without picking up some stocking stuffers!

To learn more about Pure + Simple or to book your next appointment check out their website -> HERE

If you have any questions please feel free to leave them in the comments below!