Anti-Aging Face Mask

I was recently asked to be part of a Blogger Book Tour for author Peggy Kotsopoulos' new book Must Have Been Something I Ate.  This holistic nutrition guide delves into the connections between the foods we eat and how we look and feel... a simple concept that when put to use can create some pretty powerful results.  The book explores the correlation between food and mood, weight, beauty and health, with many whole food recipes broken down to explain the benefits of specific components.  I'm always interested in this type of information, but with the new baby on the way, I'm even more intrigued.  I had a serious energy dip after little J's birth and remember having to dig so, so deep to rally on those early mornings getting us all out the door to work and daycare.  Coffee played a huge supporting role, and while I'm sure it will again, I'd love to explore other ways to boost my energy, deepen my sleep and help me look and feel refreshed, naturally.  This book showed up at the just the right time!

As part of the book tour, bloggers are testing and sharing different recipes throughout the month of September.  While I'd normally be the first to sign up to make her Sprout Salad or Coconut Kelp Noodles, as I mentioned the other day, I no longer like food.  I'm in much more of a self-care place these days than an experimental cooking one, so I opted to try Peggy's Anti-Aging Face Mask. 

She recommends combining the following foods into a soothing facial:
Buttermilk: Contains alpha-hydroxyacid which rejuvenates skin and is often found in professional peels.
Avocado: The high-fat content and antioxidant vitamins A and E soften the skin.
Banana: Potassium revitalizes the skin.
Kiwi: High in antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin E.

You blend these items in a blender to create a little at-home, all-natural facial.  One thing I didn't love about the "recipe" is that she didn't include any amounts... just the ingredient list.  I used about 1/3 of a small banana, 1/2 a kiwi, 1/4 of a avocado and 1 tablespoon buttermilk and had enough for about 5 of these face masks.  It would have been perfect for a spa party with some friends, but when I tested this, all I had was myself, my dog and a napping toddler on hand, and unfortunately, due to the instability of the avocado, the mask really doesn't keep.  I hate wasting food, so this was kind of a bummer.  If you want to make the mask at home for one, I'd suggested a heaping tablespoon of each fruit and a little less than one of buttermilk.  For such a small amount, you could combine them by hand or use a mini-prep to blend them, which is what I did.  The result was this lovely green goop.

You simply apply the mask and let it sit on your skin for 20 minutes.  I was worried it would come glopping down onto my shirt and was pleased when it stayed put.  For your Friday entertainment, here I am mid-mask...

Check out XXL belly + awesome antiqued mirror frame on the bathroom mirror in this apartment!

I felt I was camouflaging with this painting in our dining room and had to share.

It was fun to whip up a little spa treat during naptime with ingredients we almost always have in the house (kiwi, banana, avo).  The only thing I had to buy specifically for the recipe was buttermilk, but at $1.99/bottle for the good stuff it was no biggie, and kind of great to have an excuse to make buttermilk pancakes and biscuits this week.  After I rinsed the mask off with lukewarm water, my skin definitely felt firmer and refreshed.  I've also had a lot of redness and inflammation in my skin since my third trimester started, and I noticed a significant diminishing of my red spots after using the mask, which was wonderful.  I'm excited to try some of the other beauty recipes in the book as well, including her homemade moisturizer recipes which, if they work, could be a huge money saver over time.  I'll share when I whip up those potions!  In the meantime, try this mask this weekend!  It's a simple and easy skincare treat to whip up in your own home kitchen for immediate results.

Wishing all of you a restful weekend complete with spa treats and 

best of luck to Peggy on the launch of Must Have Been Something I Ate!