DIY Purifying Green Tea Mask

Clays are traditionally used in skin care for their drawing properties - as they dry they pull out excess oil and dirt and leave the skin feeling clean. This mask uses bentonite clay, which can be found at health-food stores.

Ingredients:
1 tsp green tea*
2 tsps aloe vera gel**
1 tsp honey
1/2 Tbsp bentonite clay***
1 drop lavender essential oil

Equipment Needed:
Non-metal mixing bowl
Non-metal spatula (I use wooden chop sticks)

*Steep 1 green tea tea bag in 1 cup of hot water for 5-10 minutes. Set aside to cool while gathering the rest of the ingredients.

**Aloe Vera gel can be found in most grocery store pharmacies. It is a thin liquid that is sold for internal consumption NOT the thick gel found with the sunscreen/burn lotions. Natural aloe vera gel is thick when it is first cut & released from the plant, but then the enzymes in the gel break down leaving a watery substance.

***The bentonite clay that I use is mined here in Nevada, about 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas in Pahrump. Its called Health & Beauty Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. It is 100% bentonite clay, also known as green clay.

Combine the green tea, aloe vera gel, and honey in a non-metal mixing bowl and stir well. Slowly sprinkle in bentonite clay while stirring. Add the lavender essential oil and combine well.

This is the fun part! You get to decide where you want to use it! You can apply it to your face like a typical clay mask OR you can apply it to your feet! My feet!? Yep, your feet! Why? Multiple reasons actually; clay is drawing, meaning that it is going to pull impurities from the skin. Got stinky-sandal wearing-going barefoot-summer feet? Do you take your shoes off and think "omg is that MY feet!?" This will help.

The feet are also one of the places on the body that will absorb essential oils the quickest. Lavender essential oil is well known for its calming properties. As the clay is detoxing your skin, the lavender essential oil is being absorbed and working its magic to calm/soothe the nerves, making this a relaxing ritual.

This mask can also be applied to the back or chest area where there may be problem skin.

Let the clay dry for 5-10 minutes and then rinse off with warm water. As the clay is drying you will feel a pulling and tightening sensation.

TIP: Mix 1/2 cup sugar & 1/4 cup of honey in a small bowl. Add 1 squirt of liquid hand/body soap (the amount you would use to wash your hands). Mix well. Wet your feet, scoop some of your sugar mix onto your fingertips and rub in small circles on your feet. This will not only help to remove the clay mask a bit quicker, but it will also exfoliate and soften your feet while rinsing clean! Enjoy!