Homemade Skin Care Recipe: Seaweed exfoliating mask

Tip description / details:
The full name of this mask is 'Super Nutritive Seaweed Exfoliating Mask', and I was inspired by an article on Japanese skincare tips; when it came to diet, it was highlighted that their consumption of seaweed may explain their generally lovely, glowing complexions-- this sea vegetable being rich in various vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants vital for skinhealth. Since the seaweed in grocery stores comes in a dried sheet form, I decided to grind it into a semi-fine powder, to be mixed with a few other ingredients and applied topically. As for the other ingredients, I thought to pair it with rice flour because of it's purported skin-lightening effects, and for extra exfoliation. The cooling yogurt and the healing honey serve as the soothing base in this recipe: the lactic acid in yogurt, as an alpha-hydroxy acid, acts as an alternative and more profound exfoliant, and the honey is, of course, antibacterial.

Ingredients:
yogurt, 1 tbsp; honey, 1/2 tbsp; rice flour, 1 tsp +; seaweed powder, 1 tsp +

How to prepare:
First, you prepare the base by mixing the yogurt and honey. Mix this thoroughly so it is a nice creamy color. Next you spoon the rice flour and seaweed powder in, alternately. Mix it all together. Now the seaweed has tinted the mixture darker. From here you can add more of the scrubby substances, or simply leave it as is, depending on how you like the consistency; I prefer it thicker so I usually double the rice and seaweed. This makes it more paste like. I prepare it a few hours before, so all the nutrients can interact and "deepen". It should be put in the refrigerator, covered, then fifteen minutes before using, you can put it in the freezer. This makes it so it feels incredibly cool on applying.

How to use:
Wash your face. You can then apply the mask with either a cotton pad or your bare fingers-- make sure these are clean. Tip: don't apply too generously because it will be a little harder to remove. Leave on for fifteen to twenty minutes, without any SCRUBBING. You should first let the nutrients seep into your skin, then you can scrub away. To remove: moisten hands and rub your face with upward, circular motions, focusing on the areas where you'd like a little more exfoliation to happen. Do this as gently as possible, though. So as to not cause any irritation or skin breakage. You can exfoliate for up to five minutes. Then wash it all off. The process is a little messy, yes, but the results are totally worth it. Your face will feel optimally refreshed and nourished.

Results (observed by submitter):
Over time (on a once a week basis) I got smoother, softer skin; reduction of blackheads; lighter skin tone; fading of acne marks

Costs involved: