Chocolate facial – you should try it!

CHOCOLATE – YUM!!  But on the face ?!

Chocolate is soooo yummy!!  But did you know that chocolate makes a good facial mask as well ?! I’d heard of it but never really paid much attention to it. Besides, given the choice, I would much rather eat it.  However, when I attended an all day skin care workshop they suggested something different. And guess what? They recommended a  chocolate facial!  BTW, this picture of the tree is what chocolate looks like when it’s growing. Doesn’t look quite as appetising as the finished product does it?

Anyway, it got me to thinking. After all, the workshop was run by a trained beautician. She should know what she’s talking about. Of course she did. The day was crammed full of fascinating information.  We got to pamper our faces as well. But not with the chocolate facial unfortunately.

I love experimenting with DIY concoctions at home – mostly on myself. My family (or I should say hubby) is not that keen to volunteer parts of his body for smearing with suspicious looking goo. He’s traumatised enough seeing it on me! The stuff of nightmares he reckons….he may have a point.

WHAT IS CHOCOLATE MADE FROM ?

Before I get to the nitty gritty of recipes, I just want to tell you a bit of what I learnt about chocolate. It’s called cacao in it’s past life – before turning into chocolate that is.The Mayans And Aztecs have been using it forever it seems. As a food, as currency, for trade.  Chocolate is made from the bean of the cacao fruit. Fresh cacao is considered one of the superfoods because it’s so rich in antioxidants. More than 320 different kinds apparently. They’re the little hero beasties that fight free radicals. Which are the little demons that do a lot of damage to us inside and out. Found in pollution, radiation, smoke, chemicals and other horrid things, free radicals are the culprits that can also cause wrinkles, loss of skin elasticity, skin damage, cancer…

This is where the hero beastie comes charging in to mop up the damage. There’s oodles of reasons why the cacao bean is good for you.  I’m only concentrating on the skin thing.

Now that you know a bit about it, let’s get down to the mask stuff. This is the recipe we were introduced to at the workshop:

CHOCOLATE FACE MASK

1 teaspoon of organic cacao powder

Organic coconut oil – enough to make a spreadable paste

(I found both of these on my local supermarket shelves)

2 – 3 drops each of the following essential oils  (*optional):

Sandalwood

Frankincense

Geranium

Ylang Ylang

(*All of these essential oils play a key role in rejuvenating your skin. However, it’s not necessary to use them all. You might prefer to use one or two. Geranium and Lavender are both great for all skin types.)

Stir them into the paste well. Spread it on your face. I used my fingers. You might want to do it properly and use a brush!  Avoid your eyes. Then go and lie down for half an hour somewhere calm and peaceful. Have a nanna nap. Play some soothing music. Maybe even meditate….

Rinse off with warm water. Tone. Moisturise.

It’s best to use the mask as soon as it is made so your skin can benefit from  the maximum therapeutic components of the essential oils.

A WORD ABOUT ESSENTIAL OILS

Do yourself a favour and only use 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oil. Personally I prefer to use Young  Living oils as  I know and trust the quality –         Raili at Young Living

Enjoy  the Chocolate Face Mask experience!  Let me know how you go.

WANT TO LEARN MORE ?

Here’s some links if you want to learn more about cacao and dark chocolate:

Dark chocolate for skin hair, health

Chocolate – Antioxidants and Free Radicals

Dark chocolate – why it’s good for you

Dark Chocolate Face Mask

 

(C)  Raili Tanska at Soul Gifts