Kitchen Sink Beauty: Honey-Lemon Face Mask

     I have struggled with acne and troublesome skin since my freshman year of high school. It hit all of a sudden, and with serious force. We're talking painful, cystic acne that was almost impossible to cover up. My face was left with heavy scarring and redness, that nothing could combat. I literally tried every drugstore cleanser and spot treatment, and even ordered the three-step kit that all the celebrities endorse. Nothing seemed to help, at least not for long. And, I was usually left with another problem if it did help with my pimples; dryness, peeling, burning, etc. My acne started to decrease in severity when I left for college, but the scarring and uneven tone of my skin was still very noticeable. I had perfected a very long and complicated make-up routine to conceal my imperfections, but that of course led to a whole new type of acne. Which sucked.

     Now, at twenty, I have finally found that the secret in achieving better skin is simplifying your routine and sticking to one thing if you find that it works for you, despite how tempting it is to try every product promising you perfect skin. NOBODY'S SKIN IS PERFECT. Shocking, huh? I use a few great products, and better quality/less makeup to conceal areas that I'm still self-conscious of. I also stopped stressing about my skin so much because that certainly didn't help my cause. Acne sucks, and for some of us, it doesn't just stop after your teen years. And, you have to learn how to deal with that.

While trying to discover products that might truly work for me, I learned a lot about natural remedies and how they can be used to help my specific problems. So, this will be the first of (hopefully) many "Kitchen Sink Beauty" remedies. 

One day, I'd like to make the switch to only using homemade skin-care products, but for now I just incorporate them around my current routine. Like, this honey-lemon mask. This is great for dark spots and dryness, and could not be easier to put together.You simply cut a lemon in half, and spread a few drops of honey on it.

Rub the lemon and honey directly onto your face in a circular motion, paying special attention to trouble areas. Leave the mixture on for 5-10 minutes, and rinse off with cold water. That's it! The honey is a great moisturizer, and the lemon aides in evening skin tone and removing redness from any pimples you currently have; which you can clearly see that I do. Whatevz. I use this method a few times a month, and it seems to have really helped with my redness.

I may never have the skin that I wish I did, but it is already significantly better than it once was. So, that's good enough for me. I'm excited to share more of my home remedies with you all. What things do you find help with troublesome skin?

With love,

Heather