BEAUTY 911!
Goddess Granny here needing to be rescued herself in a BIG way: I will officially be a "Senior Citizen" this week and let me tell you,it's been one HELLUVA' ride so far! I can remember having to get "creative" in order to pull my butt out of more than one or two dramas but usually with a bit of lipgloss and luck,things eventually went my way...
I'm also a huge fan of the TV show of FX named "Rescue Me" and let me just say that those NYC firefighters could absolutely drag me out of any situation without a whimper of protest! Hey...I'm merely considered "old" not dead,
Looking forward to the rest of my journey and am SO glad to have all of my darlin' Megettes with me for the fun!The best really IS yet to come.
I have yet another fabulous friend who's a makeup artist (not the Monistat one) and it's SO nice to have those friends in colorful places who are skilled with brushes,LOL! Recently she was working in Austin,TX. on a movie set,it's becoming quite a "mecca" for film-makers especially indies and it's a happening town to boot...lots of stars,bars,cowboys,and places to hear great music!
A "noted" actress (no names,we don't do snarky on Meg's,
!) was due on the set a couple of weeks ago and my friend was gearing up to make her even more gorgeous when a crisis took hold: the actress showed up still "partying" from the night before and not only was she rather grubby but she had some sort of "airbrushed" foundation/body makeup on allllll over including her face that had literally settled so deep into her pores that little brown dots of un-lovely were front and center! Her skin was "less than perfect" to start with and the product had also left her bumpy,red,and irritated...not good for those close ups!
My friend's a true-pro,and after getting her into the shower,she dispatched an assistant down to the market for some "911 Skin supplies": generic un-coated aspirin, a lemon,and some rosemary.
I know you're thinking: she made her take aspirin and made her some tea,right??? Nope,but I'm gonna' share her trick with you and you'll also know why she gets paid the big bucks for what she knows!!!
This is good. Really,really good...and for pennies!
To start,boil some water: the MOST challenged cooks among us can manage this! Then slice up the lemon and add it and the rosemary to the hot water in a large bowl or basin being careful not to fill to high.Wash your face and grab a clean towel...you're going to sit and relax a bit while you drape that towel over your head and steam your skin! Use common sense here...you want gentle steam,not scorch...you'll know if it's too hot or too close and adjust accordingly.
The rosemary smells AMAZING and will help to open those pores: this herb increases perspiration and helps respiration while having natural antiseptic and anti-imflamatory properties...you can use another herb like lavender if you prefer or flowers or simply lemon,whatever pleases you in terms of scent.
I have rosemary growing in a pot year 'round so I tried her suggestion to the letter.
THEN,after you have steamed out all the crud of the ages and feel wonderful relaxed,you're going back to work: take some,maybe 20-25 of those un-coated generic aspirin (NOT Ibuprofen or Tylenol,HAS to be regular ol' Aspirin...) and either crush them up in a bowl ,I used a ziplock and whacked away at them with a wine bottle...nothing but class...or add a few at a time to a SMALL amount of water until you have a paste.
If you've opted to whack-a mole-the pills to let out some frustration,add the small amount of water when your're finished.
Either way,your goal is a smooth-paste that isn't too runny.
Damped a cotton ball and apply this mixture to your freshly steam-cleaned skin.THIS is important: DON'T get it into your eyes...it will burn.Just gently smooth it on,being very careful to avoid the eye-area as you would with any face-mask and let it dry say 15 minutes or so.It will get sort of "flakey" as it drys and you'll know when to rinse off with cool water.
Again: do NOT get into your eyes when rinsing,LOL!
Be a bit careful but trust me it's worth a bit of effort.
Pat dry and after your skin dries a bit be prepared to be utterly amazed: mine was soft,smooth,even-toned with almost no redness anywhere,even the "old uglies" looked lighter and nicer! The aspirin has again,anti-inflamatory properties AND one of the main ingredients is "acetyl salicylic acid" aka beta hydroxy which is widely used in fine products to red skin of deal cells and prevent clogged pores!
I will honestly admit that I was rendered speechless by this simple but amazingly effective "skin 911" that my friend told me really DID save her butt on that movie set,her actress also couldn't believe how 20 minutes and a few simple ingredients "fixed" a helluva' lot of damage.She was able to get her all pretty and ready for her closeup with a lot less work after this rescue!
The nice thing is,your skin will look even better in the morning if you use this method at night!
Don't overdo: once a week would suffice but I am here to tell ya' that THIS is one of the best "saves" of my life in terms of really helping to get sluggish,tired,broken-out,or just plain old used and abused skin back into shape FAST!!! Lately mine has seen too many sweaty-workouts and had been ravaged a bit by a 3-day virus and I was delighted beyond belief with the results!
I showed you mine,now I'm challenging all Megettes everywhere to post YOUR best,most awe-inspiring,and effective "Beauty 911" trick!!!
Come on all you pros,counter peeps,wanna' be's,mavens,and addicts...what product,plan,tool,technique,or person saves YOUR gorgeous butt in a true beauty emergency???
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I've tired the aspirin and yogurt mask before and I wasn't a fan. Yogurt smells funny and it was cold and dripped right off my face. I was afraid start aspirin paste would be too irritating but this seems I was wrong! I would most definitely try that, the steaming part- probably not. I HATE steaming my face. I feel like I'm suffocating in some sweaty gross body part I don't want to be in. My head starts to throb and my eyes burn. It's just not for me. My best 911 beauty treatment? Charcoal paste for an overnight treatment for a pimple. Dries it out faster than anything I have every found without destroying the skin. I like to mix it with a little mud or clay-type mask for extra blemish-fighting power! Also, a major treatment for post-dinner dragon breath is some form of lemon juice. Lemon candy also works well. Kills those odors in no time flat!
Two of my quick fixes are :A fine layer of Neosporin+ Pain Relief after any facial wax, to reduce redness and sting before you leave the house or salon. For hair emergencies, a low chignon has loads more style than a pony tail, clip or God forbid a scruchie.
Indi
"God forbid a scrunchie"...I LOVE IT!
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
i will be trying the aspirin masque tonight! thanks!!!i am a huge fan of baking soda facial scrub and plain table salt body scrub. costs pennies and makes you smooth as silk - naturally follow with your fav moisturizer after or use pure shea butter. it's WONDERFUL!i also mix baking soda with shampoo to clarify my hair (mix with shampoo and scrub hair & scalp - then conditioner) and rinse with apple cider vinegar... which is also a fab astringent.i love cheap!
How I LOVE LOVE LOVE tips like this! Many thanks to you and your wise friend! I am certainly going to try this! I don't know if I have any great tips or tricks to share (I'm still learning) but I am always willing to try something that can be created in the kitchen. I love knowing exactly what I'm putting on my body, how cheap these home recipes and concoctions can be, and how amazing the results are!! It seems to me that the best, most miracle working ingredients are usually simple and natural. Yet, when you buy products in the store that market those simple, natural ingredients it costs you a bundle, and if you can force yourself to read through the mumbo-jumbo on the ingredient list, those miracle workers are usually listed all of the way at the bottom! With crap like alcohol being at the top! Why is this???Anyway, one of my favorite things to do is before I go to bed I gunk, yes gunk, my hair with anything that can add moisture. I have heard that the cuticle absorbs more when it is dry than compared to when wet, so I figured why not put it on at night so it can soak in for 8 hours instead of trying to penetrate my soaking strands for 3 minutes while I'm showering? So I scrounge up anything I can find for my desperately quenched locks. I am not sure if all of these are technically recommended or proven to work, but I will say I have noticed a big difference in my hair from doing this. Ok, so I've used baby oil, olive oil, vaseline, banana, avocado, egg, honey, lotion, conditioning treatments like Ojon, and of course my regular conditioner from Aquage. I just comb as much through as my hair will hold, put on a shower cap (or a towel on my pillow) and sleep my way to better hair. So there is my kind-of tip. :)But I'm sure that most of you know this since it's guaranteed at least half of those ideas came from Meg's anyway!Muah!
GG you have convinced me, I am going to try the aspirin mask, along with the steaming. I have fresh rosemary and I love to steam. I haven't done it ages though. I don't have any great secret tip, will have to ponder this. Most of mine are all pretty well known.And Happy Birthday!
Hello There. Thanks for sharing 9-11 secret. I love your latest remedy. It could not be more accessible . . . I have lavender and rosemary right in my garden. Ironically, they both could use a good trim back.
I would be hard to pressed to beat this recipe . . .
Personally, I spot treat with Retinol and Retin A when my skin flares up. I also will drench my hair in conditioner all day before a big night out.
Too true Angie! Just when I think there can't possibly be another "new" trick one of us gives birth to beauty greatness and voila!, a star is born. Goddess Granny, you are a true role model to all of us here at Meg's. "The best is yet to come", lifted my whole heart. How the heck do you know so many cool people? Like being drawn and attracted to like is definitely one of the reasons.Recently, I realized I squint and draw my brows together waaaay to much. Not only does that give the look of perpetual anger but it also creates major wrinkles. (As discussed in our "frownies" discussion, right?) I have found that it is almost impossible to draw your brows together and smile at the same time. Now, instead of sporting the perpetual angry look, I am a smiling fool! Of course, smiling at inappropriate times can lead to laughing at inappropriate times. No biggie, I have always been guilty of doing that. Just ask my high school principal....... Detention anyone?
i have been using aspirin mask for a year now and helped greatly with break outs. u can mix it with your favorite cleanser as well to make a scrub
What a great idea and recipe. Maybe white willow bark added to the mix would be good too? White Willow is Asprin in it's natural form. It's the perfect recipe the way it is, however, and one I am sure to try! Thanks for another great post, you ROCK!
What is white willow bark?
Other Names: Salix alba, white willow, willow barkWhite willow bark is a tree native to Europe and Asia. The name "white willow" comes from the color of the leaves, which are covered with fine white hairs.The use of white willow bark medicinally goes far back. Ancient Egyptians used white willow for inflammation. The Greek physician Hippocrates wrote about white willow's medicinal uses in 5th century B.C.In 1829, scientists in Europe identified what was believed to be the active ingredient in white willow bark—a compound called salicin. Public demand grew rapidly.Extracting salicin from herbs was considered to be expensive and time-consuming, so a synthetic salicylic acid version was developed in Germany in 1852 and quickly became the treatment of choice (salicin is converted in the body to salicylic acid).The problem was that it was harder on the stomach. At therapeutic doses, people using the synthetic salicyclic acid developed stomach ulcers and bleeding.The German company Bayer eventually created a synthetic, less harsh derivative of salicylic acid, called acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), and mass-produced it under the name aspirin. Despite this, aspirin is still known for irritating the stomach lining.
Goddess Granny, you CRACK ME UP! "I used a ziplock and whacked away at them with a wine bottle...nothing but class..." Seriously, I laughed out loud. :-PThanks for the awesome aspirin mask and steaming "recipes". I'd love to try the aspirin mask but was wondering if it's ok for sensitive skin? (I'm on Accutane, and my skin is super sensitive and easily damaged).
♥ Lipgloss and Spandex: a blog for gals who look good and run fast
I love this mask! Ingredients are so cheap and easy to come by. Anyone could make this mask.
WOO! HOO! thank you i have been waiting for some help with my skin, i am having some stressful times and i show it on my face. thanks for hte great advice, i will try this and get back to ya :)
j.baby
GG - you are a rockstar! I cannot wait to try the steaming and the mask. Thank you for sharing the great recipes. I have rosemary in my little bitty herb garden so I'm good to go. BTW, don't even think twice about the senior citizen thing. You still look fabulous - and you'd have to carry around your birth certificate to prove you deserve the discounts - LOL.
Carole
Y'all are SO damn delightful,I swear...I get more pleasure from your posts than anything with batteries!!!It truly is a miracle fix and if my super-sensitive skin responded well to it,I'd probably guess that with common sense and restraint,if necessary,it would be "okay" to use on any skin...maybe water it down a bit more and leave on for less-time? I'd do a test first before slathering it allllll over for sure! I do know a "lot of cool people" it seems but I think it's because I honestly AM the same way in "real life" as I am online...pretty much what ya' see and all that and find that easy-going,funny,creative,people who LOVE life and try to see that glass as 1/2 full really DO seem to gravitate towards similar personalities!I am so lucky,I swear!
Lotion as a frizz cream!! I discovered the acne mask through Michelle Phan's YouTube videos.
Great tips ladies! I will definitely be trying the mask!
www.nanisnails.blogspot.com
Yes, I've heard about the famous aspirin mask! I haven't tried this one because I'm all too lazy to buy aspirin. LOL
Ahhh the asprin mask! I've heard so much about this! And one of my friends SWEARS it works for her too!!
¤wuzzyangel¤
I'm definitely going to try this. My 2 homemade remedies are buy a tub of aqueous cream, and mix a small bottle of glycerine into it. You can add a blob to your bathwater to make it less drying, use it as a body, hand and foot moisturizer, and it makes a great scrub. Just take about a cup of it, add a drop or two of lavender, or whatever your fave essential oil is, and add sugar. The nice thing is sugar scrubs usually melt too quickly for me - here if you need to scrub more, you just add more sugar.....The other one I absolutely swear by. Tea bags (boil water, pour over 2 tea bags - just a little, give them a minute, them gently squeeze out water, and let them cool a bit - ordinary tea, not herbal) on the eyes for about 10 minutes. It is drying so follow with a good eye cream. I'm very prone to puffiness, and there is nothing that works as well and as fast as this one. It also works for redness.Thanks for all the great tips....
Rie
I've heard that asprin masks can also help with acne. I don't really know why I've never tried one out (lazy, I guess?). It seems pretty simple to make and also inexpensive, which is wonderful!The steam thing though, I'd have to pass on the rosemary. The scent of rosemary is definitely not my favorite, but the lemon sounds really nice.
my best beauty 911 is to let the hair down put on some good concelear and some lashes or mascara- that usually makes me feel great
-Miss Yaya
http://myownjudge.blogspot.com/
Thank you so much for this, I'll definitely have to try it out. And thank you to everyone else for posting their tips! I can't think of any tips at the moment, but when I do, I'll be sure to share them!
Lately, I've been hearing a lot about the aspirin mask. I just might have to give this one a try. My beauty secret is makeup, especially foundation. Foundation gives my face a clear and even tone. If, I don't have much time, I will at least apply foundation. Concealer is also important to cover any blemishes. I also like to fill in my brows and apply eyeliner. And I feel great.
I tried this, it really works! I'm so happy =) thank you
This sounds so good! Goddess Granny your are such a great role model for all of us. I love all your post and reviews. In my dreams I would love to sit with you with some good wine and listen to all your adventures and stories, that would be the BEST night with lots of other great megettes. I can't wait to try this steam and mask. I have all the herbs in my herb garden, just have to go get myself a bottle of Aspirin ;-) Thanks for sharing this great tip!My beauty "911" would be for my feet. I get really really bad cracked feet in the summer. I usualy gardening in flip flops which really aggravates my husband. Who knows maybe that's why I keep doing it. Haha... Anyways I saw this on Oprah the two time I've watch her this year and probably the only two times. Step 1: you use the pedi peg on your cracked feet and scrape off the dead skin.Step 2: wipe your feet with Stridex pads (yes the ones for your face)Step 3: Rub your feet with some petroleum base cream like vaseline or Aquaphor (any good cream) Step 4: put on your white sox and go to bed. As per the lady on the show (Don't remember her name, i don't watch this show often enough to know) do this for one week and you will never have cracked feet again. I've tried this and it really works my feet are the best they've ever been, the dirt from gardening come right off now and I don't have to scrub my feet for hours anymore and I would still have all dirt stains on my feet. Not anymore! But I do have to re-do it once in a while not for the whole week but once or twice for maintenance.
Hmmm. I shall have to try this aspirin mask and see how it works! I don't necessarily have really bad acne - just the pimple or two from time to time - but I have blackheads all over the place! I have tried so many products geared towards blackheads but none of them have worked. Does anybody have any suggestions?
I have a quick 911 preventative....for you blondies out there who swim a lot in chlorinated pools (as I always do) if you rinse your hair with COLD water before getting in the water it will close off the hair shaft, prevent chlorine from entering and wrecking you hair and will keep it from turning green!!!!!!!!!
Love, hugs and shoes...Angie
♥ My tip is to use non stick olive oil cooking spray that I buy in the can, and spray it all through my hair. Let it saturate the strands and leave on as long as you like. Wash out THOROUGHLY (very important or you will smell like pasta salad) This conditions my tresses with no distresses-- LOL !!!
Lulu you beat me to it, I was also going to suggest that. I didn't see it on Oprah but my mom recommended it to me cuz I get really cracked feet in the summer too.
www.nanisnails.blogspot.com
One of my beauty 911's to get rid of a zit (especially those deep blackheads)fast is to put toothpaste or calamine lotion on it. It helps to bring it up to the surface and dry it out.
This is my fave beauty 911. It's so simple & effective. Thanks for reminding me about this. Will def do it next week. My beauty 911 is applying hot oils in my hair (usually coconut oil or almond oil). I don't like purchasing hot oil treatments from the store for some reason, so I just go to the Indian grocery store & grab a big bottle of coconut oil & put it in the microwave for a minute before applying it. I apply oil in my hair once a week for 3-4 hours. It leaves my hair soft, reduces frizz, and it helps with my dry scalp as well.http://saimese.blogspot.com
I have been doing the aspirin mask for about 3 years now. It does a wonderful job at clearing up breakouts. I mix a little bit of honey in with the aspirin. This help the aspirin adhere to the skin and ,also, honey is a good bacteria killer. I let it sit while I relax and bathe. Then when I am ready I take a washcloth of gently scrub. This make a GREAT exfoliant. This is the best at home all-in-one mask.
A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.
-Coco Chanel
I do the aspirin mask too, it's really great for making your skin look brighter and more clarified. Make sure you get the uncoated kind, though.
First thing I want to say thank you for this post ! why? cause I read everywhere aspirine mask aspirin mask it's great blablabla.....I wanted to give it a try so I checked in my bathroom what kind of aspirine I had...and the only thing I found was Ibuprofen ! lool I was going to use it until I read here NO Ibuprofen !!!I will go get some aspirin and I swear I won't put it in my EYES lol
Chloe http://thehollywoodheels.blogspot.com
<3 Asprin Mask truly amazing and the supplies (which you can buy the dollar store for a total of 3 dollars +tax will last for at least a month!!!)Awesome!!!!
i love this thread! i use the aspirin mask but will steam my face with lemon and rosemary first next time- afterwards i like to rub honey on my face leave for ten mins then wash off it helps to moisturise and makes my face so soft!tonight i am going to sleep with bannana on my hair! hope its worth it! lol
Hi lovely ladies :-) I've never tried the asprin mask I'm a bit scared too !!!
I've heard a lot about aspirin masks but I haven't tried them. You've convinced me. Off to the drugstore I go!
I love the Asprin Mask, but I cant do it too too often or it dries my skin out : ))It makes your skin so smooth and lovely! : ))
Switchstar I had heard that it can dry your skin out that's why I was a bit scared to try it !!!
You just dont want to do it too often, and if you mix a bit less Lemon Juice (you kinda need the lemon juice to dissolve the asprin though) and a bit more honey, and put it on your skin before you wash, this keeps your natural oils in your skin a bit more so it doesn't dry it as much : )
Switchstar Thanks for the info sweetie I would love to have a go at this and might just give it ago soon :-) xx
It is always worth shot- just don't scrub the cheeks too hard ;)
I love this mask! The gentle abrasive nature never irritates my sensitive skin and the alpha hydroxy acid leaves my skin smooth and glowing :)I'm also a fan of freezing used tea bags and putting them on my eyes in the morning to depuff!
Try it for a few times before :) I like it too. I heard that Milk of Magnesia has the similar function to beautify your skin. It seems can cure acnes (because it kinda dries the acnes out). MoM has some tiny tiny granules that can work as a scrub. I have MoM myself but I haven't used it as a mask. I use it as a primer to stop my oil fom messing my makeup. It works pretty good :)
This sounds great! I am going to try it tomorrow, thanks!
So I just finished this whole process (minus the rosemary, I forgot to buy it). My skin feels amazing! I steamed my face with the hot water and lemon (which was perfect cause I was cutting up lemons and limes for tonight's festivities!), I only stayed over the steam for about 5 minutes. Then I put the aspirin mixture on my face (don't forget to mash em up before you steam), I would say it was on for 10-15 when all of a sudden it looked like I had dandruff coming my face. It washed off very easily and when I looked in the mirror I could absolutely see a difference! I decided to follow up with coconut cream masque (yes it smells as good as it sounds-it's from eminence) for a little extra moisture. Honestly I feel like I just had a mini facial-I will definitely be doing this again!Thank you for the recipe!
I keep hearing about this trick in forums, youtube, blogs, but I just haven't tried it yet.. my skin is really sensitive!
My beauty blog: http://igknowidea.blogspot.com <br> My crafting blog: http://craftyandallthat.blogspot.com
I tend to have sensitive skin too, and this mask doesn't bother my skin at all. I really look forward to doing it and my skin always feels great after. I just got Mark's Calm Yourself in my pack from Meg (thanks!!) I used this after my steaming/aspirin mask and i swear my skin is so much brighter smoother and clearer immediately after! I love love love this mask, thank you again GG!!!!