An Easy Homemade Face Mask You Have To Try

With all this self-isolation time, we can all put in a little extra for skincare. I know that for me, I love slapping on a facemask of any kind to nourish my skin. I’ve got a few different types at home that I use regularly but I wanted to try something different and also give you all a new easy one to try, in case you haven’t stocked up on sheet masks or you’re running low on your usual masks.

I headed to Pinterest, the land of inspiration and had a look through different homemade facemasks and I came across this one that intrigued me because of it’s ingredients: cocoa powder, coffee and coconut oil. I knew the minute that you put those ingredients together it would smell like a dream. Then I had to think about the practicality of these elements together as a facemask. Here’s what I found through research.

The Benefits of Cocoa Powder, Coffee and Coconut Oil for the Skin

Cocoa Powder was a new one for me and I didn't actually know if it had any skin benefits. All I thought of was chocolate if I'm honest and how good it is in my tummy. I mean it's Latin name literally means "Food of the Gods", so.... But after some research, I've found that it can be beneficial in reducing "redness and inflammation caused by acne... (and) the flavonoids in it nourish the skin, boost elasticity and help reduce blemishes" (Pulse).  Packed with antioxidants, nourishing vitamins and minerals, Cocoa be truly beneficial (HDB).

Coffee seems to have many benefits, not just on the body which I've written about before, but also for the skin. The caffeine substance is being used for many different skin applications. Through use of coffee on the skin allowing for the dilation of blood vessels under the surface of the skin and improving overall bloodflow, cellulite appearance can be seen as lifted (Healthline). It can also aid in the anti-aging signs such as sun spots, redness, fine lines as well as dark circles. As coffee contains anti-inflammatory, antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties, it can also help fight acne, acne scarring and pigmentation by scrubbing away the dead skin cells and unclogging pores (MNT). According to Healthline, it can also help with the prevention of "non-melanoma skin cancers" due to it's high concentration of Vitamin B3 (niacin). A new benefit that I've learnt also is that coffee can be used for after-sun care when brewed fresh, diluted with cold water and applied to the skin (Healthline). 

Coconut Oil is one we've all heard about time and time again, I even wrote about it years ago. So I don't need to explain it far too much. Packed with antioxidants, fatty acids, lauric acid, it can be used from head to toe. Key component of coconut oil is Vitamin E, which is perfect for moisturising the skin (Byrdie). 

Recipe:

2 tbsp of fresh coffee grounds (I used instant coffee and ground it to a powder)

1 tbsp of cocoa powder

2 tbsp of coconut oil (I used virgin coconut oil)

I used this for Mum and I plus had leftovers, so if you’ve got a little container handy then save the rest for another few uses.

It’ll come together like a scrub style facemask so I massaged this into the skin and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Let mask soak in, relax and inhale the gorgeous smell. Honestly, it’s divine. Or even use it as a facial scrub if you're in need of a quicker fix! When removing the mask, I massaged the mask into get the full use of the coffee grounds and cocoa powder on the skin, then washed it off with warm water and pat dried with a face towel. 

 Your skin afterwards will feel super silky soft and it should aid any acne breakouts and pigmentation! Which is so beneficial for me right now with the few breakouts I’ve had – sigh. I actually noticed after one use (I know that sounds like utter rubbish but I did), that some of my pigmentation actually died down a little bit! If anything, this mask just left my face feeling soft and moisturised, plus the smell is like a chocolate cake which is soothing in any sense. This one is definitely one I'm going to continue to use and I'll update you on the benefits of it. It's so simple to make and use, so I recommend it!

What masks are you using right now to look after your skin? Are you making your own or have you got a stock of your favourites at home? If you've got any of your own recipes that you can't stop using, let me know because I'd love to try new ones. 

Sending you lots of love and hoping you're staying safe!

Emily xx

The Benefits of Drinking Black Coffee

I recently started drinking a black coffee every morning lately for a few reasons - one to coincide with my intermittent fasting as a plain drink, also to break the fact that the first thing I put into my body is usually a tea with milk and sugar. After I started drinking it, then going to the gym within half an hour to an hour afterwards, I found that I had so much more energy and my trainer confirmed that black coffee gives you that surge of energy. I've also noticed a change in my body in terms of bloating and digestion too. With all that being said, I've had a look into the benefits of drinking black coffee and thought I'd share them with you. 

1. Increase in energy: Well duh, it's caffeine. I think we all know this one because when we need a pick me up in the work day, we lean for a coffee. Whether it's making one at home or popping to the nearest Starbucks or Costa, we grab a coffee to get us through. But when you have a plain black coffee as opposed to say a caramel latte (my preference), it's going to give you that little bit more. 

2. Apparently, you can get a tad smarter: Take this one with a pinch of salt, it's not going to make you a genius but it'll improve your general mental functions, mood, reaction times and so on. Basically it'll keep you a little more focused. (Healthline)

3. Burn, baby, burn: This is probably the most exciting one for me, but again take it lightly. According to studies, black coffee is said to increase your metabolic rate from 3-11%. This can also be reduced overtime in habitual coffee drinkers too. So take a break every now and then too. 

4. That extra kick: Healthline says that "caffeine stimulates the nervous system, signalling fat cells to break down in the body... (as well as) increase adrenaline levels in the blood." My gym trainer said it's best to drink one at least half an hour before I head for a workout, so that my energy is higher and I can push myself more. Plus it's great for that adding fat burn. 

5. All the nutrients, none of the extras: There's literally nothing unnecessary in a cup of black coffee - no sugar, no fat, no carbs, just a little bit of potassium*. However it contains a bunch of vitamins too - vitamin B5, B2, B3 & B1 (which sound like gibberish) as well as potassium and magnesium. It's also one of the best sources of antioxidants in the world, so if that doesn't convince you then I don't know what will. 

With these 5 factors, coffee is also known to aid depreciation in illnesses such as cancer, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, liver disease and depression in cases. Whilst I can't speak to that personally, but science can, I can attest to the other benefits of drinking black coffee. At first, it can be a bit bitter, I won't lie. You'll want to add sugar or milk, but avoid it. Push past that, soon enough you'll drink black coffee as you do plain tea or green tea. Honestly, it's lifted my energy levels and helped with my bloating and I couldn't suggest it more. 

*PRO-TIP, ACCORDING TO MY TRAINER: Take breaks in between coffee drinking if you want to keep up the increase in metabolism and energy surges. If you take a break every few weeks or after a month or two, your system won't get overly used to black coffee and won't adapt or deteriorate or return your metabolism or energy levels back to what they were before you started drinking black coffee.

Would you take the plunge into black coffee drinking? And if you already do drink it, do you see the same benefits or no? Let me know, I'd love to see how other people find it. 

Lots of Love, 

Emily xx