Goodbyes are the worst. Even if they’re only “see you later’s” the twisting pinch in your chest that swells up into your throat reminds you you’re not sure when you’ll see that person again and it lingers as does their absence.

I said goodbye, or see you later or possible even see you soon, whatever you want to call it to my friends early this morning. It’s complicated when it comes to goodbyes these days. We were used to being together all the time or five minutes away from each other for four years in college, and now as years have passed and much has changed in our lives but very little in our relationships together nonetheless, goodbye never gets easier.

I’ll say though, knowing that there is a pending end to every visit with friends makes the time together all the more special. We spent the weekend exploring where I live, going on nature hikes, spotting and getting a little too close for comfort to some wild alligators, laughed (and snorted) until we cried, laid in the sun and talked about our futures. We blissed out in the presence of each other, in the comfort of familiar company.

On their last night here I whipped up some of my favorite all natural face mask, we giggled with green faces while we created our own spa experience. They helped me henna my hair, which was quite the experience and one that I could not have done alone!

So often times when my friends leave I am overcome with the sadness that they are now gone. I felt that today, but I tried to move through it as best I could. It’s a bit different now, as I look towards all of our futures and realize how much we’ve all accomplished and all that we have ahead of us its exciting and makes me so happy to see us all going after what we want in life. I have few words to describe my gratitude for my beautiful friendships and for evenings where I get to apply face masks and forget about adult things for a while.

 

This face mask couldn’t be easier to make. It’s likely you already have all the ingredients and you’ll probably even be tempted to eat it. What’s better than a face mask you can eat too? This is such an important part of skin care, making sure that what’s going onto your skin is something you’d also put in your mouth. Your skin being your largest organ absorbs chemicals and ingredients directly into your blood stream and alternately is the avenue for expelling those chemicals and toxins in the form of acne, rashes, etc.

I have super sensitive skin, fair complexion and have been prone to acne, scarring and redness in the past. As my body has been going through the process of removing toxins and detoxing itself naturally some of these occur more frequently, I love to use this mask to help alleviate  those side effects and make me feel great about myself.

 

I do this face mask generally about every 3 weeks, or when I feel like treating myself by indulging in a bit extra of self love. It makes my face feel more firm, keep my skin glowing and helps to keep acne, scars and redness at bay. The mask has a cooling and tingly feeling when applied. The avocado gives it this creamy textures and allows it do deep condition your skin with good fats and lots of Vitamin E. Apple cider vinegar  acts as a toner, helps to reduce redness, regulate the pH of skin, and among many other things help to brighten and refresh the skin. I pretty much use apple cider vinegar for everything, its awesome!

One of my favorite ways to use honey (other than eat it, of course) is to use it topically. It’s been used for centuries on the skin to help with burns, cuts and healing wounds. It has antibacterial properties, full of antioxidants and can help with the aging process by firming up the skin. It is such a versatile ingredient and perfect for adding to this face mask.

 

We had so much fun applying this avocado face mask on each other. There were definitely a bunch of laughs as we tried to keep straight faces, we laughed and joked about how ridiculous we all looked with our green faces – I think I had them beat though since I also had green hair from the henna treatment we applied. And that’s a whole other story! It may or may not have looked like a monster threw up in my hair. The best thing about hanging out with friends is being able to doing something fun, even if it’s as simple as a homemade face mask.

Neither one of my friends had tried a natural mask like this before and they both felt that their skin was smooth, firm and soft after the treatment. I alway notice reduced redness and a decrease in puffiness in my face after using the mask. We chilled out, put cucumbers on our eyes and jammed to Jack Johnson, Norha Jones and John Mayer – among other’s playing on our Spotify playlist.

As I think back on the weekend, while I am sad that my house is now quieter than it was last night I am so thankful for the time we shared, to have friends that travel miles to see me and let me paint their faces green. Though, I think they’re probably thanking me now for their soft skin! I hope you share this with your girlfriends too!

 

Ingredients for 1 person mask

1/2 a ripe avocado

1/2 teaspoon raw apple cider vinegar (I use Bragg’s All Natural)

1/2 teaspoon local/unpasturized honey

1/2 teaspoon water

 

Process

1. Blend all ingredients together using a single serving blender. You’ll want the texture to be creamy and with no big clumps of avocado left.

2. Once you have it all blended together you can take and apply a layer on your face using a clean foundation brush or your fingers. I apply one thin layer over the face and then a second one until my face is completely covered in the green mask.

3. Leave it on for an hour, you can add cucumbers to your eyes, relax, meditate or do some other things while it dries. It will dry on your face and become firm. After an hour, wet a wash cloth with hot water. Cover your face with the warm wash cloth and allow for the mask to loosen, then gently wipe away the mask until your face is entirely clean.

 

Enjoy it and have fun!

 

xo,

Kari