Enhancing your LCO at home facial

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clay, clay masks, essential oil, glacial marine clay, honey, kaolin clay, rhassoul clay, seaweed

Part of my facial line is a clay mask that you can mix and use at home. This is the same clay mix that I am using in the clinic for most of my clients. It contains a mix of Kaolin Clay, Rhassoul clay, and Glacial Marine clay and I love the feeling and look it gives your face after using it!

The basic instructions are simply – mix 2 tablespoons of the clay mix with 1 tablespoon of toner. There are a few things you can add to the mix at home.

Honey – I spoke about honey last week. It is great for softening the skin and can help heal redness caused by inflammation. You only need a small amount, about a 1/4 teaspoon, and you simply mix it in at the same time as you add the toner. Keep in mind that you want to use unpasteurized honey.

Seaweed – I use this in both a powder and a liquid extract form and either could be added to the clay mix before applying it to your face. It gives an extra boost of nutrients to your skin and I find it beneficial for more mature skin. Again you don’t need much – a few drops of seaweed extract or about a 1/2 teaspoon of powder are all I use.

Essential oils – If you are mixing the clay with one of my LCO toners then you will already be getting the benefit of some essential oils! If you are mixing it with regular water, you can add in a couple of drops of an essential oil yourself if you have them. I find Geranium and Frankincense work well. Myrrh is great for mature skin. And Lavender is very calming. Make sure you only use a couple of drops. More will NOT be better and could damage your skin.

Carrier oils – For drier skin in particular, sometimes I add a couple of drops of a carrier oil to the mix. It keeps the mask wetter longer and adds more nourishment to your skin. Two of my favourites are jojoba oil and apricot kernel oil.

Enjoy!

Honey!

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honey

I love honey! Both to eat and to use as part of a skin care routine.

For general use, honey has both antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It has been used for wound healing for centuries. Honey has a fairly acidic pH level which inhibits the growth of many bacteria. In addition, honey contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase. When applied to a surface skin wound, the enzyme reacts with your body fluids and the oxygen present to form a slow releasing hydrogen peroxide which has antiseptic properties.

For skin care, I enjoy using honey for facials. We were taught a honey facial technique last fall which I use during my thirty minute mini facials. I will also add a bit of honey into a clay mask mix depending in the needs of my clients for my relaxation facials. It helps moisturize and leaves the skin feeling soft. It can also help reduce redness on your cheeks.

For more information on booking a facial with me, check out this link on my website http://www.lazycatoils.com/facial.html

Neroli Essential Oil

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essential oil, neroli, orange blossom

There are so many different citrus essential oils! Neroli EO comes from the blossom of the bitter orange tree. The Latin name is Citrus aurantium and it comes from the Rutaceae botanical family which includes all of the other citrus oils like lemon and lime. Generally the EO is extracted by the distillation process.

It is quite an expensive EO as it takes 1000 pounds of blossoms to make 1 pound of the EO. For skin care, Neroli EO is generally used sparingly due to the expense. It is good for helping regenerate skin cells and can be used to promote healing of scar tissue and stretch marks. Overall it can have a calming effect on your body and mind and is great for anxiety and many other emotional issues.

Reflexology and Reiki Swap

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reflexology, Reiki

This past Thursday I swapped some treatments with a fellow student, something several of us do whenever we can! She is trained in reflexology and was curious about the Reiki treatments I do. And we both do Qi Drop. So we decided to combine some treatments and swap. I gave her a Qi Drop treatment and followed it with a Reiki session. And then she gave me a Qi Drop treatment and followed it with Reflexology session.

What a great way to spend a couple of hours! I love giving treatments almost as much as I love receiving them. And for me there is nothing better than sharing treatments with a fellow student. Not only do I get the benefit of the actual treatment, but I get the opportunity to discuss the various impacts of those treatments and get ideas on ways to improve the entire experience for other clients.

This was the first time I was able to experience a full reflexology treatment. My fellow student had done a mini foot reflexology treatment on me a few weeks back but we hadn’t had time for the full session. I was pretty sure it was something I would enjoy and I was right. It was amazing! I could feel a difference immediately as the treatment progressed – a release of tension, a lightness in my feet and legs. Most of us think of treating the feet when we think of reflexology. In fact, reflexology covers much more than that and uses pressure points on the head, face, hands, and feet. And the benefit can be felt through out the entire body. I am so looking forward to learning how to give reflexology treatments this fall!