1/ounce Clay + 1/ounce Aloe (I like fresh leaf) + 2/tsp. Swedish Bitters + water as needed
Apply the mask to a freshly cleansed face (pores open) and leave on for approximately 15 minutes. To remove, moisten fingers with hot water and instead of immediately rinsing off, massage the mask into your complexion and then rinse off, compress your face with a hot washcloth and follow with a toner and moisturizer.
Suggestions for a nutrient rich toner http://mountain-spirit-botanicals.com/shop/floral-waters/
Suggestions for organic / pure plant based moisturizers http://mountain-spirit-botanicals.com/shop/evening-primrose-facial-oil/
A side note on Swedish Bitters: being of German heritage I have a kinship with German herbalists and always reach for their books when researching herbal interventions. I don’t say this to be prideful; Germany has produced some of the finest herbalists known throughout the world and the one I particularly admire and who has shaped my understanding is Maria Treben (often referred to as “the grandmother of herbalism”). In Ms. Treben’s book “Health from God’s Garden” Swedish Bitters is noted as an intervention for almost every ailment and may be applied topically or ingested. I use it for facial care, take a teaspoon daily, and also apply to wounds that are slow to heal (“bitter” is an ally for the liver and blood). I have been using Swedish Bitters for many years and the only brand I recommend (found in most Health food stores) is Natures Works (the founder, an herbalist, was a student of Ms. Treben). As a final note to Miami locals: I also have a kinship with the vans (store fronts) in Little Haiti that park along the N.E. 2nd Avenue corridor. Besides the healing clay aforementioned, I’ve purchased beautiful Linen skirts and dresses, baskets, fresh fruit and produce and always receive smiles and kindness with each purchase. Although I’ve been privileged to not run my business from the back of a van, one may never know what beauty lives in the back of someone’s van unless we stop to say “good morning”. I trust the encounters will please you.
If you would like to by-pass sourcing and formulating a facial mask, my new formulation “Rhassoul Refining Mask” is quite lovely and one I use each week http://mountain-spirit-botanicals.com/shop/rhassoul-clarifying-mask/
Warm regards and happy facial masks! Elise