HEAT GOT YOU DOWN? MAKE A KEEP-YOUR-COOL FACE MIST

Remember when you were a kid and all you wanted to do on hot summer days was run through every sprinkler in the neighborhood? The face mist is a grown-up version of those cooling, refreshing sprinklers – spritzing your overheated skin without getting chased off a stranger’s lawn. On top of that, a face mist also helps tone your skin, wards off excess oil, hydrates a dry complexion, soothes irritation, protects against environmental toxins and restores skin’s pH balance. And it helps to refresh and enliven your mood with fragrant aromatherapy oils.

Plus, a face mist is ridiculously simple to whip up and there are many different variations for various skin types. So, if you have issues with greasy or dehydrated skin, or if you just get extra-toasty in the summer heat, this may be your ticket to relief!

ALOE FACE MIST FOR DRY AND SENSITIVE SKIN
How-to: Fill a small spray bottle halfway with natural aloe vera juice. Then add enough orange blossom water to nearly fill the bottle to the top. Add 3 drops of lavender essential oil. Shake well; spray this mist on your face and neck whenever skin starts to feel dry.


Why it works: Orange blossom water calms and tones with its gentle astringency, while lavender essential oil helps reduce inflammation and gives skin a nourishing boost. Aloe vera moisturizes and encourages skin repair and healing, making it perfect for dry, sensitive, and damaged skin. Taken together, these ingredients keep skin looking dewy and moist instead of dull and dry.

CITRUS FACE MIST FOR ACNE-PRONE SKIN
How-to: In a big pot, boil 2 cups of distilled water, 1 grapefruit (cut into chunks with the skin still on) and 2 tablespoons of rosemary (fresh or dry). Once the mixture comes to a boil, turn the heat down to medium and let it simmer for 10 minutes. Then remove the pot from the heat and let everything steep for another few minutes. Finally, strain the liquid to remove the grapefruit and rosemary, let it cool, pour it into a spray bottle and refrigerate.

Why it works: Grapefruit’s natural cleansing action helps battle acne, while refreshing the face and giving the complexion a nice pick-me-up. The rosemary, in the meantime, helps fade acne scars and blemishes. Voila!

ROSE HIP AND CALENDULA FACE MIST FOR OILY SKIN
How to: Mix 4 drops of organic Calendula oil, 4 drops of Argan oil, 6 drops of Rose Hip oil and enough orange blossom water to fill 3/4 of your spray bottle. Mix well and store in the refrigerator; shake before use to ensure that ingredients are properly blended.

Why it works: Sounds counter-productive but Argan oil is terrific at busting excess oil that may get caught in your pores. Similarly, Calendula oil is great for sensitive or inflamed skin, making it a good choice to bust breakouts. And Rose Hip oil helps to heal both inflammation and scarring. Finally, the orange blossom water acts as a potent toner, helping to combat oil levels.

GREEN TEA FACE MIST FOR SUN-SCORCHED SKIN
How to: Place 1 tablespoon each of dried sencha (Japanese green tea), dried ginseng root, whole dried chamomile flowers (or one tea bag of chamomile tea) and 1 teaspoon lime peel in a glass jar. Pour 1 cup of hot water over the ingredients and steep for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and add 1 tablespoon of witch hazel (optional), 10 drops of tangerine essential oil, 5 drops of basil essential oil and 5 drops of peppermint essential oil. Store in a dark glass bottle and refrigerate.

Why it works: The antioxidant powers of green tea are great for reversing the effects of environmental toxins and guarding against sun damage. At the same time, the reviving qualities of ginseng, refreshing lime, chamomile flowers and aloe vera leave skin softened, hydrated and regenerated.

ROSE HIP AND CHAMOMILE FACE MIST FOR DULL SKIN
How to: Blend together 3.5 oz of strongly brewed rose hips tea, 3.5 oz of strongly brewed chamomile tea and 2 oz of aloe vera juice; pour everything into a spray bottle. Mist generously and leave to absorb. Can also be misted on top of makeup for a dewy look.

Why it works: Rose hips contain nature’s highest concentration of vitamin C, which strengthens collagen and perks up the complexion. Chamomile soothes and calms, while aloe vera is lightly hydrating and eliminates redness. Result? This energizing face mist is perfect for use as a skin brighter or a quick pick-me-up.