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Beauty ARTICLES

Pamper Yourself With a Masked Massage

18th August 2008

By MELANY KARRMICHAEL

Not every gift comes in a prettily wrapped parcel - your best present could be a simple home beauty treatment to yourself!

No matter how busy you are, you must still look your prettiest and happiest for the people around you. Take some time out to give yourself a present - the lift to both looks and spirits will be well worth the effort. No rushed and complicated preparations should be necessary and there is no need to spend money on elaborate cosmetics if you don't have to. These treatments involve nothing that shouldn't already be in a well-stocked beauty cabinet or kitchen cupboard.

Beginning with your hair - have a good look at it in the mirror in a good light. If it's dry and flyaway, a hot oil shampoo will recondition it. Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into a saucer and float the saucer in a bowl of hot water to warm. With a piece of cotton wool dab the oil down inch-long partings until you have covered the whole scalp. Wring out a small towel in hot water and wrap it round your head like a turban. The steam helps the scalp to absorb the oil. As the towel cools, replace with another one and continue like this for 20 minutes. Now wash the oil out thoroughly with three or four applications of shampoo and your hair will be soft and gleaming. If your hair is suffering from an overdose of natural oil, massage spirit tonic or sweet smelling cologne into the hair as above.

Faces need pampering too, so snatch an hour from a busy afternoon or evening for a relaxing facial. First cleanse your face thoroughly with warm water and mild soap. If your skin is very sensitive, cleanse with a lotion instead. You'll make the pack doubly effective if you begin with a five minute massage to tone up the muscles and relax the nerves of your face. Before your massage, smooth on cream mixed with a few drops of almond oil from throat to hairline, so that you've a slippery surface over which to slide your fingers.

Massage with firm fingertips in circular movements from the base of the throat to the hairline, avoiding the delicate skin under the eyes. Wipe off the cream gently with tissues and apply the bought or home-made face mask. For oily skin blend half a cucumber, a sensitive skin is likely to respond best to a simple mask of lightly whipped egg white and for dry skin mash an overripe banana, add a teaspoon of honey and mix thoroughly. Apply the mask of your choice liberally.

Now that the hard work is over, lie back on your sofa or bed and place a pad of cotton wool soaked in witch hazel or a slice of cucumber over each eye. Slip a pillow under your feet so that they are propped up higher than your head and give yourself ten or fifteen minutes in this position before gently sponging off your dried mask with lukewarm water.

Lastly, think of your hands showing as much as your face! You'll improve colour and texture by doing a ten minute massage with hand cream.