Hey there, hi there, ho there!
Man, mint rules. Fresh mint sprigs on vanilla iced cream? Amazing. Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate covered mints? To die for. But mint is not just for eating! Especially during this time of the year, when all is stress and sickness and holiday hub-bub, it’s important to remember to take time out just for you to relax and reflect. Feel good inside and out, even if it’s just for an hour or two!
So today, for Spa-Day Wednesday, I propose three rejuvenating (and inexpensive) ways you can use mint to your own advantage!
1. At-home steam facial
You, too, can relax spa-style with just a pot, a stove, a towel, some water, and a couple ‘a’ mint tea bags!
1. Fill 2/3 of a large pot with water. I recommend a large pot like a stock-pot, something that has a diameter wider than your face. Filtered water is probably best (less impurities released in the steam), but that’s a lot of water…so I use tap!
2. Bring the water to a boil.
3. Add tea bags (might I suggest Mint Medley by Bigelow teas), reduce heat to medium. Let steep for 2-5 minutes.
4. Drape the towel over your head and shoulders (like a tent – this helps keep the steam around you) and lower your face towards the pot. IMPORTANT SAFETY ANNOUNCEMENT: be sure to keep your FACE at least 1.5 feet (18 inches) ABOVE the pot! Otherwise you run the risk of getting STEAM BURNS ON YOUR FACE. Also, make sure the ends of the TOWEL are kept back and AWAY from your source of HEAT. Please don’t set yourself or your house on fire. K THNX!
5. Inhale deeply through your nose, exhale through slightly pursed lips. Kneel on a chair or stool if that’s most comfortable for you. Spend 3-7 minutes in the steam, however long it takes you to relax without feeling uncomfortable. Remember, if the steam gets too hot for you, you can always raise your face up a few inches or step away from the pot completely; this should be relaxing, not uncomfortable!
I especially like to use this technique when my nose is all stuffy!
2. Mint-Julep facial masque
My mom introduced me to Queen Helene’s mint-julep facial mask (Walgreen’s, $3.79) in high school to ward off acne outbreaks. In my last year of college, my roommate reminded me about its existence and I have been loving it ever since! 20 min. is the minimum time needed for this stuff to work its magic, but I like to leave it on overnight to really let it soak in. This stuff is great for refining pores, healing blemishes, and restoring a healthy glow. And it’s so cheap!! Slather some on and gently remove with a warm washcloth (in the shower is usually the best bet). Be sure to wipe those out-of-the-way places (like the creases on either side of the nose) as this stuff can hide out and embarrass you later when you hit the sunlight (assuming there is any. Damn winter)!
3. Melon/Sugar/Mint body scrub
Available at Target ($8.99), this body scrub made by Boots cosmetics boasts organic peppermint oil, melon extract, and sugar granules to help maintain skin’s radiance by helping to remove dead skin cells, revealing the softer/smoother skin beneath. I suggest (from experience) that you use this stuff in the shower as opposed to the bathtub or a footbasin: cleaning it off of the sides for half an hour is certainly less than relaxing!
Scrubs can be nice in the wintertime (especially for elbows, knees, and feet) when artificial heat and sudden changes from warm to cold temperatures while going from building to car to building really take a toll. Sugar is one of nature’s most effective emollients, right up there with salt and sand. (I wanna go to the beach!!) There are actually many “recipes” online for scrubs you can make at home with sugar or salt (here’s one from Health magazine, one of my faves) in case you can’t make it to a local drugstore (or don’t want to brave the holiday shoppers).
And there you have it! Three ways to spruce up your Hump Day with one of my most beloved herbs! Now go make yourself a mug of that mint tea, add a drop of honey, and put your feet up! Only two more days ’til the weekend!
