I have acquired a small amount of FGC but have absolutely no idea on how to make it up, how much to use, what consistency, when to do it, how long to leave it on, how to remove it etc etc any ideas would be appreciated? Cheers John
You can mix it with water/hydrosol/witch hazel. Consistency should be not to thin..not to thick. Just want to use about a tablespoon worth of clay...and add the wet stuff to suit. Leave it on for no more than 30 minutes...basically till the stuff is dry. Dont use it before a shave.cause it pulls everything out of your face.
To start out you basically mix it with water. You can add EOs or other things to it but to start out just stick with water. You add water/clay to make it the consistency of pudding basically. If you were to take it with spoon you don't want it to flow, but you don't want it solid either. It is a personal choice whether you want it a little thin or a little thick. Basically you put it on with your hands in a layer as thin or as thick as you feel comfortable. Your consistency will dictate that a lot. You leave it on for around 10-15 minutes. You have some choice in this as well, but just remember if you leave it on TOO long you can REALLY dry out your face and irritate it. 10 Minutes is a nice safe ground. Once you get better you can leave it on a little longer. Some also leave it on 'until it dries' but that is typically for a thinner mix. You remove it simply by rinsing it off with water. I jump in the shower and hold my head under the shower head to make it easy. Those are really the basic steps.. but there is a lot of improv available for when you get used to it.
Thanks guys, Is the water used warm or cold, and if I use witch hazel does it matter if it's rose or lavender? Cheers John
Doesn't matter to both. Though the Witch Hazel might act funny smell wise.. so you may not like the result.
OK, I tried it last night with plain water, just ever so glad no one knocked on my door while I had it on, it even scared the daughter. I never knew I had a pulse in my face, I could just feel my face pulsating as this stuff was drying. I kept it on for about 15 mins and then jumped in the shower and washed it all off. I mixed one level tablespoon with water, and now know that I can start with probably half as much. I had shaved before the mask so was already feeling nice and clean shaven, so I'm not sure of what I should have felt after the mask. My skin felt nice and smooth and soft and even more so after applying my Tabiano Terme Lenitive Refreshing Aftershave Gel which is just so good by the way. So there we have it, my first attempt of what will become part of my shaving routine. Thanks John
Sounds like it all went well. After the wash off some people like to splash cold water or use toner. Either works.. or nothing at all!
it was the redness around the eyes that made me look like i was wearing a pair of sunglasses and got burned that was cool
Now that's a "man's man" ! :1respect Ive never had the guts to mask AFTER a shave. Wow Usually I'll do it with a days growth of beard and then shave the next day. Make sure you tone and moisturize after the mask.
I put a few drops of Melaleuca (Tea Tree) oil in the mask (in addition to the water ) I actually do it about every other day. I have fairly oily skin and it's pretty much the only thing that seems to keep my face from breaking out.
Rick I was only following instructions not knowing what to expect and all that. It did feel incredibly soft and smooth afterwards though, and yes next time I will tone as well as moisturise. Cheers John
Hi Michael, What exactly does the tea tree oil do, soothe and calm or just for the aroma? I to tend to have oily skin and have to be ever so careful about what other products I apply as by the end of the day I can be greasy if I don't watch it. Cheers John
The clay alone goes pretty far for helping on the oily skin. The tea tree oil enhances and extends it's capabilities though. Tea tree oil has tons of properties that are beneficial to the skin and body in general. It helps cleanse the skin of bacteria and fungus, helps to moisturize, helps loosen and clear off dead skin cells, also helps with swelling and puffiness. Clay alone will pull out a lot of the crap that gets in to your skin during the day, tea tree added to it will kill the crap that might still be left (which is essentially what a majority of acne is... dirt and bacteria that gets caught and can't be pushed out properly by the skin). I would highly recommend trying it, start with only a few drops and adjust up/down depending on your skin. You might get a little redness, it's not necessarily an allergic reaction or anything, just either try a little less or take it off sooner. I experience redness everytime actually, but it goes away literally about a minute later. My skin feels great after, calms it down, smoothes it out, and I rarely have any acne issues, never dry skin, and rarely overly oily (anymore). Whole Foods carries essential oils, as well as other specialty places I'm sure, I get mine from Melaleuca. If you get it from Whole Foods look for the "value pack" that is 2 .5oz bottles (not always available). It is available in different qualities, not sure what Whole Foods carries. If you can't find it anywhere let me know and I can send you some.
Oh hmm... I just noticed "australia" not sure Whole Foods has made it there yet So essentially I have no idea where you can find it locally If you can't find it, let me know and I'll see what I can do about shipping you some. No idea how sending that internationally works.
Really, any health food store should carry some small EO bottles. Of course there is always the new fangeld information super highway.
