I love facial grains! They're  a 3-in-1 method of cleansing, exfoliating and masking in one step. Facial grains keep your complexion glowing by cleansing and removing the top layer of skin which is nothing more than dead skin cells, without stripping away your acid mantle. Exfoliating allows for your facial oils and creams to be better absorbed.

Facial grains are super easy to make and with a little research into ingredients, you can tailor your recipe to suit your complexion needs. I have SUPER sensitive skin and have to be very careful about what I put on it. I mix up a Mason jar full of these grains and keep them in my bathroom. When it's time to use them, I mix them up in a tiny ceramic treatment bowl that was made for me and given to me by a friend years ago. Using my special bowl makes me feel a little bit fancy, and my grains spa-like.

Twice a week I put my hair in a pony-tail, apply my facial grains and then I soak in a hot epsom/dead sea salt bathtub with a few drops of my favorite essential oil (eucalypus), a cup of hot tea, and a magazine or book. My bathroom is a haven and a stricly no electronics zone. That's my twice a week self-care ritual and it's amazing how that half hour can transform me.

Lisa's DIY Facial Cleansing Grains

1/2 cup rhassoul clay
1/2 cup bentonite clay
1/2 cup colloidal oatmeal
Choose any clay that's suited to your skin care needs. I like rhassoul and bentonite because they're non-drying clays.

1/2 cup rice bran powder
This is the exfoliant. You can substitute finely ground oats or rice, oat bran, or coconut flour. If you like your mask extra scrubby you can also add corn meal, almond meal, ground flax, chia seeds, sea salt, or sugar.

1/2 Tbsp. lemon peel powder
3 Tbsp. coconunt milk powder
1/2 Tbsp. green tea powder
These are my favorite botanicals. But the sky is the limit here when creating DIY Facial Grains. Other suggestions that you can use are finely ground herbs/flowers such as lavender, chamomile or calendula, cocoa powder, honey, activated charcoal, kelp, rose hips powder.

Blend all of the ingredients together in a large bowl. I run mine through a flour sieve, but that is not necessary. Just stir it very well to combine. Store in Mason jar.

To use: Add a heaping Tbsp. of your mixture to a bowl. Then add 5 or 6 drops of any essential oil you might like, or none at all. Now add enough warm water to make a paste, you're only going to need a couple of Tbsp. of water. Apply onto your face with a brush, or your fingertips. Let dry. Rinse. Follow with Pure LUXE facial oil.

My favorite essential oil blend for the face: 
Frankincense, 3 drops
Lavender, 2 drops

Relax, refresh, recharge, enjoy!

XO, Lisa