Rituals for Pure Skin

Rituals for Pure Skin For a delicious introduction to the world of holistic skincare, pick-up Barbara Closes new book Pure Skin Organic Beauty Basics (Chronicle Books, 2005). Close, an herbalist, aromatherapist, and founder and president of Naturopathica, a holistic spa and skincare company based in New York, draws on her experience to guide readers through good skincare basics and even includes recipes for creating healthy, holistic skincare at home. Here is one of her delicious recipes for purifying your skin, cour-tesy of Chronicle Books (www.chroniclebooks.com).

Purifying Green Tea Mask

Clays are traditionally used in skincare for their drawing properties as they dry, they pull out excess oil and dirt and leave the skin feeling clean. This mask uses kaolin clay and bentonite clay, which are sold at health-food and specialty stores.

Makes 1/2 cup

1 tsp. green tea infusion (see below)

2 tsp. aloe vera gel

1 tsp. honey

1 1/2 tbs. kaolin clay

1/2 tbs. bentonite clay

2 drops rosemary essential oil

1 drop lavender essential oil

green tea infusion:

Place 2 ounces fresh green tea leaves in a French press. In a small pan, bring 1 cup distilled water to a boil on the stove and pour over the herbs. Let the tea steep for 10 minutes. Strain and pour into canning jar.

Preparation:

Combine green tea infusion, aloe vera gel, and honey in mixing bowl and stir well. Slowly sprinkle in the kaolin and bentonite clays while stirring. Add the essential oils and combine well. Apply to clean face immediately and leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.