10-09-2014, 02:01 PM
Since there was some interest in another thread I am posting about facial oil massages, and spearmint oil.
After reading CrunchyBetty's article on oil massages I decided to try it because I am ~38, and was not happy to see my face aging ungracefully. Or starting to, I am spoiled by my genetics. To me it seemed to make sense that the oils that people have used for thousands of years are probably better for your skin than accouple drops of those oils with a on of cheap chemical filler.
Here is CrunchyBetty's article, I won't try to duplicate it and it is a great read:
http://www.crunchybetty.com/simple-homem...geous-skin
All oils can be found on Amazon.
What I like for a happy face is:
Base Oil: half Jojoba Oil, half Sweet Almond Oil (Jojoba is supposed to be superior, but Almond works a bit better for me so I blend the base)
Second Oil: Tamanu Oil (Really seems to help skin heal over time.)
Bonus Oil: 1-2ml of Red Clover (Photo-Estrogenic, for the GD folks here, you probably love this, if you are a genetic female, you will probably want to find a different bonus oil.)
I am not too picky about measurements, I just mix this in my palm and apply to the whole face with my fingers. Tie your hair back if it is long, some of these oils will not be nice in your eyes and hair can transfer it. Do as Betty says and wash and dry your face first. Then I do a soup-spoon massage.
This video is a bit weird, but this technique does seem to help minorly refine the face a bit over time. Target whatever you feel you need to, I personally avoid the forehead because it seems to be counter productive for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBd1gQeMkC0
As a tangent for gradual improvement of facial shape over time the various face exercises and face yoga techniques seem to work pretty good, in addition to regular exercises they have helped me tighten up my neck some. Personally I only do cheek and neck exercises, but do what you think will help you best. These will work best if done after your workout, when you have had a proper protein shake with BCAA's. (Do not have a protein shake just to do these, only have those after a REAL workout.)
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...exercisses
---
And now a side line on Spearmint Oil.
After finding spearmint extract here listed as an effective AA, and finding multiple anecdotal references to it as having anti-hirsuitism properties beyond a mere AA, I did some searching on the oil. An I found some references to it being used by some women directly on an unwanted hair, and another forum where guys with beards were trying to use spearmint oil and extract, to fight hair loss and improve their beard. Needless to say they ditched the spearmint when they found it was an AA. But the comments seemed to indicate that the OIL also have an effect on reducing androgenic hair.
So I have been experimenting with a spearmint oil treatment, I hesitate to post it here just yet since this is still kind of mad science in testing, but it has seemed to slow and thin my beard a bit to more manageable levels. A big deal since the Swansons-Hair-Skin-Nails and Biotin have all the hair growing at a stupidly fast rate. I needed a solution for the bear since using an epilator on the face is a bad idea... Even the sporadic rate I have been doing this at seems to be helping reduce rate and density of beard growth.
Here goes:
~1tbsp Sweet Almond Oil
~1-2ml Red Clover Oil
~12 drops of Spearmint Oil
Clean and dry face first, TIE HAIR BACK, mix in palm, apply only to beard area, then spread against the grain with a silicone mini-spatula.
It will burn some, leave it on as you shower for awhile, then wash it partially off with some soap leaving part as a pre-shave oil, shave. (I blind shave in the shower.) Just get it 95% of the way off in the shower. And seriously do not get it in your eyes, or on your hair. (Oil on your hair will get into your eys... ouch! )
Doing this daily would probably be a bit much, I have only done it 2-3 times a week when being diligent.
Since this is still experimental, if you try it please post back with your results.
- Jaded Jade
After reading CrunchyBetty's article on oil massages I decided to try it because I am ~38, and was not happy to see my face aging ungracefully. Or starting to, I am spoiled by my genetics. To me it seemed to make sense that the oils that people have used for thousands of years are probably better for your skin than accouple drops of those oils with a on of cheap chemical filler.
Here is CrunchyBetty's article, I won't try to duplicate it and it is a great read:
http://www.crunchybetty.com/simple-homem...geous-skin
All oils can be found on Amazon.
What I like for a happy face is:
Base Oil: half Jojoba Oil, half Sweet Almond Oil (Jojoba is supposed to be superior, but Almond works a bit better for me so I blend the base)
Second Oil: Tamanu Oil (Really seems to help skin heal over time.)
Bonus Oil: 1-2ml of Red Clover (Photo-Estrogenic, for the GD folks here, you probably love this, if you are a genetic female, you will probably want to find a different bonus oil.)
I am not too picky about measurements, I just mix this in my palm and apply to the whole face with my fingers. Tie your hair back if it is long, some of these oils will not be nice in your eyes and hair can transfer it. Do as Betty says and wash and dry your face first. Then I do a soup-spoon massage.
This video is a bit weird, but this technique does seem to help minorly refine the face a bit over time. Target whatever you feel you need to, I personally avoid the forehead because it seems to be counter productive for me:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBd1gQeMkC0
As a tangent for gradual improvement of facial shape over time the various face exercises and face yoga techniques seem to work pretty good, in addition to regular exercises they have helped me tighten up my neck some. Personally I only do cheek and neck exercises, but do what you think will help you best. These will work best if done after your workout, when you have had a proper protein shake with BCAA's. (Do not have a protein shake just to do these, only have those after a REAL workout.)
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...exercisses
---
And now a side line on Spearmint Oil.
After finding spearmint extract here listed as an effective AA, and finding multiple anecdotal references to it as having anti-hirsuitism properties beyond a mere AA, I did some searching on the oil. An I found some references to it being used by some women directly on an unwanted hair, and another forum where guys with beards were trying to use spearmint oil and extract, to fight hair loss and improve their beard. Needless to say they ditched the spearmint when they found it was an AA. But the comments seemed to indicate that the OIL also have an effect on reducing androgenic hair.
So I have been experimenting with a spearmint oil treatment, I hesitate to post it here just yet since this is still kind of mad science in testing, but it has seemed to slow and thin my beard a bit to more manageable levels. A big deal since the Swansons-Hair-Skin-Nails and Biotin have all the hair growing at a stupidly fast rate. I needed a solution for the bear since using an epilator on the face is a bad idea... Even the sporadic rate I have been doing this at seems to be helping reduce rate and density of beard growth.
Here goes:
~1tbsp Sweet Almond Oil
~1-2ml Red Clover Oil
~12 drops of Spearmint Oil
Clean and dry face first, TIE HAIR BACK, mix in palm, apply only to beard area, then spread against the grain with a silicone mini-spatula.
It will burn some, leave it on as you shower for awhile, then wash it partially off with some soap leaving part as a pre-shave oil, shave. (I blind shave in the shower.) Just get it 95% of the way off in the shower. And seriously do not get it in your eyes, or on your hair. (Oil on your hair will get into your eys... ouch! )
Doing this daily would probably be a bit much, I have only done it 2-3 times a week when being diligent.
Since this is still experimental, if you try it please post back with your results.
- Jaded Jade
