Presenting the Bloody Mask of Supple Skin

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Some people think “eyes are the windows of the soul,” but I would argue that it is the skin. Think about it. If you sneak junk food that may or may not have originated from Golden Arches (no judgment, my fry-loving friend), it is likely to show up on your skin. And it’s not just bad food that can make an appearance on your epidermis. If you stress yourself, your skin will show the signs. If you’re hormonal or pregnant, your skin may show it before your mid-section.

Don’t believe me? Recently, in a moment of stress-induced weakness, I picked up a bag of frozen tater tots at the store. I generally eat very well – fruits, veggies, lean proteins galore. But I wanted tots, and for the love of Pete Campbell I had to have them. That night, blinds drawn, I ate the tots and was happy. The next day? Breakout city.

Morale of the story? Your body rids itself of toxins through the skin via sweating. So if there’s a build-up of bad things in your body, you may see it in acne, skin blotches and more. So treat your skin to a healthy diet and resist the siren call of the tots. Drink a lot of water to keep yourself hydrated. Cut out sugary foods, trans-fats and fried foods. As one expert suggests, “smooth, soft, clear skin depends on fresh fruits and vegetables.” Make friends with your local farmers’ market.

Product wise, there’s a slew of detoxifying masks on the market that can help speed up the process. Recently, I had the chance to check out Anthology’s Complete Skin Detox Face Mask ($13.95). Anthology only uses USDA certified organic ingredients and packages their bath and body works in recyclable glass bottles. Their line is vegan, cruelty-free, and void of chemicals.

And how is the Complete Skin Detox Face Mask? In two words: bloody cool. Just in time for Halloween, this mask paints your face with a red liquid hue that makes you look like you just got back from Carrie’s prom. Which is AWESOME, naturally. But you might want to warn anyone in your vicinity. Unless you want to watch them freak out, which has its advantages as well.

A word of caution. While using the product, just mix one teaspoon and a little bit of water. I made the mistake of mixing it will too much water and ended up wasting quite a bit of it. Also, the mask is really quite messy, so try to keep the wetness to a minimum. And keep some cloths on hand to wipe up afterwards.

The mask’s main ingredients are hibiscus flowers, clay, and cranberries. The hibiscus is said to have “anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, detoxifying, peeling and anti-oxidant effects” on the skin. The cranberries have antioxidants to fight free-radicals on the skin.

How does it work? I applied the mixture with a cotton ball and left it on for about 25 minutes, or as long as it took to dry. It was a little tingly and smelled like berry herbal tea. It left my skin feeling tight, smooth, and looking a little pink. It can leave your skin feeling a bit dry, so be sure to follow up with a moisturizer.

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Katherine Butler

Katherine Butler is the Beauty Editor of EcoSalon and currently resides in Los Angeles, California.