Face packs

PORE SHRINKING MASK RECIPIES: A face with large open pores when seen from close quarters doesn’t look so good. While it’s quite common for oily to have a tendency towards open pores, an attack of pimples also leaves ugly scars and open pores behind. Even though the scars may fade away after some time, open pores appear to be more obstinate and hardly show any signs of shrinking. Age also takes its toll by giving an uneven/pigmented tone to the skin and making the open pores more prominent. Heredity could also be a contributing factor in determining your pore size. It’s not easy to get rid of these pores or shrink them completely or permanently using serums, lotions or face packs. Even resorting to drastic chemical/surgical procedures at the dermatologist’s isn’t quite capable of giving satisfactory results. Nevertheless, you can try and minimize their appearance at least temporarily with clever make-up and a few natural skin care masks such as these: * 1) Cleanse your face with a mild face wash. Then splash ice cold water over your face or alternatively rub an ice cube wrapped in a towel over your face. Cold ice constricts the facial muscles for a while and this action can shrink the pores temporarily. Then pat dry. You can then apply fresh lemon juice over your face, that is, if you do not have an extremely sensitive skin which is allergic to lemons. Lemon juice acts as an astringent which helps to close the pores. *2) Or after cleansing your face you can apply a spoonful of milk of magnesia. Keep it on for 15-20 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water and finish it off with a splash of cold water. This pack also helps with acne. * 3) Egg whites are not just skin-tighteners but also excellent pore-shrinkers. Beat an egg white. Add a tsp of lemon juice to it. Then apply it evenly over your face until it dries and tightens around the skin. You may skip using lemon juice if you wish and use only a well-beaten egg white on your face. Wash it off with tepid water and a splash of cold water. * 4) Soak a few almonds in water. Grind it to a paste with water. Add 2 tsp of lemon juice and apply it to your face. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then wash it off as usual. This also lightens your complexion. * 5) A combination of ~ tomato juice and butter milk ~is not only good for treating suntan but its astringent action also works well to tighten the pores. ~You can even apply plain butter milk with cotton wool on your pores; this helps with freckles too. * 6) Another recipe is to crush lettuce leaves and extract its juice, add a few tsp of lemon juice and apply it to your face to be washed off after 20 minutes. * 7) Blend apricot and tomato pulp to a paste and apply this mixture to your face. * 8) Papaya, peach, pineapple and orange juices also have astringent properties. So using these on your face may be a good idea. * 9) A sugar scrub might also help with open pores. Combine a tsp each of olive oil, Honey, lemon juice to a few sugar crystals and gently rub over your face. Immediately follow it up with any of the above packs and/or a splash of ice cold water. To get rid of pimple scars: Apply tomato pulp every day and wash off after an hour.