Happy Holidays!

The holidays remind me how important it is to treat yourself once in a while.

And that can come in many different forms…

Maybe you eat a couple extra Christmas cookies, because you’ve worked so hard this year.

Or you might take some "me" time and have a little spa day, because your face isn’t loving the winter weather.

Personally, I love a bit of both.

And since my skin has been looking dull lately ...

I came up with a sweet treat-inspired, DIY face mask recipe that will bring skin back to life!

The secret comes from one of my favorite holiday baking ingredients:

Cocoa Powder.

You might be thinking — ‘I’ve always been told chocolate is bad for my skin.’

But chocolate only causes skin problems when it’s paired with dairy and sugar.

Applying cocoa directly to the skin actually has loads of benefits.

Cocoa is chock full of antioxidants and caffeine that stimulate blood circulation.

This blood circulation activates and nourishes the skin — helping it look toned, plump, and bright.

Plus, cocoa is excellent at moisturizing, repairing damage, and protecting from environmental toxins.

And the best part is, it might already be on your holiday grocery shopping list.

So, if you’re looking to brighten up your skin before the holidays…

Look no further!

‘Treat Yourself’ Cocoa Mask

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon of cocoa powder

1 tablespoon of honey

1 egg white Steps:

Carefully separate the egg white and yolk, and save the yolk for later.

Combine cocoa powder and honey with egg white in a bowl, and mix until fully combined.

Apply a thin layer to face and allow to dry.

Once dry, rinse off the mixture with warm water.

Pat face with a clean towel to dry. On top of the cocoa, the honey and egg white have their own benefits.

While the honey, a humectant, boosts hydration, the protein in the egg white tightens and firms skin.

After using this mask for the first time, I immediately noticed my skin looking more lively.

It had a bright, youthful quality that I had really missed seeing.

And it was so easy, it literally took less than 10 minutes to make and apply.

This would be a great DIY recipe to use the night or morning before a holiday party.

I hope you give it a try, because you deserve to treat yourself!

Happy Holidays!