I struggle with dark spots, and acne scarring. Even with daily sunscreen, it's really hard to keep the spots at bay. I've tried over the counter treatments for brightening - some work, some don't - but I've never tried a DIY face mask for brightening until now. I am absolutely kicking myself for waiting so long to try rosemary in my beauty regimen. When I tried the rosemary hair mask, I was shocked by how amazing my hair felt. I actually went 5 days without washing my hair, and if I didn't have complete helmet head after a grueling circuit of hills on my road bike, I probably could have made it an entire week. I plan to do another rosemary hair mask soon, but I was curious about what rosemary would do to my skin, so I came up with this rosemary face mask. 

Rosemary Infused Coconut Oil 

I started out the same way as I started the hair mask - by infusing rosemary into coconut oil. I used 1/2 cup of coconut oil and used a double boiler method to melt the oil. Then, I added in some bits of rosemary, reduced the heat to low, put a lid on the bowl and let it simmer for an hour. 

Rosemary Face Mask

So why rosemary? As I mentioned in the rosemary hair mask post, rosemary is amazing for cell turnover. It accelerates the rate at which your cells are regenerated, so things like sun spots, freckles, and acne scars are greatly improved. 

Rosemary Steam Facial

To kick off the pampering, I started with a rosemary steam facial. Basically, I just poured boiling water over several stems of fresh rosemary, stuck my head over the bowl, and covered my head with a towel. Immediately the rosemary aroma was strong and I could feel the circulation ramping up in my skin. 

Skincare Fact: It's a myth that steam will open pores, however steam can help unclog pores that have accumulated a bunch of gunk. 

Experts say that steam facials before treatments helps your skin be more receptive to treatments like masks, moisturizers, and serums. Due to the increased circulation this makes sense to me. Warning: Be sure to keep a safe distance from the steaming water, as to not burn your skin. Also, come up for fresh air every few minutes. Don't over do it. If you feel dizzy or unbearably hot - maybe this isn't for you. 

DIY Brightening Face Mask

After my steam, I applied the brightening rosemary face mask. It was super simple to whip up. Here's what it takes:

• 2 TBSP plain greek yogurt
• 1 TBSP honey
• 1 TBSP rosemary infused coconut oil (liquid)

Mix all the ingredients together, and apply the mixture directly to the face. Wait approximately 30 minutes (until it feels less wet, but tacky) and remove with a clean wash rag. 

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My before (L) and after (R):  I'd like to start out by mentioning that I haven't edited these photos because I wanted you to be able to get an unaltered look at my face before and after the mask (the lighting was a tad different because there was about an hour difference in these photos). Also, you can see that I really feel strongly about eyebrows... so even though I'm not wearing anything on my skin in the first photo, my eyebrows are done. HA! 

So, did I see a difference? 

Uh. Yes. I absolutely saw a difference in my skin and it kind of freaked me out. I am not someone who will tell you "this is the most amazing face mask - blah, blah, blah" just because my skin feels a little better after use. I have high expectations for face masks... and a lot of them fall short. That's why, when I looked in the mirror afterwards, I had to pick my jaw up off the floor. My skin looked brighter, more even, and some of my spots were even lighter! As you can see in the side by side comparison, the spots on my chin were greatly diminished, and my skin overall looks a lot more even. If you liked this, you might be interested in my DIY Rosemary Hair Mask for dandruff (and all around scalp health!). 

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