Love her or hate her, pregnant or not-with-child, you have to admit — Blake Lively just emits a goddess-like glow. It's enviable, yet infuriating. So when she shares her at-home trick for keeping her mug soft and supple in the dry winter conditions, I listen. We all listen. In her latest Fall issue, Lively recently posted her at-home "farm to face" facial steaming DIY on her controversial lifestyle site Preserve . If you can get over the unbelievable amount of grammar mistakes and the overuse of cliches, you'll actually find a recipe to a pretty easy and affordable herbal face bath.
If you're lucky, you'll have everything you need for this quick face bath in your kitchen, perhaps leftover from Thanksgiving. The three key ingredients to Lively's herbal facial steam are rosemary, thyme and geranium. Together, these herbs "work hand-in-hand with moist heat to hydrate the skin and boost circulation while eliminating toxins."
The rosemary will provide an "aromatic essence" that promotes healthy collagen and fights off skin-damaging free radicals with its Caffeic and Rosmarinic acid (Both of which help fight inflammation — AKA great when your face looks and feels puffy!). Lively claims that thyme is "nature's anti-septic." By adding this to the mix, you'll help increase your body's blood flow and promote healthy fats in your skin cells, which can help treat blemishes more effectively. Lastly, the geranium will "soothe, tone and balance" the skin with its floral fragrance.
If you're buying what Lively is selling, here's exactly how you'll do it. Boil one full teakettle of water. Pour the boiling water into a large glass bowl. Next, remove the leaves of the herb sprigs and then add them to the hot water. Then, add 3-4 drops of geranium essential oil to the bowl.
Once the "farm to face" concoction is all set, use a bath towel to cover your head and lean over the steaming bowl. Make sure to keep your face at least eight inches from the water. "Take deep breathes, inhaling the herbal aromas. Relax," writes LIvely. After five minutes, splash your face with water and pat your face dry. And that's how Blake Lively gets it done.
Of course, while I'm sure Lively still relies on celebrity aestheticians to dole out weekly facials, I have to believe that she really does partake in this aromatic face bath. So, if your face is feeling dry and dull thanks to the cold and blustery weather, her DIY face bath might just be worth a shot.
