There's no escaping that it's humid outside.
Once we step outside of our air-conditioned havens, our sweat glands rejoice with the new tasks they have been given.
"Bring it on!" they exclaim to the world.
Although our sweat glands may be happy to have longer shifts and sweat more profusely, there's another part of our bodies that are furious with them: our pores.
"Stop!" our pores cry out. "For the love of all things below seventy degrees, stop!"
OK, so my pores are more vocal than others, big deal.
However, it's simple.
Our skin is sensitive to our environment.
"In the high humidity we experience in Florida, excess sweat and oils on the skin can mix with other environmental elements such as dust, pollens, makeup and pollution," said Vicki Canto, licensed skin care specialist and co-owner of the Cloud 9 Spa Salon in Gainesville.
"Without proper cleansing and exfoliation, this combination can spell trouble for your pores in the form of a ‘clogged pore' or blackhead," Canto said.
There is a way, however to save money AND keep your pores clean and healthy.
It comes in the unlikely form of a gelatinous mask that literally yanks out whatever is buried in your pores.
By making your own homemade pore strips, you're saving money and avoiding the risk of getting ineffective pore strips that won't do the job the first time around.
Allison Czarnecki, founder and editor of The Petit Elefant blog, has posted the perfect mixture and recipe for this mask on her beauty and style section at petitelefant.com.
Czarnecki said she has been using this mixture for more than a year and found the recipe online from different sources.
There are two key ingredients for this recipe: unflavored gelatin and milk. You can buy both at your local grocery store.
The gelatin packets are dirt-cheap at less than $2 a box.
One packet of the powdered gelatin mask serves/covers two faces.
First, mix the packet with one-and-a-half tablespoons of milk. Mix it in a microwaveable cup, and heat it up for 10 to 15 seconds.
The gelatin dries very quickly, so an immediate application is necessary.
Apply an even coat on your face with a Popsicle stick or the backside of a spoon.
Don't put any around your eyes, or you're going to be in a lot of pain when it comes time to peel it off.
When the mask has dried into a hard shell on your face, peel away and be amazed as to what comes off of it.
Czarnecki says that this mask should been used no more than once a week, and maybe even every other week.
"People with super sensitive skin should be careful," Czarnecki said. "It can irritate."
For the fellas, we all know men are also susceptible to black heads and clogged pores, so don't feel emasculated by trying out a new facial mask once in a while. The ladies just might admire you for your clear and soft skin. Trust me, you won't regret it.
For a more detailed take on this homemade remedy, check out petitelefant.com.
