Maine Inspired DIY Facial Scrubs & Masks For Summer Skincare

Summertime leads to a lot of busy weekends in the sun, trips to Maine's coast or lakes and a whole lot of sweating, things that may give rise to needing a little TLC for your face and skin.

Inspired by Maine's summertime ingredients provided by our region, here is a list of DIY scrubs and masks that you can whip up from ingredients from your local grocer or maybe even from your very own backyard.

The point is to give you simple recipes that have ingredients any Mainer has access to from local farms or even in your backyard to conveniently and easily keep your skin looking it's best!

Blueberry Honey Scrub

Here's a recipe inspired from Homemade For Elle, that actually has 10 face scrubs to make and try out.  What's more Maine and summer-ry than blueberries and honey?

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of fresh blueberries
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1-2 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Combine ingredients until smooth
2. Clean yo face
3. Apply your Maine inspired scrub
4. Allow to sit for 15 minutes
5. Then, rinse clean with warm water

Seaweed & Cucumber Scrub

Here's a combination inspired from Nature Helps.  If you can walk to the ocean or next time you're at the ocean, collect some seaweed for this facial scrub.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of rinsed, fresh seaweed
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1-2 tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Grate cucumber
2. Combine cucumber and seaweed in a blender and blend until smooth
3. Mix in sugar
4. Clean yo face
5. Apply mixture on clean face
6. Allow to sit for 10 minutes
7. Rinse off with cool water

Pine Needle Mint Clay Mask

Here's where we really use your backyard, Maine.  This mix was inspired by Leaf TV and HomeTalk.com and will add some Maine forest to your beauty regimen.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups of Maine clay
• 1/4 cup of minced mint leaves
• 2 cups of pine needles
• 1 cup of distilled water

Directions

• Collect and Prepare clay: Dig out a couple of handfuls of clay in your backyard.  Once collected, spread onto a baking sheet and bake it at 350-degrees F for two hours to destroy bacteria.  But, if you're not feeling so adventerous go online and by some clay.
• Prepare your pine needle-infused water:  Boil 2 cups of fresh pine needles and 1 cup of distilled water in a small saucepan.  Remove from heat. Cool completely.
• Strain your pine needle water and collect your water.
• Combine pine needle water and clay so your mud mask mixture is spreadable but not runny.
• Mix in your minced mint leaves
• Clean yo face
• Apply mud mask to your face or body
• Allow mask to dry then let it sit for another 15 minutes
• Wash off with warm water